From my own understanding, online activism means individuals using the internet as a tool to spread social messages in the digital world, and they can communicate, advocate and connect with others who hold similar values about social justice. These kinds of online activities can easily gain media attention than in reality. Therefore, some issues that we easily ignore in real life can be stressed online. While my understanding of digital leadership is a bit different from online activism. Digital leadership is mainly to improve our lives and our circumstances. It aims to lead a more positive influence. Online activism is more subjective, in what individuals stand up for their perspective and value.
It’s meaningful to take a deeper thinking of will all activities work? How much change does online activism bring to actual world? Will all activism cause positive influence to society? From the reading “Activism in the Social Media Age”, 69% of Americans believe that they can create social movements on specific political issues. Indeed, online platforms make information spread quickly, and more people are accessible to certain issues through internet. The exposed problem can be seen more easily. However, though one hashtag about a specific political event is popular online, how this popularity is putted into effect is still unknown. Because it still depends on how government deal with. Our voice is a strong indicator, but it always needs to be heard and accepted. Online outrage is a problem while expressing views and value. If individuals can’t control their words using and emotions, it may leads negative effects on the social events.
Take me as an example, I like to check popular hashtags of one day, because that make sures my engagement of society. It’s good to feel getting involved in social topics and learning what most people care or advocate provides me new views. These hashtags can offer other people chances to state truths, express perspectives and giving suggestions to the surrounding of how to better solve an issue. As a digital citizen, we can help to spread appropriate and authentic news or views online, such as making comments or “tweeting”. Most importantly, though online activism, we can take deep considerations to some social or political events and make critical thinking. In this pandemic time, online activisms always include how things going and what we can do to protect ourselves. Such online activities play an important role to advocate everyone paying attention of the seriousness, like wearing masks.
