The Age of Online Activism
We are living in a time where technology has major effects on our daily lives. One of the biggest ways this can be seen is through activism and movements, otherwise known as “Online Activism”. Online activism is when people are able to use the technologies around them (mostly various forms of the internet) in order to spread awareness of and partake in a particular movement, protest, or campaign. This is mostly done through various social media platforms, such as twitter or instagram, as well as tools like email or digital advertisements. There have been multiple different examples of this happening within the past few years, some of the most popular ones gaining fame through their hashtags in order to find posts about them. Some of the most recognized ones are the #MeToo movement, #BlackLivesMatter movement, and the #MAGA (Make America Great Again) campaign. We see these types of posts almost every day on our social media timelines, so how much of an effect do we believe that they have?
According to the article “Hashtag Activism Isn’t a Cop Out” by Noah Berlatsky, Black Lives Matter protest organizer DeRay Mckesson states that he believes the social media platforms he has been using to spread the word of the Black Lives Matter movement have been crucial. It is noted by the author that back in the 60’s during the Civil Rights Movements, there was no internet, and people caught word of that right away, they used other platforms. What is different about today? Mckesson stated back, “But what is different about Ferguson, or what is important about Ferguson, is that the movement began with regular people. There was no Martin, there was no Malcolm, there was no NAACP, it wasn’t the Urban League. People came together who didn’t necessarily know each other, but knew what they were experiencing was wrong. And that is what started this.” (Berlatsky, 2015). I completely agree with this statement by Mckesson, what is different about today is that we are all regular people sharing like experiences, which is lighting a flame under people everywhere to make a change. There is no one face of these movements anymore, the people are the faces, and there are millions of them.
Using these platforms in order to spread the word that these protests, campaigns, and movements are happening is very important. However, I think one of the most important things about Online Activism and why it works is that people are able to share their stories. There are millions of pictures, videos, and statements ending with a simple hashtag, which make millions of people see it, and make them aware of what people are experiencing. People can share powerful photos of the people who are trying to create change, or get word out quickly about something crucial that happened, no one has to wait for it to be aired by a news source. It is stated within our readings that Online Activism has amped up voices that otherwise would not be heard, specifically people of color. No more need for biased news sources or history books, with just the simple click of a button you are able to see real life experiences of all people. This is crucial for the POC community, as many of the movements that started through Online Activism have to do with them and what they are experiencing.
While researching Online Activism, there is one particular story that I feel is very important. In September of 2014, actress Emma Watson gave a speech to the UN on Gender Equality, specifically for prevention of violence and abuse and equality for women and girls in all aspects of life. Her speech touched the heart of millions, and sparked a flame in people all over the world, realizing that there needs to be change. That day, the hashtag #HeForShe was created for people to show their support of gender equality. With the speech posted on all social media platforms and the hashtag trending worldwide, 1.3 billion online conversations were recorded to be had about this subject, as well as 3.33 million he for she commitments according to heforshe.org. This is just one example of the hundreds of important movements that have exploded overnight, and it is incredible to see the impact the internet has on things like this.
Online Activism is a very important aspect of our generation and our beliefs, and I believe that it is only going to get bigger. No matter the movement, people are able to get their own personal stories and opinions out to family and friends, only for it to possibly be shared with millions more around the world. Online activism is a platform for people who would not usually get the chance to be heard, and I think it is a great tool, despite some risks, for the word to be spread on important societal issues.
