Image: noticelj, Flickr

By: Sara Cantanna

Image: Jason Howie, Flickr

Images: Google Creative Commons

Image: Wikimedia CommonsSource: Digital Persuasion: Social Media Motivates People to Contribute Beyond Clicks

“More than half of digitally

active, cause-savvy American

adults were likely to do far

more than simply like a

cause”

Image: Sundaram Ramaswamy, FlickrSource: Digital Persuasion: Social Media Motivates People to Contribute Beyond Clicks

“Engaging with causes via

social media prompted them

to donate money (68%),

donate personal items or food (52%),

attend or participate in

an event (43%), and

even volunteer (53%)”

“With Facebook and Twitter and the like, the traditional relationship between political authority

and popular will has been upended, making it easier for the powerless to collaborate, coordinate, and

give voice to their concerns” Image: Aquila, Flickr

Source: Creating Social Good via Social Media, One ‘Like’ at a Time

Image: Afagen, Flickr

Source: How 3 Social Good Platforms are Building Change Communities

“The idea of enabling people to do good, simply by building upon their current habits is one of amazing potential”

People have the opportunity to help out a cause simply

by going online

Image: Anonymous Account, Flickr

Image: Dave Dugdale, Flickr

Source: Oxford English Dictionary

Clicktivism is defined as the use of social media

and other online methods to promote a

cause

“Clicktivism is doing a service for traditional activism by piquing the interest

of those who might not otherwise have noticed a cause”

Image: Nathan Keirn, Wikimedia Commons

Source: Clicktivism: A Model for 21st Century Activism?

Image: Avakian, Flickr

By now everyone has seen the video Kony 2012, or at least has heard of it considering it

went viral within weeks of its release

Image: Jez Yao, Flickr

Source: Kony 2012 Becomes Most Viral Video in History

This was made possible because of the strong base of followers the campaign already had on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube as well as the ability to share the video with the click of a button

Source: Kony 2012 Becomes Most Viral Video in History

Image: Natalie, Flickr

While the Kony 2012 movement was not as successful as it should have been, the amount of

attention the campaign received proves the success social media has in creating awareness and

prompting change

Image: Matt Wade, Wikimedia Commons

The ability to spread news of a campaign and create an impact in such a short period of time is

incredible

Image: Julian Lim, Flickr

A campaign called Queen’s U Compliments became a success within weeks of its creation due to the

ability to share ideas over Facebook

Image: Simon, Google Creative CommonsSource: The anonymous compliment trend that got its start at Queen’s

Queen’s U Compliments is a Facebook profile created by various Queens’ students to give

other students the opportunity to anonymously compliment others

Image: Ahmad Dhanie, Flickr

Source: The anonymous compliment trend that got its start at Queen’s

This campaign allows thousands of Facebook users to brighten other people’s day simply by sharing a

message

Image by: camdiluv Wikimedia Commons

While Social media played a part in raising awareness of these campaigns, it must also be recognized that additional steps must be taken to ensure change is

actually created

Image: Marcello Casal, Wikimedia Commons

“Social media is a strong platform for raising awareness, [but] the relationship between cause and effect is defined by action, regardless of medium”

Image: Adrian Paulino, Google Creative Commons

Source: Are Millennials Lazy Or Avant-Garde Social Activists?

“Campaigns need to tie online actions to specific, on-going, and detailed outcomes, otherwise they are just participating as personal avatars without any actual involvement”

Image: Jamie Pichora, Flickr

Source: Are Millennials Lazy Or Avant-Garde Social Activists?

So while the use of social media has been incredible for promoting and creating

change, we must remember to always try to do more

Image: Steve Spinks, Flickr

Works Cited:1. http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs/thenextgreatgeneration/2011/12/

creating_social_good_via_socia.html2. http://csic.georgetown.edu/370681.html3. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericaswallow/2013/05/10/social-good-

platforms/2/4. http://www.clicktivist.org/what-is-clicktivism/5. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/cerian-jenkins/clicktivism-a-model-for-

2_b_2210340.html6. http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/12/kony-2012-documentary-becomes-

most-viral-video-in-history/7. http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/11/flattery-gets-you-everywhere/8. http://www.forbes.com/sites/larissafaw/2012/10/23/are-millennials-lazy-or-

avant-garde-social-activists/