preview

The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet

Good Essays
Open Document
"The role of online activism is to increase public awareness of what is being done, or needs to be done, in the real world."(Current Controversies). Two examples of Internet activism could be interactive technology, and signing an online petition. Even though people believe that internet activism is allowing people to be lazy calling it slacktivism which gives people the feeling that they have accomplished something and are making a difference in when it comes to politics. The internet can be used for political purposes and activism gives people the motivation to stand up for the causes they believe in. With the Internet advancing everyday it’s becoming easier to show support for a cause in the comfort of your own home. Hopefully one day everyone will participate in democracy.
Social media expert Evgeny Morozov wrote in Foreign Policy magazine, "'Slacktivism' is the ideal type of activism for a lazy generation: why bother with sit-ins and the risk of arrest, police brutality, or torture if one can be as loud campaigning in the virtual space? Given the media's fixation on all things digital—from blogging to social networking to Twitter—every click of your mouse is almost guaranteed to receive immediate media attention, as long as it's geared towards the noble causes. That media attention doesn't always translate into campaign effectiveness is only of secondary importance." (Current Controversies). Last year the Brazilian congress voted on a measure to bar politicians convicted of corruption from standing for office. Most thought the vote would fail, as so many of those in congress were themselves corrupt (estimated at 25%). But in the largest internet campaign in Brazilian history, 2 million people signed a petition supporting t...

... middle of paper ...

...t Freedom. New York, NY: PublicAffairs, 2011. Print.

Nayar, Pramod K. The New Media and Cybercultures Anthology. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Print.
"Internet Activism." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

"Introduction to Internet Activism: Current Controversies."
Internet Activism. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. Detroit: Greenhaven
Press, 2013. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

Glennie, Jonathan. "Internet Activism Allows People to Show They Care About World Problems." Internet Activism. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "The Joys of Internet Activism." Guardian 18 Jan. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
Get Access
Related
Get Access