Investigating the Effects of Social Media Activism on Human Rights Advocacy in Authoritarian Regimes

Abstract

Social media platforms have increasingly become critical tools for human rights advocacy, particularly within authoritarian regimes where traditional forms of political participation are constrained. This study quantitatively examines the effects of social media activism on human rights advocacy outcomes in authoritarian contexts. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from social media users and digital activists, the study employs descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple regression, and mediation modeling to assess the relationship between online activism and advocacy effectiveness. The findings indicate that higher levels of social media activism are significantly associated with increased public awareness, digital network expansion, international visibility, and perceived advocacy effectiveness. Regression results demonstrate that public awareness and network expansion are strong predictors of advocacy outcomes, while mediation analysis reveals that these factors partially mediate the relationship between online activism and human rights advocacy. Visual and tabulated analyses further confirm the consistency of these relationships across multiple model specifications. Overall, the results provide empirical evidence that social media activism plays a meaningful role in advancing human rights advocacy in restrictive political environments, highlighting its potential as a strategic tool for awareness building and transnational engagement.