Efficacy of Instagram Activism
Like many, I too have been experiencing the strange feeling of swiping from a mutual friend’s afternoon adventures to pastel infographics explaining topics ranging from breast cancer to preparing for a coup. This year has seen the rise of a phenomenon that has been referred to as Instagram activism, or the Instagram Infographic Industrial Complex, among many other catchy terms that serve to encapsulate the slideshows that have spread across one of the world’s most popular social media platform. With a maximum capacity of 10 slides, these infographics are easy-to-look at packages filled with information of an explanatory nature.
Evidently, these slideshows make complex topics easy to digest and draw in an audience using their pleasing aesthetic qualities. These features have been impactful especially amongst younger, tech-savvy generations who are plugged into social media. The accessibility of such infographics is commendable, serving as micro doses of news and current affairs that can easily be reshared to a user’s followers using the ‘Instagram Story’ feature. Rather than relying on traditional media, people are able to disseminate information instantly, mobilising social movements in an instant while onlookers tune in from across world. In the current age, journalism has been democratised and news no longer belongs in the hands of media corporation. Take for instance the #EndSars movement in Nigeria which has seen young people use Twitter and WhatsApp to mobilise waves of protests. This has also garnered attention on Instagram and Facebook where explanatory infographics and calls to action have transformed a domestic issue into one that is now connected with other similar movements around the world.
However, the glaring similarities between these social justice themed Instagram slideshows and the marketing tactics of various brands such as Glossier raises the question of what exactly the purpose of these infographics are and how this truly translates in the non-virtual world. The desire to learn and gain awareness is a widely sought-after trait. But if the medium through which people are educating themselves is borderline indistinguishable from corporate marketing then what does this indicate about consumption habits and motivations? Take for instance one comment left on the account @soyouwanttotalkabout which reads: ‘I agree with basically nothing in these posts, but I couldn’t stop looking at them’ . It appears that beneath the digestibility of these slideshows lies the danger of people treating the issues at hand as disposable. Akin to buying a shirt that will only be worn once, the cutesy and approachable style of such posts may lead people to treat these slideshows as a conduit to fulfil their need for instant gratification. It is appealing to be able to quickly skim over the fact that parents of hundreds of migrant children in the United States cannot be located, repost the story and feel as if you have done something tangible to help. This absolves people of discomfort and perhaps guilt, allowing them to comfortably go about their day.
Moreover, seeing that Instagram slideshows are typically of an explanatory nature, they offer a quick snapshot of an issue. This format is an efficient way for someone to get caught up on current events, but it fails to include and address the developments regarding an ongoing event. In this sense, there is an incompleteness to Instagram activism because it is very good at presenting the big picture but fails to deliver on the microlevel. By virtue of its nature it is designed to draw people in for short amounts of time rather than the sustained periods necessary in a movement to achieve real progress. Consequently, people become vaguely acquainted with an issue but are unable to engage with it on a long-term basis.
Furthermore, Instagram infographics create a feeling of unity by connecting millions of people virtually. In the case of the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, members of the Armenian diaspora are using Instagram posts to share outpouring of grief and support. Although this is powerful and uniting in a time where people find themselves isolated from others, it also highlights the fact that these infographics are often created by private individuals. Even though this creates an authenticity and personal touch that is missing from reports by news organisations, it also creates the opportunity for misinformation. Seeing that so much of the Instagram infographic’s power stems in its aesthetic quality, someone could easily mistake a slideshow filled with false information for something factual. Moreover, unlike established news organisations such as The Guardian or The New York Times, Instagram accounts do not have generally known political stances. Whether the content has a certain bias must be carefully discerned by the user, which is fundamentally at odds with how content is consumed on Instagram.
For now, there are serious problems with Instagram slideshow activism, but I genuinely believe in the DIY-power that exists today. This gives grassroots movements a platform and allows for people to break from the status-quo. The prevalence of Instagram infographics is a manifestation of ingenuity that I hope evolves into something with more depth and creditability. However, until that day comes, Instagram infographics should be used in tandem with other resources and are not an adequate form of activism.
