Can Slacktivism Lead To Activism?

(This post is part of the Sinai and Synapses Discussion Forum, a collection of perspectives on specific topics. It is part of our Fall 2014 series, “Are We Using Technology, or is Technology Using Us?“)

This past summer, everyone from Bill Gates to George W. Bush to Jennifer Aniston to your old college roommate to your boss’s daughter filmed themselves dumping a bucket of icewater on their heads. It was all but impossible to miss “The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge,” and by all accounts, it was a massive success. It raised both awareness and financial support for the disease, with literally millions of people sharing their videos, and raising money that ended up in the eight-figure range.

But it also received a fair share of criticism. Many people believed that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge – like “Bring Back Our Girls” from May or “Kony 2012” video two years ago – was a form of “slacktivism.” People could click “Like” or share a video, and feel good about “doing something to help the world,” but in reality, they would not be making that much of an impact.

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