Reach Out for Kenya Using social networks to promote online and offline activism April 30, 2008

Web actions on www.amnesty.org Letter writing/petitions Traditional methods with limited impact Connection between online and offline activism

Letter writing/petitions

Traditional methods with

limited impact

Connection between online

and offline activism

Disputed election result on 29 December 2007 1,000 killed in post-election violence Over 300,000 people forced to flee their homes Human rights abuses across the country Crisis in Kenya

Disputed election result on 29 December 2007

1,000 killed in post-election violence

Over 300,000 people forced to flee their homes

Human rights abuses across the country

Reach Out for Kenya: 27 February 2008 A multi-component web action

Why Facebook? Broad international reach Show worldwide public outcry Possibilities for offline events and self-organising Place for Kenyan diaspora to add voice Quick and easy to use – two-week deadline 3 rd most visited site in Kenya

Broad international reach

Show worldwide public outcry

Possibilities for offline events and self-organising

Place for Kenyan diaspora to add voice

Quick and easy to use – two-week deadline

3 rd most visited site in Kenya

Our target audience Kenyan diaspora Influential Kenyans Kenyan activists Kenyan leaders (via AI website) Amnesty International supporters (via AI website) New audiences

Kenyan diaspora

Influential Kenyans

Kenyan activists

Kenyan leaders (via AI website)

Amnesty International supporters (via AI website)

New audiences

1) The Letter

2) The Flickr Page

Facebook 3) The Facebook Action

Facebook 4) The Offline Event

THE RESULTS

Broad reach, quick mobilization 6,000 group members in two weeks Space for activists and supporters to post links and share information 600 confirmed event attendees Large proportion of non- Amnesty International members

6,000 group members in

two weeks

Space for activists and

supporters to post links

and share information

600 confirmed event

attendees

Large proportion of non-

Amnesty International

members

Profile picture and status

Offline results Worldwide media coverage

Offline results – demonstrations in 11 countries Australia Burkina Faso Côte d’Ivoire Canada Germany Mali Mexico Netherlands UK Uganda Uruguay USA

Australia

Burkina Faso

Côte d’Ivoire

Canada

Germany

Mali

Mexico

Netherlands

UK

Uganda

Uruguay

USA

Facebook – Successes Instant community Connected with new audiences Quick mobilization of people to protest/campaign Increase in traffic to AI website (15% referred from Facebook)

Instant community

Connected with new audiences

Quick mobilization of people to protest/campaign

Increase in traffic to AI website (15% referred from Facebook)

Lessons Learned Idea to change profile picture/status worked well Only possible to send messages to 1,000 group members at a time, no limit on events/causes Superficial level of engagement – a quarter of online activists never act offline Regular updates keep a group alive

Idea to change profile picture/status worked well

Only possible to send messages to 1,000 group members at a time, no limit on events/causes

Superficial level of engagement – a quarter of online activists never act offline

Regular updates keep a group alive

Facebook - Limitations and Dangers Under 10% of Kenyans have internet access (although most Kenyan activists do) Proliferation of similar groups/causes Privacy – impossible to protect group members Facebook’s confidentiality has not been tested

Under 10% of Kenyans have internet access (although most Kenyan activists do)

Proliferation of similar groups/causes

Privacy – impossible to protect group members

Facebook’s confidentiality has not been tested

Kenya – 28 February 2008

The Future Build network of Somalian activists and human rights journalists AI applications - linking to website Riga Pride Event, 31 May (pictured)

Build network of

Somalian activists and human rights journalists

AI applications -

linking to website

Riga Pride Event, 31 May (pictured)

Reach Out for Kenya Using social networks to promote online and offline activism April 30, 2008