By Uncommon fritillary (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Victorgrigas (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By David Shankbone (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

But how effective is this social activism?

By SSG Sean K. Harp [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By ThisParticularGreg (Flickr) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Social Activism does very little to have lasting effects…

… and often raises questions of who initiated the campaigns, and who’s listening

By Serenity (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Josh Hallett from Winter Haven, FL, USA (New York Stock Exchange Boardroom - New York) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Breast cancer marketing has been taken on by many companies, often promising donations to research with purchases of certain products

By Airman 1st Class Ashley Reed [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Governments, too can use our desire to be involved against us

By Robert Viñas (Presidential Communications Operations Office, Office of the President) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Egyptian protesters used social media to their advantage, and shocked the government by its power

But other governments were quick to learn

By Essam Sharaf (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

But, “the Syrian government lifted a ban on Facebook and YouTube—nominally as a "concession" to opposition groups—but this was almost certainly done in order to more easily monitor public dissent.”

By Voice of America News: Henry Ridgwell on Turkish border, "Refugees Flee Aleppo; Hot, Barren Turkish Camps Await". [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Hustvedt (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Screencap taken by author, own work. CC3.0-BY

#BringBackOurGirls has driven media attention as of late, and with it, calls to action by the US government

By Michelle Obama, Office of the First Lady [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

From this trend, “Americans [have asked] why these girls were taken and why they can’t be found without having any of the information which would answer those questions.”

By Medina Dauda (VOA) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

… when “sometimes the answer to the question, ‘What can we do?’ is ‘Nothing.’”

It has raised awareness of a complex issue, which doesn’t have a simple history or solution, leaving them trying to act without information…

By hdptcar from Bangui, Central African Republic (Rebel in northern CAR 02) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Even still, people feel there is power behind the “like”

Hillary Clinton has said of the internet and social media that “[The US government] want[s] to put these tools in the hands of people who will use them to advance democracy and human rights,"

By Veni Markovski from New York, USA (Hillary speaking to supporters, New York) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Steve Kaiser from Seattle, US (WTO protests 10 Uploaded by nesnad) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

“It doesn’t require that you confront socially entrenched norms and practices. In fact, it’s the kind of commitment that will bring only social acknowledgment and praise.”

By Tulane Public Relations (Flickr: DSC_2739) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Slacktivism continues to play a large role in activism today, but the effects are often very mixed

By David Shankbone (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

References

• Slide 5 - http://www.newsweek.com/what-color-your-bra-facebooks-pointless-underwear-protest-222786

• Slide 8 - http://www.prwatch.org/node/7403

• Slides 10,11 -http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704657704576150653606688990?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748704657704576150653606688990.html

• Slides 15,16 - http://www.alternet.org/world/how-not-bring-back-our-girls?page=0%2C0

• Slide 17 -http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/01/02/freedomgov?wp_login_redirect=0

• Slides 18, 19 -http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all