Dear Editor:
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demanded action throughout the world. The United Nations (UN) had an emergency meeting in which they decided to condemn Russia by name. Although seemingly tame, this was a major move by the UN. The resolution sent a message to Russia that not only is the international community not happy, but action will also be taken soon.
The public, especially in the west, had faced outrage over Russia’s invasion; 35% of American citizens are in favour of the American military acting, despite nuclear risks in Russia. With the rise of social media and younger audiences increasingly being online, many young adults, teenagers, and kids were discussing the invasion.
One response from the younger western public was awareness campaigns. These were distributed through Instagram infographic activism. This form of activism, although positive, is criticized for its performative nature.
These messages are often spread by and to a young audience, sometimes 14 and younger and therefore might not always be understood before being re-posted. Sharing posts has become too accessible; many do not even sign the petition or read the information before sharing it with their followers. This makes many of these posts susceptible to sharing misinformation. Few and far between cite their sources and the creators are not regulated by any guidelines like a news source would be. This is increasingly more common with the oversimplification that many decade-long conflicts are summarized in five to 10 slides. Many details are missed or misunderstood.
Instagram activism is also a form of business now with creators releasing artwork or infographics daily to promote profile engagement. Many creators will also sell merchandise for the movement they are spreading awareness about. Capitalizing off war and social movements creates new motivations to create content quicker and prioritize quantity over quality.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict was no outlier and infographics sprung in late February. Many of these posts linked to petitions arguing for the end of the war. These have been criticized for not having a clear argument and not accomplishing anything. These infographics often try to be appealing to the eye. This can downplay or infantilize the actual issues they are spreading awareness about.
Using clipart, gifs, and bubble letters can make horrific conflicts seem less serious than they are. Thousands being murdered should not be conveyed through the glitter.
Charlotte Hembruff,
Guelph