Power of Cyberactivism and Viral Communication

This is a new era for the internet and social sites in which messages, news and information can spread very rapidly and swiftly. With the invention of internet, there is a new trend and term derived from the cyber world called 'cyberactivism'. Cyberactivism is used to communicate with huge amount of audiences through the technology communication and information that using e-mail and internet sites like Facebook, Youtube and others (Networked Publics 2005).

(Source From: 2011, http://orecomm.net/2011/reminder-conference-copenhagen-9-may-2011/)

The video regarding the terrorism activities produced by Kony in Uganda was posted by Invisible Children on the internet site which had successfully raised huge concerns by the public. This video discussed about how the warlord-Kony tortured the children army by treating them as slaves. The Kony's video had been spread at an implausible speed as more than 55 million viewers had viewed and shared the video in just few days. Although there are some doubtful voices in connection with the truth of the video; however, due to the viral power of internet communication, the spreading of terror video is far more than the questioning posts (Cherubini 2012). The aggrieved voices toward Kony are increased day-by-day as a result of the power of cyberactivism. 

(Source From: Higgins, A. 2012, http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/03/18/kony-2012-screenings-halted-uganda-falsehoods-99491/)

Viral communication is like virus which spreads in a speedy and uncontrollable rate. When one has posted a particular topic that successfully raised the public concern, it is expected that the post will be shared and spread out during a relatively short time. For example, people can share their latest post or news via Twitter by just clicking a button which required less than a minute. As illustrated by the video of Kony case, public will normally feel angry about it as the news will spread out even faster and no one is able to stop it.

It is evident to us that the use of internet has changed the world. In particular, cyberactivism and viral communication bring huge impact in spreading the news and information to us.

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Reference:

Cherubini, F. 2012, 'Kony 2012: Once Information Goes Viral, There's No Stopping It', WAN-IFRA-World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers. Viewed 9th June 2012,

<http://www.editorsweblog.org/2012/03/09/kony2012-once-information-goes-viral-theres-no-stopping-it>. 

Networked Publics 2005, 'Cyberactivism', University of Southern California, US. Viewed 9th June 2012,

<http://networkedpublics.org/cyberactivism>.