Facebook is a platform that is perfect for keeping in touch with long distance friends and relatives, to stay informed about the lives of people near and far, and to provide others with an update of what you’re doing in your life, oftentimes with pictures and occasional statuses. Your profile is representative of the life you want others to know (or think) you live. Naturally, some things are left out; no one’s entire life could ever be compiled into one virtual profile. For me personally, one of these things is my opinion regarding current events, as well as my political views. I don’t believe Facebook is a sufficient place for voicing extremely opinionated or uneducated (biased) views about what is going on in the world.
I am by no means trying to undermine the impact that online activism can have in terms of spreading awareness and increasing participation for various causes, nor am I saying that people should avoid posting statuses on Facebook ever. Rather, I just simply cannot see how posting an angry, controversial status on your Facebook profile about politics or social issues is really going to do anyone good. If there is an issue that someone feels strongly about, and wants there to be a change made, sitting at home angrily expressing ideas to your Facebook friends is not going to help the situation at all.
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Additionally, it is increasingly easier to track a person’s online and social media use history these days. When applying for or working at a job, employers have many easy ways of researching and tracking you down on social media. Controversial statuses and posts like this can be the reason why someone is fired and/or never even hired. Why risk your career posting unnecessary things where everyone can see them?
In an age so driven and determined by technology and its effects, we often lose sight of the importance of activism, and operate under the mistaken impression that online participation is just as effective. It isn’t. If you want to see a change, get out there and do something about it. Taking any of your controversial opinions to Facebook so that your high school friends, co-workers, and distant family members can all get insulted and mad at you, is probably not the best way to go; certainly no substantial changes will arise from that.
While social media offers us a perfect place to increase participation and awareness for certain social and political movements, we have to remember that the impact it is going to have may never be equivalent to that of what it could be if we got out and actually did something about it. Feel free to disagree with me, but if you do, don’t tell me via Facebook status.
