The Terminology
Actions performed via the internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement.
Examples: Signing an online petition (without following up), changing a profile picture, sharing a meme.
When someone from a privileged group professes support for a marginalized group, but often does it to look good rather than to help.
Case Study: #BlackoutTuesday
The Black Square (2020)
In 2020, millions of people posted a black square on Instagram to support Black Lives Matter.
The Unintended Consequence: The flood of black squares actually hid important information because activists used the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag for safety updates, but the feed was clogged with empty black boxes.
š¤ Critical Thinking
Why might someone post a black square even if they don't do anything else to help?
Te Ao MÄori: AhikÄ vs. The Flash in the Pan
š„ AhikÄ (Burning Fires)
In MÄori culture, AhikÄ refers to the burning fires of occupation. It represents continuous presence and commitment to the land and people. You can't just show up once; you have to keep the fire burning.
Digital Connection: A "viral moment" is like a matchābright but fast. Real change is AhikÄāsustained, long-term work.
| Action | Is it AhikÄ? (Sustained) | How to make it stronger? |
|---|---|---|
| Posting a hashtag | No (Fleeting) | Post the hashtag AND a link to a donation page or educational resource. |
| Sharing educational infographics | Maybe (Awareness) | Read the whole slide deck yourself first. Discuss it with whÄnau. |
| Organizing a community meet-up via DM | Yes (Connection) | Ensure it happens regularly, not just once. |
Mahi: The Social Audit
Look at the last 3 "activist" posts you saw on your feed. Use the checklist:
š Teacher Planning Snapshot
NgÄ WhÄinga Ako ā Learning Intentions
Students will investigate digital activism as a form of civic participation and political power, examining how social media and online tools have enabled new forms of resistance, solidarity, and community organising. This unit connects to MÄori traditions of protest, hÄ«koi, and political action in the digital age.
NgÄ Paearu AngitÅ« ā Success Criteria
- ā I can evaluate the effectiveness of digital activism strategies and identify their strengths and limitations.
- ā I can analyse how power operates in digital spaces and who controls information flows.
- ā I can design a digital activism campaign for a cause I care about, applying ethical communication principles.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide campaign planning templates and analysis frameworks for entry-level learners. Offer extension tasks requiring students to critically evaluate a real activist campaign's digital strategy and propose evidence-based improvements.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach political and digital literacy vocabulary. Leverage students' knowledge of activism in their home countries as a comparative lens. Allow discussions in home language to process complex political ideas before English writing tasks.
Inclusion: Use multimodal texts ā videos, images, social media posts ā to make political concepts accessible. Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured analysis frameworks and choice in how they engage with potentially charged political content. Create a safe classroom environment where diverse political perspectives are respected.
MÄtauranga MÄori lens: Situate digital activism in the long whakapapa of MÄori political resistance ā from the Kotahitanga movement to the 1975 MÄori land march, to contemporary digital campaigns for Te Tiriti justice. Explore how hui, karanga, and whaikÅrero function as forms of community organising that preceded digital networks, and how MÄori activists have strategically adopted digital tools while maintaining cultural grounding. Discuss tino rangatiratanga as the ultimate goal of political participation.
Prior knowledge: Best used after foundational social studies and civics concepts. Benefits from prior exposure to media literacy.
Curriculum alignment
- Social Studies ā Understanding: Students understand how digital technologies shape political participation and how communities use online tools to advocate for rights and social change.