Grassroots Organizations Using Social Media as a Lobbying Technique
Grassroots organizations provide a way for communities to interact and form around topics through grassroots lobbying and direct lobbying. As the 21st Century is referred to as the Digital Age, many grassroots organizations have found it necessary to expand on their lobbying techniques. Rather than utilizing methods like traditional media, email, phone calls, or text messages, methods involving social media are becoming more prominent as society continues to advance. Social media is a distinctive part of the Digital Age, and as the usage of social media increases in popularity, it can be used to reach a large population of people. The importance of lobbying has long been recognized in the political atmosphere. However, as society continues to advance and with the growing number of individuals online, people involved in nearly any kind of political or organizing work may spend a substantial portion of their time engaging and communicating on social media networks. Lobbying via social media entails fostering community in a new environment. However, grassroots organizations need to recognize that expanding on lobbying techniques is an essential element of recognizing a changing and challenging mediascape that fluctuates rapidly and draws narratives from the grassroots level to the frontline. This research seeks to understand in what nature social media is being used by grassroots organizations, why grassroots organizations are using social media for lobbying, and how social media can be an effective tool for grassroots organizations. As a result, this research hopes to provide insight as to when, why, and how grassroots organizations should utilize social media as a lobbying technique.
Activism, Grassroots, Lobbying, Organizing, Social Justice, Social Media, Marketing, Political Science
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