VIRALITY IS FAST, BUT REAL CHANGE IS SLOW: WHAT KONY2012 TAUGHT US

 

It was a hashtag heard around the world: #Kony2012.

 

I was in college when Kony started trending on social media in 2012. I will never forget hearing all about the invisible kids and being confused about what it meant. Recently, I decided to step back in time and revisit Kony2012 by watching the video that sparked it all. What I learned was fascinating.

 

Virality changed the game for spreading awareness on important movements, and Kony2012 paved the way for online activism. But it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Virality comes quickly and often goes just as quickly. The change it causes has the potential to stick around for generations, but what if that change isn’t always effective?

 

HOW KONY WENT VIRAL

Kony2012 exploded across the internet, becoming one of the fastest-growing viral campaigns ever. Within days, millions of people were watching, sharing, and talking about Joseph Kony.

 

The video succeeded because it told a simple and emotional story.

 

It turned a complex idea into something easy to understand with a clear villain and goal: make Kony famous.

 

It made every day people feel responsible and that emotional connection drove them to share it across social media. Soon enough, awareness and action started feeling like the same thing.

 

WHEN AWARENESS ISN’T ENOUGH

It wasn’t long before the video started getting criticism. And as I recently watched the video back, I can understand why. Experts pointed out that the situation was far more complicated than the video suggested. Kony wasn’t even in Uganda at the time, and the conflict involved deeper political issues.

 

This raised a very important question. One that I still see being asked across the internet today…

 

“Was sharing the video actually helping?”

 

While awareness is important, it doesn’t always lead to real change.

 

THE ISSUE WITH GOING VIRAL

One of the biggest issues with viral activism is how quickly it fades. Social media thrives on what is new and happening in the moment, and attention moves fast. Especially in this day and age where attention spans are much shorter. Within weeks the conversation around Kony had begun to disappear. Not to mention, to this day Kony has yet to be found and the audience that bought bracelets to support the movement have all but moved on.

 

So, going viral is great for bringing attention to a cause, but it rarely creates the sustained effort needed to solve complex issues. That’s not to say the attention isn’t important, but sometimes it simply isn’t enough.

 

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM KONY2012

In my opinion, Kony 2012 was not a failure. In fact I think it was a turning point. It showed how powerful digital platforms can be in mobilizing people and spreading awareness.

 

But it also revealed the limits of that power.

 

Today’s online activism tends to follow a similar pattern. There will be quick bursts of attention that fizzle out and lead to minimal change. This leads me to believe that awareness is just the beginning.

 

If activism is going to lead to real change it needs to move past the screen.