Preface: The False Promise of Digital Activism

Abstract

leveling force that is reshaping activism, particularly following the rise of social media. In 2017 alone, one could find examples in several power ful hashtag protests. There was #MeToo, launched in the wake of a Hollywood sexual harassment scandal that would eventually topple celebrities and politicians alike well into 2018. There was #WomensMarch, which ignited some of the largest simultaneous mass protests the world had ever seen. Activism seemed cheap, accessible, fast, and open to all. With the right hashtag, it appeared that all it takes to start a movement is the right status update, and suddenly, a nobody from nowhere can change the world. However, after having the playing field largely to itself for years, this celebratory narrative now finds itself competing with an increasingly sinister view of the internet. A murmur of dissent on digital platforms and politics grew into a roar following the election of President Trump. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter, once the darlings of digital democracy, were suddenly on the defensive for their role in promoting fake news. Concerns about privacy multiplied as revelations grew that some companies may be harvesting PrefaCe