"Hacktivism"? Online-Medien und Social Media als Instrumente der Klimakommunikation zivilgesellschaftlicher Akteure
In: Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen: Analysen zu Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft, Volume 25, Issue 2, p. 70-78
ISSN: 2192-4848
Climate change and climate policy are not immediately perceptible by many people; they learn about these topics through the media. Online media and social media take an increasingly important part in this. Especially for NGOs, who often lack in resources, the cost-effectiveness and variety of communication possibilities offered by online and social media makes them central instruments for mobilising public opinion. The article provides an overview of the internet strategies of climate-focused NGOs. It distinguishes between three patterns of communication: information strategies through which environmental and climate NGOs present themselves, their goals and activities; activation strategies geared towards moving sympathisers to support and decision-makers to change their stance; and networking strategies by which NGOs link to one another or with activists at grassroots level. It becomes clear that climate NGOs employ a vast palette of different strategies, but many restrain themselves to mere information strategies, thereby neglecting more persuasive and mobilising methods of online communication, for example in social media. Adapted from the source document