Efforts to influence political and social change over the web have developed as the internet has grown. The term online activism refers to political mobilization efforts via the web. Primarily through use of web-based tools, individuals attempt to influence political decision-making by publicly voicing their opinions and asking like-minded people to join them in pressuring decision-makers to take a particular stand on an issue. Some of the appeal of online activism comes for the novelty of its tools [4].
- Newsgroups
- Discussion groups or Email Lists
- Webpages
- Chat rooms
- Online fundraising
- Virtual communities
- Alternative news & information services
- Online petitions
- Online surveys
- Blogs
- Videoconferencing
- Graphical worlds
- Banner ads
- Targeting and mapping software
- Virtual civil disobedience (“hacktivism”)
Online activists use one or more of these tools, independently or in combination with traditional community organizing practices. Some tools are simply electronic versions of traditional methods – petitions, for example. Other tools are dynamic communication forms that support a multitude of interactions amongst a diversity of people – chat rooms and blogs, for example. What makes a majority of these tools unique is their capacity to “organiz(e) people separated by space and time [4].” As the practice of online activism has begun to mature, it has become more apparent that “online methods [of organizing] added new possibilities, but … did not usurp the need for time-honored methods [4].” While early online activists imagined there would come a time when all community organizing would be done in cyberspace, current practice has “found that online and traditional organizing needed to merge and operate together – each reinforcing the other [4].” The effect of the merge is this: online activism is often implemented as a modern model of the Alinsky framework. The most celebrated and successful activist sites are examples of how the Alinsky framework can be implemented with modern tools and strategies. A majority of the online activist sites that are highly praised and utilized have a common feature – the desire to mobilization its user-base in support or opposition of public policy. I offer two profiles of common practices amongst online activist sites that demonstrate that many successful online organizing initiatives reflect the principles of Alinsky’s framework. 2.1 A Belief that Knowledge is Power Scorecard.org has successfully pursued an online strategy for environmental justice based on the belief that “the biggest enemy to thoughtful policy on pollution control is ignorance [5].” Describing itself as part of the “right to know movement,” Scorecard.org received one million hits in its first 24 hours in April of 1998 [5]. It provides general information on environmental justice issues as well as data specific to a particular community. A user may enter her zip code and Scorecard has the ability to provide her with data on a variety of environmental hazards in the areas of waste, land, water and air in the form of a report card. Six years after its launch, Scorecard.org is nationally known and respected for its reliable, community-centered data. The site encourages people to 1) know what toxics are in their community and 2) join an existing community group that addresses toxic issues or start a group of their own. The site assumes users may not be trained in statistics or environmental studies. Information is presented through simplified pollution locator maps and list-style detailed reports. It takes away the intimidation one may experience in researching such a complex issue that is grounded in such a simple value system – nature should be respected and protected as it sustains all life. Scorecard.org is an excellent example of how online information distribution can be an effective form of activism as part of a larger community organizing strategy. Armed with knowledge, users educate themselves about potential hazards in their community, so they may act. Scorecard provides registered users an opportunity to fax pre-drafted letters to managers of companies that release toxic chemicals in a community. Users can customize the letters to request that the company send proof that the toxics are safe or for a description of its prevention strategies [6]. Scorecard makes activism simple and quick. 2.2 ‘One-click’ Activism – The Action Alert Strategy An experienced organizer knows that information alone often does not cause someone to act. For example, many people in the United States are aware that a reduction in the use of gasoline-powered vehicles would significantly benefit the earth by slowing global warming. However, a majority of Americans choose not to act on this fact. They choose not to purchase alternative-fuel cars or press the government for stricter smog-emission standards. It takes more than knowledge to get someone to act. An experienced community organizer understands to get someone to act she must appeal to that person’s motivations. Moreover, the person who is invited be a member of the community group must trust the organizer who has approached her. For example, I once organized temporary workers in Silicon Valley. Workers ranged from clerical temps to chip manufacturers to computer-aided designers. Each member of the organization joined because of a common belief that contingent workers are not protected under current employment laws and regulations. However, getting each member to act was a very individual act. Some members of the organization simply wanted to participate in group forums because they needed a sympathetic ear. Other members were angry and wanted to take to the streets to scream out the injustices they faced. Yet others simply wanted to support the cause by providing volunteer hours to help coordinate group meetings. Getting a majority of members to an event was made through personalized appeals to each. They were asked to take on specific roles I believed would suit their personal needs and interests. They trusted me to provide them with reasonable avenues for participation. Online activism generically customizes participation requests through an ‘action alert’ strategy. Organizations allow users to register (at minimum) an e-mail address. In doing so, a user indicates she generally trusts the organization and is willing to receive information from the organization and may be willing to act in support or opposition to an issue. Additional information from a user’s profile can be used to appropriately filter information and requests to her via e-mail. Online activists can tailor information based on information submitted via the web. To cast the widest net possible, e-mails alerts are sent to users that fit defined criteria. Users are asked to participate in ‘one-click’ activism strategies such as sending an e-mail, signing onto a petition or sending an electronic fax. Users are asked to perform quick task to express their opinion on an issue. In terms of volume, action alerts are highly effective. Well-written alerts express a sense of urgency and clearly describe the action that should be taken. People who would otherwise not participate in activism are more likely to get involved because they are asked to commitment to only one action at a time. The Feminist Majority, National Organization for Women, and the reproductive rights organization NARAL Pro-Choice America follow this practice. An action alter provides basic information about the issue being presented and then describes how someone can get involved. Requests cannot be elaborate or personalized. They must be specific and not involve more than a few minutes time. If they do, they filter out too many people who are not yet ready or willing to make a greater commitment to a cause. Online activism stresses quantity over quality in participation. It prides itself on volume. Successful mobilizations are measured in numbers – of registered users, of site hits, of e-mails sent, etc. These measures of success are consistent with the measures of success the Alinsky framework espouses. The quality of the participation is irrelevant (or in some cases exaggerated). The key indicator of success is an organization’s ability to influence public policy. Pure numbers sways legislators and other decision-makers absent any other form of measure. As discussed, the most common and effective online tools today are those that emphasize top-down change. While online activism is a novel strategy that provides great promise in influencing public policy, it has so far fallen short in its ability to shape personal attitudes and behaviors. Sisterhood, the technology-enhanced community organizing model proposed in this paper, builds upon traditional organizing practices and is enhanced by a new approach to online activism. Section 4 provides a description of the model’s design.