Facebook activism and socio-political change: The perception of BlackLivesMatter and Catalan independence movement participants

This article presents a comparative analysis of participants’ perceptions of digital activism within two distinct social movements. Each movement has distinct goals and participants, and operates in a different geographical location. Specifically, this research compares the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and the Catalan independence movement. It aims to determine whether participants in the BLM and Catalan independence movements perceived digital activism as effective and to understand the reasons behind their participation. A survey was administered to 200 participants of each movement on their respective Facebook activism in 2020. The findings suggest that digital activism is considered a legitimate and effective means of promoting change in the public sphere. Regarding digital engagement, the research indicates that the most effective way to increase participation is demonstrating to participants that the movement’s goals would benefit them personally and would improve their lives. This perception is analysed contextually in order to quantify results through a historical perspective.