Digital Activism Survey Report 2009

http://www.digiactive.org/wp-content/uploads/Research4_SurveyReport2009.pdf

 

Digital Activism Survey

Report 2009

 

Key Findings

Age: Of the survey's 122 respondents, 28% were between the ages of 26 and 30, with 10% above age 50

and only 2% below the age of 20. The low activism rates of these young "digital natives" may be

explained by political apathy and entertainment preferences online.

 

Gender: Outside North America, male respondents outnumbered female respondents by a margin of 7 to

3. If this gap holds true for digital activists in general, this further challenges the gender-neutral identity of

technology.

 

Geography: Geographic representation was largely consistent with global Internet access but should not

be used as representative of the true distribution of digital activists around the world.

 

Economics: Digital activists, particularly in developing countries, are much more likely than the population

at large to pay a monthly subscription fee to have Internet at home, to be able to afford a high-speed

connection, and to work in a white-collar job where Internet is also available. In short, digital activists are

likely to be prosperous.

 

Access: Intensity of use, rather than simple access, is critical as to whether or not a person is a digital

activist. This high use is only possible for people with the ability to pay for it. The Internet may be

democratizing, but its effects are felt most strongly in the global middle class.

 

Mobiles: Respondents with more features on their mobile phone - such as Internet, video, and GPS - are

more likely to use their phones for activism. This is another indicator of the importance of financial

resources for digital activists, both quantitatively, in terms of greater technology access, and qualitatively, in

terms of better (mobile) hardware.

 

Causes: Across regions, "rights" emerged as the most popular cause, with 21 different types identified by

respondents.

 

Broadcast: The plurality of respondents (37%) believe digital technology's greatest value for activism is

one-way communication. What makes social media useful for digital activism may not be its interactivity

but rather the fact that these technologies collapse the barrier to broadcast.

 

Platforms: Social networks are the most common "gateway drug" into digital activism.

 

Design: None of most popular activist tools – social networks, blogs, and email - were specifically made

for activism. It is likely a combination of their open and agnostic architecture, as well as their high user

base, that has made them popular with activists.

 

Skills: Findings on technology and advocacy skills acquisition challenge the assumption that those who

have a facility with technology are more likely to become digital activists and gives encouragement to

programs that seek to teach technology skills to traditional activists.

 

Offline: Older activists in the respondent group are most likely to use digital technology to increase the

efficiency of offline activities, such as training and evidence collection, and less likely to participate in

activities which have gained popularity because of the availability of online tools, such as posting original

content on web sites.