Hashtag activism
Hashtag activism refers to the use of social media hashtags for Internet activism.[1] The hashtag has become one of the many ways that social media contributes to civic engagement and social movements.[2] The use of the hashtag on social media provides users with an opportunity to share information and opinions about social issues in a way that others (followers) can interact and engage as part of a larger conversation with the potential to create change.[3] The hashtag itself consists of a word or phrase that is connected to a social or political issue, and fosters a place where discourse can occur.[4] Social media provides an important platform for historically marginalized populations. Through the use of hashtags these groups are able to communicate, mobilize, and advocate for issues less visible to the mainstream.[5]
Supporters of the power of hashtag activism believe that it allows users to connect with individuals from all over the world and share information quickly. Critics, on the other hand, doubt that hashtag activism leads to real change, as users are simply indicating that they care enough to post a hashtag, rather than taking practical action to make a difference.[6][1]
History[edit]
The hashtag, as it is currently used across social media sites was first proposed on Twitter by former Google developer Chris Messina, in 2007. The purpose of the invention was to create a meta tag that allowed users to track dynamic content in relation to a particular event or topic. Twitter's initial response to the use of the hashtag for such purposes was negative. The social media site posted that "these things were for nerds"[7] but later that year saw the impact with use of the #sandiegofire which allowed users to track content related to the fire, the safety of loved ones, and general updates. The use of the hashtag has now spread to other social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.[2] Since 2007, the hashtag has been used to coordinate conversations online, find supporters, and arrange protests allowing for users to be active participate in social and political movements.[8]
Effectiveness[edit]
Hashtag activism has been referred to by critics as a form of slacktivism.[213] Slacktivism is using social media as a vehicle to provide minimal support for a political or social issue. Hashtags, likes, shares, and re-posts are all seen by critics as superficial support that provide minimal change and require little effort.[214] The ease of hashtag activism has led to concerns that it might lead to overuse and public fatigue. Critics worry that hashtag activism allows participants to be satisfied with a public symbol of concern, rather than taking action.[1] The passive nature of the practice can lack the passion once displayed in movements from earlier eras.[3]
Other critiques of hashtag activism stem from the belief that online social movements are often started by privileged individuals, rather than by those who are most affected by the cause itself.
Notable critics of hashtag activism include former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell, and Nigerian American writer Teju Cole, who all have argued that hashtag activism encourages lazy, ineffective participation that does not elicit any change.[215][216][217]
While critics worry that hashtag activism results in a lack of true action offline, supporters believe it to be an easy and effective way for users to share their opinions, find information, and provide moral support to issues.[218] The hashtag allows users to interact with one another to mobilize efforts without supporters needing to be in the same physical location or the same time of day. As posting a hashtag or reading posts linked to the hashtag requires little effort, more people are able to participate. This can build awareness by connecting it to personal stories, experiences, emotions and thoughts.[219] Identifying shared experiences builds rhetorical connections between people who would never otherwise meet, enabling users of hashtags such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter to support and validate each other and helps to expand and enrich awareness by providing access to multiple narratives.[219]
Supporters such as Bev Goodman, who initiated the #WhyIStayed movement about domestic violence, believe that hashtag activism can begin a chain of events that can lead to sustained engagement and political action.[220] For instance, in 2012 when the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation decided to stop funding mammograms through Planned Parenthood, social media users tweeted, #standwithpp, and #singon; later that same week, Komen reversed its decision.[3] Planned Parenthood clinics do not perform any mammograms, but they make referrals for patients.[221][222] Social media fosters a fast-paced environment that allows organizations to quickly see how individuals react to policies and decisions, which in turn creates the opportunity for those responses to be taken into account if the organization is open to changing the policy or decision.