Digital Activism and
Digital Convergence

Digital activism is
defined as the use of
Internet tools,
especially of social
media platforms like
blogs, Facebook,
Twitter, etc, to
promote certain ideas
and gather support
around.
What is Digital
Activism?
1: Information
2: Inspiration

In the first paradigm of digital activism, you work with a
disadvantaged group that suffers from limited access to even the
most basic information and tools for self-expression. So, you use
simple-to-use digital devices like mobile phones and Flip video
cameras and simple-to-use digital technologies like text
messages and online video to enable them to access basic
information and share their own stories.

In the second paradigm of digital activism, you work with a group
that is anything but disadvantaged. This group is at ease with
using always on internet and mobile devices, both for
instantaneous access to information and for self-expression and
social interaction. Here, the digital activist isn’t trying to solve a
crisis of capability, but a crisis of caring. Here, the aim is not to
empower with information, but to engage with inspiration.
Types of Paradigms
#Tameer-e-School:

Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa Government
(PTI)has declared education
emergency in the province. This
campaign will help gather funds for
the destroyed schools of the
province. PTI’s media cell is very
active for this campaign and they
have used many famous
personalities for the campaign such
as Shahid Afridi, Singer Shehzad
Roy, Member of National
Aseemblies etc.
#BringBackOurGirls

300 Nigerian girls were kidnapped by
an extremist group ‘’Boko Haram’’
Hashtag#bringbackourgirls, went
viral in April and by May began to
spawn street protests in London and
New York. The campaign was
initiated by an NGO runner Jibran
Ibrahim which is why this protest
comes under the 2nd paradigm.Emails, social networks, TV channels
were used as the tool. The campaign
spread so widely on Digital media
that even celebrities and top ranked
people indulged into it on social
media
#WeAreAllMonkeys

Barcelona defender
DaniAlves sparked a social
media campaign against
racism in football as support
flooded in from fellow
professionals for his decision
to eat at banana thrown at
him by an opposition fan.
The campaign went on a
grander level when his
teammate Neymar Jr. and
the whole Barca club
supported him to the fullest.
They initiated
hashtag#WeAllAreMonkey
s and later every common
person backed them

It is easy to make it as a digital activist, as it is just a few clicks
away. It transcends barriers and could reach audience beyond
your wildest dreams. It is easy to interact with supporters if you
are famous personality. People can be influenced very easily. In
my opinion, it is a good tool to spread ideas, to create
awareness and start discussions.

If we talk about cons we can easily say, they appear on the
public radar once certain celebrities or influential people are
involved in it. However, there is one theme that mostly all digital
activism, they can be misleading.
And almost like everything in the world, But its major flaw is
that it is shallow. It lacks vision and even if started with one, it
would fade away over some time.
Some cases start with good intentions, but soon after that it
fades, due to people with no deep understanding. Digital
activism still seems to be flourishing.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
DIGITAL CONVERGENCE
The term "digital convergence"
means the ability to view the
same multimedia content from
different types of devices.
 Meaning the digitization of
content (movies, pictures, music,
voice, text) and the development
of connections methods.
 Reading emails on your TV via a
connected smartphone, watch a
streaming movie on the home
theater connected to the Internet.
 Digital convergence simplifies
our life into our living room.


Converged Devices

Converged Applications
2 types of convergence
Digital convergence refers to the convergence of
four industries into one conglomerate, ITTCE:

Information Technologies
 Telecommunication (IT to telecommunication)
 Consumer Electronics (IT to Consumer electronics)
 Entertainment (IT to entertainment )
CONVERGENCE OF 4 INDUSTRIES
EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL THINGS

Due to compact and fast access to information regardless of the
place there are less job opportunities.

People are more likely to rely on technology than on their own
skills.

Procrastination might prevail which can affect the output of any
task.
DISADVANTAGES

Any reasonably powerful computer, smartphone can be used as an
entertainment center.

People can get information anytime, anywhere because the cellphone is
the single most personal machine people keep with them all the time

The use of digital appliances like laptops, microwave ovens, automatic
washing machines has lessened people’s work on so many levels.
ADVANTAGES