ABSTRACT
Grounded in the Habermasian view of the public sphere as an arena for rational deliberation, social media has been highlighted as a tool for expansion and deepening of liberal democracy (Couldry & Curran, 2003; Leyva, 2016; Mutsvairo, 2016). Developments in the world in general, and in Africa specifically, have witnessed a span of protest movements and other political activities, which seem to fuel their powers through the use of different social media platforms (Van De Donk et al., 2004; Howard et al, 2011; Khondker, 2011; Moussa, 2013; Bosch, 2017). Technological advancements increasingly play a critical role in helping human rights activists promote the dignity, equality and rights of people globally (Van De Donk et al., 2004). Social media is undoubtedly being deployed to foster and optimise human rights activism, but events such as the Arab Spring of 2011 indicate that its use is not always successful. Yet, social media, under the flag of new media, is clearly changing the ways in which activists communicate, collaborate and demonstrate (Couldry & Curran, 2003; Van De Donk et al. 2004; Morozov, 2009; White, 2010; Kersten, 2012; Leyva, 2016). However, the way in which social media is used differs by social groups like youth, women and persons with disabilities. Therefore, critical evaluation is needed when thinking how much of an influence on disability rights activism Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and other forms of social networking platforms have contributed in the global South, and in Southern Africa in particular.
