Budding penchant for Slacktivism or commonly identified as online activism has provided a steady global platform for like-minded, socially conscious netizens; who have been using it to voice opinions, sympathize with grievances and rave through words.
With whopping digits of over 300 million active users on Twitter, social media manages to reach a wider demographic in real time. At the same time, growing trend of Hashtag culture turns even the most apathetic individual in an opinionated, liberal digital activist, which is responsible in a way for inciting changes throughout the globe.
The world emerges as one during the scariest of global conflicts through Slacktivism. We take a look at movements that touched our very soul.
#NotInMyName
#NotInMyName, that is what the Muslims around the world repeatedly claimed to condemn the mayhem caused by the ISIS. Muslim youngsters took up social media to launch a video and put across a strong message for the terrorist organization defending the religion of Islam. Twitter was on fire with 94k tweets using #NotInMyName within two days post the attacks on Paris.
#BringBackOurGirls
Last year in April, the social media campaign #BringBackOurGirls spurred global unity against the abduction of 276 girls by Boko Haram. Along with a million users, first lady Michelle Obama added to the social media rage by posing for a selfie backing the campaign.
#JeSuisCharlie
On a black day when masked gunmen shot down 12 employees of the satirical weekly magazine, Charlie Hebdo over cartoons of Prophet Mohammad which were offensive to many Muslims.
Followed by the incident, Twitter was sparked with over 5 million tweets in support of #JeSuisCharlie which translates to ‘I am Charlie’.
#KiyiyaVuranInsanlik
Humanity wept as it witnessed horror unfolding on the beaches of Turkey, where a Syrian refugee toddler lost his life. Twitter mourned using #KiyiyaVuranInsanlik which meant humanity washed ashore.
This movement along with fury and compassion raised more than $100,000 within a day for the betterment of Syrian refugees.
#BlackLivesMatter
Xenophobia is nakedly practiced widely throughout the first world; this prejudice caught fire on social media when, Tryvon Martin was gunned down. #BlackLivesMatter, a protest by the African – American community against Martin’s death soon converted into a full blown civil movement.
#BlackLivesMatter fueled another campaign called #AllLivesMatter which was extensively considered as a subtle racist white remark.
#UmbrellaRevolution
In the year 2014, Hong Kong blasted in a protest followed by a twitter campaign called #UmbrellaRevolution.
The pro-democracy protests got this nickname as bright umbrellas were opened and used to shield against the heat and as a defense against police spraying pepper spray and tear gas.
The campaign, portrayed citizens revolting against injustice where the world joined hands in favor of Hong Kong trending the hashtag in support.
#YesAllWomen
Surviving in a patriarchal society, the campaign #YesAllWomen was a women-centric campaign against the killer in Santa Barbara, Calif who promised vengeance on every woman who rejected him.
This twitter campaign encouraged women worldwide who have been hushed and gagged by the society to come out and share their anecdotes and thoughts of misogyny. The hashtag got trending in no time where women throughout the globe were voicing their opinions out loud.
#HeForShe
Emma Watson quoted “We need yin and yang. We need that balance. We need female representation. We need female leadership.” #HeForShe, as Watson says is not about men saving women but about boosting equality. Feminism is a decade old concern gaining severe popularity on social media.
Throughout the globe 505,992 tweets from the male gender came up in support of the cause. Watson, personally answered Feminism related questions to twitter users with #HeForShe.
#LoveWins
The campaign was a winning moment for humanity and rose rapidly when the United States legalized same-sex marriage. President Obama tweeted with #LoveWins rejoicing equality for all, followed by Hillary Clinton and other celebrities.
Social media was filled with rainbow display pictures and the campaign was portrayal of merry where the entire world celebrated with a total of 6.2 tweets talking about marriage equality along with the States.
#IllRideWithYou
#IllRideWithYou, a trending campaign started in Australia threw a strong message to the world against religious intolerance through twitter. Australians swore to ride with people for protection wearing Islamic dress after concerns of harassment towards them. This message was caught up pretty quickly around the globe which fired a total of 120,000 tweets within a couple of hours.
Digital revolution is a phenomenon, which is more like a contemporary tool for social movements. Activism through hashtags on twitter has become a competent, yet simplistic way to bring about hasty humanitarian awareness across the borders by just the click of a mouse.
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