Metolo Foyet ^*

• University of Florida, Gainesville, United States

The COVID-19 pandemic, as a significant event of cultural trauma, has profoundly impacted global social structures and behaviors. During this period, social movements have increasingly utilized digital platforms to sustain and amplify their causes, fostering new forms of solidarity and resistance and leading to a rise in digital and hybrid collective actions. Social media has emerged as a transformative tool for social change, revolutionizing communication, mobilization, and advocacy. Platforms like WhatsApp and X have redefined traditional activism by enabling rapid information dissemination and facilitating global grassroots movements. This technological evolution has empowered marginalized communities, including the indigenous peoples of Southern Africa, to address issues such as land rights disputes, environmental degradation, and socioeconomic marginalization. Social media allows these communities to raise awareness, garner support, and engage with a global audience beyond their local context. This paper explores how social media influences the dynamics of social movements among indigenous communities in Southern Africa and its implications. It posits that social media plays a multifaceted role in supporting indigenous movements by providing a platform for organization and advocacy, engaging the public, and influencing policymakers. Through the perspectives of rural or indigenous activists, audiences interacting with digital content, and policymakers aware of social media's power, the paper aims to understand the complex dynamics of digital indigenism (indigenous digital activism). Using the Community Leaders Network (CLN) of Southern Africa as a case study, the paper highlights the empowering potential and challenges posed by social media and algorithms. Findings reveal that indigenous activists recognize the power of social media in amplifying their voices but use them out of necessity rather than preference. They find social media solutions often misaligned with their contextual needs, citing concerns over platform constraints, privacy concerns, cultural insensitivity, superficial engagement metrics, and consent breaches. Subsequently, they expressed a desire for platforms that are considerate of users' mental well-being in their architectural design and incorporate cultural linguistic practices, suggesting a preference for digital environments that are more aligned with values and modes of communication that contrast with western models. These highlight a need for social media innovations that faithfully preserve indigenous authenticity.