The Digital public square: From Apathy to Activism Apathy and Activism Political apathy in pre-revolutionary Tunisia had many origins. First, and foremost, many Tunisians felt little return on their investments in social advocacy. Rather than producing results, such activities were more likely to garner negative treatment from government authorities. With such a response, it was a rational choice for the average citizen to avoid political activism. Another inhibitor of social activism that existed for many years was the inability to identify and connect with others who may have shared a dissenting political opinion. The robust state control of official media and the security ramifications of organizing openly in physical spaces made the search cost of ally identification very high. Both of these factors have been reduced, although not eradicated, in the post-revolutionary era of free expression and largely uncensored online media.
Roots of Online Advocacy Over the last several years, listservs, instant messenger, and online forums provided rich, less-controllable forums where Tunisians organized around existing online content, original new ideas, and personal relationships. This trend continued to expand, as Facebook began to penetrate the normal social lives of many Tunisians. Facebook surfaced relationships and connections that had long been hidden behind geographic distance or cultural differences. These developments made it far easier for Tunisians to seek out and interact with those who shared their opinions. Of course, in many contexts, online connections were first inspired by mutual interest in everyday topics such as sports teams, music, or computer games. But over time, the bonds that were created in these spaces led to deeper relationships; people began sharing their ideas around philosophy, society, and what it meant to be Tunisian. These relationships grew in number and strength, despite the fact that many individuals had never met in person. Some of these groups began developing into overtly political entities, as their shared frustrations at the Ben Ali government bubbled to the surface of their online discourse. For other communities, their focus remained apolitical. Yet in the early days of the revolutionary uprising, these groups felt unshackled by their previous constraints, and increasingly began discussing political topics. Word of disruptive events and demonstrations spread rapidly through the forums and email listservs that bound these groups together. In this organic manner, online networks truly served as a digital grapevine through which much news of the revolution spread. These channels and conduits have only expanded in the post-revolutionary period. Section 6: Towards a Digital Civil Society | 104