The problem with social media activism

Social media aficianados are taking the process of problem-solving to the next level. Earlier, people would think about solutions to their problems. Now, they post their problems on Facebook and other social networking sites to find solutions. The difference between the social and private life is decreasing, and people are realising that nothing is working out for them.

A slew of popular Facebook pages post images of a public figure followed by a joke, and within an hour, the post receives about 1,000+ likes and 1,000+ comments. It is safe to say that we are willing to give time to things which are not connected to us. When a politically incorrect news story breaks online, someone usually makes a meme out of it, and the post goes viral. People are drawn to comment on such matters. People can’t shun political or national issues, and will give their opinion wherever the need arises. However, their opinion on the matter is only restricted to the comment section on social media. This generation is leveraging the power of the internet to earn money and share knowledge, but they also stir unwanted hype. People say social media sites should not be taken seriously, but they have succeeded in trivialising serious issues and grabbing attention. 

Recently, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel’s views went viral, with trolls having a field day by sharing funny memes that insulted him, and his fiancé Miranda Kerr. People started downrating Snapchat on the Google Play Store without really knowing what actually transpired. However, Spiegel was quick to defend himself, saying he did make the controversial comment: “The app is for rich people, don’t want to expand in poor countries like India and Spain.”  

We were so drawn to a baseless issue that we turned a blind eye. What has happened to India? Why are pressing issues like sexual assault and poverty only limited to sharing images on Facebook? How does social media activism serve our country?

It is a transition period for all of us. Technological advancements have benefited us. People are only content with posting controversial comments. Commenting on a post will not help. We need to get out of the virtual bubble.

We need to work towards developing a better world. We should be sensitive to discussing issues like rape directly, as opposed to making comments on social media. Rather than finding solutions to our problems online, we should be able to deal with the problems ourselves. We need to draw a line between our social and private lives

This article is for those who live on Facebook, as opposed to the real world. Talking about change and blaming others is cool in the virtual realm, but what use would it be if we cease to exist physically? 

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