Although social media can serve as an effective method in activism, it does not come without backlash. During the 2018 California Wildfires, amid chaos and celebrity advocation, there were many cases of use and misuse in regards to online etiquette. The California Wildfire led to an abundance of Celebrity activity in the form of sharing and posting. Many included personal stories and experiences, donation links, and updates on the fires.
Celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Kate Beckinsale took to social media to share their emotional experiences living nearby of the wildfires. Cyrus shared images of her burnt down property, emphasizing the importance of family and friends in situations like these. By sharing this story with her millions of followers, Cyrus is sharing how people can be impacted by the severity of environmental situations such as this one. Kate Beckinsale, another celebrity, also took to Instagram to share with her followers the experience of having to evacuate her property at 3 a.m., “We are safe. Thank you so much to everyone who checked in. Sending love and hope to everyone else who walked out of their house at 3 am to this, love and admiration to the @losangelesfiredepartment and most of all to David and Dorothy who didn’t need to remember in the middle of the night that I can’t drive but did. And to everyone who has offered me a place to stay despite my rolling with four animals including an epileptic cat. Angel people. So grateful x”. This example shows a positive outlook on the celebrity’s use of the platforms to educate and bring awareness to the issue.
However, many celebrities were targeted during the California wildfires due to their failure to speak out about the event, and in some cases, their ignorance surrounding the severity of environmental issues. Donald Trump took to Twitter to share his opinion on the wildfires stating that, “The Governor of California, @GavinNewsom, has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met he must ‘clean’ his forest floors, regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him. Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers”. Trump is blaming others instead of advocating for the importance of protecting the environment, as wildfires are a result of increasing climate change. By sharing his opinion with his millions of followers, he could negatively impact the progress made to protect the environment. Additionally, many celebrities asked their followers to “send prayers”, without providing information on donations and shelters. This could be argued as ignorance, as celebrities have such a wide-reaching platform. Lastly, this brings into question the concept of the ripple effect, and if celebrities are just posting about the wildfires to “fit in”, or if they are trying to make a difference.
Social Media Activism: California Wildfires 