Last month’s kidnapping of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls was met with a slow response from Nigeria’s state officials, leading activists to turn to social media in hopes of drawing international attention to the crisis. The #BringBackOurGirls hashtag campaign, started by Twitter users in Nigeria, has already been mentioned over one million times on the microblogging platform since its launch three weeks ago.

Social media presents an unparalleled opportunity to form global social movements. With geographic proximity no longer an issue, people around the world are able to have discussions that allow them organize around social issues.

• Zeynep Tufecki and Christopher Wilson. 2012. Social Media and the Decision to Participate in Political Protest: Observations From Tahrir Square. Journal of Communication 62(2): 363–379.
•  Hai Liang. 2014. Coevolution of Political Discussion and Common Ground in Web Discussion Forum. Social Science Computer Review 32(2): 155-169.

With #BringBackOurGirls, online activists have found common ground rooted in enthusiastic resistance to violence against women. However, as we learned from #KONY2012, widespread enthusiasm and awareness are not necessarily sufficient to spur change.

• Ron Krabill. 2012. American Sentimentalism and the Production of Global Citizens. Contexts 11: 52-54.

Though the campaign has garnered support from prominent activist organizations as well as the United States government, critics, namely Rush Limbaugh, have argued that this instance of “hashtag activism” merely illustrates the “powerlessness” of governments to respond to the abductions.  Nonetheless, the campaign was powerful enough to spur action from Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, who recently designated state resources to finding the girls.

Although transnational “hashtag activism” may publicly pressure officials to act, states also face policy barriers for negotiating with kidnappers which can hinder their capacity to respond to activists. Additionally, numerous factors—including the demands made by kidnappers and whether the location of the hostages is known—have significant bearing on the success of rescue.

• Khusrav Gaibulloev and Todd Sandler. 2009. Hostage Taking: Determinants of Terrorist Logistical and Negotiation Success. Journal of Peace Research 46: 739-756.

In the case of #BringBackOurGirls, hashtag activism has effectively brought international attention to the kidnappings. However, calls for awareness need be coupled with the creation of institutional structures that will help states better deal with such crises.

In an ongoing effort to decrease HIV and AIDS globally, The Gates Foundation recently announced 11 winners of $100,000 grants meant to innovate a “new generation of condom”—to create a product that is more effective in preventing disease and pregnancy, as well as more enjoyable to promote its use. However, what may get lost in the shuffle of competition and punny condom names is the fact that bad condoms are not the only factor contributing to unprotected sex and the spread of STDs.

A focus on the individual behavior of condom use often misses the social conditions which make individuals vulnerable to disease.

• Bruce Link and Jo Phelan. 1995. “Social Conditions as Fundamental Causes of Disease”. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 35: 80-94.

While there is a shortage of condom availability in the global south, unprotected sex is not just a result of low supply; low demand plays a role as well.

• Jacqueline Papo et al. 2011. “Exploring the Condom Gap: Is Supply or Demand the Limiting Factor – Condom Access and Use in an Urban and a Rural Setting in Kilifi District, Kenya”. AIDS. 25(2): 247-255.

Relying solely on condom use for STD prevention also fails to consider gender roles and sexual power dynamics in different cultures. Often, women are not able to negotiate the terms of sex – or sex in general – and face unequal access to care.

• Campbell, Carol. 1999. Women, Families and HIV/AIDS: A Sociological Perspective on the Epidemic in America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
• F. Nii-Amoo Dodoo and Maria Tempenis. 2002. “Gender, Power, and Reproduction: Rural‐Urban Differences in the Relationship Between Fertility Goals and Contraceptive Use in Kenya” Rural Sociology. 67(1):46-70.