Title: Social Media as Activism and Social Justice | Maryville Online
Headings: A Guide to Activism in the Digital Age
A Guide to Activism in the Digital Age
How Social Media and Activism Work Together
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Arab Spring
Black Lives Matter
#LoveWins
#MeToo
Occupy Wall Street
How Social Media Can Promote Social Justice
Coordinating Community Responses
Platforming Lived Experiences
Promoting and Planning Events
Sharing Pictures and Videos
Signal Boosting
Utilize the College Population
Best Social Media Strategies for Nonprofits
Fundraising
Partnering with Influencers
Promoting Events
Sharing Stories
Spreading Awareness

Content: The Me Too movement originated in 2006, but reached the mainstream in 2017 when multiple high-profile actresses opened up about their sexual harassment experiences in the film industry and began sharing the hashtag #MeToo. The popularization of the topic instigated an understanding of the Me Too movement, sexual harassment, and assault, hoping to reduce tolerance of abusive behaviors and increase support for victims. Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street is a modern example of a grassroots political movement — action from the power of the masses. The Occupy movement operated from a bottom level organization with no official leader, but the mindset that all individuals are leaders. These protests spanned multiple weeks, making splashes nationally and across the globe through the use of social media. Each locale of the movement would establish its own set of organizational practices, utilizing virtual as well as concrete spaces, and striving to revise proposals until nine-tenths of the participants approved. The phenomenon created by Occupy Wall Street relied on social media’s ability to foster unified collective participation. How Social Media Can Promote Social Justice
The use of social media to uplift voices and stories, create awareness, and build and strengthen relationships creates a space for organizations, activists, and citizens to demand justice. Coordinating Community Responses
As discovered with movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, social media has the opportunity to create online spaces where people come together and find support. Instances such as the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street showcase the global effect that can take place through the sharing of ideas online, such as massive gatherings that create unity for a cause.