Abstract
Following an initial euphoria over the democratising potential of the Internet, sceptic voices contend that participation via the Internet may increase existing inequalities and even weaken the influence of citizens. A central critique claims that the digital activities are nothing more than slacktivism, i.e. activities that enhance the feel good factor of the participant but have no impact on real life political outcomes. This study examines three accusations of slacktivism levelled against online participants: that they are detached from formal politics and therefore do not aim to influence political outcomes, that they are lazy citizens choosing easily accessible digital forms of engagement over more effective traditional activities, and that they are incapable of comprehending the functioning of the political system. The results suggest that there is little reason to be worried over any negative impact of the Internet on civic engagement, since the virtual participants are both active and competent citizens. In this sense, the accusation of slacktivism against the participants appears to be misguided.
Highlights
Critical voices have raised concern over the effects of the Internet on political participation and democracy. These accusations claim that Internet activism amount to nothing more than slacktivism, which makes no impact on real–life political outcomes but only serve to increase the feel-good factor of the participants
This study has examined three such claims in a Finnish context: That the participants are detached from formal politics, that the Internet activities replace traditional, and more effective, means of activism, and that the Internet participants are unable to comprehend the complexities of politics
The critique is almost certainly right in rejecting the most jubilant claims of the democratizing force of the Internet, the results obtained here do not support the dismissal of political activities on the Internet as merely slacktivism
Summary
The Internet has become an important venue for political activities and the implications of this for democracy has become a debated topic (Norris, 2001; Coleman and Blumler, 2009; Loader and Mercea, 2012). According to Keen (2007), the Internet is populated by amateurs who are incapable of holding the politicians accountable in the same manner as the traditional media This line of critique resembles the argument that the new forms of participation can lead to a de-skilling of political activism, since they mobilize citizens without socio-economic resources such as education (Topf, 1995, p.71). The Internet may lower the quality of civic engagement by mobilizing virtual activists without a proper understanding of the political system (Christensen and Bengtsson, 2011) For this reason, it has been contested that Internet activism is slacktivism since it is less competent citizens who take advantage of the possibilities offered by the Internet. This study examines the accusation of slacktivism raised against Internet participation
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