#CLICKTIVISM

BRIDGING THE EMOTIONAL GAP TO ONLINE GIVING

By: Charlotte Schwass 10181301

FILM260

Friday, June 3rd, 2016

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In order for clicktivism to be effective, exposure on numerous occasions and

platforms is essential.(2)

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“Overexposure is necessary in this day and age of constant information. It takes seven to eight exposures, on average, to

motivate someone to take action. So any help with awareness is a boon. “ (1) Image Source: Unsplash By: Thomas Lefebvre

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Examples of clicktivism could be

signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a

social media website. (3)

“Supporters of online activism argue that social media can be used to reach a wider group of people by raising

awareness or knowledge. The simple actions invite people who may otherwise never take traditional civic actions to

partake in a collective action.” (4)

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“While online activism shares many similarities with traditional

civic actions, the cost of participation online is generally

much lower than traditional civic actions such as sit-ins, protests,

hosting a community meeting, or writing a letter to the

government.” (4)

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Many people believe there are negative consequences of clicktivism including

encouraging people to morally disengage from organizations, and other causes. (5)

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“A real danger of hashtag activism is that users misinterpret their simple online actions as enough to promote change… It’s true that awareness can equate to power, but there needs to be some way to go from awareness to action.” (6)

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“Social media makes it all too easy to appear engaged in important issues without taking any real action.” (7)

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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was an example of where an organization benefitted greatly from clicktivism. A “break-the-internet phenomenon.” (8)

The challenge brought in a

staggering $115 million. (8)

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“Various people raised concerns that participants were more caught up in the viral sensation than the cause, giving less money than a typical donor and

often without even knowing much about the disease.” (8)

They were considered “flash-in-the-pan donors.”(8)

The flipside to having such a creative initiative is that once the initiative stops trending, the falloff in support is much more dramatic than in traditional campaigns. (9)

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“The searches for ALS went up a ridiculous amount, from around 500 to 68,000 in August. And then it went right back down.” (8)

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“Clicktivism won’t work in all cases…clicktivism is a tool and like any other tool you’ll get the greatest effect when you use it appropriately.” (9)

“Social media has become a powerful, if not

essential, tool for connecting causes with

those who might support them. But organizations and activists must learn that it’s not enough to

launch a hashtag or video meme and hope it goes

viral.“ (2)

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Firstly, you are not going to have higher levels of individual giving that you see

with traditional fundraising techniques, and secondly funding will become less and

less recurring. (10)

It is essential to be equally creative in the techniques to engage

and hold those supporters, or

ultimately it will damage your

organization. (10)

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So How Should We Get Involved?

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1. “Keep the action simple (without simplifying the idea behind it). The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge had two options: donate or get doused. Make the campaign action easy to do, but be clear about why people are doing it.” (6)

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2. “Connect with real life campaigns. Provide resources for people who want to do more, whether it’s through a donation, a petition or a protest.” (6)

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3. “Understand your limitations. Be humble. Sharing a post is not the same as participating in a march. Be proud of your support, but be proud of the work others are doing, too.”(6)

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Conclusion

In order to have long-term support, organizations must rely both upon clicktivism, and traditional activism in order to not

only provide widespread attention, but as well ensure longevity of the support. (11)

WORKS CITED

• 1. Sharma, Ritu. "Stop Pouring Ice on Clicktivism." Web log post. Huffington Post. 20 Aug. 2014. Web. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ritusharma/stop-pouring-ice-on-click_b_5692555.html)>.

• 2. Kielburger, Craig, and Marc Kielburger. "A Click Is Not Enough to Have Impact on World." Web log post. Canoe. 10 Apr. 2015. Web. <http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/World/2015/04/10/22337541.html>.

• 3. Biro, Colten. "Choosing Solidarity Over Slacktivism." Web log post. The Jesuit Post. 16 Mar. 2016. Web. <https://thejesuitpost.org/2016/03/choosing-solidarity-over-slacktivism/>.

• 4. Lee, Yu-Hao, and Gary Hsieh. "Does Slacktivism Hurt Activism?: The Effects of Moral Balancing and Consistency in Online Activism." 27 Apr. 2013. Web.

• 5. Turkle, Sherry. "The Documented Life." New York Times 16 Dec. 2013: A25(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 5 June 2016. http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.queensu.ca/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA352990428&v=2.1&u=queensulaw&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=64ed7fd1666adff5f62d1e8fab1a0ca

• 6. Baker, Hannah. "Activism or Slacktivism: Can Social Media Cause Social Change?" Web log post. Likeable Media. Web. <http://www.likeable.com/blog/2015/7/activism-or-slacktivism-can-social-media-cause-social-change>.

• 7. Stern, Caryl M. "In Praise of Clicktivism." Web log post. Huffington Post. 31 May 2015. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caryl-m-stern/in-praise-of-clicktivism_b_6978314.html.

• 8. Wolff-Mann, Ethan. "What Happened to the Money Raised From the Ice Bucket Challenge." Time. Time, 21 Aug. 2015. Web. 05 June 2016. http://time.com/money/4000583/ice-bucket-challenge-money-donations/.

• 9. Prosser, Nate. "‘Clicktivism Isn’t a Replacement for Boots-on-the-ground Activism – but It Does Work’." Web log post. The Journal.ie. 20 May 2012. Web. <http://www.thejournal.ie/clicktivism-isnt-a-replacement-for-boots-on-the-ground-activism-but-it-does-work-455486-May2012/>.

• 10. Howard, Emma. "How 'clicktivism' Has Changed the Face of Political Campaigns." The Guardian. 24 Sept. 2014. Web. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/24/clicktivism-changed-political-campaigns-38-degrees-change.

• 11. Bresciani, Sabrina. "Social Media Platforms for Social Good." Web log post. Web. <http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.proxy.queensu.ca/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6227944>.