1. SLACKTIVISM:
- “political activities that have no impact on real–life political
outcomes, but only serve to increase the feel–good factor of the
participants”
2. About The Article:
• Slacktivist activities include: joining a group on Facebook,
liking a status or sharing a post, signing an online petition,
watching an online video.
• Critiques of ‘slacktivism’- 1) it’s less effective 2) it leads to
lower overall levels of political participation (online activism
functions as a ‘real-life’ replacement) and it’s 3) for well-
educated and tech literate citizens only (digital divide)
• Although it is hard to prove the effectiveness of online
activism, it is at worst “harmless fun” and at best can mobilize
awareness and lead to offline participation.
• The article also explores some online examples of “micro-
activism’, defined as small scale, many to many forms of
political organization.
4. Verses
“Micro-activism”: “High-Risk” Activism:
(from the Malcolm Gladwell article)
- Many to many communication - A clear risk involved
- Non-hierarchical and decentralized - A personal connection
“networks” - A strategy and a hierarchy
- Fast way to raise awareness and - A geographical location
spread information
- Trust and camaraderie
- Adaptable-bottom up communication, - “Late night” conversations
outside traditional gatekeepers and institutions
5. Measuring The Effectiveness of
Internet Activism
• Tracking the effectiveness of internet activism is hard to do.
How do you measure real impact? Also, many orgs have bias
in claiming their campaigns were effective.
• There is a weak link between online activism and other forms
of participation, which is mainly a higher propensity to donate
money to a cause/campaign.
• The author concludes there is no evidence to support that
online activism replaces offline action. “If anything, it is
helping mobilize citizens by increasing an awareness of
contemporary issues.”
6. Some Examples of Internet Activism:
‘Building awareness’ examples- KONY2012, Komen
Foundation and Planned Parenthood, SOPA Blackout
Can you think of any?
7. Source: Sortable.com (list of sources on full infographic)
See entire infographic here: http://sortable.com/blog/rise-of-the-slacktivist/
8. Points for Discussion:
• What do YOU think of slacktivism? Is it a ‘real’ form of civic
engagement? Can it impact political decisions? What’s better,
micro-activism or real-life engagement?
• What about other forms of digital political participation
‘outside’ the system: i.e.: hacking, Anonymous, Wikileaks, etc.
Are they valid? More effective? Why or how?
• What’s the best strategy for a non-profit today to initiate
change around an issue?
