ENGAGE ONLY WITH THE CONTENT YOU SUPPORT
Today we are sharing something written by the founder of Ban Horse Slaughter - a Canadian organization.
The exact same principals apply here in Australia -- and are especially important to keep in mind when engaging with organisations and individuals that are in favour of slaughtering Brumbies -- including Invasive Species supporters.
For reasons that Marie explains below -- you do NOT want to engage with Facebook and other social media content that you do NOT agree with.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every advocacy organization needs donations and volunteers and almost as importantly they need help with something that is free -- and takes just minutes a day to contribute -- yet goes a very long way.
Did you know that a minute or two on Facebook and other social media platforms taking very specific actions can help a post reach hundreds - or thousands - more people than might otherwise have seen the post.
Every click, every comment makes a difference.
Here's how to make the Facebook and other 'algorithms' work in favour of the causes you support...
If you support a public Facebook page or public group, don't just scroll past its posts.
- Follow the page.
- React to posts whenever you can.
- Better still, use ❤️ Love, 🤗 Care or 😢 Sad rather than simply clicking 👍 Like.
- Leave a meaningful comment. Comments of four words or more are generally more valuable than a simple "Agreed," "Thanks," or "Wow."
Quality beats quantity.
It's far better to leave one genuine, thoughtful comment than to write ten comments that simply say "Agreed" or "Thanks."
Meaningful engagement creates conversations, and conversations help posts travel further.
In a hurry or don't know what to say? Even something as simple as the following is better than one word comments...
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- "Thank you for sharing this."
- "These horses deserve better."
- "Everyone needs to see this."
- "I completely support this campaign."
- Share posts that deserve a wider audience. For maximum exposure and benefit, share in groups. Share on your personal page and in private messages. If possible add a line or two about why you are sharing.
Every one of those actions tells Facebook's algorithm that people find the content interesting, making it more likely to be shown to others.
YOU ARE PROBABLY REALIZING SOMETHING...
If those actions help the posts you support reach more people, those actions do exactly the same thing for the posts you don't support.
So every time you jump into the comments on a [for example an Invasive Species Council] post to argue...
Every angry reaction, every comment explaining why they are wrong, every share you make saying "This is rubbish"...
The social media algorithms -- including but not limited to Facebook -- see that negative engagement as simply engagement -- and they push those posts in front of more people than would otherwise have seen that post.
Again, the algorithm simply sees ANY engagement as engagement and you are helping promote views you do NOT agree with.
Don't feed the trolls.
Some pages deliberately post inflammatory content because outrage generates engagement.
If you spend any time arguing with them, you've just spent time helping their post gain visibility instead of helping an organization you actually support.
So instead of helping spread messages you oppose, spend that same minute liking, commenting on and sharing posts from the organizations and campaigns you want more people to see.
YOU CAN HELP STOP THIS BARBARIC INHUMANE SLAUGHTER
A wild horse has the same capacity to feel pain and fear as a native animal, and their lives deserve the same level of dignity and respect.
We need to find a way to protect the native animals at risk, and the environment without hunting down Brumbies with helicopters, ground shooting or hauling them to be slaughtered at knackeries.
We urge you to join us in demanding the NSW government stop this cruel cull and adopt humane, non-lethal solutions.
1. Contact the MPs responsible: Make your voice heard!
Demand an end to your tax dollars being used to massacre Brumbies.
2. Petitions & email campaigns: Show the government the overwhelming public opposition to this barbaric practice. BUT hurry before it's too late.
3. Contact the RSPCA NSW: Wild horses are suffering under RSPCA NSW inaction. Take a stand. Add your voice - fill out a quick form and urge others to join you.
4. Donate: We are a volunteer-run organization relying on your support to end this cruelty. Every donation -- no matter what size -- gets us closer to our goal.
