How often do you repost on TikTok? How frequently do you like an Instagram picture and comment “I agree!” or “I support you and your cause!”? Could this amount to showing genuine support for the cause, or do we simply seek comfort from agreeing with the message without the need to move from our beds? Is a simple “I agree with you” or a red heart on an Instagram post enough? I think the knowledge of having acted brings comfort no matter the magnitude of the grand scheme of things. In my opinion, such a small step does count, not only because it shows your views on matters, but in many cases, it can actually spread awareness. A small fact can be shared with a singular person through conversation, but a fact shared on a social media platform can reach millions of people depending on your outreach. But does this actually count as activism? What is activism?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, activism is defined as “the use of direct and noticeable action to achieve a result, usually a political or social one”. This means that each act that aims to create a result counts as activism, which includes sharing news and our opinions on it on our social media platforms. This is of course all aligned with the definition of activism. Although the issue is not on social media activity fitting the definition of activism, it is the genuineness of this activism.

Genuine activism is when you are truthful about your stance, and the projection of it is significant enough to affect the population, so much so that you might create a chain reaction and start a discussion about a cause. This genuine activism usually comes in collective action as mass protests, or rallies and assemblies for causes that matter. We can take the social movements of the Arab Spring, a classic example of collective activism and political actions that had effects. However, we must understand the inaccessibility of taking such action to many people, especially in countries where such performative action violates the law and results in dire repercussions. Domestic policies of various countries do not allow assemblies and protest action, so people cannot gather and express their views in such a way. Social media serves as an outlet for many people to express their opinions on human rights or politics. An Instagram like or a repost on TikTok can be the extent of someone’s ability to act. However, the question still arises as to whether the small magnitude of its effects invalidates the genuineness of the actor’s action.

Just because you do not go onto the street or do not vote in an assembly, it does not mean your activism is not genuine. The intention of showing support for a cause is a part of what makes an act of activism genuine. Minding the constraints on activism many face, I believe social media activism is honest enough, even if it does not constitute a collective action with global effect. For me, simply having a stance and exhibiting it matters.

In modern politics, certain policies are created and illustrated from online support. For instance, the #MeToo movement was a sexual assault awareness campaign that focused on allowing women to share their experiences of sexual harassment and abuse. The movement wouldn’t have gained traction if not for social media platforms. It had to lead to serious action. The sharing of stories and further reposting of them made a chain reaction on the internet of both taking action and raising awareness. Reposts, to me seem very much like action, because even one of them might just encourage someone to share their experience and even report harassment or abuse. The movement became more prominent in 2017 when it intensified with Alyssa Milano’s tweet about her story and changed the workplace template for violence and sexism against women. I probably would not have known about this movement if it wasn’t for someone’s story or repost, and then I would not have been able to form an opinion either. The reality of modern activism is that it is enough to produce an effect, even if perceived as small. I disagree with the argument that such virtual action slows down social progress, I contend that it intensifies it.

My concern lies in how social media is used as merely a source of entertainment. Social Media was created to facilitate interaction and promote discussion, it has incredible potential to progress. I understand that asking to post elaborate articles with their opinions is often impossible. Although there is still a productive way of using social media, such as reposting or retweeting news and facts, which is a viable way of helping others be more literate on world issues and so aim for the amelioration of our society. We all must use our platforms to learn and share that knowledge to the best of our ability because the very basis of society is knowledge. I realize that we are all entitled to use media how we want and social media can be a safe space for entertainment and some “cooling off” time, but I think we can have a balance of both. We can take some time to be educated on politics from useful and trustworthy sources while having some time to watch dance TikToks.

Retweeting and reposting can act as substitutes for genuine activism without minimizing it or making supporting a cause seem “too easy”. Some people are not privileged enough to be on the streets and yell their thoughts, but even a small action can create a reaction. Any action is better than being just a “passive witness”, which is what happens when the only significant voice on social media does not utilize its potential for accessing information and spreading awareness.