Clicktivism uses digital media like social networks to facilitate social change and activism. A clicktivism campaign can be created by choosing an issue, creating a purposeful activity to spread awareness of the issue virally, and finding ways to keep the public engaged after it goes viral. For example, a campaign was created for mental health awareness using a dance challenge on social media to cultivate unique dance routines. Crowdfunding can also be used to keep supporters engaged after the initial viral period. While clicktivism has been criticized as "slacktivism" and not driving real-world change, viral campaigns have been successful in raising funds and awareness for issues when done effectively.

2. Clicktivism is helping to change the
world by encouraging activism to go
viral on the internet.
Photo: cc: SkitterPhoto - https://www.pexels.com/photo/apple-laptop-office-macbook-19043/

3. Clicktivism is the use of digital media for
facilitating social change and activism. (9)
Photo: cc: Fancycrave1 - https://www.pexels.com/photo/laptop-technology-ipad-tablet-35550/

4. Creating a Clicktivism Campaign
1. Choose an
issue/subject for
your viral
campaign
2. Create and share a
purposeful activity to
help spread word
about the campaign
3. Find ways to keep
the public engaged
even after the
campaign goes viral
Photo: cc: Alejandro Escamilla - https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-person-apple-iphone-156/

5. 1. Picking a Problem:
Depression/Mental Health
“It is estimated that 10-20%
of Canadian youth are
affected by a mental illness
or disorder – the single
most disabling group of
disorders worldwide.” (3)
Photo: cc: Gratisography - https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-woman-girl-sitting-2369/

6. One person will create/perform a dance move and then challenge their
friends to continue the routine by adding their own additional move.
This will create a chain reaction of dance steps, which will cultivate a
variety of unique dance routines shared through social media.
Challenge: Dance Out of Depression
2. How it Works – Creating Purpose
Photo: cc: Andre Hunter - https://unsplash.com/photos/p-I9wV811qk

7. But Why Dance?
The body releases endorphins during periods of physical
activity, specifically dance, resulting in feelings of well-being
and sometimes, euphoria. (1)
- Road to Health
"Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for
80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their
regular activities.” (3)
- Canadian Mental Health Association
Photo: cc: Julia Caesar - https://unsplash.com/photos/3-3k_sYEJ1s

8. Empowered users, knowing that their contribution can
make a difference, are more committed and more
satisfied than passive viewers. (2)
These new social technologies can create a ‘ripple effect’:
once an idea or concept has reached a tipping point it will
then spread very quickly and with a chain reaction. (2)
Photo: cc: Avel Chuklanov - https://unsplash.com/photos/9cx4-QowgLc

9. “Social technologies can
empower anyone to have a
positive impact on the society by
initiating community
engagement and creating
networking effects.” (2)
Photo: cc: Estratton Bailey and We Are Sculpt - https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-coffee-meeting-team-7096/

10. Social media platforms
have already been
successfullyusedfor
social good, for
organizing community
activism, for
empowering citizens,
and for coordinating in
emergency situations.
(2)
Photo: cc: Syed Ahmed - https://www.pexels.com/photo/mobile-phone-samsung-edge-samsung-galaxy-s6-edge-plus-50614/

11. “A little over five years ago,
YouTube ushered in a new genre
of video advertising, one that
succeeded on its ability to
entertain and to be passed
around. Call them "viral" videos,
super-sized TV ads, branded
videos or just plain commercials,
a few of them have crossed a
significant psychic milestone:
100 million views and counting.”
(5)
The Viral Video
Photo: cc: Free Stock - https://www.pexels.com/photo/mokup-smartphone-technology-phone-34407/

12. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
“As of press time, more than 3 million
people and organizations have donated to
the ALS Association, accounting for more
than $110 million in total donations.” (10)
“While the remarkable growth
of the challenge happened
organically, the ALS
Association has made a
concerted effort to educate
new site visitors about the
disease and their work.” (10)
Photo: cc: Matthias Zomer - https://www.pexels.com/photo/water-summer-balloon-joy-69022/; cc: ALS Logo - http://www.alsa.org/?referrer=https://www.google.ca/

13. The Tap Project
In 2014, 2.6 million UNICEF Tap Project participants from the U.S.,
Australia, South Korea, China, Germany and 20 other countries
across the globe generated more than a million dollars in clean
water funding. (11)
“We can’t ignore the role that technology and
digital activism can play in service to our
overall mission.” (11) – Unicef Org
15 Minutes Away
from Phone
1 Day of Clean
Water
=
Photo: cc: Andrzej Jarzebowski - https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-apple-iphone-desk-59672/; cc: Unicef Logo - http://www.unicef.org/

14. Slacktivism“Organizations must
be able to keep
their supporters
engaged after the
hashtag stops
trending” (4)
The criticism that most people have against clicktivism is
that the action stops there. Small actions on Facebook,
or Twitter, or petition sites are fine in themselves. (8)
Photo: cc: Adrianna Calvo - https://www.pexels.com/photo/iphone-technology-iphone-6-plus-apple-17663/

15. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, swept around the world in more than three
million retweets. But one year later, #BringBackOurGirls hasn’t brought the
girls home. (4)
Photo: cc: Bring Back OurGirls Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls/?fref=ts

16. “There is no hope of encouraging stakeholders to take
deeper actions unless they feel that their current level of
activism is appreciated and important.” (7)
Photo: cc: Estratton Bailey and We Are Sculpt - https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-office-team-collaboration-7075/

17. Clicktivism isn’t just about viral campaigns, it can include a
whole a range of activities, such as crowdfunding (13).
Crowd Funding
“Entrepreneurs solicit the funding directly from the
public, in large part from people whom they do not know.
As a result, you may see something like 1000 people giving
$30 each instead of a $30,000 loan from a single bank officer.”
(12)
How Does It Work?
Photo: cc: SkitterPhoto - https://www.pexels.com/photo/money-cash-euro-pay-36104/

18. Crowdfundingisnot always
successful, but it is an interesting
alternative to havingto relyon a
single stakeholder to help fund
the company.
“Vanhawkswas among the
fortunate ones,easilyexceeding
its goal and raising $820,000
fromKickstarter donorsto
become the biggest Canadian
Crowdfundingcampaign to date
in 2014.” (6)
Photo: cc: Kickstarter Page -https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1931822269/vanhawks-valour-first-ever-connected-carbon-fibre

19. 3. Keeping the SupportersEngaged
Our last and final step to creating our clicktivism campaign,
revolves around the pressure to keep supporters engaged even
after the campaign has gone viral.
Crowd funding is a great method to use to keep the supporters
engaged. Through crowd funding, the Mental Health Awareness
Association could create initiatives/events and merchandise
surrounding the stigma of depression, so that the issue remains
relevant and in the minds of the campaign’s supporters.
Photo: cc: Ed Gregory - https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-eiffel-tower-lights-night-5156/

20. Overall, the exposure clicktivism brings to organizations should be
recognized and despite what many believe to be ineffective; this quote sums
up the main reason why viral campaigns will still be popular, at least for now.
“Will those clicktivists produce an 800
percent increase in tangible
donations? Maybe, maybe not. But
when it costs you NOTHING, isn’t it
worth trying?”(9)
Photo: cc: Negative Space - https://www.pexels.com/photo/notebook-working-macbook-technology-34125/

21. And now there is only one thing left to
do for the campaign.
LAUNCH
Photo: cc: SpaceX - https://unsplash.com/photos/GDdRP7U5ct0

22. Works Cited
1. Bigelow, L. (n.d.). Does Dancing Release Endorphins? Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/dancing-release-endorphins-5764.html
2. Bresciani,S., & Schmeil,A. (2013). Social Media Platforms for Social Good. Retrieved June 05, 2016,
from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.proxy.queensu.ca/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=
3. C. (n.d.). Fast Facts about Mental Illness - Canadian Mental Health Association. Retrieved June 05,
2016, from http://www.cmha.ca/media/fast-facts-about-mental-illness/#.V1O8WJMrInV
4. Kielburger, C., & Kielburger, M. (2015, April 10). A click is not enough to have impact on world.
Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/World/2015/04/10/22337541.html
5. Learmonth, M. (2010, September 02). The Top 10 Viral Ads of All Time. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
http://adage.com/article/the-viral-video-chart/digital-marketing-top-10-viral-ads-time/145673/
6. Lewis, M. (2016, May 02). Majority of Kickstarter campaigns fail despite high-profile successes like
Vanhawks | Toronto Star. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/05/02/majority-of-kickstarter-campaigns-fail-despite-high-
profile-successes-like-vanhawks.html
7. Matrix, Sidneyeve. "Social Good Slide Handout". 2016. Presentation.

23. Works Cited
8. Ocampo, L. (2013, August 21). Why Charities Hate Clicktivism,But We Think They're Wrong - One Girl.
Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://www.onegirl.org.au/blog/why-charities-hate-clicktivism-and-
why-we-think-theyre-wrong
9. Sharma, R. (2014, August 20). Stop Pouring Ice on Clicktivism. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ritusharma/stop-pouring-ice-on-click_b_5692555.html
10.Skarda, E. (2014, September 16). What You Need to Know About the 5 Most Successful Social Media
Campaigns for Social Change. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://nationswell.com/social-media-
campaigns-successful-at-change/
11.Stern, C. M. (2015, March 31). In Praise of Clicktivism. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caryl-m-stern/in-praise-of-clicktivism_b_6978314.html
12.S. (n.d.). What is Crowdfunding and How Does it Work? Retrieved June 05, 2016, from
https://www.shopify.com/guides/crowdfunding/introduction-ultimate-guide-crowdfunding
13.C. (n.d.). What is clicktivism? Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://www.clicktivist.org/what-is-
clicktivism/