Despite it’s deceptive name, “slacktivism” can be influential. When something becomes fodder for slacktivists, it can engage people who would otherwise be on the fence about an issue.
Sharing an article or signing an online petition can cause people to think about issues that do not affect them and provoke necessary dialogue — especially if their Facebook friends don’t share their ideology.
Starting a conversation can be an important part of activism.
The most recent example is the rainbow filter that Facebook created to celebrate the Supreme Court marriage equality ruling.
While some might say, “It’s just a filter on a profile picture, why does it matter?” it does show how widespread acceptance has become, even if it doesn’t accomplish anything tangible.
It allows people to show support and celebrate an accomplishment.
Awareness and acceptance are valid goals, especially in an America where there are many LGBTQ+ issues that go beyond marriage and warrant a national discussion.
The writing off of slacktivism usually comes down as distaste for millennials — a perception that the civil rights or women’s rights activists of the past would never accomplish what they did through such passivity. Ultimately, activists are fighting for recognition of their cause, something that can rub off on people through social media.
Dedicated activists are necessary, but allies of causes are always welcome.
Armchair activism allows people who normally wouldn’t feel welcome participating in activism a way to contribute.
Despite the fact that slacktivism can be eye opening, it can often lead to committing to a cause without thinking about it’s implications.
KONY 2012, despite it’s promising release and rapid spread through social media, ultimately fizzled out and had little real impact.
This doesn’t mean that people should be discouraged from showing support for causes on social media.
Slacktivism can be ineffective when it loses its urgency and becomes less tangible for those sharing on social media, who quickly become bored.
However, social media gives new opportunities for people to be activists without having to donate money or time.
People who might not have the time for more committed or in-depth activism are still able to make a difference by increasing awareness of the issue.
The term slacktivism paints an image of a person unwilling to expand their activism beyond Twitter and Facebook, when in fact that person may not simply know where to start.
Maybe slacktivists lack depth in their activism, but that doesn’t mean their efforts are useless.
Nicole Dan is a UF political science sophomore. Her column runs on Tuesdays.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 7/7/15]
