By looking at all of the hope and aid that social media enables activists to spread, it is clear that social-media-enabled activism does more good than harm; this is important because, to help these positive movements grow and spread, social media activists’ messages must be promoted and spread farther.
By looking at all of the hope and aid that social media enables activists to spread, it is clear that social-media-enabled activism does more good than harm; this is important because, to help these positive movements grow and spread, social media activists’ messages must be promoted and spread farther. There are many examples of the positive impacts that social media activism has had on society, particularly with the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements, with allowing marginalized people to have their voices heard. Additionally, studies have concluded that social media activism enables people to not only spread hope but also to learn important skills, especially related to communication.
Social media activists’ messages should be promoted by both traditional news outlets and social media platforms themselves in order for positive impactful movements such as the #MeToo movement to be able to reach more social media users more quickly. This promotion of social media will also positively benefit participation in such movements, and one study concluded that social media “had a significant effect on the intention to participate in social movements.” As social media use continues to grow, it is important that efforts are made to promote activism on social media platforms to facilitate the hope and aid that activists aim to spread.
While some may have concerns about negative movements being spread on social media platforms or the effects increased social media use may have on individuals, there have been studies that show that these concerns may be unfounded. “Overall, results from this study suggest that . . . concerns regarding social media use may be misplaced.” When examining the positive impact of the multitude of movements spawned by social media enabled activists, it is clear to see that the good caused by social media activists easily outweighs any harm that it could cause.
