
Since the advent of the internet, the world has undergone a digital revolution. The new tools of social media have reinvented social activism, heralding the era of digital activism. This paper provides a framework and terminology for understanding digital activism. It describes the fundamental differences between traditional activism, as it existed before internet-driven social media, and as it manifests itself now using the tools of digital technology. The paper analyses the potential risks and benefits of digital activism, both of which are amplified with the use of internet-based social media. The paper sets a framework that explains how the use of activism can have a positive impact and bring about the activists’ desired effect. On the other hand, activism can have a negative result in terms of friction in the public domain. The digital aspect of activism amplifies the entire process. Activism has become a higher risk/higher benefit activity.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 7 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
