![]() Contributed by Amanda Smith In the digital age, being an advocate has become much easier. People no longer have to go out on the streets rallying to support their cause. Instead, a simple click of a button can signal support. And this does not have to be a bad thing, despite what some people might say about it (Huffington Post). Yet, despite the changes, the definition for advocacy has remained the same. It is, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.” Instead of changing the definition to include online involvement, a new word was invented: slacktivism. According to Oxford Dictionary, slacktivism is “actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement.” So where does that leave the people who advocate for causes online? Are they really advocates, or do we brand them as slacktivists who have no impact on a cause? I would argue that the people who use the Internet to show support are advocates. They are making a difference, even if it is small. Branding them as a “slacktivist” takes away the power that they do have. Take the Ice Bucket Challenge that took over social media in 2014 for example. The point of this campaign was to raise funds to fight and treat A.L.S. People posted videos in which they dumped cold water on themselves, and then tagged their friends to do the same. If people did not want to dump water on their heads, they could donate money instead. Some did it that way, and others did the challenge and donated money. Some even became repeat donors, as reported in the New York Times. The ice bucket challenge was taken as emblematic of "slacktivism” by the Times. But if one looks at the definition of slacktivism, how can the challenge be considered that? Sure, people were sharing and tagging friends online, but it had a “real world” component too. That makes people advocates, not slacktivists. While it may not have a direct impact on the cause, it did raise awareness and it created change. In fact, a year later, the funds raised from this challenge led to the discovery of a faulty protein that could be blamed for the disease (Quartz). Without social media, the ice bucket challenge would never have become as powerful and popular as it did. Not only did it promote awareness of the disease, but it got people taking action, even if it was something small. It might have been reported in the news and picked up by a national newspaper, but would it have spread like it did? I believe that social media is what made this campaign what it was, and that is what is powerful about online advocacy. It is not negative as the term “slacktivist” implies. Instead, it is something that can make a difference, even if it is something as simple as raising awareness or showing the importance of a cause. Not everyone can actively participate in some movements in-person, but through sharing, commenting, liking, etc., someone else might become aware of the issues and that person can become actively involved. A simple action can make a difference. So go ahead and support a cause on Facebook, Twitter, etc.! It may not make much of a difference now, but sometimes a little support goes a long ways. And when you have time, go out and do something hands-on to show your support. In the end, online advocacy is just as important as real world advocacy. You can make a difference through a simple click of your mouse.
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![]() Contributed by Jenna Oberthaler Maria Konnikova describes different ways that make stories go viral in her article, “6 Things That Make Stories go Viral Will Amaze and Maybe Infuriate You,” written in January of 2014. She believes that viral stories include either an ethical, emotional, or logical appeal. She also states that how positive a story's message is and how much it excites the reader as being two features for a successful viral story. Also mentioned in Konnikova’s article is how arousing each emotion is when reading a story. “Positivity and arousal go a long way,” she says, therefore stories with arousing emotion will be the ones that are shared more often. I decided to look at the website http://www.viralnova.com/ and try to find a viral story and examine the story based upon Konnikova’s article. The video of "George’s Best Day" describes the life of a little girl named Bella who has a rare progressive disorder and uses a service dog named George to help her walk. I believe this video has gone viral because of the passion it shows between Bella and George. After watching the video I was almost in tears because of the great life this dog has brought to such a young girl. As mentioned in the video Bella did not want to use a wheelchair or crutches for the rest of her life so she and her family volunteered a little over a years’ worth of time for the Service Dog Project and were able to find the perfect solution for Bella’s rare disorder: George. I think this particular story uses the two key features for success described in Maria Konnikova’s article; it has a positive message and it excites its viewers. This story also uses an emotional appeal when it explains the rare disorder that Bella will have to face for the rest of her life. I think the emotion within the story is very strong and it gets across to the audience members—at least, it got across to me. In our COM425 class, we discussed news stories that go viral being violent, feel-good, emotional, and pragmatic, to name a few. I think this fits into the emotional category and also the feel-good category. Upon hearing this story, I felt great emotion but I also felt good about the service this dog was doing for Bella and the excitement Bella had in planning a special day for her service dog, George. |
New and Social MediaOn this page, students provide reports and opinions on various developments and social concerns in new media communication. Categories
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