Instagram is an app commonly used for Gen Z digital activism. Perzonseo Webbyra. CC BY 2.0.
In 2019, Gen Z—folks born between 1996 and 2010—became the world’s largest living generation, making up 32 percent of the global population. Conversely, Gen Z is also the world’s first truly global generation, being the first to have grown up with the internet and social media existing since their birth.
The impact of Gen Z, with many having recently become adults or on the cusp of entering the adult world, has already been felt in the social action sphere. Prominent Gen Z activists like Greta Thunberg, who works on climate change, or the Parkland students, who advocate for gun violence prevention measures, have led the conversations on certain global social justice issues. Likewise, given the prevalence of social media access, most members of Gen Z are more aware of social justice issues around the globe than their older counterparts.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred alongside global movements for racial justice and democratization, and against genocide. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, both popular with Gen Z, have become organizing spaces for digital activism in an era where in-person social action has not consistently been safe or available.
The most common manifestation of digital activism seen throughout the pandemic has been the use of infographics and informative, short-form videos (which are often repostings of infographics set to music).
These infographics have been specifically prevalent on Instagram. As Vox’s Terry Nguyen explains: “The 10-image carousel, which Instagram launched in 2017, has been repurposed by activists, independent artists, advocacy groups, and well-meaning individuals as a means to educate and inform the masses, one slide at a time.”
Demonstrators in Washington, D.C., at a 2018 March for Our Lives protest, one of the first Gen Z-led social movements. Phil Roeder. CC BY 2.0.
Such infographics have covered an endless amount of topics such as pandemic safety, the Black Lives Matter movement, the Myanmar coup, the awareness surrounding vaccine distribution discrepancies, the Uyghur genocide, and most recently the Israeli-Palestinean conflict.
The benefit of these infographics, and digital activism more broadly, is that information on social justice movements is able to spread much more widely and quickly than ever before. Folks living in regions where news media may be silenced by the government have been able to use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to share the oppression, violence and injustices that are taking place with millions of people at the touch of a button. Likewise, given that many members of Gen Z are connected on these platforms, it has increased the awareness of global social justice issues within the generation in an unprecedented way.
Yet digital activism has not come without its faults: namely, the dissemination of unverified, untrue, or incomplete information. Misinformation has always been an issue in the digital realm, but with the rise of platforms like Instagram and TikTok which reward virality over legitimacy, there is a real danger of misinformation being given credence.
There is no requirement on either platform for any infographics or videos published to have cited sources for the information they spread. While Instagram has taken steps to try to combat misinformation surrounding COVID-19 specifically, the app has yet to eliminate all misinformation about the pandemic. Moreover, both Instagram and TikTok have not implemented any procedures to even recommend users to fact-check information themselves for any other social action issues.
Beyond the dissemination of misinformation, however, is another concern with digital activism: the rise in “clicktivism.” Clicktivism is the phenomenon of one’s socio-political activism stopping at the log-out button. The danger in this is that digital activism can lead to complacency. Many Gen Z social media users do not engage in any forms of social action beyond sharing often unverified information from infographics or videos. This, in essence, can stifle the strength of important social movements. If folks do not show up to protest, donate, vote, educate themselves, or engage in activism beyond the digital medium, then the movement as a whole runs the risk of losing steam when its “virality” or trendiness on social platforms dissipates.
All is not lost, however. The fact that Gen Z is so interconnected and aware of global social action issues means that there is an interest to create positive change in the world. Below are some tips for maximizing your activism, both on and off the internet.
Educate: While digital activism has been a means of engaging with social action in an era where in-person activism has not been safe due to the pandemic, an important component of social action in general is remaining educated on global social justice issues. This education can start with verifying the information you see on social media. But moreover, it's important to take a proactive approach to education and seek out verified information on the causes you care about most, even if they are not currently “trendy.”
Donate: There are countless organizations around the globe working on the ground to address social justice issues. Monetary donations go a long way, but that is not the only way one can donate (especially if money is an issue). Beyond social media, you can participate in a movement by donating your time to contact elected officials and voice your support for social movements, educating your peers about the issues that matter most and seeking out ways to help organizations beyond monetary means, for example.
Protest: Getting out into the streets to demand social change has been an effective means of social action for generations. Grassroots activism of this nature helps to show your community members—many of whom may not have social media—that there is genuine support for the causes that matter most to you, and can help to galvanize a movement beyond the digital medium.
Jacob Sutherland
Jacob is a recent graduate from the University of California San Diego where he majored in Political Science and minored in Spanish Language Studies. He previously served as the News Editor for The UCSD Guardian, and hopes to shed light on social justice issues in his work.