PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study shines light on what makes digital activism effective

2013-11-21
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Peter Kelley
kellep@uw.edu
206-543-2580
University of Washington
Study shines light on what makes digital activism effective Digital activism is usually nonviolent and tends to work best when social media tools are combined with street-level organization, according to new research from the University of Washington.

The findings come from a report released today (Nov. 20) by the Digital Activism Research Project run by Philip Howard, UW professor of communication, information and international studies. Founded by Howard in 2012, the project applies rigorous empirical social science methods to the study of global digital activism.

"This is the largest investigation of digital activism ever undertaken," Howard said. "We looked at just under two thousand cases over a 20-year period, with a very focused look at the last two years."

Howard and coauthors Frank Edwards and Mary Joyce, both UW graduate students, oversaw 40 student analysts who reviewed news stories by citizen and professional journalists describing digital activism campaigns worldwide. A year of research and refining brought the total down to between 400 and 500 well-verified cases representing about 150 countries. The research took a particularly focused look at the last two years.

Howard said one of their main findings is that digital activism tends to be nonviolent, despite what many may think.

"In the news we hear of online activism that involves anonymous or cyberterrorist hackers who cause trouble and break into systems," Howard said. "But that was 2 or 3 percent of all the cases — far and away, most of the cases are average folks with a modest policy agenda" that doesn't involve hacking or covert crime.

Other findings include:

Digital activism campaigns tend to be more successful when waged against government rather than business authorities. There have been many activist campaigns against corporations, but they don't seem to succeed as well as having the governments for a target, Howard said. Effective digital activism employs a number of social media tools. Tweeting alone is less successful, Howard said, and no single tool in the study had a clear relationship with campaign success. Governments still tend to lag behind activist movements in the use and mastery of new social media tools. They sometimes use the same tools, Howard said, but it's always months after others have tried them.

Howard said these factors, taken together, "are the magic ingredients, especially when the target is a government — a real recipe for success."

Edwards is a doctoral student in sociology; Joyce is a doctoral student in communication.

Howard added that, in time, the data gathered for this work might yield more insight into the world of digital activism.

Unanswered questions include why there are regional disparities among digital tool use, why phones are prevalent but SMS messaging is rare in digital campaigns, and whether external political, social or cultural phenomena influence patterns and the effectiveness of digital activism.

### Funding for the research came from the United States Institute of Peace, the National Science Foundation and the UW Department of Communication.

The report is available for download at http://www.digital-activism.org/. For more information contact Howard at 206-612-9911 or pnhoward@uw.edu, Edwards at 312-608-1716 or Fedwards@uw.edu and Joyce at 857-928-1297 or Mjoyce@uw.edu.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Preventing marijuana-induced memory problems with over-the-counter painkillers

2013-11-21
Preventing marijuana-induced memory problems with over-the-counter painkillers In addition to being used as a recreational drug, marijuana has been used for centuries to treat a variety of conditions, from chronic pain to epilepsy. However, its medical value is greatly limited ...

Fungus-fighting drug may make mild flu meaner

2013-11-21
Fungus-fighting drug may make mild flu meaner Mice given a drug commonly used in patients to fight systemic fungal infections more often succumb to what would otherwise be a mild case of the flu. The evidence reported in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports on November 21st ...

Newborn babies have built-in body awareness ability

2013-11-21
Newborn babies have built-in body awareness ability

Scientists identify gene that regulates body weight in humans and mice

2013-11-21
Scientists identify gene that regulates body weight in humans and mice Research has pointed to the importance of genetic factors in human obesity and has shown that heritability plays a role in 40% to 90% of cases. Now investigators reporting online November 21 in The American ...

Scientists find the invisibility cloak that shields HIV-1 from the immune system

2013-11-21
Scientists find the invisibility cloak that shields HIV-1 from the immune system Of the two major types of HIV, only one, HIV-1, typically causes AIDS in infected people who don't receive treatment. A study published by Cell Press November 21st in the journal Immunity reveals ...

Stanford scientists think mysterious virus could be a signal of a weak immune system

2013-11-21
Stanford scientists think mysterious virus could be a signal of a weak immune system Genomic analysis of transplant patients finds an opportunistic microorganism whose elevated presence could be used an indicator in treatment STANFORD, Calif. — More than ...

Different cellular mechanisms behind regenerated body parts

2013-11-21
Different cellular mechanisms behind regenerated body parts Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that two separate species of salamander differ in the way their muscles grow back in lost body parts. Their findings on the species-specific ...

HIV and parenting needs to be discussed, new study finds

2013-11-21
HIV and parenting needs to be discussed, new study finds A team from Royal Holloway University and St. Mary's Hospital, London, interviewed young people aged 18-23 who had transmitted HIV from their mothers – known as 'perinatally acquired HIV' (PAH). Previously ...

Genetic defect keeps verbal cues from hitting the mark

2013-11-21
Genetic defect keeps verbal cues from hitting the mark Gene found in human speech problems affects singing, not learning in songbirds DURHAM, N.C. -- A genetic defect that profoundly affects speech in humans also disrupts the ability of songbirds to sing effective courtship ...

Study pinpoints cell type and brain region affected by gene mutations in autism

2013-11-21
Study pinpoints cell type and brain region affected by gene mutations in autism UCSF-led study zeroes in on when and where disrupted genes exert effects A team led by UC San Francisco scientists has identified the disruption of a single type of ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New research boosts future whooping cough vaccines

Mechanistic understanding could enable better fast-charging batteries

No bones about it: new details about skeletal cell aging revealed

UNM scientists discover how nanoparticles of toxic metal used in MRI scans infiltrate human tissue

UMaine research examines best methods for growing Atlantic sea scallops

Medical cannabis could speed recovery, especially at community recovery homes

Study assesses U.S. image amid weakening of democracy

Two scientific researchers to receive 2025 Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships for Brain Health

Researchers improve chemical reaction that underpins products from foods to fuels

Texas Tech to develop semiconductor power devices through $6 million grant

Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells

Hot Schrödinger cat states created

How cells repair their power plants

Oxygen is running low in inland waters—and humans are to blame

ACP’s Best Practice Advice addresses use of cannabis, cannabinoids for chronic noncancer pain

Beyond photorespiration: A systematic approach to unlocking enhanced plant productivity

How a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus

Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions

Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections

Many older adults send their doctors portal messages, but who pays?

Fine particulate matter from 2020 California wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits

Gender inequity in institutional leadership roles in US academic medical centers

Pancreatic cells ‘remember’ epigenetic precancerous marks without genetic sequence mutations

Rare combination of ovarian tumors found in one patient

AI-driven clinical recommendations may aid physician decision making to improve quality of care

Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care

ACP and Annals of Internal Medicine present breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025

New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

[Press-News.org] Study shines light on what makes digital activism effective