The document discusses the limitations and criticisms of online activism or "clicktivism". It notes that while social media allows issues to gain widespread awareness, as seen with hashtags like #BringBackOurGirls, awareness alone does not create tangible change. Some critics argue that online activism on platforms like Facebook transforms social issues into ways to gain social capital rather than create real change. However, others maintain that clicktivism still has value in spreading awareness and dissent when it may be one of the only forms of expression available. The document also provides several examples of online activist campaigns and hashtags.

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PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON @ FLICKR

2. - THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY
- CLICKTIVIST.ORG
(SHARMA, RITU) PHOTO BY DANWOLF- @ FLICKR

3. (ADHIKARI, ABHAY) PHOTO BY DANWOLF- @ FLICKR

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5. “Outraged Nigerians took to social media
with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls,
which swept around the world in more
than three million retweets. Even Michelle
Obama, America’s First Lady, posed
holding a placard with the hashtag...
But one year later, #BringBackOurGirls
hasn’t brought the girls home…. It’s a sad
illustration of the limitations of
“clicktivism”
(Kielburger, Craig and Marc)

6. Photo by Poe Tatum - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/8064937@N05 Created with Haiku Deck
- Larissa Faw
(Faw, Larissa)

7. Photo by Robert S. Donovan - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/10687935@N04 Created with Haiku Deck
(Xie, Jenny)

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- Facebook activism amplifies harmful underpinning of capitalism
Social media platforms transform social issues into cultural capital
- Ossues become labels of political alignment and lend an appearance of
social awareness attached to a digitally curated self. They become a
means to the end of social gain, rather than of social change
- the end-goal of this online “activism” is typically limited to raising
awareness. As valuable as it is to widen people’s understanding of the
world, no tangible change flows from awareness alone.
- Social media is fast, easy, cheap and, in one sense, democratic.
social media sites are profit
(Mazie, Steven)

9. (Laiton, Alejandra)

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(Laiton, Alejandra)

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Several online activist campaigns
involve people nominating others
(calling on individual people to get
involved) in its nature.
(SHARMA, RITU)
(CASTILLO, MARCO ET AL)

12. (SHARMA, RITU) PHOTO BY CT SENATE DEMOCRATS @ FLICKR

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WHEN FOOTAGE OF NFL START RAY RICE
PUNCHING HIS WIFE LEAKED, THE
HASHTAG #WHYISTAYED WAS MADE AS A
RESPONSE TO THE MANY ASKING WHY SHE
WOULD STAY WITH HIM.
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Social Media was a platform people could
use to share, discuss, and protest. A way
for their voices to be heard. For world
wide attention on these issues.

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17. (SHARMA, RITU) PHOTO BY MATTHEW WILIKINSON@ FLICKR
SOMETIMES VOICING DISSENT (OR
SUPPORT) IS THE ONLY POWER WE
HAVE..
“
”-Ritu Sharma

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21. Works Cited
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Castillo, Marco, Ragan Petrie, and Clarence Wardell. "Fundraising through Online Social Networks: A Field Experiment
on Peer-to-peer Solicitation." Journal of Public Economics 114 (2014): 29-35. Web.
Dewey, Caitlin. "#Bringbackourgirls, #Kony2012, and the Complete, Divisive History of ‘hashtag Activism’." Washington
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Grinberg, Emanuella. "Meredith Vieira Explains #WhyIStayed." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. June 2015.
<http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/09/living/rice-video-why-i-stayed/>.
Kielburger, Marc, and Craig Kielburger. "A Click Is Not Enough to Have Impact on World."Canoe.com. N.p., n.d. Web.
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Kim, Yoonj. "#NotYourAsianSidekick Is a Civil Rights Movement for Asian American Women."The Guardian. N.p., n.d.
Web. June 2015#notyourasiansidekick is a civil rights movement for asian american women.
<www.theguardian.com%2Fcommentisfree%2F2013%2Fdec%2F17%2Fnot-your-asian-sidekick-asian-women-
feminism>.
Laiton, Alejandra. "Changing the World with a Click? Online Activism & Social Marketing | ZN Consulting." ZN Consulting
Changing the World with a Click Online Activism Social Marketing Comments. N.p., 09 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 June 2015.
<http://znconsulting.com/insights/changing-the-world-with-a-click-online-activism-social-marketing/>.
Mazie, Steven. "Three Big Problems With Facebook Activism." Big Think. N.p., 23 July 2014. Web. June 2015.
<http://bigthink.com/praxis/facebook-is-fraying-not-saving-the-world>.
Sharma, Ritu. "Stop Pouring Ice on Clicktivism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. June 2015.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ritusharma/stop-pouring-ice-on-click_b_5692555.html>.
Stern, Caryl M. "In Praise of Clicktivism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. June 2015.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caryl-m-stern/in-praise-of-clicktivism_b_6978314.html>.
Stern, Caryl M. "In Praise of Clicktivism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. June 2015.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caryl-m-stern/in-praise-of-clicktivism_b_6978314.html>.
Xie, Jenny. "MediaShift." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 12 June 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/05/pew-online-
political-activity-is-growing-but-slacktivism-and-class-related-gaps-loom/>.