Slacktivism And Social Activism

Slacktivism has become the term used for advocacy through likes and shares in social media since critics argue slacktivism provides no aid the cause being advocated. Critics argue that slacktivism is slowly ruining advocacy by making the public lazier in donating to a cause when slacktivism has the opposite effect. Slacktivism helps advocates voice their opinions by providing benefits through its large number of views and support it can acquire in a limited amount of time and change how advocacy is done through social media due to how effective it is in garnering support.

Slacktivism can be the start in drawing people into an organization's goal. Schlumpf educates readers that slacktivism aids in getting their views out, but also for donations.

She states that “people who frequently engaged in ‘promotional social activity’ (joining a cause group on Facebook, posting an icon on a social profile, blogging about a cause) were as likely as non-media social promoters to donate” (Schlumpf 595). He provides evidence that slacktivism can bolster organizations in raising awareness and gaining support for their cause. She argues that slacktivism doesn’t reduce the chances of gaining donations and volunteers, but instead bolsters support and that makes easier to tell the world where your values lie. Advocacy through slacktivism helps educate the public about issues that they didn't know existed.
In addition notifying the public about current issues, slacktivism has reinvented how social activism is by allowing people around the world an inexpensive way to advocate through the web.

Pfeifle argues that although slacktivism allows advocates to support a cause without learning the facts, it can still provide substantial changes through just a simple like or share. He states that “People are using social media to hunt war criminals, win the White House, defeat an American House Speaker, change banking regulations and overthrow dictators” (Pfeifle 606). Through the simple deed of liking a picture or sharing it. He argues that the 850,000 “lazy” likes on the Kony case that improved the world through the touch of one button. Slacktivism has allowed change to be virtually

effortless.
Those in opposition believe that slacktivism negates people's will to learn about what they advocate online and limit effectiveness. Corvese argues that the large amount of supporters slacktivism provides doesn’t bring change due to not educating people online on the subject at hand limiting its effectiveness. She argues that “In the long run, informed commitment is more valuable than celebration and spectacle alone” (Corvese 601). An educated audience can show further support than just sharing something over social media due to their knowledge on the subject. Although slacktivism doesn’t educate the public it can be the gateway to looking deeper into the issue and searching for more details through the internet.
In addition, the opposition believes that slacktivism does little to contribute to the cause they are supporting through social media.

Corvese argues that although slacktivism allows the public to be informed of an issue it does little to help the cause. Slacktivism is known to be a “Satisfying and convenient for the individual to show concern for an issue, those in need of support received little benefit” (Corvese 600). Pictures through social media informs viewers about current topics but the likes and shares that the viewer has provided no benefit to the cause. Although a minority of people don’t help the cause that they share over social media the majority in reality do. Thanks to research people know that those who claim they support an organization through social media are just as likely to donate to that cause as people who don’t. In addition, they are also twice as likely to donate their time to the cause compared to those who don’t proving that slacktivism is not just a lazy form of advocacy but an effective form to garner support from the

public.
Slacktivism helps advocates doesn't only reach a larger audience but also bring quicker results. The Kony case continuously tried to garner support about their cause with no avail until it made its appearance in social media which spread rapidly that forced officials to finally take action. Although slacktivism doesn’t educate the public it is still an effective form of advocacy that should continue being used to allow people to change the world through a simple click.