Social Media Activism

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/social-media-activism-changed-everything

In our technologically advanced society, social media engulfs us all. We are constantly checking our phones to find out what is happening in the world around us. It is no wonder we can influence social movements as well. The Teen Vogue article follows Rayne-Fischer Quann, then an 18-year-old student, who organized thousands of Ontario students to walk out of their classrooms after their local government repealed their recently modernized sex-ed curriculum. To be able to organize thousands of people within the span of an Instagram post speaks volumes on how instrumental social media has been and will be in current and future social movements. The article states, “Social media is one way that youth can exert their power in a social world where they often don’t have other avenues for doing so.” It is the only aspect in their lives they have control over politically because folks 17 and under are not able to shift politics through voting. Now, just because we have a new form of activism, does not take away the fact that it is still as dangerous as physical activism. Online activists have gotten death threats (Rayne is an example of this), arson, fake police calls, bomb threats, etc. just from being vocal on social media. We are living in an era where all of our experiences are documented for future research or for teaching and influencing the next generation of activists. I am proud to be living in an era where I can document almost anything and share it with my future immediate family and relatives.