Salvaging Slacktivism: Why Awareness Counts in Social Media Sarah Holcomb

The emergence of slacktivism, or easy online activism through social media, has been critiqued by some scholars who claim it fails to mobilize or efectively create change, while others contend it promotes awareness. In this essay, Holcomb assesses the claims of both groups, and while she agrees that social is a problem when seen as an end result that prevents people from further meaningful support, it can function as a source of “value alignment.” Because social media activism creates awareness, it can allow people to come into contact with a cause and to decide whether or not that cause is one that is in line with their values—thus getting more people involved in a more meaningful way.

On November 13, 2015, three terrorists bombed stance echoes Malcolm Gladwell’s famous critique Paris, France, killing 130 people, injuring hundreds of social media in 2010 claiming that physical efort, more, and creating international outrage in an not distant support, creates change (Gladwell). organized attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and Proponents of the slacktivism critique, however, the Levant (ISIL). Another explosion followed: that dismiss the value of social media activism too quickly, of millions of social media users spreading without acknowledging its ability to create awareness hashtags and modifying profle pictures and foster advocacy, especially within the millennial with a temporary France fag flter created and generation. Social media activism may serve as a promoted by Facebook. Blue, red, and white stripes powerful and positive tool for promoting important blanketed Facebook feeds as thousands joined the issues, especially concerning marginalized groups; it movement within mere minutes. Te efort, intended only becomes harmful when participants view it as a to exhibit “solidarity,” became the subject of a substitute for further action, treating it as an end in recurring debate within popular media and academia itself. alike: does social media activism actually create In order to understand social media activism change? and the slacktivism critique, we must frst distinguish Many, like one blogger for USA Today, criticized between the primary categories of online activism participants in the movement, claiming that making and their corresponding goals. Martha McCaughey a diference “doesn’t start with a Twitter rant or a and Michael Ayers identify three types of Internet Facebook photo” (Petrow). Some labeled participants activism: “awareness/advocacy,” which focuses on as “slacktivists,” who desire to “feel good without sharing information and creating a support base, having to do anything substantive” (Skoric). Tis “organization/mobilization,” which seeks to organize

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physical demonstrations, and “action/reaction,” by the same level of conviction (Gladwell). which concentrates on direct internet action like Gladwell’s case, however, fails to make an hacking (McCaughey and Ayers 72-75). For the important distinction between the diferent varieties scope of this paper, I will examine the ability of of social media activism, namely awareness and social media (focusing on Facebook and Twitter) advocacy-oriented activism and mobilization- to create awareness and facilitate advocacy through focused activism. His argument presumes that forms of online afrmation, such as the altercation legitimate activism must result in physical of a profle picture for a specifc campaign, “liking” demonstration; he endeavors to show social media’s an organization’s Facebook page, or “retweeting” a inefectiveness regarding protest organization in hashtag. order to disprove its ability to create any kind of Every day, Facebook adds a half a million new meaningful change. While Gladwell may be correct users, or six profles every second (Regan). Given that pertaining to mobilization-oriented activism, he social media sites boast more than 2.2 billion active misrepresents the value of awareness and advocacy- users, which is over 30% of the world’s population, based activism by presuming a narrow defnition. these platforms play a pivotal role in informing Unlike mobilization-focused activism, the goal people around the world and infuencing public of awareness-oriented activism is not to organize thought (Regan). Out of the 90% of (ages a team or demonstration, but rather to promote a 18-29) who use social media, 36% say that they are particular issue in order to shif public opinion or online “almost constantly,” making social media one increase general awareness. We should not dismiss of the most infuential ways in which young adults in such activity as meaningless simply because its particular connect and communicate (Perrin). Te impact appears less overt; evidence shows social Pew Research Center discovered that during January media activism to be a tool of empowerment. A study 16-20 of 2014, when piracy legislation threatening by Johnson and Kaye discovered “internet activity online freedom provoked social media backlash, to have positive efects on political attitudes and almost a quarter of millennials “followed the SOPA suggests that the Internet may help diminish political battle more closely than any other topic [that detachment since it empowers those otherwise week], making it a bigger story among that youthful feeling marginalized” (Johnson and Kaye). Tis demographic than the presidential race” (Hitlin fnding illustrates how social media campaigns can and Tan). Tis massive display of online interest not only impact viewers through their messages, and support demonstrated the power of social but also give a voice to those under-represented in media to advocate causes as millions expressed their policy-making or mass media. disapproval online and successfully “derailed” the Stephanie Vie’s research examining the Human bill (Hitlin and Tan). Social media clearly possesses a Rights Campaign (HRC) logo corroborates this remarkable capacity for sparking public interest and argument. Te HRC logo was viewed more than conversation. 50 million times on Facebook, creating record- Many critics, however, dismiss social media breaking trafc for the campaign’s website, as activism too quickly due to fawed assessments. participants used it to modify their profle pictures Te frst attack ofen brought against social media in support of marriage equality. Vie answers the activism, as articulated in Malcolm Gladwell’s article question “what kind of lasting efects can be felt “Small Change,” published in the New York Times, from seeing someone change their Facebook profle claims that because social media activism requires picture to a particular image for a short time?” by little efort, it is illegitimate (Gladwell). Gladwell arguing for the power of online support to combat contrasts a civil rights sit-in, which he terms “strong microaggressions, or ongoing discriminatory tie activism,” to loosely organized online platforms, encounters, which produce a host of negative efects which he labels “weak tie connections.” While the like poor self-image, lower health, and inferior access former relies on a network of dedicated individuals, to opportunities (Vie). Ultimately, she concludes the latter, “slacktivist,” group is unlikely to be united that the value of participating in a profle-changing

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campaign “lies in [its] ability to draw attention to interest, a millennial may seek to establish his or her issues and causes worth our interest” (Vie). Her study own platform for advocacy. Cofé and Chapman write illustrates that even small actions such as changing in their study “Changing Facebook Profle Pictures one’s profle picture, when visible on a powerfully as Part of a Campaign: Who Does it and Why?” that popular platform such as Facebook, can inform a the most commonly cited motivation of young adults large audience, garner advocates, and demonstrate participating in social media activism is to “spread support and/or sympathy. awareness” (Cofé and Chapman 18). Tey note that Recent social media campaigns have followed “the ability to change one’s Facebook profle picture a similar pattern of calling attention to those who can thus be seen as a prime opportunity to create a are marginalized by race, gender, or sexuality as (political) identity. It allows Facebook users to show evidenced by campaigns like #BlackLivesMatter, their friends political issues they care about and in #HeForShe and #LoveWins. Furthermore, the that process construct an identity which corresponds Georgetown Center for Research shows that ethnic with how they wish to be perceived” (9-10). Tis minority groups, as well as women, place greater fnding reveals that identity construction may not value on social media within activism, which be a narcissistic distraction, but instead a customary emphasizes the importance of social media activism component of activism for younger generations. In to marginalized or underrepresented groups addition, the study revealed that those who were (Georgetown 20, 23). Gladwell’s restrictive idea of already “politically engaged ofine,” participating in legitimate activism excludes the individual, low- events or protests, were signifcantly more likely to cost actions that still possess the ability to make a change their profle picture as part of a campaign, diference in the lives of others, whether to a single demonstrating that many social media activists victim or an audience of millions. already care about the causes which they support Te other main critique of social media activism, (17). Terefore, Morozov’s critique fails to validate as voiced by Evgeny Morozov, targets the motivations millennial patterns and preferences in activism of so-called slacktivists, claiming that they participate engagement and creates an inaccurately narrow selfshly, for the sake of popularity, laziness, or profle of the typical participant. constructing a personal online identity, with little to In addition, this argument fails to discredit no actual political interest (Morozov 186). Morozov social media activism because it places too much particularly associates millennials, which he terms emphasis on the role of the individual participant, “the lazy generation,” with the slacktivist profle analyzing personal motivations and contributions (186). Tis seems logical since millennials are digital while the power of awareness and advocacy-based natives who, according to Lance Bennet, professor of activism primarily lies in the convergence of mass Communications at Washington University, “prefer messages, such as the 18 million Facebook users who participating in looser and less hierarchical networks” changed their profle pictures to support the Human (Bennet). Morozov uses this concept of misguided Rights Campaign (Vie). While small exhibits of motivation to argue that social media activism’s individual support such as changing one’s Facebook power has been vastly-over estimated. profle picture may sometimes be misplaced, they While the need for online support to translate nevertheless serve as visual symbols that may yield into tangible, meaningful action is clear, Morozov’s productive results (Vie). For instance, applying a pink analysis overlooks important distinctions between profle flter on Facebook traditional activism and the activist eforts of the may not raise more money for research, yet it can younger generation. While Morozov criticizes online still serve as a reminder to women to schedule identity-making as selfsh, studies show millennials a mammogram or to investigate her cancer risk ofen pursue social change through “building (Skoric). Regardless of the user’s intentions, the common identities” (Teruelle 203). By constructing message can still create a positive efect. an image of what he or she stands for as an individual Awareness and advocacy therefore serve as through publically supporting causes of personal powerful tools that should not be overlooked by

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proponents of the slacktivism critique. Nevertheless, social media’s platform to attract meaningful support? this observation does not mean that the quality of Te study conducted by Kristoferson, White and “slacktivist” support is equal to that of volunteering Peloza sheds light on a potential strategy. When for an organization or ofering fnancial support. participants who ofered public token support were We must distinguish “token support,” or afliation required to refect and evaluate the alignment of their with little to no efort, from “meaningful support,” own values with that of the cause through written or signifcant efort (Kristoferson, White, and questions, the amount of subsequent meaningful Peloza). Wearing a pink shirt to raise awareness for support they willingly extended increased. Te breast cancer or reposting an article online are both researchers identify “value alignment between self examples of public token support, while donating and cause” as “a tool that charitable organizations time or money and physically reaching out to those can use to combat slacktivism and garner meaningful afected creates more meaningful support. A study support from public token support campaigns” conducted by Kristoferson, White and Peloza found (Kristoferson, White and Peloza). Tese results that participants who ofered public support (such suggest that by tailoring their marketing diferently as sharing a Facebook post publically) were less in order to match the values of various target groups, likely to contribute subsequent meaningful support organizations may be able to increase meaningful than participants who ofered private support support. Strategies such as creating an interactive ad (such joining a private online group). Tese results or a banner containing a relevant, thought-provoking illustrate that some who ofer public token support, question might increase success for organizations. including through social media activism, deem the Tese steps may help to grow a potential supporter’s act of afliating himself or herself with the cause in involvement, establishing the connection between public to be an end in itself, and this problem must be the viewer’s own priorities and the mission of the addressed. While this fnding does not discredit social organization more quickly. media’s ability to promote advocacy, it highlights the Te question of how to engage social media need for strategic engagement that drives further efectively for activism should also be of particular involvement. importance to millennials, as the largest and most Many organizations heavily rely on public token online-active demographic in social media. While support, which achieves a positive outcome in during the late twentieth century college campuses awareness, but fails to signifcantly raise donations ofen served as the breeding grounds for young of time or money. In 2013, the United Nations activists’ eforts, the modern college campus has International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) expanded into online territory; garnering support launched a campaign titled “Likes don’t save lives,” typically includes a digital component, such as a followed by a campaign by Crisis Relief Singapore hashtag, link, or user handle, pointing ofine viewers called “Liking isn’t helping” to demonstrate the towards a website, Facebook page, , need for real volunteers and donations, not merely or social media account. Here, value alignment may social media supporters (Miller 13-14). While we also prove helpful as a tool for the viewer, who must cannot disregard the positive ability of social media decide which causes are worth supporting, and what to campaign for important issues and to educate kind of support they will ofer. millions through awareness campaigns, social media I suggest that when a student (or any online user) activism should not be a substitute for other forms encounters a campaign on social media, he or she of activism. Unlike Morozov and Gladsow, however, should frst ask “to what extent do I care about this I do not believe that social media activism must be issue or do I want to learn more about this issue?” If rendered useless to create ofine supporters, but the student already feels passionate about the topic, rather that in order to contribute meaningfully, he or she should take steps to be well informed about organizations and users alike must be intentional in the cause, and pass on the message via social media, how they engage with social media activism. perhaps noting why he or she believes the issue is How, then, can organizations better harness important and why it should matter to others. Tis

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initial efort should be thought of as a frst step increase sincere support. As social media platforms that should lead towards further tangible support, continually evolve and expand, users, especially demonstrated through practices such as reaching out millennials, should seek to engage in social media to those afected and/or marginalized, volunteering campaigns intentionally, and organizations should for an organization, starting local initiatives, or work to create innovative and specially-tailored contributing fnancial or other assistance. If the campaigns that not only grab the viewer’s attention, student does not care about the cause, he or she but keep it. should further consider why this may be the case, and ask whether becoming more informed about the Works Cited campaign might be worthwhile. By self-refecting and researching, he or she might either become Bennett, W. Lance. “Te UnCivic Culture: engaged with the issue, or remain indiferent or Communication, Identity, and the Rise of Lifestyle Politics.” PS: Political Science & Politics 31.04 (1998): opposed, which should dictate whether or not she n. pag. Cambridge Journals. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. or she should follow the previous guidelines. Value Cofé, Hilde and Chapman, Harry. “Changing Facebook alignment provides a way to increase authentic Profle Pictures as Part of a Campaign: support and avoid becoming the lazy and indiferent Who Does it and Why?” Te Australian Political stereotypes mentioned earlier. Studies Association Annual Conference at the It is important to note that engaging in low-risk, University of Singapore (2014): 9-18. Social Science easy ways to raise awareness for a cause, such as Research Network. Web. 4 Feb. 2016. sharing a post on Facebook, or retweeting hashtags, Gladwell, Malcolm. “Small Change.” Te New Yorker. Te still plays a vital role in the process of showing New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. support. If a user had not originally been exposed Hitlin, Paul, and Sovini Tan. “Social Media Win a Big One to the campaign through the online activity of his in Washington.” Pew Research Center Journalism & Media. Pew Research Center, 26 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 or her contacts, he or she may have never become Feb. 2016. aware of the issue. By circulating the message, one Johnson, Tomas J., and Barbara K. Kaye. “A Boost or continues to create an impact on the awareness front, Bust for Democracy?: How the Web Infuenced even though it is not the most meaningful form of Political Attitudes and Behaviors in the 1996 and 2000 support. Marko Skoric suggests in his article “What Presidential Elections.” Te Harvard International is Slack About Slacktivism?” that “slacktivist activities Journal of Press/Politics 8.3 (2003): 15-16. Sage should be developed as integral parts of the activism Journals. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. repertoire, and not simply seen as another, easier way Kristoferson, Kirk, Katherine White, and John Peloza. to achieve political and social change. Slacktivists “Te Nature of Slacktivism: How the should not be scorned, but instead cultivated to take Social Observability of an Initial Act of Token Support their actions beyond the social media sphere and into Afects Subsequent Prosocial Action.” Journal of Consumer Research 40.6 (2014): n. pag. Web. 14 Feb. the real world” (Skoric). While it may be tempting 2016. to disqualify all low-risk eforts, as Gladwell and McCaughey, Martha, and Michael D. Ayers. “Classifying Morozov advocate, doing so would fail to utilize a Forms of Online Activism.” Cyberactivism: Online valuable tool. Activism in Teory and Practice. New York: Routledge, In summary, social media activism provides an 2003. 72-75. Print. important platform for awareness. While critics claim Miller, Vincent. “Phatic Culture and the Status Quo: that it does not mobilize change and results from Reconsidering the Purpose of Social Media faulty motivations, these critiques ultimately fall short Activism.” Convergence: Te International Journal of of discrediting its legitimacy. Online support should Research into New Media Technologies (2015): n. pag. create further ofine support, however, in order to Sage Journals. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. lead to tangible change. Users and organizations alike Morozov, Evgeny. “Why Kierkegaard Hates Slacktivism.” Te Net Delusion: Te Dark Side of Internet Freedom. can beneft from using value alignment to establish New York: Public Afairs, 2011. 182-87. Print. connections between the cause and the viewer and to Dynamics of Cause Engagement. Rep. Ogilvy Public

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Relations and Georgetown Center for Social Impact Communications, Nov. 2011. 20-23. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Perrin, Andrew. “One-ffh of Americans Report Going Online ‘Almost Constantly’” Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, 08 Dec. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Petrow, Steven. “Do More than Change Your Facebook Pic to French Flag.” USA Today. Gannett, 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Regan, Kadie. “10 Amazing Social Media Growth Stats from 2015.” Social Media Today. Social Media Today, 10 Aug. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Skoric, Marko M. “What Is Slack About Slacktivism?” (2012): 77-88. Rpt. in Methodological and Conceptual Issues in Cyber-Activism Research. By Inter-Asia Roundtable, 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. Teruelle, Rhon. “Social Media and .” Social Media: Usage and Impact. Ed. Hana S. Noor Al-Deen and John Allen Hendricks. Lanham, MD: Lexington, 2012. 201-18. Print. Vie, Stephanie. “In Defense of ‘Slacktivism’: Te Human Rights Campaign Facebook Logo as Digital Activism.” First Monday 19.4 (2014): n. pag. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.

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