In the past month, you may have noticed trending Facebook statuses, Twitter hashtags,and Instagram posts concerning the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip. Supporters of both sides have turned to social media, expressing their anger through the trending #GazaUnderAttack or the #IsraelUnderFire hashtags.

Realistically speaking, statuses and hashtags will not change the world. And a strong presence online will not directly stop Israeli air and ground strikes on Gaza or Hamas rocket fires into Israel. But it is a good place to start.

This online presence needs to be given more credit. Although we have not seen any significant change when it comes to the conflict yet, in the past online activism has spread information and knowledge, while also putting pressure on the international community and those in charge to address calls from the people.

For example, the recent Twitter trend #BringBackOurGirls began after 250 girls in Chibok, Nigeria were kidnapped by Boko Haram, insurgents set on overthrowing the Nigerian government and creating an Islamic state. This hashtag trended internationally, catching the attention of celebrities and members of the political community, such as Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Malala Yousafzai. Through the pressure from the international community, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was forced to designate more resources in search of the girls, while countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. sent experts to try and pinpoint the girls’ location, according to a May 13 CNN article.

Unfortunately, the international community and Nigerian government have been unsuccessful in bringing back the girls so far, with the exception of a few girls who have escaped Boko Haram’s grasp. But whether successful or not, these tweets, petitions, and status updates helped pressure those in power to act.

Another type of online activism, Change.org, has about 20 million members, and encourages online activism that is as simple as signing your name online. According to the Change.org website, a member of the site wins a case every day by changing unjust laws, policies, or practices.

One of these victories obtained more than one million signatures and began the trending hashtag #SaveMeriam. Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, a Sudanese Christian, was sentenced to death in Sudan for not renouncing her religion. Because of the pressure from the international community, the Sudanese government freed Ibrahim in July.

As for Twitter’s role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there have been more than four million tweets with the hashtag #GazaUnderAttack and 200,000 with the hashtag #IsraelUnderFire, according to a July 22 Mashable article. This large online coverage of the conflict allows people from all over the world to connect with each other and express their opinions on what is happening in Gaza. People are participating in this online conversation, spreading knowledge and information to Twitter and Facebook users from all over the world, while celebrities who participate in these discussions are also spreading the information to their entire fan base.

For example, Selena Gomez, uploaded a picture that said, “It’s about humanity” and “Pray for Gaza,” addressing the 1,800 Palestinians, mostly civilians, who have died since the start of the conflict. Straying away from humanitarian issues, Rihanna posted “#FreeGaza” on her Twitter account, referring to Israel’s strict blockade on Gaza and the wall surrounding the entire strip, but deleted the tweet eight minutes after she first posted it.

Unfortunately, although online activism can be beneficial because it puts pressure on international powers to act, it can also have its drawbacks. There is no shortage of aggressive comments and criticisms online, especially since commentators are sitting behind the protection of their computer screens.

However, activists should continue to express their beliefs and outrage on social and political conflicts, despite the threat of aggressive disagreements. With the millennial generation’s constant participation in social media and technology, online activism will continue to trend. Especially because, as we have seen in the past, a simple hashtag, status, or photograph can actually make a difference.

Tamara Rasamny is an international relations and newspaper & online journalism dual major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at twrasamn@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @Tam_Rasamny.

Published on August 11, 2014 at 7:22 pm