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kalikshama -> RE: Aljazeera report on the BP oil spill (4/28/2012 7:17:05 AM)
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Not so:
Slacktivism: Why Snopes got it Wrong About Internet Petitions
...Online petitions, like votes, presidents, big donations, lobbyists or anything else for that matter, can never claim “full credit” for change. Sometimes petitions are major factors in a big decision, sometimes they’re the triggers that alert international media to hot stories, sometimes they simply raise general awareness of an issue, act as catalysts for fundraising, or compel other power brokers to get involved.
That’s the way change happens: always the result of many steps and many influences, it always begins with individuals taking simple steps… which is why on practically every online action site you’ll find Margaret Mead’s poignant quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Examples of the Power of Online Activism
These days it’s hard to imagine significant change happening that’s not greatly influenced by so-called armchair “slacktivists.” Web 2.0 activism has transformed the power structure, putting power in the hands of the people and forcing authorities to be accountable like never before. The frustrations with G.W. Bush and the subsequent enthusiasm, fundraising, and election of Obama and a Democrat-controlled Congress are well-documented examples fueled by online petitions and other online activism.
While most successful online actions never attain such recognition, here are a few lesser known examples where online petitions played a key role:
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/slacktivism-why-snopes-got-it-wrong-about-internet-petitions.html#ixzz1tLQarDvn
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