Change the world by clicking a mouse?

Clicktivism is a new word. It originated from sometime around the Arab spring, which was supposedly fuelled by Twitter and Facebook, but actually by the frustrations of people ruled for long by despots. And then as the Anna Hazare agitation spread in Delhi, clicktivism came to stay. But what exactly does it mean? Clicktivists, and there are many now, believe that change, real social and political change, can be brought about by activism on the internet. That explains the use of armies of online trolls by the BJP’s Narendra Modi, and its counter by other parties like the Congress. Unfortunately for clicktivists, there is no data to prove that it works or how effective it is.

Apart from the torrents of hate mail and falsehoods spread online, clicktivism can produce mobilisation of people to assemble for political rallies or social causes. Thus it was, when Delhi’s normally apathetic residents turned out in large numbers to protest the rape and murder of a young girl last winter. But clicktivism has its own downside. If you’re hooked to your computer all the time, clicking away for your causes, and if everyone else is doing the same, then rallies and public maidans would become depopulated. A bit of clicktivism can lead to change, too much of it would lead to delusion of activism and little change on the ground.