Read this article & tag 10 people who won’t break the chain!

As 2020 continually rears its behemoth loathsome head, we have seen so many atrocious facets of its personality. However, one thing we do have to thank it for is the incessant source of Instagram stories! From “Pray for Indonesia” and pictures of koalas in the Australian bushfire in January and February, coronavirus lockdown advice in March, new Ebola cases in April, killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests in May, to pride month in June, there has been no rest for Instagram slacktivists. 

You can spot them a mile away! Sandwiched (and feeling slightly claustrophobic) between their baking recipe accentuating the Netflix show in the background and their haircut (bangs, of course!), you might see a fleeting post from @shityoushouldcareabout or an IGTV video of them with three GIFs of [insert trending cause here]. While these inane posts and wavering loyalties to movements aren’t helping anybody, online activism truly can, if done right. How, you ask? Follow these 3 simple steps (the activism way, not the slacktivism way, those are the simple misconceptions!)

STEP 1: Educate Yourself!

ACTIVISM — Before posting anything, making any videos, or speaking out, go to trusted sources and learn everything there is to know about the current cause. For pride month, look at GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). For BLM, look at blacklivesmatter.com. If you need any more help finding trusted sources for any movement, ask! Ask a friend/parent/teacher. 

SLACKTIVISM — Don’t look up the movement name on Google and click on the first website that comes up, chances are it isn’t completely credible and you would be passing on incorrect information. Don’t write 3 stories of text based on your opinion without informing people that it isn’t verified fact, it could lead to a wormhole of misinformation. 

STEP 2: Petitions, Blogs, Servers, Platforms: Keep at it!

ACTIVISM –– Tell their story and KEEP TELLING IT! While you don’t want to overload people with information, consistently inform them, stay committed to the cause, and be available to everything. Ensure that you include factual visuals with hashtags, involving people’s senses, and cater to the demographic by engaging them with pictures of people like them (youths at a protest, etc.) 

SLACKTIVISM –– “Our mental budget for charity is finite,” said Lucy Townsend of BBC. She’s right. While you don’t want to do too little by just spreading hashtags and succumbing to armchair activism or clicktivism, you also don’t want to do too much because hundreds of sources of information for hundreds of causes will bore people and start competing for their attention. One thing we do not want is for one voice to be diminished because there are simply too many to pay attention to.

STEP 3: Understand that you simply don’t know everything.

ACTIVISM –– You are neither an expert and its unlikely that you are someone who has experienced the discrimination and hardships. You cannot speak for them, you can only help ensure they are given the platform to speak for themselves. Do not assume you understand their hardships and do not pretend that just because you are helping them find a voice, all their difficulties have ended. Fighting for recognition and rights is a long war, and you are only arming them. 

Once you have accepted this, it is also necessary to accept when you don’t have answers anymore. If you are asked something you aren’t fully sure of how to answer, if someone has confided in you and you don’t know how to help them, do not be afraid to seek someone qualified to do so. As long as you aren’t spreading their stories or breaking their trust and confidentiality by talking to loads of people about their predicament, you are doing the right thing by speaking to a qualified expert. 

SLACKTIVISM –– Do not simply click on petitions & follow hashtags. Do not attempt to own the stories that aren’t your own. Do not promise confidentiality if you are not a licensed expert and you cannot help people professionally. Try your best to, but recognize when you have reached your glass ceiling. 

Once you have followed these 3 simple steps, you are much closer to using technology in the right way to amplify voices, reach the youth demographic, and do your part as a privileged person! 

References: 

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29013707

https://en.reset.org/knowledge/digital-and-online-activism

https://mashable.com/article/activism-on-social-media/

-By Divyanshi Patel