In their article, Harlow and Guo (2014) explore how the meanings of “activism” and “activist” are changing due to the use of digital media. Technology is often utilized for communication and information sharing during protests, marches, and other forms of activism. For instance, in 2006, a march was held in the United States to defend the rights of immigrants, where activists used the Internet to promote collective action (Harlow & Guo, 2014). To examine the use of technology among activists, Harlow and Guo (2014) questioned two focus groups of 10 persons with prior experience working in immigrant organizations. The participants were invited to respond to open-ended questions to elicit their opinions. The research found that activists use digital tools to increase awareness among the public. However, digital instruments are less effective for inspiring individuals to engage in offline activism. Technology serves more as a logistical tool for interacting with other activists or supporters than it does with actual immigrants. To spread their messages, activists rely on the mainstream media. Social network may advance the cause by drawing more media attention, but it might also work against it by calling focus away from the problem toward the digital spectacles. The primary drawbacks of adopting digital tools are that they are less accessible to immigrants and restrict activism to mouse clicks. In addition, the focus group’s size imposes restrictions on the investigation. Other elements, such as the environment, could have been considered in further studies. Overall, digital advances may benefit activism by calling attention to the issue and creating space for communication. However, social media may harm by distracting media’s attention.
Reference
Harlow, S., & Guo, L. (2014). Will the revolution be tweeted or Facebooked? Using digital communication tools in immigrant activism. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 19(3), 463–478. doi:10.1111/jcc4.12062