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My Instagram account is a public collection of what is most important to me: my friends and family, outfits I am proud of, music I am passionate about and, perhaps most notably, advocacy for causes I hold close to my heart.

I believe it is of universal importance to advocate for the rights of all human beings and have found social media to be an effective, accessible tool for spreading information in a digestible way. In this sense, my feed is not unique: social media activism can commonly be found across the internet pertaining to topics of local, national and international concern.

A May 2023 study from Pew Research Center found that nearly half of social media users have used the platforms to engage in some kind of political activity. Further, four out of ten individuals claimed social platforms were a vital tool for them to find out how other people felt about certain causes.

But it’s not enough.

“Slacktivism” is used to describe the showing of support for a cause without taking measures to enact actual change. The term describes the current use of social media to share information pertaining to activist causes, coinciding with a belief that those sharing such content lack the motivation to do anything else. A common example is the sharing of a hashtag in support of a cause while refraining from other measures.

I have witnessed firsthand the awareness digital spaces can bring to otherwise lesser known matters. A well-known example is the #MeToo Movement, which brought worldwide recognition to the greater movement centered around supporting survivors of sexual violence. Another is when the Black Lives Matter movement gained international attention and social media users posted photos of black squares to raise awareness, but it’s important to mention that in this case, many did not provide relevant information regarding the BLM movement.

The impact of moving beyond the sharing of an infographic is necessary, especially when the rights and lives of various marginalized communities are on the line. It is also crucial to understand that just because a social media post states something as fact, it does not necessarily make it true – such information should always be fact-checked as it is not always accurate.

Hailey Hoang | Design Editor

Online activist content should serve as a starting point for further advocacy and education.

To create tangible, long-standing change, offline dedication to a cause is vital. Actions such as volunteering your time with advocacy groups and organizations, donating resources, calling your representatives and having hard conversations with others are all effective ways to further the progress of movements you care for.

Of course, many people are subject to circumstances that may limit the extent of their offline activism: limited financial resources, restrictions of their employment or living situations and more.

This upcoming election will likely be the first presidential vote many students here at Syracuse will cast. This said, the constitutional right to vote is and has historically been one of the best methods of action to support the causes you believe in. At the end of the day, it is our elected officials who determine the future of our country through what causes they dedicate their time toward. Voting for representatives who support the topics you are passionate about is one of the most concrete ways to ensure your voice contributes to active change. To register to vote if you haven’t already, you can visit vote.gov.

Advocates who use social media to share information are not an enemy; they are using an easily accessible tool to their advantage, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I, myself, plan to continue sharing information I feel is useful to my peers, but will do so mindfully. My message is for the consumers of said information: do not let your support end with a “like.” Instead, make the effort to engage in action that will have long-term effects using the resources and methods you already have access to, it will be much more beneficial than anything purely digital.

Grace “Gray” Reed is a senior magazine, news and digital journalism major. Their column appears bi-weekly. They can be reached at greed04@syr.edu.

Published on September 4, 2024 at 11:33 pm