Clicktivism, slacktivism and connective action

The proliferation of digital technology has added to the participatory repertoire of democratic citizens, highlighting new avenues for civic engagement and political action. The notions of clicktivism, slacktivism, and connective action, more broadly, describe these emergent processes. This article defines clicktivism as a type of digital political participation that is noncommittal, nonspecialized, easily replicated, and engages a political object. The paper then repositions slacktivism alongside clicktivism as its nonlegitimate form. Connective action is discussed as the organising structure to which clicktivism can contribute. The paper concludes with a consideration of the emerging conceptual schism between an agent-based definition and structure-based definition of clicktivism.