KONY 2012: A quest for justice via social media

Grabbing more than five of the top trending topics on Twitter, the harrowing tale of Invisible Children is well on its way to a social media awakening. The trend is part of Invisible Children Inc.’s quest to bring to Joseph Kony, a Ugandan war rebel, to the world’s attention.

Invisible Children is a group that uses film and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s rebel war in Uganda.

The buzz was spurred by KONY 2012 a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to raise support for the arrest of the warlord and hopefully set a precedent for international justice. The film, which was uploaded to Youtube and Vimeo, is gathering a fair amount of online support. The group also has a pledge on its site that anyone can sign. KONY, Make Kony Famous, Stop Kony, Invisible Children, LRA and the call to action Cover by Night (which will take place on April 20th) all trended on Twitter.

Kony is the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a group engaged in a violent campaign to establish theocratic government based on the Ten Commandments throughout Uganda. The LRA say that God has sent spirits to communicate this mission directly to Kony.

The campaign has gained support from various high-profile Twitter users such as pop star Rihanna, one of the many Anonymous accounts, and British comedian Stephen Fry.

#KONY2012

— Rihanna (@rihanna) March 7, 2012

 

whoa! we need to #STOPKONY 2012 vimeo.com/37119711 cc: @Invisible

— zooey deschanel (@ZooeyDeschanel) March 7, 2012

 

Thanks to @stephenfry for your support of #KONY2012. We’re going to make this happen. Stop at nothing.

— Invisible Children(@Invisible) March 7, 2012

 

…a place where children, no matter where they live, can have a childhood free from fear.” vimeo.com/37119711

— taylorswift13 (@taylorswift13) March 7, 2012

 

Let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we fade not. #Koney2012 db.tt/0Hvg38Wc#HelpTheChildren

— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) March 7, 2012

 

Thanks @YourAnonNews for your support of #KONY2012. We’re going to make this happen. Stop at nothing. DM us to get involved.

— Invisible Children(@Invisible) March 7, 2012

 

Thanks @michellebranch for your support of #KONY2012 and helping your fans spread awareness. We’re going to make this happen.

— Invisible Children(@Invisible) March 7, 2012

The film begins by showing how easily we share things and how we connect online. It is told from the point of view of filmmaker Jason Russell and chronicles his quest to stop the abduction and murder of children in Uganda in a growing rebel war. This story has been 10 years in the making. Russell was inspired by the story of a young boy named Jacob who told him he would rather die than live in a war-torn Uganda.