How does one create change? Today, in our highly digitalised age, the way change is made has been revolutionized through social media. Platforms such as Instagram have created a whole new landscape for activism, holding the power to amplify the voices of social justice activists, allies of these movements, and marginalized communities. With a singular post, communities from across the nation and the world are mobilised and called into action. Over the past decade, social media activism has been a key instigator in uniting political movements and educating people about systemic issues and global injustices.
In 2020, during the peak of the pandemic, a video captured by a teenage bystander exposed police misconduct and brutality, starting the global hashtag #Blacklivesmatter to draw attention to systemic racism and share the stories of victims including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. Social media made these victims symbols of explicit systemic racism and police brutality in the United States and abroad. A similar case could be traced back to 2013 when a movement against sexual harassment known as #MeToo became an overnight sensation on social media. The movement gained significant traction, with over 12 million women sharing their experiences of sexual harassment on social media within just 24 hours. This viral movement empowered young women to speak openly about their personal experiences, holding individuals accountable for their actions and promoting the enforcement of immediate changes in the treatment of women in the workplace. The #MeToo movement gained even more media attention in 2018 when Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was publicly accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting women during his reign as the top producer in Hollywood. Weinstein’s abuse of his power on set to take advantage of women-led many actresses and colleagues in Hollywood to come forward and share their own experiences all over Instagram and Twitter.
Every day on social media, it is not uncommon to see various forms of advocacy at work—whether raising awareness about the war in Gaza, educating people about reproductive rights, or promoting sustainability measures. Viral hashtags can now educate communities about human rights, underrepresented groups, and address pressing political issues. This can be done from anywhere in the world, without the barrier of geographical distance. Additionally, this level of accessibility allows for people and allies to engage in open dialogues and provide immediate feedback and updates about the matter.
However, amidst all this good, there is often a blurry line between performative and proactive activism. During moments of peak political polarization or in response to current events, Instagram is likely to become flooded with users reposting the same few posts repeatedly. As you see this influx of posts and hashtags, you may wonder if these actions lead to any real change. Did that one black square you saw on everyone’s Instagram truly spark any change? Are people spending even a millisecond on these posts before swiping past them? Additionally, it’s essential to focus on who is posting this content and whether these posts genuinely translate into meaningful change. The way change is measured has drastically shifted over the past decade and is no longer exclusive to in-person engagement— now it can occur digitally and often without the expense of much physical effort.
We often find ourselves at a crossroads, questioning whether the people we follow truly care about these issues or if they are merely reposting out of social pressure. While that may be the case for some, the troubling part is that there is no definitive answer. We often witness users engage in posting out of mere obligation, with their true intentions skewed towards maintaining a curated social media presence. This desperation from content creators to appear as morally righteous by blindly sharing activist content is alarming. It fosters a cycle in which individuals feel compelled to uphold a fabricated online persona. Consequently, they choose to prioritise the act of posting over contributing to meaningful change and failing to be properly educated about the content they promote. This can be equally as dangerous when such content is publicly shared online. Through all the good generated by GoFundMe pages, aid resources, relief efforts, and petitions, we must acknowledge that many people partake in activism simply because everyone around them is doing so, often without solidifying their own stance on the matter. For the average Instagram user, we are compelled to move beyond this. It becomes a difficult balance, especially when encountering individuals who don’t regularly use social media and thus don’t feel the need to engage with this type of activism, yet still feel overwhelming guilt about what others might think if they don’t post.
Nonetheless, as a society, we hold those with larger platforms to a higher standard. Every day, we turn to influential activists and celebrities, eagerly awaiting their insights during political crises. With their following, they are now deemed responsible to some degree to educate and inform their audiences. And if they don’t choose to declare their stance on a certain issue or inform their followers on how they can get involved and give back, there is no doubt that social repercussions will occur.
The rise of TikTok in 2020 meant people no longer felt the pressing need to move to Los Angeles or drop out of college to become successful in this influencer business. Now, anyone can create lucrative content from their bedrooms and easily garner influence among thousands of followers. With such a wide audience within reach, social media has become a key catalyst for change, especially for these influencers who want to enter the activism realm. But, this also can easily lead to public figures feeling the need to speak out against issues they are not educated on and spreading misinformation to their followers. As a society, we have assigned influencers a greater role and held higher expectations for them to educate and vocalize using their platforms. This can be beneficial, as they utilize their following to share important information. On the other hand, when creators choose to address an issue, it often leads to moments of hesitation and skepticism regarding the authenticity of their advocacy. But, if they decide not to meet these expectations, they frequently encounter backlash, so creators are oftentimes boxed into situations of either being completely disassociated with modern politics and current events or hyper-involved.
Social media activism has given silenced voices a platform, allowing them to be heard globally and making diverse demographics more accessible in various ways. Nonetheless, it is easy for the content shared to often turn incredibly polarised, leading to a cycle of fake news and the need to examine each piece of information posted with great scrutiny. This issue, while not new, has become increasingly important to be aware of in recent years. This generation consumes their daily news through platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, X, and Snapchat. Therefore, this content must be accurate to prevent young people, who are highly susceptible to misinformation, from being misled. Although these apps have attempted to establish regulations, the challenge is in upholding 1st Amendment rights while also enforcing some oversight in the content, to prevent the spread of misinformation. These platforms, specifically Instagram, should bear a level of responsibility when it comes to the content they allow; however, they often fail to provide proper disclaimers about posts and content when the information is false, further fueling misinformation and heightened political tensions. The detrimental cycle of fake news also forms echo chambers for Instagram users, as algorithms are tailored to existing political beliefs and ideologies. This phenomenon was particularly evident during the past two American elections and has only intensified since as posts that exaggerate or embellish facts became the source of people’s daily news and also political disputes.
Where will social media activism go from here? As information is rapidly propagated on Instagram daily, this generation is motivated to engage with local and national issues, raise awareness for certain causes, and participate in new opportunities. Despite this, the dark side of activism still persists, with individuals being criticized for “slacktivism” and for feeling pressured to post about topics they may not fully understand, often out of fear of social backlash. Despite the challenges faced by this highly digital form of activism, social media apps remain dynamic platforms at the centre of communication. Online activism has helped foster communities that channel their anger, frustration, and trauma into motivation and camaraderie, as seen with movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo. These movements have gathered allies and individuals with similar experiences to unite against deeply ingrained social injustices. While a complete solution may still be far off, these movements have acted as significant steps forward. This form of activism provides an empowering yet realistic way for individuals to contribute to change at their fingertips. However, it also has the potential to be easily misused, highlighting the necessity of finding a balance between online activism and essential in-person efforts. These in-person actions are crucial for creating long-term impacts and should not be overlooked. It is all too easy for individuals to fall into the trap of merely posting from behind their screens without engaging in the causes they advocate for. Therefore, holding those with significant platforms accountable is vital for ensuring that social media activism remains a meaningful mode of advocacy rather than a fleeting trend.
