Cutting Slacktivists Some Slack

This weekend at Clinton Global Initiative University, I had the opportunity to hear from one of the great innovators in technology for good, Ushahidi founder Ory Okolloh. While it was interesting to hear Ory discuss the impetus behind the mobile mapping platform and the tension around providing platforms in alternate languages, it was another point that kept me thinking on the flight back from Miami.

There's been a lot of concern about slacktivists and how to move them to significant and meaningful action as well as general lament about straight-up slackers frivolously spending their time playing endless games of Farmville, taking inane quizzes and watching ridiculous videos. Ory says that there is a growing sentiment in Africa that youth are wasting too much time using technology for fun, time that could be better spent using the same technology for advocacy, human rights monitoring and development. But she says she doesn’t see that as a problem.

At first I paused, not sure I heard her correctly. She explained that she saw nothing wrong with people using social media "selfishly" because if they enjoyed it, they would become comfortable with it, and then they would be ready for action when the moment arises. When they see injustice, need to fight for their rights or the rights of others, or feel they aren't being represented by their government or media, they'll be ready. Considering it further, I realized this theory is really no different than what I sometimes tell nonprofits who question the fundraising results of social media - people might not be using it now to donate en masse, but if and when they do, the organizations who are already well-versed in the tools and have an active online presence will be the ones to benefit.

As people who see the potential of technology and social media to promote social change, human rights and economic development, I think it can be easy to get on our high horses and judge people who have no interest in twitter beyond talking about what they think of American Idol and what they ate for lunch. But to Ory's point, maybe it's ok for people to be agnostic online sometimes. After all, these tools were not built for social action or education. They are often built for entertainment and commercial purposes and only later leveraged by innovators who know them well when a time for social action arises.

Maybe we shouldn't be pushing every slacktivist or slacker to adopt a cause and use their online time more productively. Instead of rolling our eyes at kids these days and their online gaming and chatroulette, should we embrace the fact that youth all over the world are becoming well-versed in the tools that can champion a cause, keep leaders honest, and drive a revolution - when the time comes?