Online Activisim

For our generation, involvement in social media is inevitable. Whether you religiously follow every  celebrity on Instagram or articles you  read online link you  to  different blogs and profiles; social media  and the type of essence and interaction it possess is everywhere. When  something is as present as social media is in a person’s everyday  life, it’s important to make use of it. Online activism is a way  that we can turn  something that is more commonly  used for entertainment into a promotion for change. Everything that is placed online, is placed there with  intention; it's activism , whether online or not, is intentional action  that is attempting to  bring about social  and political change. Activism allows the larger population to advocate and speak for minority groups that are being discriminated against in order to  reach legislative change that will  benefit these minority groups. One may  assume that productive activism  consists of demonstrations, protests, boycotts sit ins and so  on , however; online activism  has the potential to cause a shock-wave of change; all that is needed in this decade is a catch Hashtag. Many  might say  that social  media has actually caused alienation and isolation , and rather than contributing to  helping an individual  real  their full  human potential through  interaction with  others, it causes harm. However, for others being active  online, is their ideal and most production form of communication with  their peers , and more importantly, the international  community. As defined in Linda Steiner's Oppositional Decoding as an Act of Oppositional Decoding ;  communication  , as it is through the internet, is a ritual  process for circulatory transforming and Maintaining a social group's culture ( Carey, 1975). 

When  communicating online, there is no  filter for what is visible to the entire world, for the most part. This opens the opportunity  for  advocating for the Human  Rights of many  minority  groups not only in  The United States , but all  over the world. Due to  the  power of the dominant groups in different communities and the structure that is in  place, there are certain  truths that are pushed under the rug to avoid a civil  rebellion. As members off these communities and these societies everyone has the given  right to  be  informed about how legislative and communal decisions will  effect them. In result of the dominant groups efforts to  maintain  what they  perceive to  be an orderly  flow in  society , what is released by  media outlets is often times hidden behind white lies. Through  Online activism , activists can reach a larger population  and approach  global  news in a more inclusive, progressive , relate-able format that can lead to  more productive peaceful protests. As activists try  to  spread the word about their passion  for social  justice,  social  media assists on  making involvement possible for any person  who's interested. For example , if an organization is trying to  put together a peaceful  protest, they  can  efficiently rally  up  participants  online, as well as gain supports from  afar ; even if they  can not actually  be there.  We have become technologically advanced enough to  have our support and presence be in more than  one place  at a time and we should embrace that power.The language a government official  uses to  address an even will not be the same as that of a person looking at the event through  moral  rather than  legal  lenses. This is when it be comes most important to  use the internet to put the injustice we see in the world into  the perspective for the rest of the world looking from the outside in  , in  any  issue, anywhere. The  click  of a thumbs up  on  Facebook, a double tap  on Instagram  or re tweet on  twitter , the domino  effect can lead to international  recognition of what really  matters.