I predict a riot! I predict a riot!
Activist social media use today is what newspapers, posters and leaflets were to the labour movement (Gerbaudo 2012, p. 4). A way of spreading a message and garnering support to affect change. By utilising Facebook groups, tweets, and even Instagram posts, activist leaders are able to easily create groups of likeminded individuals who can participate across geographical boundaries and coordinate them to undertake collective action (Shirky 2011).Â
But is it actually achieving change?
The 2012 Kony movement certainly didnât. It cleverly used a post akin to a music video to create a sense of social norming, and incite a call to action to have Kony captured and stop the Lordâs Resistance Army. Additionally, it placed deadlines on participation, fostering a culture to âact now or miss outâ (Burrowes 2012). This pressure resulted in both slacktivists liking or commenting to demonstrate support for the cause with minimal effort, and clicktivists who despite their supportive stance, could do little more than like and share the post. Neither party could contribute anything toward actually capturing Kony besides funding the movement through donations and purchasing merchandise. I myself fell into the clicktivist category. I experienced the intended shocked response. I did feel bad about Konyâs exploitation and endangering children. I wanted to help and make it all stop. But I didnât see how giving money to an organisation I had never heard of just so I could wear a red t-shirt was going to help.
This was the central problem. Invisible Children had done a terrific job viralising the issue and gaining support, but they left supporters like myself with absolutely no practical avenue to effect change and facilitate Konyâs capture. Despite raising $28 million nothing was achieved and no progress was made as Kony remains at large and the LRA is still in operation (Taylor 2014).Â
Unfortunately the failure of the movement was not enough to stop new slacktivist trends immerging. Plastering Facebook filters over profile pictures quickly became the next wave of slacktivist participation, with the practice going viral after many terrorist attacks like the 2015 Paris attacks. Whilst this did much to create a global sense of unity and afford bystanders the sense of having âdone their bitâ, it did nothing to change the victimsâ reality. In fact, the filters recieved much backlash with many accusing Facebook of ranking human suffering as no filters were created for victims of the attacks in Lebanon and Syria (Bondarenko 2017).
This year, Greek activists successfully harnessed social mediaâs power to organise protests against compromising with Macedonia over naming rights. Whilst police officials and protest organisers disagree on attendance numbers, what stands out is organisersâ success in bringing citizens from all over Greece together in Athens to show their support. In response to the pressure from protesters, the government has remained strong and knocked back Macedonian proposals deemed to be appropriating Greek heritage (ABC News 2018).Â
So, can social media activism achieve lasting change? I think so. But only if those truly motivated to effect change are given a viable avenue to do so. Â
References
ABC News 2018, âGreek hold massive rally in Athens to protest over Macedonia name disputeâ, ABC News, 5 February, viewed 18 May 2018, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-05/greeks-rally-in-athens-to-protest-use-of-the-name-macedonia/9395502>.
Bondarenko, V 2017, âFacebook has quietly stopped offering flag profile picture filters after terrorist attacksâ, Business Insider, 8 June, viewed 18 May 2018, <https://www.businessinsider.com.au/facebook-stops-offering-flag-profile-picture-filters-after-terrorist-attacks-2017-5?r=UK&IR=T>.
Burrowes, T 2012, âKony 2012: The biggest social media experiment in history ends in failure - so why is no one talking about it?â, Mumbrella, 23 April, viewed 18 May 2018, <https://mumbrella.com.au/kony-2012-the-biggest-social-media-experiment-in-history-ends-in-failure-so-why-is-nobody-talking-about-it-86939>.
Gerbaudo, P 2012, Tweets and the streets : Social Media and Contemporary Activism, Pluto, London.Â
Taylor, A 2014, âWas #Kony2012 a failure?â, The Washington Post, 16 December, viewed 18 May 2018, <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/12/16/was-kony2012-a-failure/?utm_term=.caf370d6127f>.Â
Great post,
I must admit that I am guilty of slacktivism as are most social media users but you raise a great point. We connect on a global scale through digital networks that give us access to numerous tragic news stories from across the globe which are out of our physical reach, what real power does that leave us with besides showing solidarity through retweets, or the addition of the French flag to our profile pic?
Much like your study of Greek citizens using social media to organise protests over naming rights with Macedonia one of my blogs touched on how Cambodians choose to use social media to mobilise physical protest and enact their rights as democratic citizens of Cambodia.
Both these cases show that the true affordance of digital networks is in connecting citizens to organise and protest in cities and streets around the world.
Just a quick link to my blog entry if you're interested: An activist holiday in Cambodia
