Slacktivism: Do Networks Make A Difference?

Have you ‘liked’ a political group on Facebook lately? Retweeted for a cause on Twitter? Shared a link to KONY2012 or another advocacy video on Youtube? Think you’re making a difference? Well, hold on to your armchair, because you might just be a slacktivist.

What is a slacktivist? A Slacktivist is someone who engages in “political activities that have no impact on real–life political outcomes, but only serve to increase the feel–good factor of the participants.” “Political Activities on The Internet: Slacktivism or Political Participation By Other Means is an academic article by Henrik Serup Christensen that explores whether or not  online activities  really have an effect on political change and actually lead to political participation in ‘the real world’

(more…)