Slacktivism (sometimes slactivism or slackervism) is a portmanteau of the words slacker and activism.
The word is usually considered a pejorative term that describes
“feel-good” measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have
little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it
feel some amount of satisfaction. The acts tend to require minimal
personal effort from the slacktivist. The underlying assumption being
promoted by the term is that these low cost efforts substitute for more
substantive actions rather than supplementing them, although this
assumption has not been borne out by research.
Slacktivist activities include signing Internet petitions, joining a community organization without contributing to the organization’s efforts, copying and pasting of Social Network statuses or messages or altering one’s personal data or avatar on social network services.
Research is beginning to explore the connection between the concept and
modern activism/advocacy, as groups are increasingly using social media
to facilitate civic engagement and collective action.