3.5.2 Spreading the message
In recent years, social media platforms such as TikTok have been promoting the use of their platforms for serious messaging, such as climate change awareness content, via their platform’s newsroom or similar. For example, EcoTok [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] is a group of 21 educators and activists from diverse backgrounds and experiences with the aim of raising awareness of the impact of climate change and teaching about climate science and activism. Using a hashtag with over 260 million views, with already over 115K followers, they allow people to share their diverse experiences with the general public. These calls for action might also reach your learners, where they will need to critically evaluate their nature and consider how they want to engage with them.
One of the main advantages of using social media to spread messages about climate change is its outreach to larger audiences, among which are low-income countries disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis and which might have limited access to authoritative information sources. For example, the Samoan activist Brianna Fruean addressed international leaders at COP26, reminding them that ‘you wield the weapons that can save us, or sell us out’ (Shapiro et al., 2021). Brianna’s message on the climate crisis was heard by people in industrialised nations via the UN Climate Change TikTok channel and received over 1000 likes. However, it was also shared on YouTube and other social media platforms all around the globe, receiving many thousands of likes and views. The benefits of using social media to spread the message go beyond the originating platform it was shared on. Additionally, these platforms are used by official organisations, formal and informal groups or individuals alike, to generate collective action and diverse discussion on the issue of the climate emergency.
Activity 5 Social media
- Listen to the audio clip below, in which Desiree, a third year Bachelor of Science student, talks about the impact of TikTok in raising awareness about the climate emergency among students in Samoa. What difference did the use of social media make in this context?
- Use the notes box below to record your own ideas (including any concerns) about using or promoting social media for climate change activism with learners in your own context. (You might find it useful to review the list in Section 3.5 to get some ideas about how teaching in your topic might cover some of the uses of social media mentioned.)