People may gaze upon images of the Civil Rights Movement protests, marches, and dine ins and feel that our society today is a stark contrast. In recent occurrences, community activism is just as relevant. While our society still partakes in protests, sit-ins, civil disobedience and boycotts, the main battleground for activism has been modernized to the internet.
Referred to as online activism or ‘cyberactivism’, there is still skepticism on how effective the internet can as a battleground for change. I believe cyberactivism is the face of causes gaining awareness at a rate faster than ever.
Online activism was shown in true form during recent events in Ferguson, Missouri. In August of 2014, Michael Brown was shot and left in the street for four hours by Darren Wilson. Wilson was a police officer and Brown was an unarmed teenager.
The killing prompted the outraged citizens to protest the murder. Through a critical lens, the death of Michael Brown was quickly deemed one of racial discrimination.
Through podcasts, emails, and social medias like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, community members got a message reached far quicker than activism reliant solely on word of mouth. With the help of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, a conversation around institutional racism was started on international platforms.
Coordinated through those means, citizens worldwide tweeted support, demanded for Darren Wilson’s indictment, marched chanting ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’, and joined to protest the inaction of our government.
Due to the internet and social media, information that would normally have to go through channels, is available for any interested party.
Cyberactivism allowed citizens to find out what they could about the incident, all at the tip of their fingers. It also allowed citizens to become the activist themselves, learning on how to combat human rights violations and raising awareness.
However, an important symptom to note of internet culture are trends. What is happening and popular right now takes a forefront role on all media sites, changing almost daily on trending pages. The implication of this is that everything being shared is temporary, and will need to fight to remain prominent.
As will happen, the steam has decreased, causing critics to call the “slacktivists” of the internet to stop only protesting something when it’s trendy. Ferguson went from not being able to turn on the news or go on Twitter without it being mentioned, to you’re lucky if it’s an occasional mention if at all on main media outlets. The new headline has already rolled in.
People are still talking about it. Ferguson remains as an example for how the internet can bring awareness and notice to something that normally would never get the time of day. The question is, is the job done? Has the goal that the cyber activists sparked been accomplished? No. It hasn’t.
In that, lies cyberactivism’s kryptonite. In a world of easily accessible information and quick responses, the staying power of topics is a month at the most. Unless notable updates go mainstream, you will have to actively search to learn more.
The only way for online activism to remain a strong resource for justice, is that you can not stay quiet. Awareness is only a part of activism, causing change is the ultimate goal.
What can you do? Take to your social media. Spread information when you can. Sign petitions electronically that will go towards making a difference. Contact leaders with influence demanding change. Make noise. Use your voice. Do not stop just because the trend has died down.
Trends will always die down, human rights and injustice should never be a trend. Do something the internet is very good at, hold people accountable and make them aware of it. Play the long game, stop trying just because everything seemingly dies down is the fastest way to turn cyber activism into a joke that can’t finish a job.
While the fleeting nature of the internet is a valid criticism to advocacy being done right, that has always been a struggle for activists. To be heard and to stay heard. To not just plead for change, but continue to inspire it.
At the end of the day what was an activist doing all those years ago, but a scream in the void, demanding for something better and different?
