"Slacktivism is having a powerful real-world impact, new research shows"

"A recent study published in the research journal PLOS ONE found that online engagement is key to turning a protest into a social movement and in prolonging its lifespan.

The study, led by Pablo Barberá of New York University’s Center for Data Science and Sandra González-Bailón at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, analyzed Twitter activity related to the 2011 Occupy movement and the 2013 Gezi Park protests. It found that those who were not directly involved in the live protests, including those who retweeted just once, create virtual content “at levels that are comparable to core participants.”...

This research builds on a 2012 study by researchers at Georgetown University, who found that those who support movements online are actually more likely to engage in activism in real life."
http://qz.com/570009/slacktivism-is-having-a-powerful-real-world-impact-new-research-shows/?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=emai