By Weronika Kuc, MA Advertising - London College of Communication.
As all physical gatherings are cancelled or postponed due to the current health crisis, online activism is one the rise. This article suggests how you might be able to create meaningful change and avoid the traps of “slacktivism”.
I have never shied away from protesting every injustice I encountered. I marched for women’s rights, for LGBTQ+ rights, for the environment and for the release of a trans activist from a Polish arrest. However, as the pandemic began, all public protests became unsafe and, in some places, unlawful. Unfortunately, the injustice and discrimination continued, unaffected by any lockdown or virus. So, I decided to explore my options online.
Online activism may seem easy: you see a trending hashtag, you share it. Done. You’re an activist. You can give yourself a nice big pat on the back.
Unfortunately, such an approach is likely meaningless. Remember when everyone was sharing black squares on Instagram? In spite of their best intentions, they were not supporting the Black Lives Matter movement; quite the opposite, the flood of black squares under the #BLM hashtag made it difficult for protesters on the ground to communicate and share their experiences.
Watch this powerful Ted Talk (video below) given by Karen McAlister for some outside perspective on how hijacking activists’ hashtags can get in the way of the cause:
This is a short and by no means comprehensive guide into ways of protesting online in a way that is genuinely helpful.
1. Educate yourself on the cause
UAL alumna and a friend of mine, Arthi Rangaraj, has created a list of educational resources for those of us who want to become actively anti-racist. You can find it here
2. Don’t fall prey to “slacktivism” and trends
Genuine online activism should go beyond the hashtag and include a concrete call to action, donation or a commitment to change. Sharing a black square on your Instagram feed alongside the #BLM hashtag is performative, opportunistic, and simply just lazy. If you’re a real ally, use your platform to share and amplify the voices of those affected.
3. Go beyond social media
Did you know you can email your local councillors and leaders? Website Email For Justice makes it especially easy to pester politicians about the causes you care about. There are also pre-written e-mail templates demanding justice for George Floyd, Breona Taylor, James Scurlock, and Tony McDade.
Signing online petitions is another good way of getting the attention of policymakers. It seems too easy to work, but websites such as Change.org have a proven track record of effecting real change. Want proof? Burger King UK recently announced that they will remove all plastic toys from kids’ meals in an attempt to reduce plastic waste. Who suggested it? Ella and Caitlin, aged 10 and 8 respectively, via Change.org.
The UK government also allows the public to submit their online petitions. Every petition that gets 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate by the parliament. And you don’t need to be a UK citizen to sign; as long as you study at university here, your vote will count.
4. Finally, GO OFFLINE
This pandemic won’t last forever. Once it is over, look for ways to support long-term change: become a mentor, volunteer, donate your time. Show that you really care. And, most importantly: don’t stop. Not even once the hashtags have stopped trending.
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