Page 3 - Tina Morlock - How to Avoid Slacktivism

So, You Want to Be an Activist?

The notion of being an activist is not a new concept in America – or, even around the world –
but, the nature of protests, demonstrations, and other actions taken by activists who want to
influence a positive change has shifted since the Internet began to gain popularity in the 1990s.
Mike Sliwinski, a writer for Law Street Media, introduces his readers to this evolution in The
Evolution of Activism: From the Streets to Social Media:

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Beginning in the 20 century and taking focus during Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights
movement, the notion of non-violent resistance came to the forefront. While this certainly
did not lead to the end of physical confrontations between protestors and those they
protested against, it signaled a shift in the tactics used by protest groups. But with the rise
of personal computers and the internet, protests have shifted again, with protestors
moving from the physical world to virtual. (Sliwinski para. 8)

But, if you are new to activism or digital activism, you may be asking yourself – how can I make
a positive contribution to a cause digitally without hurting the efforts of other activists? This is a
genuine concern when activists start implementing the use of social media, email, or online
petitions into their strategy, because the idea is to stray away from being labelled as a
“slacktivist.” In a Washington Post article, Laura Seay defines slacktivism for potential activists
as “activities [that] pose a minimal cost to participants; one click on Facebook or retweet on
Twitter and the slacktivist can feel that he or she has helped to support the cause” (Seay para. 2).
This is exactly what you don’t want to become when you are passionate about a cause, because it
can negatively affect the movement you are so passionate about. Throughout the rest of this
guide, you will learn how to use social media to supplement your overall strategy. By
implementing effective Facebook, Twitter, and online petition strategies into your overall plan,
you can avoid being labelled as a slacktivist.

But, before you continue reading, I want to ask you a question – is slacktivism a good or a bad
thing? Some view slacktivism as an antagonist to activists that make a solid effort to participate,
but others believe that if you can get someone to contribute, no matter how little the effort, it can
still help your cause. Watch the Ted Talk below given by Karen McAlister for some outside
perspective on how hijacking activists’ hashtags can get in the way of the cause: