As the foundation of 21st century society begins to settle, the importance of social media to that structure has become self-evident. Networks such as Facebook and Twitter have revolutionized global communication, becoming the world's primary sources of information sharing. Unlike traditional media outlets, the bottom-up designs of these networks provide all users an equal platform to share and express ideas. The result of this transition is an unprecedented era of media democratization. In many instances, viral online movements have shown to be powerful agents of social change. Democratization, however, does not come without a price.
In March of 2012, an organization called Invisible Children, Inc. released a short documentary entitled "Kony 2012". The mission of this film was simple: spread awareness of the now notorious Joseph Kony, and ultimately, bring him to justice. Practically overnight, the video became an internet sensation, amassing over 100 million views on YouTube. Not only was Facebook flooded with outrage toward the Ugandan warlord, but suddenly, it appeared that everyone was an expert on the complex military and political climate of Central Africa. Though "Kony 2012" achieved it's initial objective of spreading awareness, the viral documentary gave rise to a practice known as "slacktivism", the act of supporting a political or social cause via the internet, requiring minimal time and effort.
A similar example of this phenomenon can be found in the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks. After a heinous terrorist plot left 130 innocent people dead, the world took to social media to express sympathy for it's victims. In the 24 hours following the attacks, hashtags and images associated with Paris were shared on mainstream social networks over 340 million times. Though these well-intended gestures were meant to express solidarity for a worthy cause, they failed to produce a single tangible result. In some cases, reaction to the incident even detracted from the issue at hand in the form of digital profiteering. Rather than working to aid the actual victims or prevent future acts of terror, millions were more concerned with how many likes their French flag profile picture received.
Social media's greatest contribution to society is it's ability to amplify the power of an idea. The democratization of content enables users from across the world to organize and rally behind common causes with the click of a button. The cost lies in mistaking popularity for progress. Rather than taking any form of direct action, many settle for the false sense of satisfaction gained from retweeting sympathetic hashtags, or worse, exploiting tragedies for personal gain. However, the question remains, do viral movements translate to real-world change? I'm not sure, but the person you should consider asking is Joseph Kony.
That is, of course, if you can find him.
