Which version of activism is more impactful? In person or social media?

Social Media Activism

Brooke Gavin, Staff Writer

For many, social media is an easy and commonly used way to obtain news. From sports to world catastrophes, social media updates and educates many. With the power it holds, it plays a vital role in activism.

Activism is defined by many as campaigning to make social or political changes, and in a time where technology is a vital part of life, a lot of this change comes from posts, calls to action, and the sharing of resources and funding. This is all carried out with social media. Social media activism is effective in bringing attention to world issues and events as well as maintaining the safety of those participating. 

Social media is fast-paced and one of the quickest ways to obtain information in the modern age. Through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and even Snapchat, users are processing content and information remarkably fast. An example of this is the phenomenon of reposting on one’s Instagram story; a form of posting pictures and text that is only up for 24 hours. It is a major influence on one’s followers as it quickly makes hundreds aware of an event. In less serious cases, this could be the outcome of a football game, a personal milestone, or even a birthday, but in serious cases, it could be a recent school shooting, an event of police brutality, or news of wars and conflicts. This power that simply “reposting” holds has been able to bring awareness to many causes and conflicts, creating a voice for many of those who, without social media, would have their voice taken away.

Safety is yet another vital part of social media activism. While participating in in-person activism, one may end up debating with others who oppose their argument or even experience brutality from law enforcement. We have seen this numerous times throughout history, starting from the Civil Rights movement to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. In maintaining safety amongst those who participate in activism, social media is all happening behind a screen. With the click of a button, one can easily post and repost instead of rallying and debating with others.

As anything would, activism through social media has its negatives. Made-up details, fake photos, and with the introduction of AI, it has become hard for social media users to distinguish fake news from real news. This leads to the quick spread of distorted information. Though this problem has not necessarily been solved, many social media platforms have now implemented restrictions, guidelines, and AI detections to manage the posting and sharing of fake news.

The new age of activism through social media has proved its effectiveness in the past decade. For example, in 2020, the death of George Floyd led to a worldwide push for racial equality, and more recently, the Apalachee High School shooting quickly took social media by storm and informed many of the event, spreading information and resources to create change in a matter of minutes. Social media is not only an outlet for creativity and self-expression but also political and social change.

In-person Activism 

Niki Karimifard, Staff writer

In-person activism is very helpful for getting messages across, especially when it is about such a contentious topic. It is fairly easy to scroll through your phone or skip through stories, but when you are in person, there is no mute button for your voice or pause button for your march. When tasked with having to advocate for an important topic, it is important to realize that posting through a screen won’t change more than going out and making your voice heard.

In-person activism is also very effective in getting messages across, especially about important topics. The Black Lives Matter protests are a great example of this. After the death of George Floyd, everyone posted a black screen on social media or changed their profile picture to BLM (Black Lives Matter) or a picture of a fist. While this seems like a great way of advocating for a cause, it is not. Protesting in person is much more effective considering it brings out a crowd of people with a certain belief, and with this belief, they create posters, engage in protests, and their voices are heard.

In-person activism gives people an outlet to express themselves in different ways. For instance, if you aren’t interested in making your point with words, you can still wear a t-shirt or hold up a poster to deliver an important message to others. All of these options are more ideal than posting online as you are less likely to be ignored in person than through a screen. Let me ask you this, if your partner were to break up with you, would you rather them text you or tell you in person? Most people would be upset if their partner were to break up with them over the phone because it makes it seem as if they do not care enough to tell you something so important in person. With in-person activism, it is similar in that if something is truly important, you will take the time out of your day to post more than just a video or repost something on Instagram. 

All in all, it takes one second for someone to post online, but it also takes one second for someone to scroll. If you go out and raise your voice for what you believe in, others will hear you, see you, and begin to understand you. Go outside and stand up for what you believe in and allow your voice to be heard. Only then will you truly see that you are capable of creating a change.