Online Strategies: Activism Gone Digital

Phil Gutis, Director of Legislative Communications, ACLU

Matt Howes, Internet Organizer, ACLU

Rachel Olander, student, University of Central Florida

Alan Rosenblatt, Director of Training Programs, e-advocates

ACLU Inaugural Membership Conference

June 14, 2003

What will be the politics of cyberspace?

• We need to stop our opponents from dominating the discussions and mailing lists on the Web (like they do talk radio).

• Need to become active participants -- start a wildfire of online grassroots action in support of our issues.

• Why? Because online actions translate into offline results

Why Go Digital?

• You can work on national, state and local issues even though you’re still at home in your pajamas.

• Work at all hours• You can reach more people than your immediate

neighbors, family and friends• You’re online anyway (you might as well do some

activism while you’re waiting for your eBay auction to finish.)

What can you do online?

• Send free faxes/emails to Members of Congress on issues

• Write them personal, customized emails/letters based on Action Alerts

• Become an expert on the issues – get informed and see what people on both sides are talking about (Townhall.com and Commondreams.org)

• Support the pro-freedom side of the argument on online forums (have a presence)

• Tell a friend (or ten) about the issues

What can you do online? [cont’d]

• Gain new skills (take advantage of the training materials available online)

• Place ACLU graphics on your webpage• Add the ACLU to your email signature• Write articles, Op-Eds, Letters to the Editor and other

content (submit these to mainstream online publications, etc.)

• Coordinate resolutions against the Patriot Act• Tell us about your success stories and heroes• E-volunteer for the ACLU (submit information, conduct

analysis, build online content for local chapters and affiliates)

Be an efficient and effective activistIf you are trying to convince people to become

active, they need to: • know about an issue • care about an issue• know what actions they can take • have the resources needed for those actions• know that their actions will accomplish

something

Craft your message to the audience’s situation -- don’t keep forcing more facts down people’s

throats.

Tips and Tricks of Online Activism• Become involved in mainstream sites, not just

places where people are exactly like you (don’t waste all your time preaching to the choir).

• Consider the audience’s needs• Write to the comfort zone of the audience (not

everyone is as passionate or as knowledgeable on this particular issue as you). But try to pull them carefully to your issue.

• Realize that everyone listens to WIIFM (what’s in it for me). Make the issue real and personal to them, not abstract and academic.

Tips and Tricks [cont’d]• Get your friends to talk to their friends (take

advantage of the six degrees of separation)• Give different types of people different things (youth

in California are interested in different things than the elderly in Florida)

• Talk about the positive, not just the negative (don’t always be depressing and fatalistic, try to be upbeat and inspiring whenever possible)

• Report on results (don't keep asking and asking without giving something back)

Taking the Online to the Offline

• Vote • Print our flyers and other online materials and

distribute them locally (table at events, etc.)• Call and meet with your elected

representatives based on research you’ve done online

ACLU.org• Action Alerts – send free faxes to your

Members of Congress• Action Center –what you can do to protect

civil liberties • Activist training materials• Press releases• Publications/legislative documents • Special features (such as the Patriot Act

Resolutions initiative)