Climate Change is a pressing issue in modern society, especially with how divisive the responses to it are from both sides of the political spectrum within the US. With the advent of the internet, this issue has only been given a bigger platform to be discussed, and the #ClimateChange campaign was an effective & efficient utilization of social media to help a social movement.
One important thing is that social media facilitates the exchange of information. This means that the movement could cut through the red tape that would incur from spreading information through the mainstream press. “#ClimateChange” is a well publicized movement, so climate activists have used nearly every popular social media platform to advocate for their cause [1]. Many hashtags were employed by this movement, including “#ClimateChange”, #ProtectOurWinters” and “#FridaysForFuture”
An example of how this can contribute to the flow of information includes instagram posts like the one below from National Geographic:
The image showcases the negative effects that climate change would have on animals like a polar bear. This would be an effective tactic to have people join the cause as it would appeal to their emotional senses, and as it was liked over 1.7m times it was clearly a success.
Another great way that the social movement employs social media is through celebrity endorsement. Leonardo DiCaprio and former President Barack Obama are both prominent Climate Change advocates, and have both tweeted out hashtags and voiced their support. This makes it an effective tool in bringing about awareness & action towards the cause.
Finally, social media can contribute to protestors being informed on any protests being organized near where they live. The hashtags could act as a solid hub of information, and it provides a greater ease of convenience than ever before. Like the BLM movement, #ClimateChange protesters can mobilize quicker, and more effectively, with the advent of new technology.
Sources:
[1] https://moveme.berkeley.edu/project/climate-change/