Throughout the past decade with the rise of social media came the rise of social media activism. As we have seen in the past this activism has brought real change and we can learn a lot from it.
Examples
#MeToo was a movement that was meant to give women who were victims of sexual harassment a place to share their stories and reduce stigma around this issue.
#LoveWins started after the supreme court allowed same-sex marriage. 7 million tweets and 1.4 million instagram photos.
#BlackLivesMatter This online movement allowed BlackLivesMatter to become a real organization with over 40 chapters. Increased awareness and provided this movement an actual place to organize and form.
#ALSIceBucketChallenge Raised $115 million dollars. Very popular due to its easy participation, entertainment, and the fact that celebrities were participating.
Occupy Wall Street relied on social media's ability to create a unified movement with no leader. It was all individuals with no real chapters or organization.
Social Media Strategies
Using it as a platform to organize gatherings as seen with Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter
Giving a platform for people that have lived through experiences firsthand
Sharing pictures and videos to bring awareness or show people the strength of the movement
Signal boosting. This is when groups of people all state the same exact message online
Using the right sites for the right audience. Many adults use Facebook while young adults use instagram and snapchat more
“Social Media as Activism and Social Justice.” Maryville Online, Maryville University, 11 June 2020, https://online.maryville.edu/blog/a-guide-to-social-media-activism/.