MINNEAPOLIS , MINNESOTA - MAY 30: Protesters raise their hands in peaceful protest as the police ... [+]
Before you participate in Blackout Tuesday, keep this in mind: It’s not working.
The images and hashtags are causing communication issues between peaceful protesters and activists, according to social media experts.
A recent report noted how the disruption could actually cause more harm than good.
My advice: Find a different way to create solidarity on social media.
Changing your profile to a black image or posting a black image in your feed was a good idea intended to bring solidarity and recognition to a just cause. I thought about doing it for a moment, and started browsing the feeds of a few friends.
Then I start wondering if it would create more confusion.
The problem is that posting a black image can cause a communication breakdown. People who are looking for information during peaceful protests or organizers and activists who need to communicate with the masses might have a harder time finding and sending out new updates amidst all of the black squares.
That’s especially true if you add a hashtag that is also being used routinely to help with organization and communication between activist groups.
It’s a reminder that not every social media trend is worthwhile.
And let’s be clear: This is not just a trending topic.
I live near the Minneapolis area and I’m staunchly on the side of the peaceful protestors. This is a call to action and a game-changing moment in American history.
There is systematic racism that has infiltrated every part of society and it must be stopped. I’m a major proponent of how the protests have created awareness about police brutality and the abuses in society.
Hear me out: It’s not a bad idea to use social media to speak out about these injustices, but the method for how we do that can cause confusion.
I’m with the rapper Lil Nas X on this, it’s time to stop:
One solution is to rally around a different hashtag (such as #blackouttuesday), but that only solves half the problem.
If you are someone who has posted about the peaceful protests and wants to bring social change, even updating your profile to black can be disruptive. It means your feed might join thousands of others that all look the same (e.g., a good show of solidarity) but obfuscate any information that needs to be communicated widely.
The real answer is to inform and educate — to keep the channels open wide and sound the alarms as clearly as possible. Silence is not an option because it gives the appearance of consent or that the protests are not worth posting about and rallying around. The original intent is sound, similar to changing your profile picture to a notice about staying home during the pandemic. We can all rally around the fact that this is about saving lives, both the pandemic lockdown and the protests.
Social media is at its best when there is a call to action, when there is a steady stream of worthwhile information, when we can educate one another about the ills of society. Twitter can be a vehicle for change. It provides direct access. I’m on board with that.
Yet, this is one trend that seems to be clogging the communication channels.
What might work better?
I like how Reebok changed their website homepage to support Blackout Tuesday. It’s not disruptive to social media, but it is a clear statement.
