Digital activism is more impactful than commonly believed. While some dismiss online activists as "slacktivists", research shows social media activists are twice as likely to volunteer, four times as likely to encourage others to take action, and twice as likely to participate in events or donate. Awareness raised through social platforms can translate to tangible benefits, like the $7 million raised through text donations for Haiti earthquake relief in 2010. When coupled with offline action, digital tools give voice to more people and spread issues rapidly, showing how online and real-world activism can work together powerfully for change.

1.
Exploring social media as a powerful
tool for creating meaningful change
I m a g e : b r u c k e r r l b
A F l i p b o o k b y M a r r y a m K h a n

2. So called "slacktivists" take easy, social actions
in suppor t of a cause–
signing an online petition, changing their profile
photo, liking a Facebook Page... But that’s pretty
much where their involvement ends, right?
I m a g e : K r i s O l i n

3. Digital activism tends to get a bad rap,
slacktivists lack real commitment, care only
about self-satisfaction and don’t contribute to
social welfare.
I m a g e :
D u s + n
P a l u c h

4. So, why waste time
with these lightweight
social activists?
I m a g e : D i d o f fi c i e l

5. In fact, in many ways digital activism is
doing a service for traditional activism
by piquing the interest of those…
who might not otherwise
have noticed a cause
I m a g e : D o u g W h e l l e r

6. “clicktivism places the issues of today slap
bang in your face(book)
and makes them
hard to ignore.”
Image: Christophe Colletti & Jurgen Appelo
Source: Cerian Jenkins, Huffington Post

7. How does
raising
awareness
about a
cause
translate
into
tangible
social
benefits?
Image:
woodleywonderworks

8. Social media
Activists are:
2x as likely to volunteer
Image:
Scientology
Volunteer
Ministers

9. 4x
as
likely
to
encourage
others
to
sign
a
petition
or
contact
a
politician
Image:
Alan
C.

10. 2x as likely to ask for donations
Image:
Doug
Wheller

11. 2x as likely
to participate in an
event
I m a g e :
C h e r i e
C u l l e n

12. With a single comment or retweet from the
right person, a message can be shared with a vast
audience in a short period of time
I m a g e :
B r i a n
S a w y e r

13. In 2010, the Red
Cross had raised
$7million four
days after the Haiti
earthquake through
text message
donations
I m a g e :
L i s a
B r e w s t e r

14. A cellular carrier spokesperson
explained that the ease of using text
messages to donate to charities has
“opened
up
a
whole
new
world
for
”
Image:
Jose
A.
Perez
Source:
Julliane
Pepitone,
CNN

15. From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall
Street, information and communication
technologies are not just mobilizing
activism,
they are generating new forms of protest
I m a g e :
K i r b y
U r n e r

16.
Dubbed as
“freedom
fighters” and
“digital Robin
Hoods” by
supporters,
Anonymous is a
loosely associated
network of
“hacktivists”
Image:
Steven
DePolo

17. Love them, or
hate them you
certainly know
about them.
I m a g e :
P i e r r e
( R e n n e s )

18. Coupled with offline
action, digital activism
can provide a channel
for new voices to
spread incredibly
quickly - an outlet
for those with no other
way of making sure that
their story gets told
Image:
fred_fred

19. In today's modern social
media age, any issue
advocacy or public affairs
campaign that relies solely on
traditional media and paid
adver tising will simply not
succeedA
Image:
John
LeMasney

20. Advocacy
groups
have
embraced
the
paradigm
shift
and
are
no
longer
sitting
on
the
sidelines
of
social
media.
Image:
Gordon
Robertson

21. From the revolutionaries of the Arab Spring
to non-profit organization and bloggers
advocating online to political candidates on
Twitter, many people hoping to change the
world (or slightly improve it) are using
digital activism to do so.
Image:
Abby
Lanes

22. Data Sources
hSp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/cerian-­‐jenkins/click+vism-­‐a-­‐model-­‐
for-­‐2_b_2210340.html
hSp://csic.georgetown.edu/370681.html
hSp://www.cc.gatech.edu/~yardi/pubs/Yardi_CHI11_SIG.pdf
hSp://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/ar+cle/together-­‐alone-­‐ac+vism-­‐and-­‐social-­‐media
hSp://mashable.com/2011/10/24/slac+vism-­‐cause-­‐engagement/
hSp://www.forbes.com/2010/07/15/social-­‐media-­‐social-­‐ac+vism-­‐facebook-­‐twiSer-­‐
leadership-­‐ci+zenship-­‐burson.html
hSp://money.cnn.com/2010/01/14/technology/hai+_text_dona+on/index.htm?
sec+on=money_latest
hSp://www.cnn.com/2012/01/12/tech/mobile/charity-­‐dona+ons-­‐text-­‐messages
hSp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/15/f-­‐online-­‐protest.html

23. Image Sources
All images were obtained with a Creative Commons 2.0
license from Flickr, Fotopedia and Wikimedia Commons
Slide 1: bruckerrlb via Flickr
Slide 2: Kris Olin via Flickr
Slide 3: Dustin Paluch via Fotopedia
Slide 4: Didofficiel via Wikimedia Commons
Slide 5: Doug Wheller via Flickr
Slide 6: Christophe Colletti & Jurgen Appelo
via Flickr
Slide 7: woodleywonderworks via Flickr
Slide 8: ScientologyVolunteer Ministers via
Wikimedia Commons
Slide 9:Alan C. via Flickr
Slide 10: Doug Wheller via Flickr
Slide 11: Cherie Cullen via Wikimedia
Commons
Slide 12: Brian Sawyer via Flickr
Slide 13: Lisa Brewster via Flickr
Slide 14: Jose A. Perez via Flickr
Slide 15: Kirby Urner via Flickr
Slide 16: Steven DePolo via Flickr
Slide 17: Pierre (Rennes) via Flickr
Slide 18: fred_fred via Flickr
Slide 19: John LeMasney via Flickr
Slide 20: : Gordon Robertson via Flickr
Slide 21:Abby Lanes via Flickr