CYBER ACTIVISM/INTERNET ACTIVISM

JACKSON Aneth BAPRM 3 reg no 42565

Cyberactivism /Internet activism

     Internet activism (also known as online activism, digital campaigning,digital activism, online organizing, electronic advocacy, cyberactivism, e-campaigning, ande-activism) is the use of electronic communication technologies such as social media, especially Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,e-mail, and podcasts for various forms ofactivism to enable faster communication bycitizen movements and the delivery of local information to a large audience. Internettechnologies are used for cause-relatedfundraising, community building, lobbying, and organizing. A digital activism campaign is "an organized public effort, making collective claims on a target authority, in which civic initiators or supporters use digital media." ((1)Research has started to address specifically how activist/advocacy groups in the U.S.[2]and Canada(3)are using social media to achieve digital activism objectives.

Sandor Vegh divides online activism into three main categories: Awareness/advocacy,organization/mobilization, andaction/reaction.
     There are other ways of classifying types of online activism, such as by the degree of reliance on the Internet.
      Thus, Internet sleuthing or hacking could, whereas the Occupy Wall Street movement was only partially online.

      The Internet is a key resource for independent activists, or E-activists, particularly those whose message may run counter to the mainstream. "Especially when a serious violation of human rights occurs, the Internet is essential in reporting the atrocity to the outside world."Listservs like BurmaNet andFreedom News Group help distribute news that would otherwise be inaccessible in these countries.

      Internet activists also pass on E-petitions to be sent to the government and public and private organizations to protest against and urge for positive policy change in areas from the arms trade to animal testing. Many non-profits and charities use these methods, emailing petitions to those on their email list and asking people to pass them on. The Internet also enables organizations such asNGOs to communicate with individuals in an inexpensive and timely manner. Gatherings and protests can be organized with the input of the organizers and the participants.Lobbying is also made easier via the Internet, thanks to mass e-mail and its ability to broadcast a message widely at little cost. Vegh's concept of organization/mobilization, for example, can refer to activities taking place solely online, solely offline but organized online, or a combination of online and offline. Mainstream social-networking sites, most noticeably Facebook.com, are also making e-activist tools available to their users. An active participatory culture is enabled by the communities on social networking sites because they permit communication between groups that are otherwise unable to communicate. In the article "Why We Argue about Virtual Community: A Case Study of the Phish.net Fan Community," Nessim Watson stresses the necessity of communication in online communities. He even goes as far as to say that "Without ongoing communication among its participants, a community dissolves". The constant ability to communicate with members of the community enriches online community experiences and redefines the word community.

      In addition, denial-of-Service attacks, the taking over and vandalizing of a website, uploading Trojan horses, and sending out e-mail bombs (mass e-mailings) are also examples of Internet activism. For more examples of these types of "direct action", seehacktivism.

Hashtag activism.

Hashtag activism is the use of hashtags for activist purposes. Its use has been associated with the 2014 Chibok kidnapping, with hopes that it would help keep the story in the news and raise international attention.The hashtag itself has received 2 million retweets.