Guiding Questions

• Can online platforms be tools for justice?

• What are the risks and rewards of digital activism?

• Who controls the conversation — and who gets silenced?

The Power of the Internet

In the past, organizing meant flyers, marches, and meetings.

Today, it also means:

• Viral hashtags

• Livestreamed protests

• Online petitions

• Digital whistleblowing

• Global solidarity in real time

Movements like #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and FridaysForFuture began or grew online — spreading faster than any traditional media ever could.

The Digital Divide and Dangers

But digital spaces are not neutral.

Justice online faces serious obstacles:

• Censorship – Content can be taken down without explanation

• Surveillance – Governments monitor activists and track data

• Disinformation – Lies spread faster than facts

• Harassment – Women, LGBTQ+ people, and activists of color are often targeted

• Access gaps – Not everyone has reliable internet, privacy, or safety

Being heard online is not the same as being safe or being free.

Philosophical Perspectives

Zeynep Tufekci

Digital platforms can empower protest — but they often lack the long-term structure to sustain movements.

Shoshana Zuboff – Surveillance Capitalism

Online platforms don’t just connect people — they extract data and sell influence, often without our consent.

Frantz Fanon

Real liberation must include both visibility and voice — not just speaking, but being heard on your own terms.

A Thought Experiment

Imagine your local government commits an injustice — and covers it up.

You start sharing the truth online, and others join in.

But soon:

• Your posts are shadowbanned

• Your phone is monitored

• Trolls flood your messages

Was your action successful?

Was it worth it?

How can truth survive in systems designed for profit and control?

Digital Tools for Justice

• Encrypted messaging apps (e.g. Signal) for secure organizing

• Hashtag campaigns to raise awareness

• Citizen journalism using phones and livestreams

• Online petitions that pressure institutions

• Digital art and memes that mobilize across borders

• Tech ethics campaigns challenging bias in AI and surveillance

Reflect and Discuss

• Have you ever seen justice or injustice go viral? What happened?

• Is online activism “real” activism? Why or why not?

• Should tech companies be responsible for protecting freedom of expression?

Suggested Readings

• Zeynep Tufekci – Twitter and Tear Gas

• Shoshana Zuboff – The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

• Jillian York – Silicon Values

• Ethan Zuckerman – Rewire

• UN Human Rights Council – Reports on Digital Rights