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Uzone.id – Whoever said that social media is merely a shallow waste of time full of superficial content clearly isn’t using it for a good purpose. Today, social media isn’t just a platform for sharing funny cat videos – it’s a powerful tool for social change.
From raising awareness about climate change to demanding justice for the oppressed, social media activism is transforming the way we fight for a better world.
As time goes by, activism evolves in line with tech developments. While the spirit of protest remains strong, the battleground has changed. It’s no longer chanting in the streets, but it’s chanting on social media as well. Yup, activism is now spreading through real life and digital life!
Maybe it’s time to say “Welcome to the age of social media activism!” Only with a single tweet on X or a post on Instagram’s feed, anyone can become a change agent, a hope for a community.
Wanna know more about it? Let’s slide in into how social media is having a big impact on activism.
Activism powers: millions of voices—and followers
Based on Statista, by April 2024, 5.07 billion people in the world (equal to 62.6 percent of the world’s population) will be on social media like Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram.
Even though these platforms are mostly used for entertainment and escape, they’re now vital tools for spreading awareness, organizing protests, and mobilizing huge movements worldwide.
Do you remember The Black Lives Matter movement or the Stand with Palestine movement? For a short time, these movements gained massive attention online, with billions of likes, thousands of videos–even millions. They soar not only from one or two accounts but millions of users joining in. That’s how the power of numbers works.
Hashtags become your digital shoutout
Hashtags are like rallying shoutouts for modern massive movements. People speak up through hashtags on social media–not only to be easy to find but also to gather the numbers of actions.
If you remember the #MeToo hashtag, then you might clearly understand what we’re talking about now. This powerful tag unites billions of users together across the platforms to stand against sexual harassment and assault towards humans.
Becoming the virtual microphone, hashtags help people to find and join the discussions, turning individual voices into a collective-massive echo.
The more videos go viral, the greater their impact
Gen Z these days are into visual-audio content and videos are the game-changer in activism.
We need only one powerful video and it can spread rapidly, collecting millions of viewers in just hours, and that’s how social activism works.
Need proof? A young activist Greta Thunberg’s speeches and protest videos have been seen and shared by millions across social media.
It’s not only gaining likes and comments, the video has become a motivation for young people–not only in the USA but globally to demand action on climate change.
Online fundraising, thank you!
Thanks to platforms like GoFundMe and Kickstarter for providing us with an easier way to participate in raising money for causes. This is part of activism that’s having a direct and real impact on society.
If we can flashback to 2020, the fundraiser for George Floyd’s family collected over US$14 million from platforms such as GoFundMe and Kickstarter. This money will never be collected if no one shares and mentions it on social media. See, social media is not only for fun, everyone!
It’s all about breaking boundaries and uniting
Social media has no borders nor walls, and neither is this present-day activism. A movement that starts in one area could gain international support only in days. In some cases, a ‘local’ movement could be an international goal.
The hashtag #PrayFor is one of the hashtags that usually gets global attention in just a few days. Though this happened in social media, this is one of the movements that pressures governments and organizations to take action and address issues more swiftly.
Like, comment, and share awareness
Social media isn’t just for protests only but also an epic way to spread and raise awareness.
We get the power to share awareness through different platforms and content like infographics, videos, photos, or personal stories by teaching them about on-going social issues.
#FridaysForFuture movement for example, Greta Thunberg uses her platform to educate millions of her young followers about climate change, inspiring them to follow her steps and take action to change the world.
