Online Activism and Digital Leadership: How Can You Spread Awareness and Make a Positive Impact Online?
Online Activism, to me, is known as the use of new information and communicational technology to support social and citizen movements. Online Activism is where digital tools, such as the Internet, our Mobile Phones, and Social Media, are used for bringing about social or political change about a certain issue or topic. Online Activism can be used for awareness purposes, to collect donations, foster coordination, and as an expression. I look at Online Activism as the ability to communicate and learn with thousands of citizens all around the world. The internet is the tool of choice for individuals to spread social messages far and wide.
Digital Leadership relates in the way that Online Activism is the use of the Internet and the Digital devices are what brings that awareness and change to life. When I think of Online Activism, I think of the courageous efforts of people to have enough heart and care to put their beliefs before their social status and raise awareness for a change in our society. When I think of Digital Leadership, I think of the courageous leaders who make that online change and awareness. Digital Leadership is where powerful people and influencers spread posts about what is important and necessary in the world. These digital leaders do not care about if their followers or the population agrees with their viewpoints, they just want to do what is right.
I can see how individuals are confusing online outrage for activism, but I 100 percent believe that the Internet can actually wield power for positive change. A few of the ways that Online Activism can bring about positive change and upright is through petitions, campaigns, and online fundraisers. These are all very effective ways to raise awareness about important political, economic, cultural, and social problems or challenges that society is facing. We have gone through an immense amount of crazy obstacles and experiences the past couple of years, the list could go on and on. I keep thinking back to everything that happened and how many Instagram Posts, Twitter Tweets, or Facebook articles that I would read. I would gain knowledge about the crisis or issue and then I would help repost it and spread positive awareness to my followers that would eventually spread all around the world.
Here is a great article I read from the Pew Research Center that educated me more on Online Activism and how it it utilized in the Social Media Age. I definitely recommend looking more into this, as this reading will open your eyes to technology and the Internet in new and fascinating ways!
Digital tools can be the world of difference in our communities and the entire world. The reason being is that millions of people, from all over different counties, have access to either social media, the internet, or a mobile phone. Can you imagine how much awareness could be spread without these digital tools? Virtually none. Can you imagine the Black Lives Matter Movement or everything that is going on in Ukraine right now without social media? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I have learned almost everything about these issues through social media and reading various articles or posts I see on Instagram. Simply, Digital Tools make processes more consistent, secure, efficient, effective and build strong communities of people. Digital tools help people find causes they care about, build partnerships, and multiply their impact.
I had trouble finding the exact case study I wanted to share, so I thought I would share about a time I personally experienced Online Activism and saw technology spreading awareness for a very important and impactful cause. When I was a freshman in High School, there were 2 boys who got killed and 2 boys who got injured in a car accident. They were from Lakeville South and they were playing Nerf Wars with the other students from the High School. This was such a tragic and shocking event that happened and every student raised awareness and spread their love and prayers online. There was a #4ever and #LakevilleStrong hashtag being tweeted and shared over social media for days and people donating to the online GoFundMe pages that were set up for the families. I have never seen technology bring individuals together like this before. It is crazy how much a hashtag can unite a community and world of people.