Internet Activism

Internet activism, also referred to as cyberactivism, online activism, digital activism, online organizing, electronic advocacy, e-campaigning, and e-activism, consists of a spectrum of activities using any Internet-based application to engage in social protest and information sharing designed to change individuals’ political, social, and consumer behaviors. Although educational standards for K–12 classrooms, including the Common Core State Standards, increasingly include technology integration, most Internet activism occurs in out-of-school contexts. From memes—cultural ideas and practices spread through a variety of text modalities and artifacts—circulated on social media to globally staged protests designed to oust oppressive regimes, Internet activism is most often organized and executed outside school settings and is often the impetus for participatory do-it-yourself learning. This entry explains what Internet activism is, discusses its development and ...