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In the United States, people can legally vote for presidents, congressmen, and taxes and other bills when they turn 18. Until then, there are some options for teenagers to be able to voice their opinion in the government and around laws. Protests, such as financial protests, have become increasingly more popular since 2019, with global protests increasing by 45% between 2019 and 2023. Financial protests are when people use their money to show what they believe in, instead of protesting in person or through voting. These are sometimes used in forms of boycotting, when one intentionally avoids supporting a specific company or product. One may choose to protest against a business or product that does not align with their personal values or beliefs. Many people take part in these activities in hopes that coming together as a group can negatively impact a company’s financial income.
Financial protesting has recently grown due to the accessibility of social media platforms. A single post or video can reach millions of viewers, possibly influencing them to start boycotts in regard to financial protests. San Marin High School sophomore Nicholas Lundin explained the idea of financial protests in simpler terms.
“It’s basically going on strike,” Lundin said. “It’s not purchasing or buying from the company because you disagree with something about them.”
Financial protesting continues to grow because it gives young people the power to hold companies financially accountable. The main impacts of these actions occur most when large groups come together to participate.
“I think an individual’s spending or not spending is not going to have a big influence on the company, but a bunch of people doing it together will,” senior Gracie Harleman said.
Financial protesting shows how different forms of everyday spending such as shopping, entertainment and reduced retail consumption can quickly become a form of protest.
Social media allows financial protesting to become more visible and accessible for all communities. It also enables debates amongst different groups on whether the protests are “worth-it” or impactful enough. Some people believe that with the increase in protesting, they are no longer substantial and have “led to a general atmosphere of desensitization surrounding protests,” according to The Science Survey. The author believes that they have become so common that they no longer have impact. However, “protest has led to the passage of legislation that gave women the right to vote, banned segregation and legalized same-sex marriage,” according to The Guardian. There are still many issues that people protest against that could have similar legislation changes.
No matter how effective or impactful people think financial protests may be, it has opened the door to people of all ages to express their personal thoughts and or opinions through simple everyday spending.
