Across TikTok, a wave of young adults is making pledges to discard their e-cigarettes and abandon vaping, driven not by health reasons but by a desire to support the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Micah Ndango, a 21-year-old who has been vaping for five years, shared a video viewed more than 15,000 times, expressing, “In my effort to help [the Democratic Republic of] Congo, I’m quitting vaping.”
The DRC, a major cobalt source crucial for lithium-ion batteries in mobile phones, electric vehicles, and certain e-cigarettes, has a population exceeding 100 million and is grappling with what the UN labels as one of the world’s “largest humanitarian crises.”
Ongoing conflict in the mineral-rich eastern region has led to a record 6.9 million displaced individuals, with civilians facing attacks from various armed groups.
The rising awareness of these issues on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, has prompted users to scrutinize the role of global corporations and consumers in exacerbating the challenges faced by the DRC.
Ms. Ndango, residing in the United States, stated, “The first time I heard about the impacts of cobalt mining in Congo was from a TikTok .” Subsequently, she conducted her research on the subject.
Reports by Amnesty International highlighted multinational companies forcibly displacing communities during copper and cobalt mining operations in the DRC. Instances of human rights abuses, including beatings of villagers by Congolese soldiers, were also revealed.
Moreover, the US Department of Labor flagged lithium-ion batteries for potential child labor and forced labor concerns, with children engaged in cobalt mining under hazardous conditions.
Ms. Ndango acknowledges the limitations of online activism in driving substantial on-the-ground change but emphasizes the power of raising awareness through social media.
However, Christoph Vogel, author of “Conflict Minerals, Inc.: War, Profit, and White Saviourism in Eastern Congo,” cautions that digital activism might oversimplify complex issues.
He points out that while cobalt mining is associated with human rights violations, these are prevalent in mining overall, and solely attributing them to cobalt could be misleading.
Ms. Ndango concurs, highlighting the challenge of condensing multifaceted issues into short online content.
Despite these limitations, she urges others to utilize the influence of social media for positive impact, recognizing its potential to reach wide audiences and create awareness.
The trend of TikTokers quitting vaping over Congo cobalt mining concerns has garnered widespread attention, fostering a sense of community among participants. However, it also raises questions about the complexities of global activism and its portrayal of nuanced i犀利士 ssues faced by affected communities.