01
Nov 18

November 1st – Global Google Walkout to protest Sexual Harassment #GoogleWalkout

https://twitter.com/GoogleWalkout – Singapore Office

At 11.10 am in Tokyo, Google employees began standing up form their desks and leaving their office building in what was the start of a Global Walkout. People have walked out in Singapore, Zurich, London and Dublin. Continue reading →


01
Nov 18

Can Social Media Activism be Truly Grassroots?

In my last blog I wrote about how two young women had used the internet to campaign (successfully as it turns out) to get the New Zealand singer, Lorde, to cancel her concert in Tel Aviv because of Israel’s violence against Palestinian people and their occupation of Palestine. There are numerous examples of Social Media being used for progressive causes (#MeToo, BlackLivesMatter, Occupy, Resist to name a few), but can the social media really be used for grassroots organizing? Continue reading →


19
Oct 18

Are boots on the ground better than words in cyberspace? 

Activism may be enhanced by using social media platforms for awareness campaigns, virtual petitioning and fund-raising, but when it comes to the environment, it’s ‘boots on the ground’ that count.

It’s no big news to hear about the affordances that social media has offered the world of political and social activism. The ‘Arab Spring’ of 2011/12 and more recently, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations the hashtag #metoo campaign, are oft-cited examples of how social media is transforming the socio-political landscape on scales rarely seen before. However, can the same be said for environmental activism? Are the affordances offered by social media making strong headways in the world of environmental protection? Continue reading →


16
Oct 18

#MeToo in India

India is one of the most dangerous countries for women to live in. In recent studies it has ranked number one before countries like Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. One of the most disturbing events that contributes to the image of India was the gangrape and murderer on a bus in 2012. An event that made protesters take to the streets and women speak up. And they had the ears and eyes of the world upon them.

But the MeToo-movement did not take off in India until a year after the time of the “global” break out in 2017. Just like in the US, and large parts of the world, it was the naming of powerful men in the entertainment and news business that made the movement expand. On October 4, Mahima Kukreja, tweeted that a named popular comedian had sent her an unwanted dickpic. Other women responded by sharing stories of similar behaviour from the comedian. Earlier the ex-Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta named a film veteran who she accused of sexual misconduct and the allegations helped launch the #MeToo movement further in India.

Continue reading →


15
Oct 18

The internet bites back

The Israeli government is trying to hold back the tide of protest against their occupation of Palestine but has discovered the internet is a powerful cyber-activism tool.

Continue reading →


08
Oct 18

LGBT+ Social media activism in Africa – When they dare not speak its name

In a period where homophobia and violence against the LGBT+ community is increasing across the continent, campaigning and networking to end discrimination can be dangerous. Social Media provides an outlet and a platform. According to LGBT+ activists in Ghana, their online campaigning is making inroads into people’s prejudices – in social media forums at least. Continue reading →


26
Sep 18

Digital Inequality grows in Africa, but authorities are worried about access!

If most Africans are unconnected to the Internet, why the sudden urge to restrict access by African Leaders? Perhaps the online organisers are doing something right!

Zimbabwe Social Media Protest

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36776401

Internet access in Africa is growing, but still lags far behind the rest of the world. According to Internet World Stats 35.4% of people access the internet on the continent compared to 54.4% globally. However, even these figures hide unequal distribution; they include the South Africa with a rate of 53.7% and Morocco with 62.4% which contrast with Eritrea, DRC and Niger with rates of less than 5%. Continue reading →