New forms of online engagement of social movement activists

What is it about?

Social movements and activists around the world increasingly make use of the internet. Online communication brings new possibilities for activists. The hacktivist collective Anonymous is a good example. It uses online communication to interact anonymously both among activists themselves and the outside world. This flattens internal hierarchies, gives emotions in activism a central role and contributes to new political content. I call these new forms of digital engagement cyborg activism.

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Photo by Kevin Ku on Unsplash

Photo by Kevin Ku on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The forms of digital engagement, which I call cyborg activism, are important because the increasingly affect politics. Social media campaigns can lead to politicians stepping down or laws being changed. The internet provides new opportunities for activists to directly affect politics.