• Clicktivism. The Oxford Dictionary defines the term clicktivism simply as “the use of social media and other online methods to promote a cause.” Social media enables a fast and easy way to support a cause, value or campaign.
• Slacktivism. Slacktivism is a combination of the words ‘slacker’ and ‘activism’ and means lazy activism. The word is a derogative term for “feel good” activism. What is typical for slacktivism is that it only has minor practical implications as its purpose is solely to make a person feel good about her-/himself as an active citizen. An example of Slacktivism can include liking a campaign photo on Facebook or clicking “attend” on a campaign event with no intention of physically attending.
• Hacktivism. Hacktivism combines activism and hacking, meaning someone breaks into a computer or a network to gain confidential data or information. Hacktivism is usually related to an at least seemingly moral cause, and has been used in revealing malpractice and in online boycotts.
• Data activism. Data activists utilise, collect and combine often online-based open source data to draw attention to issues overlooked by those in power. Data activism has the potential to highlight and alleviate structures of inequality but is sometimes problematised due to the lack of expertise associated with it. At times, open data combined and analysed by non-professionals can end up being skewed.
• Brandivism. During the era of digital advocacy, corporations are increasingly interested in activism. Some companies are keen on actually advancing social change, but some have merely begun to take note of the brand value that social consciousness offers. This means that businesses in several fields are now actively promoting eco-friendliness, sustainability and equality to name but a few trends. Consumers’ reactions to brandivism are divided: some think it is good that corporations have become more aware and ‘are doing their share’, while others criticise these actions for being profit-oriented ‘greenwashing’ or ‘pinkwashing’.
• Greenwashing. Businesses have been criticised for ‘greenwashing’ their otherwise non-climate-friendly operations by marketing environmental friendliness and sustainability. The clothing giant H&M, for example, faced a backlash after launching a ‘conscious clothing collection’. Critics deemed the campaign as deceptive for consumers, as the clothing brand’s inherent business idea is non-ecological fast fashion.
• Pinkwashing. The concept pinkwashing is similar to greenwashing, but instead of sustainability, the promoted issue is LGBTQI+ rights. In the hope of appearing as progressive, an increasing number of brands are taking part in equality events like Pride and promoting its products. Pinkwashing is not only done by brands, as the best-known example of pinkwashing is Israel. According to political analyses, the efforts at making the country look appealing and advanced are attempts to distract Western countries’ and tourists’ attention from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.