Social networking turns people into slacktivists

British researchers have shown that people declaring support for a charity on social media are less likely to donate for the cause later on.

This trend has led to an increase in people becoming 'slacktivists'. The study was done at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business.

"Charities incorrectly assume that connecting with people through social media always leads to more meaningful support," says Sauder Ph.D student Kirk Kristofferson, who co-authored the forthcoming Journal of Consumer Research article.

"Our research shows that if people are able to declare support for a charity publicly in social media, it can actually make them less likely to donate to the cause later on."

The study results add fuel to recent assertions that social media platforms are turning people into "slacktivists" by making it easy for them to associate with a cause without committing resources to support it, reports Science Daily.