Over the last decade, social media use has skyrocketed and because of its interactive features, people have found new uses for social media platforms. One of those uses is spreading awareness for advocacy or causes in what is known as social media activism, a new form of activism that people have started welcoming.

Social media activism transformed how to reach wider audiences in a short amount of time. It has made reaching out to people a lot easier with its interactive nature.

On the other hand, social media use also has disadvantages. With the emergence of disinformation, people cannot fully trust what they see on the internet because much unreliable information is shared leading to confusion. People also have cognitive biases, which may influence their beliefs, decisions, and the judgments they make every day. One of these is confirmation bias, wherein people tend to accept information that confirms or reinforces their existing beliefs. They only focus on things that support their beliefs and do not hear out other peoples’ perspectives, hence, it is really hard to change their viewpoint.

Social media activism is known for its ability to reach a relatively larger number of people across different parts of the world, on matters of the internet or social media accessibility, it may not completely reach the older generation. Based on a survey conducted in the Philippines in 2019, only 14 percent of the respondents aged 55 years and above have used the internet.

Another downside of social media activism is that some people tend to practice “performative activism.” Social media has slowly become a tool for people to seem like they truly care about a cause and protest for inequalities but only do it to gain popularity and because it’s “trending”. The ill-intentions of these people can be detrimental to the social movement itself. On the other hand, social media is a good platform to engage with different causes for those who care. It is a place where people can learn and educate others on social movements and recent happenings. However, the question still lingers—does it help in solving them?

Social media activism, if used correctly, could be of great help in empowering actions and recognizing issues that don’t receive public attention. Not only does the information spread quickly but it also encourages people to take part in a cause and sign petitions. With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially hard to physically show up in protests and social movements so this is the only opportunity they have to make a stand-- safely in the comfort of their own homes.

Social media activism is one of the many forms of activism. Expressing oneself self doesn't stop on social media. People can explore other platforms of amplifying or channeling their causes if they want to, without invalidating the power that social media holds in forwarding various advocacies. Everyone can make a change, and anyone can leave a lasting impact on the world.