ABSTRACT
Despite living in an increasingly globalised world where issues spill over borders, beyond the oversight of national governments, we do not know if and how digital technologies are facilitating new kinds of transnational advocacy networks. This chapter takes up this challenge by examining a group of new digital advocacy organisations, such as MoveOn, Campact, GetUp and 38 Degrees. These organisations launch campaigns through email, online petitions, Twitter, Facebook and viral videos. They complement online actions with offline marches, demonstrations and vigils to push for change. This chapter challenges the assumption that a new generation of digital advocacy organisations will rapidly and easily organise transnational campaigns. We may see different patterns of transnational collaboration in traditional advocacy organisations established before the digital era. Many of the traditional NGOs gain power from their expertise over an issue and use insider lobbying tactics to exercise influence. In contrast, digital advocacy organisations derive their power from their ability to rapidly mobilise their members. While they campaign frequently on transnational issues, they do so through a national lens, mobilising their members to put pressure on their national decision-makers.
