User:Rogersn19/Hashtag activism

My Focus:

I feel the original article has alot of the credible sources on the topic already listed in one way or another. My main focus will be providing edits to the writing content. Some sections, need more content while others have the content that is needed but it is written in a biased or confusing way not fit for the platform. This will be my main goal as I redraft sections. This week I started with the Introduction.

Introduction
Hashtag activism refers to the use of Twitter's hashtags for Internet activism. The Hashtag, has become one of the many ways that social media contibutes to civic engagement and social movements. The use of the hashtag on social media provides users with an opportunity to share information and opinions about social issues in a way that others (followers) can interact and engage as part of a larger conversation with the potential to create change. The hashtag itself consists of a word or phrase that is connected to a social or political issue, and fosters a place where discourse can occur. Social Media, provides an important platform for historically marginalized populations. Through the use of hashtags these groups are able to communicate, mobilize, and advocate for issues less visible to the mainstream.

Supporters of the power of hashtag activism believe that it allows users to connect with individuals from all over the world and share information quickly. Critics, on the other hand, question whether hashtag activism leads to real change as users are simply indicating that they care, rather than taking specific action to make a difference.

Edit Summary :

History

The Hashtag, as it is currently used across social media sites was first proposed on Twitter by former Google developer Chris Messina, in 2007. The purpose of the invention was to create a meta tag that allowed users to track dynamic content in relation to a particular event or topic. Twitter's initial response to the use of the hashtag for such purposes was negative. The social media site posted that "these things were for nerds" but later that year saw the impact with use of the the #sandiegofire which allowed users to track content related to the fire, the safety of loved ones, and general updates. The use of the hashtag has now spread to other social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok. Since 2007, the hashtag has been used to coordinate conversations online, find supporters, and arrange protests allowing for users to be active participate in social and political movements.

https://twitter.com/chrismessina/status/223115412

Critiques- this section uses sources that can be seen as biased.

The critique & the support sections should be in conversation with one another with out showing support for either section.

Hashtag activism has been referred to by critics as a form of Slacktivism. The term Slacktivism refers to the use of social media as a vehicle to provide minimal support for a political or social issue. Hashtags, likes, shares, an re-posts are all seen by critics as superficial support that provide minimal change, and require little effort .The ease of hashtag activism has led to concerns that it might lead to overuse and public fatigue. Critics worry that hashtag activism allows participants to be satisfied with a public symbol of concern, rather than feeling empowered to take action. The passive nature of the practice is seen to lack the passion once displayed in movements from earlier eras.

Other critiques of hashtag activism stem from the belief that that online social movements are often started by privileged individuals, rather than by those who are most affected by the cause itself. Notable critics of hashtag activism include former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, Canadian journalist Malcolm Gladwell, and Nigerian American water Teju Cole who all have argued that hashtag activism encourages lazy, ineffective participation that does not elicit any change.

Supporters

While critics worry that hashtag activism results in a lack of true action offline, supporters believe it to be an effective way for users to share their opinions, find educational information and provide support to issues. The meta tag created by the use of the hashtag allows users to interact with one another to mobilize efforts and implement change without the possible restraints of physical location or time. Without restraints, more people are able to participate, and build on the issue by connecting it to personal stories, experiences, emotions and thoughts that encourage more users to participate. Identifying shared experiences builds rhetorical connections between people who would never otherwise meet, enabling users of hashtags such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter to support and validate each other and helps to mitigate the possibility of being confined to one individual narrative surrounding a particular issue.

Supports such as Bev Goodman who initiated the #WhyIStayed movement believe that hashtag activism creates an opportunity for sustained engagement that leads to political action. For instance, in 2012 when the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation decided to stop funding mammograms through Planned Parenthood, the Internet created an uproar and tweeted, "standwithpp," and "singon." That same week, Komen reversed its decision. Social Media fosters a fast paced environment that allows organizations and to see how individuals are impacted by the policies and decisions that are made in real time which in turn creates the opportunity for civic engagement.