Activism will prevail...in one form or another

The days of the physical movements may be slowly coming to an end as entities like the World Trade Organization are making more intelligent choices with regards to locations for their large summits (for example, the 2003 WTO Summit in Cancun Mexico) which has made it increasingly more difficult for activists from around the world to attend as protesters. Aside from their rigid access points, policing efforts have become more violent and oppressive towards peaceful movements, perpetuating unnecessary violence and abusing human rights while governments turn blind eyes.

While physical actions seem to be suffering, Internet activism has since become stronger and more imminent- allowing activism to shift ranks and take on a more connected global presence, therefore making activism especially anti- corporate globalization more relevant than ever before as groups of people from Canada to Africa, France to Brazil are able to unite through networks and increase their political weight. Not only has the World Wide Web allowed people to find others who share like-minded ideas, but it has destroyed the hierarchy within activist communities by leveling off the space of activists to speak, whether it be the 80 year- old anti- war grandmother or 26 year- old anti- corporate Globalizer, they both have the same amount of power when introduced through the Internet as image, persona and to a certain degree reputation are stripped away, leaving only the bare message that fulfills a grassroots cause.

Not only has the Internet provided a forum to people from around the world but it has also helped coalitions find one another to unite, as witnessed in the 2003 international the anti-war protests grew into millions of people as sub-groups of activists were able to find one another and fight for a single inclusive cause.

Actions will always exist, it is their message that may continue to lose momentum as media coverage is rarely forgiving of them, determined to portray them in the worst possible light. But with the Internet, actions will start to move forward by promoting independent media organizations like Indymedia, who are able to offer unbiased coverage of actions and by promoting an indiscriminate environment to anyone interested in the issues at hand . While actions are usually held with the right ideals in mind, not everyone feels comfortable partaking in public spectacles, the Internet provides everyone with a right to as much anonymity as they feel necessary.