It's Your World, So Change It - Using the Power of the Internet to Create Social Change

There's been plenty of hype about the netroots, and online activism on both the right and left. But most of it's been celebratory, not practical. This is a practical, start to finish guide to promoting any cause and participating in any social movement on the social Web. Long-time activist and online community expert Tom Head covers everything you need to know about e-activism, including: Using the Web to find activism jobs and volunteer opportunities Using Google Alerts, RSS feeds, and other tools to stay informed Building cause-related web sites - even if you have practically no money or web experience Engaging effectively on social networking sites Promoting causes, events, or organizations without spamming Getting more attention and links for a cause Keeping allies informed via email, blogs, text messaging, and Twitter Organizing local activists using global media, and using online activism to support on-the-ground work Blogging to promote a cause: when it works, and when it's not worth it Avoiding the common mistakes e-activists make

List of contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1 Online Activism 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
A New Tool,Not a New Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Where Do I Begin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
    Branching Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
    Planting Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
2 How to Research Issues and Stay Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
General Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Print Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Laws and Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Keeping Up with News Sites and Blogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Getting Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
3 How to Plan, Promote, and Maintain a Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Finding Your Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
    Organizing Local Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
    Nonlocal Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
    Making Your Website Media Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Being Found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
    Search Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
    Cross-Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
    Repeat Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
    Social Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
    Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
    Word of Mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
    Five Steps to Building a Great Activism Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Building a Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
4 Engage with Social Networking Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Social Networking 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
    Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
    MySpace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
    Other Social Networking Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Summary: Social Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
5 A Short Guide to the Ethics and Etiquette
of Online Activism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
    Deadly Sin #1: Self-Promotion at the Expense of the Movement . .53
    Deadly Sin #2: Unsolicited Bulk Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
    Deadly Sin #3: Hacktivism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
    Deadly Sin #4:Violating Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
    Deadly Sin #5: Nagging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
    Deadly Sin #6:Violating Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
    Deadly Sin #7: Being Scary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Following the Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
6 How to Raise Funds Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Other Ways to Raise Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Processing Online Donations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Raising Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
7 How to Use Multimedia as an Activism Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Online Multimedia Content That Changed the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
    The Iranian Protests of 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
    The Burmese Protests of 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
    Abu Ghraib . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
    Justice for Oscar Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
    ”Macaque” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
    The 2006 May Day Protests in MacArthur Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Online Video and How to Stream It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Finding Photographs You Can Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
The Art of Podcasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
    Great Podcasts for Activists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Using Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
8 How to Keep Allies and Supporters in the Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Not Necessarily the Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Using Twitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Blogging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Keeping Allies in the Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
9 Action Alerts and Online Petitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Writing Effective Action Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Are Massive Online Petitions a Waste of Time? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Action Alerts and Petitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
10 It's Your World, So Change It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Four Offline Technologies That Changed Activism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
    The Printing Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
    The Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
    The Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
    Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Four Online Activism Technologies That Are Still Catching On . . . . . . .121
    Collaborative Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
    Mobile Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
    Integration of Web 2.0 Proprietary Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
    Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Your E-Activism Toolkit: Putting It All Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
    Concerned Citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
    Professional Online Activists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
    Outreacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
A The 10 Common Online Activism Mistakes and How to Fix Them . . . . . . . . . . . .  .127
B Online Activism Careers and Volunteer Opportunities . . .133
C A Short History of Online Activism Technologies . . . . . . . . . . .139
D Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
E Online Degree Programs for Activists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
TOC, 9780789739773, 6/7/10
 

About the author

Tom Head is author or coauthor of 24 nonfiction books on a wide range of topics, including Civil Liberties: A Beginner's Guide (Oneworld, 2009) and Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 2000). He covers civil liberties for About.com, a division of The New York Times Company with 34 million unique visitors per month, and also blogs on civil liberties issues in his home state of Mississippi via the Mississippi Human Rights Report.He also serves as an elected trustee for the Mississippi ACLU, as VP/policy of the Mississippi chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), as communications director for Unity Mississippi, on the steering committee of the Jackson,Mississippi, chapter of Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and in various other volunteer capacities.He has operated online communities since 1989. An internationally recognized expert on distance education (and coauthor of four books on the subject),Tom is currently finishing up his Ph.D. in the history of ideas at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, through an off-campus study program.
 
 

Summary

There's been plenty of hype about the "netroots," and online activism on both the right and left. But most of it's been celebratory, not practical. This is a practical, start to finish guide to promoting any cause and participating in any social movement on the social Web. Long-time activist and online community expert Tom Head covers everything you need to know about e-activism, including: " Using the Web to find activism jobs and volunteer opportunities " Using Google Alerts, RSS feeds, and other tools to stay informed " Building cause-related web sites - even if you have practically no money or web experience " Engaging effectively on social networking sites " Promoting causes, events, or organizations without spamming " Getting more attention and links for a cause " Keeping allies informed via email, blogs, text messaging, and Twitter " Organizing local activists using global media, and using online activism to support on-the-ground work " Blogging to promote a cause: when it works, and when it's not worth it " Avoiding the common mistakes e-activists make

Product details

• Authors: Tom Head
• Publisher: Que
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.07.2011
• EAN: 9780789739773
• ISBN: 978-0-7897-3977-3
• No. of pages: 216
• Dimensions: 157 mm x 228 mm x 12 mm
• Weight: 308 g
• Series: Que; Que
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > IT; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political theories and the history of ideas