| dc.description.abstract | With the overarching goal of effecting social change, activism is strongly linked to the progression and evolution of society. As online mediums have grown in use, questions have been raised regarding their contributions to the successful carrying out of activism efforts. This paper touches on examples that fall on both sides of the debate, highlighting the beneficial (It Gets Better Campaign) and negative (Kony 2012) results that online mediums can facilitate, and even those that fall in the middle (Josh Hardy change.org). After identifying key factors that contribute to the successes and shortcomings of activist efforts involved in such examples, this paper addresses the increasing issue of slacktivism that has surfaced out of this online realm. Through discussing the recent findings of Kristofferson et al, the linking of slacktivist actions (requiring minimal displays of support for a cause, as well as a lack of desire to exert more significant effort to enact meaningful change) to the level of an act's social observability, as well as impression management, self-consistency, and moral alignment motives, works toward supporting a few propositions. Namely, impression management motives should translate to the online realm, given the public nature of participants' involvement; online public displays of support should lead to meaningful contributions if alignment between causes and participants is nurtured; and the potential for negative effects of slacktivism should continue to increase, given the online realm's growing presence and increased touch points. Amidst these propositions, it becomes clear that it is the job of key stakeholders to leverage online tools properly and implement them in such a manner that facilitates and aligns with a thoughtful, strategic plan. | |
