“Social media makes it easier for activists to express themselves, and harder for that expression to have an impact.” This powerful statement from author Malcolm Gladwell is a strong opinion regarding our society’s social-media-driven culture. The use of social media to support causes is not only overrated, but it is often times inaccurately associated with having a significant impact when it is only (at its root) a form of expression.

This blog is not intended to denounce social media—quite the opposite. Social media is extremely important in our society and plays a key role in spreading information and connecting to each other. However, it can also create a sense of false action in which bystanders feel they are making a difference when in reality, they are simply expressing themselves and doing nothing to solve the problem. 

For example, in recent years there have been a few key instances in which Twitter has been praised for its role in revolutions and the fight for freedom. In 2009, thousands of protesters took the streets of Moldova to protest the government’s communist rule. This action was dubbed the “Twitter Revolution” because Twitter was seen as the reason and the means by which the protesters were able to unite. Similar action took place in Iran following the 2010 elections.

One of the best things about social media is that enables people to express themselves when they otherwise couldn’t. In both Iran and Moldova, social media enabled thousands of civilians to organize protests, join the fight, and spread news throughout the countries. 

So what is the problem?

The issue at hand is the false belief that social media is always a powerful tool and always produces results—we want and feel the need to believe that social media is making our world a better place. The problem is that anyone can tweet about anything they want, but there is no guarantee that it will have any significant impact or start a movement, let alone, that someone will actually take action.

How significant is expression if the ones Tweeting or posting statuses are not doing anything about the problem?

Yes. I know it is hard to help revolutionaries from thousands of miles away and it is unrealistic to think we should take a plane to Iran to help fight for freedom. But what are we doing here that makes this point any less relevant? 

In 1960, sit-ins were forming throughout the south to protest segregation and racism. The sit-ins started in Greensboro North Carolina and extended all the way to Texas and numbered more than 70 thousand people. It was obviously much harder for word to spread 50 years ago, and yet, those activists truly did have an impact. These people expressed themselves and did so through physical action—not by simply voicing an opinion.

Truthfully, I think our society is missing the actual significance of impact. Yes, expressing one’s opinion is important. It helps spread awareness and gives others the confidence to support a cause. Over 3 million people “like” the Invisible Children Facebook page. This is important and it is a good cause, however, it is simply expression. But when tens of thousands marched through the streets of the South to protest segregation, that expression had a real impact.

This is what our society is lacking—action that leads to impact. We need to remember that social media has the potential to be a very powerful tool, but it also has the ability to create a false sense of impact that lets us pat ourselves on the back for “doing” the bare minimum, which will never lead to real change.