Race and the Digital: Racial Formation and 21st Century Technologies

#AllTalkNoAction?

Does an online post or hashtag calling for social justice translate into real world action? Or is it all talk? This is the question that has often been debated and it poses for interesting and insightful dialogue. Online activism has certainly received its fair share of criticism and regardless of your stance on the effectiveness of it, it’s important not to discount the points made by critics (some of which are highlighted in the YouTube video). To a certain extent, I agree with those who argue that online activism is just all talk. There are thousands of individuals who engage in online activism where they post, share, and/or retweet a big social issue but that is as far as they go. Eventually the “online buzz” around the topic fades (as seen with Kony 2012) and no real world action takes place. With that being said however, I do believe that online activism is important and there have been many individuals and groups who have taken their activism beyond the confines of the digital world into the real world and vice versa. What I think is important to note is that online activism alone must not be seen as a catalyst for producing action, rather it should be seen as an “enhancement of social movements” which helps generate greater awareness and relationships among protesters (as stated by Costanza and mentioned by you).
Great Blog!

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