#Activism or ‘#slacktivism’; is your online voice really loud enough?

BY JANIECE CAMPBELL

You know the phrase ‘it’s a small world’? It seems to be growing truer each day. As wide and populated as this planet is, isn’t it crazy how interconnected we can be? There’s actually a term for this: time-space compression. It defines the impact of technological innovations such as the Internet that condense physical social space and additionally increase the speed of communication transmissions.

In simpler terms, what does that mean? Well, it’s essentially how you’re able to get those lengthy Whatsapp messages from your auntie. Within one mere tap, any post could be instantly received on the other side of the globe.

There’s one digital-age invention that is the epicenter of keeping many of us connected – the hashtag. Through the use of a number sign, we’re given the ability to follow specific conversations and threads at any time, in any location. But who knew that such a simple symbol would assist in changing the world?

The most revolutionary hashtag at this very moment may be #BlackLivesMatter. Originating in 2013, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, it initiated an earth-shattering movement. It wouldn’t be long before the use of the hashtag became unfortunately common, as the entire world slowly tuned in to the reoccurring bouts of police brutality against black people. The untimely death of George Floyd brought this hashtag back expeditiously, generating 8.8 million tweets on the day of his death and an average of nearly 3.7 million tweets per day in the subsequent two weeks.

Most trending hashtags such as #KONY2012, #MeToo or #BringBackOurGirls all have a similar evident purpose – to raise awareness and show solidarity.

Hashtag activism has become a universal wonder, giving society a voice to collectively condemn injustice and ultimately demand change. It has become an easily accessible and low-cost resource for many to support a cause while also offering an opportunity for further education. This form of online activism has very clearly made its mark in effectively garnering awareness and navigating a conversation that needs to be had.

Though the use of these hashtags tend to ignite global unrest, is a single post really doing much to help or is it all a waste of time?

The biggest issue with hashtag activism is the debate on whether it actually makes a difference or if it’s just a way for people to feel like they are making a difference. This brings about the term “slacktivism,” a word to define those individuals who share a post from the comfort of their beds and then roll over, believing that small act will somehow change the world.

Recently, activists promoted #BlackOutTuesday, a specific day to refrain from posting personal matters unrelated to Black Lives Matter. Many users posted a solid black background including the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, a bare-minimum attempt at solidarity. While the posts were very likely well-intended, what did a plethora of black screens accomplish? In my opinion, not much at all. Instead, many viewed it as counterproductive, as it ended up harming the message and erasing the channels of a lot of helpful information that many worked so hard to vocalize.

In this age of constantly flowing information, it isn’t far-fetched that very soon, we’ll be consuming the next hottest topic and these hashtags will dwindle down to nothing more than just a trend. As days pass and the media coverage begins to die down, it’s safe to say that slacktivism isn’t enough, but it is definitely a start. After all, each movement has to begin with one post.

It’s heavily encouraged to continue sharing out information daily, but the current use of this hashtag is miniscule to real life engagement. It’s one thing to spread awareness, but what’s awareness without funding? What’s awareness if people aren’t taking their voices to the streets and applying pressure? We’re all socially aware of the problem at this point, it’s a matter of what you will do next to combat it.