Marlon B. Santos, Mark Harold Y. Arambulo, and Ramil G. Ilustre (Authors)
Abstract
In this era of digitization, the internet and social media networks serve as modern platforms to promote advocacies and social change, thus giving birth to digital activism. Digital activism can be defined as an act of advocating, promoting, and organizing protest for social, cultural, political, and environmental causes through the use of digital tools, platforms, and technologies. On the other hand, Hashtag Movements are the act of gathering support from the general public through the use of hashtags in social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. Together, Digital Activism and Hashtag Movements have become a powerful tool for social change reaching beyond boundaries, and cultures. Despite the growing popularity and relevance of these movements, the study aims to critically explore the underlying mechanisms of these hashtag movements, its effectiveness, and probable limitations. Additionally, the study wants to gain an in-depth understanding on how algorithms, the general public’s behavior and attitude in using social media, virality of the movement, and its overall sustainability affects the people’s attitude towards these movements and its outcome. Furthermore, to ensure that the study can contribute meaningfully in the field of digital media, and activism, the study incorporates various theoretical and conceptual frameworks. These relevant theories will help analyze underlying relationships between the hashtag movements, social media users, and digital activism. Ultimately, achieving its goal to contribute to academic discourse and practical strategies in utilizing digital media in motivating social change.
Read the full text here.
Keywords: Digital activism, Hashtag movements, Social change, Social justice