Social Media Activism: The Power of an Egg
What do the hashtag #MarchForOurLives, an umbrella and a knitted pink hat have in common? No, they aren’t about staying warm or protecting us from the elements. These three seemingly random things are symbols of greater social change; change that has been facilitated through the affordances of social media.
When you think of social media, you probably think of that thing you use to send memes or organise events. But these networks present a platform for users around the world to stand up for what they believe in and help make a difference.
At its core, activism boils down to taking action in order to achieve greater social change. Activism has played its part throughout history, helping abolish slavery, protecting workers and advocating for women’s rights. Martin also mentions actions traditionally associated with activism such as door-to-door canvassing, public discussions and protesting. These actions still have their place in modern activism however new media technologies have changed the way activism is approached.
There’s no doubt social media has revolutionised the world around us. As of January 2019, almost 1 in every 2 people globally are active on social media. Given this statistic, it is no surprise that social media has been harnessed for a myriad of reasons. One of these reasons is to facilitate activism. But why is social media such an effective tool in activism?
First, we have to look at why activism and social movements work. Italian sociologist and author, Alberto Melucci theorised that social movements gain traction because the people supporting them share a collective identity. It makes sense that we feel empowered when we are surrounded by people who support us and who share our beliefs.
The reason Melucci’s idea is so important is that it applies to social media activism too. As Paulo Gerbaudo and Emiliano Treré discuss in their article, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter play a vital role in the process of developing collective identities because of their power in communication. The authors outline different manifestations of collective identities such as hashtags, images and icons that are easily spread through social media. The shareability of these symbols coupled with the enormity of social media audiences highlight why social platforms have been so influential in helping activism.
The name, William Connolly, might not mean much to you. You probably know him better as ‘egg boy’, the 17-year-old who egged Queensland senator Fraser Anning after he blamed Muslims for the actions of an anti-Muslim extremist in the Christchurch shootings. But why am I bringing up the egg wielding hero now?
His actions spread like wildfire through social media. ‘Egg boy’ and his trusty egg went viral in mere hours. People around the world offered their support to the teenager and rallied around the disapproval of Anning’s statements. The hashtag #eggboy took off, bands such as Wheatus offered concert tickets (imagine how many times you could hear Teenage Dirtbag live) and he was even offered a holiday in Turkey. ‘Egg boy’ spread so much he received public support on ABC’s Q&A program from panellist Stephen Williams. Social media’s influence on growing awareness and bringing people together in this situation is unquestionable.
The egg ultimately became a symbol of support against religious discrimination; a symbol of collective identity. As the boy himself put it,
“After that tragedy in Christchurch, I thought the world should be supporting all those victims, giving them love and passion… this egg has united people.”
While ‘egg boy’ might not have the power to take down Thanos, he sure showed how important social media is in modern activism.
Social media has become a central part of modern activism but, as Julie Compagny writes, there are limits to staying online. Would ‘egg boy’ have become what it did without social media? Definitely not. But he had to get up and take action first (whether his actions were right are for another day).
Social media is clearly an invaluable resource for amplifying and mobilising social activism. So, next time you hop on social media, think about whether you could do more than just send those Endgame spoilers to your friends. Think about whether you could support a larger cause. It really is as simple as spreading a hashtag.
