#slaktivism

Internet activism (also known as online activism, digital campaigning, digital activism, online organizing, electronic advocacy, cyberactivism, e-campaigning, and e-activism) is the use of electronic communication technologies such as social media, especially Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, e-mail, and podcasts for various forms of activism to enable faster communication by citizen movements and the delivery of local information to a large audience.

There are many benefits to digital acitivism. The digital age has allowed people from all over the world to come together to support or protest a cause. it allows the fast spread of information. However there are several disadvantages too. Some say it gives disproportionate representation to those with greater access or technological ability.Groups that may be disadvantaged by the move to activist activity online are those that have limited access to technologies, or lack the technological literacy to engage meaningfully online; these include ethnic and racial minorities, those of lower socioeconomic status, those with lower levels of education, and the elderly.

Slaktivism

Slacktivism can be defined as the act of showing support for a cause but only truly being beneficial to the egos of people participating in this so-called activism (Wikipedia, 2014). It usually involves "feel good measures" to support an issue or social cause, that have little physical or practical effect, other than to make the person doing it feel satisfied that they have contributed. 

A great example of slacktivism is Kony 2012. 

(http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/apr/20/kony-2012-facts-numbers)

Today this campaign has been forgotten highlighting the "trendiness" that certain campaigns are and the slackitvism of modern social media users.

Cultural Jamming

Culture jamming is an intriguing form of political communication that has emerged in response to the commercial isolation of public life. Practitioners of culture jamming argue that culture, politics, and social values have been bent by saturated commercial environments, from corporate logos on sports facilities, to television content designed solely to deliver targeted audiences to producers and sponsors (Centre for Communication & Civic Engagement).

It was originally based on the idea that advertising can be turned against itself to point up the flaws, inequalities and unethical elements of consumer culture and capitalism.

(http://www.spartacusx.com/culture-jamming/)

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_activism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slacktivism

Activism or Slaktivism? Are we really making a difference?

When it comes to current events happening around the world, we are in an era where we see it all. With the advancement of the internet and 24 hour news stations running seven days a week, we are always made aware of the injustices and tragedies that are taking place. There once was a time where we didn’t know about the horrors of war, and to protest an injustice meant to actually physically attend an agreed on spot with other protesters. Today, we can just click our share button on our phones, or post a status with a hashtag, and consider ourselves activists. But, are we really making a difference?

#imhelping

Slaktivism, is defined as superficial, minimal effort in support of causes (Gladwell, 2010, as cited in Youmans and York, 2012, p.316) and has been linked to what some call ‘negative consequences’, by placing too much emphasis on the social media, and taking focus off of the real problems. For example, the “I’ll ride with you” hashtag emerged in response to fears of backlash against Muslims after the Martin Place siege. The hash tag amassed over 120,000 tweets after news of the siege broke (Rupert, 2014). Some describe it as inspiring, while others have criticised it. For example, North Queensland MP George Christensen believed the hashtag portrays Australians as racists who will endanger Muslims and that it also created a false set of victims, taking the focus from the two deceased victims (Hair, 2014). Many citizens criticised the hashtag by coming up with another one called ‘I will not ride with you” (Milman, 2014). Both of the hashtags and the people using them took away from the news of the siege and the victims involved in it. Personally, I have friends on Facebook use both hashtags. I found it funny how when something controversial happens, you really start to see the true sides of people and how they think and feel, especially when it comes to Muslim culture! Did a friend of yours post something that shocked you during the siege? Did any of you participate in the #illridewithyou?

Does using our phones make a difference?

A study from the University of British Columbia found that when people participate in a form of public support (liking protest pages, using hashtags) they aren't any more likely to participate in a form of more meaningful support in the future (Essig, 2014). Furthermore, they also found that people who participate in slaktivism were about as likely to make meaningful contributions to causes (donations, attending protests) as people who did not participate in slaktivism. This statement can be seen as both true and false. For example, I live in the area where the little boy, William Tyrell went missing, almost everybody that I am friends with on Facebook, changed their profile picture to a picture if his, and all though there were a lot of people in the community who went looking for him, there were a fair few who didn’t. However, it is not fair to describe all people who use social media in protests as slaktivists, because there are still people who are active on social media, and active in many other ways in the real world (Essig, 2014). It is important to remember however, that social media isn’t a fundraising tool; it’s a relationship building tool. Social causes are helped by social media when you see what your friends care about you can decide whether to care about it, too (Essig, 2014).

Are slaktivists activists? Have any of you been a slaktivist?

Here is a link to a story on William Tyrell, in case you haven’t heard of him- http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/01/04/03/14/missing-boy-william-tyrell-may-have-been-victim-of-targeted-abduction

References.

Essig, K, 2014, Activism or Slaktivism? How social media hurts and helps students activism, St. Louis public radio, January 2, viewed January 4 2015, http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/activism-or-slacktivism-how-social-media-hurts-and-helps-student-activism

Hair, J, 2014, Queensland MP criticises ‘Pathetic’ #illridewithoyu campaign, Australia news, December 17, viewed January 4 2015, http://australia.news.net/article/2500821/queensland-mp-criticises-pathetic-illridewithyou-campaign

Milman, O, 2014, Islamic leaders: Australians rise above fear after Sydney siege, The Irish times, December 16, viewed January 4 2015, http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/islamic-leaders-australians-rise-above-fear-after-sydney-siege-1.2039976

Ruppert, B, 2014, Martin Siege: #illridewithyou hashtag goes viral, smh, 14 December, viewed, January 4 2015, http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/martin-place-siege-illridewithyou-hashtag-goes-viral-20141216-127rm1.html

Of course none of us can ever do enough. It was a hurting world even before Typhoon Haiyan tried to wipe parts of the Philippines off the face of the earth. Doesn't everyone at times feel helpless, bewildered, beset in the face of all the neediness of the world? Or maybe it's just us bleeding-heart liberals and others who empathize with the suffering of others and fear for the future of the planet.

So my friend Betty had a fine post on facebook today:

"I just learned a new word, and I love it; Slactivism. Slactivism is the act of doing something meaningless in the name of a good cause.

This includes things like growing a mustache for Movember, but not donating money to cancer research. Or posting the colour of the bra you are wearing on your Facebook page in support of Breast Cancer.

The Facebook thing bugs me to no end, and I will often post when these things start showing up that it would be more effective to donate to breast cancer research.

Activism is only activism if it actually helps make a difference. Okay, rant over! "

I will admit to occasional indulgence in Slacktivism. It assuages guilt just that little bit, although it shouldn't. It lets you feel like you're doing something in instances where there may not be much that can be done: "Of course I'll pray for your dying friend." It's the socially acceptable thing to do: "Sure, here's a fiver for that Remembrance Day poppy."

At least the poppy contribution goes to the Royal British Legion (though I don't actually know how efficient they are as a charity or how much good they are doing in the world.)

But "'Like' this post to show you care?" I'm not sure about that. I felt one manifestation of this ploy posted on Facebook today was a particularly vicious bit of slacktivism. It showed a Marine crouched next to a young boy who was just barely holding back his tears. The caption: "His dad died from fighting for our country--Click Like to show respect, keep scrolling to say I don't care."

Controlling hogswollop. Of course we all care. Of course clicking 'like' costs us nothing. Great. But respects paid? Sorry, I don't think so.

Is that kid even for real? So many of these tear-jerkers prove to be faked stories with photoshopped pictures. I feel like such a fool when I'm duped that way. And it's doubtful that the kid will ever know whether i click or scroll over the item.

And if lots of people like me, who could do more, end up satisfying our charitable urges with such trivial, fruitless acts, slactivism could be taking a very large toll.

On the other hand, I suppose it's possible that such very minor efforts could work like a "foot in the door." I click on an item like that today, and tomorrow give a donation to Aggie's or Help for Heroes.

Or maybe when people see that several of their friends are re-posting something like that, and when they notice that hundreds of thousands of people have "liked" it, there's a mini surge in the power of "social proof."

I learned about the "power of social proof" from "Yes! Fifty scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive" by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini. It might be familiar to people who've studied psychology or persuasion and it also might be common sense, but the idea is that people tend to follow the crowd -- to buy an item that's "flying off the shelves!" or drop litter in a place that's already filled with litter -- everybody else does it, so why not?

If "liking" something on Facebook, or growing a 'tasch for Movember (without directing donations to charity) disposes people to a good cause through the power of social proof, maybe that is not a total waste.

But yet again (I think this is on the third hand...) aren't the people who "like" and repost those facebook items already predisposed to those causes? And wouldn't it be much better to post things that point your friends toward some specific action that would do more good -- for example, linking to a specific, high-efficiency charity, or mentioning a local person who could use a hand? Or even calling out Movember beard-growers who aren't actually raising money for charity along with their stubble? 

I guess where I end up on this is that people should use social media judiciously: Think about the effects of things you post. Are they going to do some good? Would something else do more good? If your post is slacktivism, I would guess that for each rare person whose heart is newly softened to a cause, there will be another who clicks and then feels they've done their bit and is lost to any genuine commitment or further effort.

And in keeping with that, I end by reTumbling Tumblr's charity call:

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, please help those desperate for clean water and food by donating to the UN World Food Programme:

USA: Text AID to 27722 to donate $10

UK: Text AID to 70303 to donate £3

Canada: Text RELIEF to 45678 to donate $5

Donate online

I just tried the link to the UN World Food Programme and discovered their website is down. So here are some alternatives:

Save the Children

Charity:Water

Direct Relief International.

For what it's worth, these are among "Real Simple"'s top 10 charities.