A big thank you from our team - Chronicles of Digital Activism

(photo: Unsplash)

Over the past few weeks, our team has been working hard to bring you the latest from new media, activism and development.

It has been a fun journey where the team has worked together to ensure that we post regularly and with the high standard that our readers expect from us.

Our journey started off in September with a welcome post in which we highlighted how digital communication is used across the globe in social movements, the shaping of ideas, spreading activism and by governments appealing to people’s conscience.

This poses the question not only how those tools are used, but how they could be governed ethically.

What follows is a brief overview of the work that each of the group members have done. Click the hyperlinks to explore the topics further.

Elias analyses in his first post how governance and politicians use social media influencing our life and how the implications of internet shutdowns could be devastating and ultimately undermine democracy. Social media has been shut down to silence protest voices or spreading information to the masses by politicians.

Elias’ next post was a book review on how repressive regimes in Africa use internet shutdowns as a tool to silence their citizens. Case studies explored in the book are Ethiopia Nigeria and Uganda.

In Ethiopia internet shutdowns were used to cut down the Tigray region from the rest of the world when the war was taking place, making it impossible to report human right abuses. In Nigeria it was used to cover police brutality in 2021 and in Uganda to steer political elections.

Measures should be taken by placing human rights in the centre avoiding internet shutdowns as an authoritarian tool to silence critical voices or citizens.

(photo: Unsplash)

Sara’s first blog post was an overview of the digital tool: deepfakes. Her post describes how it undermines democracy, manipulates consciousness and truth from its entry in the digital sphere around 2017.

She then draws a parallel between deepfake and the theory of “Liar Dividend” in conveying information using a familiar face carrying significant social implications. Deepfakes, in turn, could lead to democratic crisis. To make things worse, what was also highlighted was that there are no laws that legitimise the use of deepfakes. The blog then moves to arguing that deepfakes, as other digital tools, could even be used for a positive impact in development purpose. For example by spreading health information conveying trusted messages from a trusted source.

Sara then continues in her interactive post to discuss the lack of democracy and legacy in digital tools and presented through a case study of Glenn Cantaves activist movement that uses this legacy lacking as an opportunity. This is done through using AR in making the oppressed voices heard.She concluded her post with a brief interview with the professional in content Pierangelo Marano that claims to be worried about the lack of legacy and regulations in topics provided by digital tools concerning political health and scientific matters.

Denesha started her blog by unpacking the digital trend of using humour in activism. She outlined how this is particularly prevalent amongst Generation Z activists because they have grown up with the internet and understand how to use these platforms to organise and make their content go viral.

In her interactive post she dwelled even deeper into the same theme and reviewed three humorous TikTok videos made by Generation Z activists on Climate Change, Gender Equality, and Gun Safety. Although her post recognises that humour is subjective, she assessed these videos against three metrics including the accessibility of the humour, the message of the video, and the sensitivity of the post. Ultimately, it is hard to objectively say whether the use of humour is effective in digital campaigning but these examples were enjoyable and indicative of the wider trend of using humour in digital activism.

Josh started with a post that delved into “the web of opportunities and challenges the digital world presents to women beyond the digital divide.” This exploration, titled Empowerment or Exploitation? Navigating Digital Capitalism’s Dual Impact on Women in the Global South, discussed the dimensions of feminist empowerment alongside the digital world. He highlighted how digital access is crucial for empowering women while also pointing out the potential pitfalls that might hinder progress.
In his subsequent interactive post, The Power of Digital Activism as a Tool Used by the Younger Generations, Josh shifted his focus to digital activism among younger generations. He analyzed how digital platforms have become a voice for youth, particularly in advocating for gender equality and tackling climate change. By examining various media created by and for Gen Z, Josh highlighted both the promising advancements and the challenges in using digital tools for social change. Through these posts, he underscored the complex nature of digital activism, promoting a balanced view of its capabilities and limitations.

We would like to thank all of you for reading and engaging with our posts! All our published work will remain here on the blog and we are still keen on hearing your thoughts and opinions, so please comment or send us a message.

It has been a fun journey! Farewell how not all is rosy when it comes to digital tools since a big inequality still per.

(photo: Unsplash)