Is Posting On Social Media A Valid Form Of Activisim?

This week speaking at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, former President Barack Obama called out those who use social media as a way to shame others, and said that such actions aren’t activism.

“That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far,” the former POTUS was reported to have told the audience. He added, “I do get a sense sometimes now among certain young people – and this is accelerated by social media – there is this sense sometimes of ‘the way of me making change is to be as judgmental as possible about other people.'”

However, even social media has become a popular way to support a cause or spread a message; the opinion of its effectiveness remains unclear. According to a June 2018 study conducted by Pew Research, some 64% of Americans felt that the statement, “social media help give a voice to underrepresented groups” described those sites very or somewhat well. A larger percentage of respondents said they believed social networking sties distract people form issues that are truly important, and 71% agreed with the assertion that “social media makes people believe they’re making a difference when they really aren’t.”

Hashtag Activism

A new term for this type of movement is “hashtag activism,” and it has been used to refer to the act of showing support for a cause through a like, share or other engagement. There are cases where a hashtag has created a larger movement, notably in the case of #Metoo, #NeverAgain and #BlackLivesMatter.

Critics have questioned whether this activism actually leads to any real change or whether users simply indicate support without taking any meaningful action. This could be in contrast to the long accepted definition of “activism,” which was defined in the 1960s as “the policy or practice of doing things with decision and energy.”

Posting to social media could be seen as actually doing something with decision, but is it actually using the energy to necessitate any change?

“President Obama didn’t quite say it this way, but people who rely exclusively on social media to advocate causes are just plain lazy, and self-righteous,” said James R. Bailey, professor of leadership at the George Washington University School of Business. “Triggering and sustaining meaningful change is arduous stuff. It’s more about deeds than words. These days, words are cheaper than ever.”

Social media is just the latest platform to spread a message and call for social action. In some ways it has become the new soap box for those to stand on – but without the effort of actually climbing on a box!

Moreover, because it is so accessible the ability for a cause to gain traction – go viral – can be challenging.

“Social media is just plain ironic,” added Bailey. “On the one hand it has unparalleled reach, making it tailor-made for activism. On the other hand, anyone can express themselves, without expertise, temperament, or even conviction. The result is that those of us who want to contribute are either lost in the mess or can’t tell what’s legitimate and responsible. Social media’s advocacy draws as many people as it repels.”

Despite this fact social media could still be an important part of any movement. The key to its success could depend on how it is best utilized.

“People use social media in different ways and for different purposes but two come to mind – one externally focused and the other internal,” said Dr. Paul Russo, vice provost at Yeshiva University and professor in the Masters of Data Analytics and Visualization Program.

“Some people are genuinely motivated to do good and they might use social channels to take on injustice or promote causes that make the world better,” added Russo. “An alternative explanation for some of the ‘activism’ we see on the web is internally motivated. Some people use their profiles and interactions as a way of representing themselves to the world as they wish they were. Their profiles, images, posts and responses are a kind of ‘performativity’ or a way of defining oneself, but in this case, on the web.”

Deciding on whether activism on social media does any good is thus a complex question. As noted some causes have grown out of social media, but other causes have failed to gain traction.

“Depending on the issue, people trust advice from different groups,” said Russo. “There is a good chance that posts from close friends will resonate with a user since people have homophilous tendencies, that is, they tend to connect with and share views of people just like themselves. So it’s reasonable that activist posts will get a reaction ‘locally’ in someone’s social network. It’s less likely that someone’s tweet or status update will go viral, and have the kind of impact they hope. For most of us who are not celebrities or influencers, going viral is sheer dumb luck.”

Future Of Hashtag Activism

The metonymic adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” was penned by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839, for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy about the French statesmen Cardinal Richelieu. In its original context it highlighted that communication – particularly written words – along with a free press could be more effective than direct violence.

To that end, social media has already proven that it can be effective in spreading the word to the likeminded and help bring about social change.

“Look back to the Arab Spring,” said Bailey. “Crowdfunding, charitable donations, and the location of food-trucks – that advance appetite – area just a few examples of efficiencies and effectiveness that rival the free-enterprise system. Of course social media can change the world – for better or worse.”

Influencers and organizations could also use these channels to create awareness to a cause.

“If someone has a good message, connects with other influencers, is consistent in contributing content that their followers value, the ground is fertile for promoting and motivating action,” added Russo. “Also, so many people now get their news on social media; from reliable sources, trusted independent bloggers, and often from opinion mongers. If you want to learn about something before CNN, look to the Twitterverse.”

Of course in the end, getting the message out there is just one part of it. Social media can call the world to action, but the issue is whether anyone listens.

[“source=forbes”]