The Boom of Social Media Activism According to statistics website, STATISTA, there are over 207 million smartphone users in the United States this year (eMarketer). The growth in mobile computing has allowed limitless access to online information almost anywhere you go. According to journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell, the consequence of this growth is that activists are now favoring more superficial participation in current social problems. Social media activism is any activism associated with social media. In Small Change: Why the Revolution will not be Tweeted, Gladwell challenges the use of social media and its weak role in social activism. Instead of being used for meaningful change, it has led us to “[forget] what activism is”(3).
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It is a tool to expedite the coalescence stage of activism. According to sociologist and activist Jonathan Christiansen, coalescence also known as the “popular stage,” channels social dissatisfaction from awareness about social problems into “what the [it] is about and who or what is responsible” (3). Gladwell uses the story of Sameer Bhatia’s search to find a blood match and ascribes its success to low risk participation. It did not “require…[confrontation] of socially entrenched norms and practices”(5). But Black Lives Matter disproves this assumption through demonstrations confronting racism. On their website, their agenda is to “tak[e] the hashtag off of social media and into the streets” (Black Lives Matter Org.). Gladwell generalizes that social media movements “[don’t] involve…personal risks,” but local chapters of #BlackLivesMatter have held multiple “high risk” protests and demonstrations; the first being a “Freedom Ride” after the shooting of Michael Brown. Many people have been arrested due to their participation in such demonstrations. The Black Lives Matter movement, although may have begun on Facebook, has transitioned in to a high risk activism, which according to Gladwell is necessary for …show more content…
While it may be true that online it leads to low risk activism, he assumes that there is no effect after you log off Facebook or Twitter. The #BlackLivesMatter movement began on social media and now has become a “high risk” movement participating in many demonstrations and protests. The internet boom has allowed the general public to become aware of social injustice that would otherwise go unnoticed. Social media can also be used to spread the message of an activist group and garner support to help impact meaningful change. The exponential growth of smartphone usage is a factor that Gladwell 's argument does not account for. Mobile computing has given information access to anyone anywhere, increasing the benefits of social media. Despite the drawback that not all social media users will become activists, this does not prevent or hinder an entire movement. According to Gladwell the internet and social media cannot produce great results for social change. He is right. Social media alone cannot advance social justice causes. But social media can incite a dialogue or a conversation about social injustices which can lead to demonstrations and protests. Social media is great for spreading information, but what kind of information is totally up to
It is a tool to expedite the coalescence stage of activism. According to sociologist and activist Jonathan Christiansen, coalescence also known as the “popular stage,” channels social dissatisfaction from awareness about social problems into “what the [it] is about and who or what is responsible” (3). Gladwell uses the story of Sameer Bhatia’s search to find a blood match and ascribes its success to low risk participation. It did not “require…[confrontation] of socially entrenched norms and practices”(5). But Black Lives Matter disproves this assumption through demonstrations confronting racism. On their website, their agenda is to “tak[e] the hashtag off of social media and into the streets” (Black Lives Matter Org.). Gladwell generalizes that social media movements “[don’t] involve…personal risks,” but local chapters of #BlackLivesMatter have held multiple “high risk” protests and demonstrations; the first being a “Freedom Ride” after the shooting of Michael Brown. Many people have been arrested due to their participation in such demonstrations. The Black Lives Matter movement, although may have begun on Facebook, has transitioned in to a high risk activism, which according to Gladwell is necessary for …show more content…
While it may be true that online it leads to low risk activism, he assumes that there is no effect after you log off Facebook or Twitter. The #BlackLivesMatter movement began on social media and now has become a “high risk” movement participating in many demonstrations and protests. The internet boom has allowed the general public to become aware of social injustice that would otherwise go unnoticed. Social media can also be used to spread the message of an activist group and garner support to help impact meaningful change. The exponential growth of smartphone usage is a factor that Gladwell 's argument does not account for. Mobile computing has given information access to anyone anywhere, increasing the benefits of social media. Despite the drawback that not all social media users will become activists, this does not prevent or hinder an entire movement. According to Gladwell the internet and social media cannot produce great results for social change. He is right. Social media alone cannot advance social justice causes. But social media can incite a dialogue or a conversation about social injustices which can lead to demonstrations and protests. Social media is great for spreading information, but what kind of information is totally up to