TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
‘Clicktivism’: Activists find internet a powerful tool to change society
While many believe it could bring about change for the greater good, some are skeptical about the direction in which the internet will take social activism.
Change Size
While many believe it could bring about change for the greater good, some are skeptical about the direction in which the internet will take social activism. (Shutterstock/Billion Photos)
R
aising awareness about important issues has never been easier, with activists now finding the internet to be a powerful tool to change society.
Change.org, a website solely made to create petitions, is a prime example. More than 83,000 people signed an online petition in 2018 to force Ancol Dreamland Park to abort the importing of whale sharks from their habitat.
Environmentalists and animal lovers launched the public campaign with great enthusiasm. As whale sharks are considered to be on the brink of extinction, the public were quick to condemn the importing of the animal, and immediately signed the petition.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti also got involved by retweeting the cause on Twitter and helped spread awareness even wider.
Social activism has been a trend in the digital era due to its easy access through social media. People anywhere, anytime can start voicing their opinions on issues of concern, resulting in the rise of what many have dubbed "clicktivism".
“Everyone can join to raise public awareness about any cause,” prominent social activist Dian Paramita told The Jakarta Post recently. “That’s why social media is very beneficial.”
In her latest cause, Dian wanted to help a certain Charles Toto, a self-proclaimed “jungle chef” who resides in Jayapura, Papua. He created a petition to urge the West Papua and Papua governors to take action and help conserve the sago forest.
