KONY 2012
"What we learned in even the most viral of videos, [is that] the Internet is far better at enlightenment than enforcement."
-Howard Kurtz, The Daily Download
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The “Kony 2012” film, which went viral last year, attracted many internet users who attempted to share the video with as many people as possible. A director named Jason Russell from the organization “Invisible Children” made a documentary about the war criminal and guerrilla army leader, Joseph Kony. Russell wanted the video to be widely viewed throughout the world in order to push public leaders to pursue Kony’s arrest. Russell’s video was successful in gaining attention, with over 21 million hits on YouTube, countless Facebook posts, and tweets. Celebrities including Rihanna, Justin Beiber, Oprah, and even President Obama tweeted and spoke out in favor of the Kony 2012 campaign. Obama did send 100 military experts to help the Ugandan military find Kony, but their efforts were futile. Within months, however, internet users who had once posted enthusiastically on the Kony campaign turned their attention elsewhere, and Joseph Kony has not been taken into custody. I would argue that the majority of people involved in Kony 2012 could be labeled ‘slacktivists’ as the movement has faded from public attention, and they did not attempt to further engage in issues regarding the exploitation of children as soldiers and sex slaves.
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