Communicating over AIM was my first introduction to electronic communication. I had every T-Mobile Sidekick offered, just so that I could chat with my friends outside of text messaging. In 2003, one of my friends asked me if she could add me on Myspace. She gave me an earbeating about how Myspace offered profiles, photo sharing that others could join in and see, as well as coding to personalize our pages to do whatever we wanted. She then told me that I was missing out and that she better be on my top friends list when I did get one.
Twenty-three years have passed, and the ‘magic’ of social media platforms has faded away. The word algorithm means more than just math to us. It became the explanation for why social media has become too addictive and eliminated the belief that it is innocent fun.
Johann Hari shared with us the information he obtained from a Google employee. Our algorithms are always weighted toward figuring out what will keep us looking, and pumps our desired content onto our timelines to keep us from putting our phones down.
This explains why when we open our phones, we are greeted by all of the videos we want to see and enjoy. It is to keep us engaged for as long as possible in order to gain maximum profits.
When determining whether social media activism can bring a brighter future for society, the negatives tend to be highlighted more than the positives. Slacktivism is acknowledged first as the reason why activism does not belong on social media apps. The fact that people can post online regarding a cause but never support it in person causes some people to write social media activism off. There’s also a heavy focus on the negative comments that are made possible due to social media offering an open space for conversation.
De Maio and Rodriguez conducted a study regarding the effectiveness of the #DefendDACA hashtag. They gathered 1,550 tweets that included, #DefendDACA and found that only .8% of the tweets were negative, while 93.3% of the tweets were positive. Yes, there is a possibility that some users may respond negatively, but that does not mean social media activists should be discouraged. Many platforms offer tools to mitigate these scenarios; one option is to report posts that violate community guidelines. Another option would be to hold a LIVE stream where leadership can address any concerns or misinformation and recalibrate with their online audience.
Social media is what we make it, so if we want positivity, then it is for us to nurture a positive environment for our causes. Content that people connect with the most involves genuine people sharing their stories with others. The reason why the #DefendDACA hashtag has been so successful is that it is connected to many undocumented immigrants sharing their stories to raise more awareness of what comes with being in their position. The hashtag shares important information for events held to support the undocumented immigrants movement, but it is also used to inform others about this multifaceted issue.
Social media activism is successful once it can build its own supportive community. Leaders of the movement are tasked with offering direction and structure. They can also ensure the success of the movement by having a diverse distribution of information. Because what sticks with users is content that does not overwhelm them but is easy to consume. This means communicating effectively and delivering the interesting parts first.
What matters to platforms is whether the content being provided has value to other users. Content is judged by how long it will keep viewers watching, but also by how willing users are to pass the content along. Chiang and Hsiao studied the sharing behaviors of users to understand what drove users to share online content. The most popular explanations of motivation were based on the needs of the individual.
If individuals think that video sharing behavior can satisfy their needs, such as reputation building and self-expression, they will have more intention to share. This means if an organization can package their cause in a personable way that is easily shareable, then they will be most successful. This does not mean that an organization must water down its message to get the most clicks. It means splitting up all available information to be distributed on the platform best suited for it.
Social media can be used to help promote good for our society. Once an organization is consistent with providing content that is genuine and offers value, users will engage with it and share it within their networks. This then raises awareness, which increases users’ willingness to support fundraising and event efforts.