Activism in social media – If White people are on Instagram in solidarity, everything goes wrong Stars and big brands, all posted this week, black tiles against racism. Why it was for the activists in the US, a debacle. Pascal Blum0 KommentareSo saw it this week on Instagram: the Black tiles everywhere. Photo: Screenshot
Among the digital platforms, Instagram is the place where the reality has nothing to search. Influencer, well-known brands, Designer, fashion Creator, all post pretty pictures, as an Inspiration or as a self-promotion, it’s actually the same thing, the main thing is, no policy. This week, however, everything was different, many of the Feeds are blacked-out in solidarity with the protests in the United States.
The only Problem was that everything went wrong what could go wrong.
1. The call to
At the beginning of Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, two women from the music business. Under the title #TheShowMustBePaused they called on the companies in the music industry and other big Brands to pause and ask, to what extent do you yourself of the creativity of African-Americans and African-Americans have benefited.
it was Planned that Tuesday should be used after Pentecost to lead an honest discussion and to support activists by linking about anti-racist organizations, or the relatives of George Floyd helps. “We are tired, and alone we can’t change things”, write the two women.
Then the Tuesday came.
2. The debacle
You would be able to know: If White to Express their solidarity, they go the path of least resistance, you either donate something or post something. On Tuesday, many Instagram Feeds eclipsed, because at once all the black tiles loaded high, often associated with the Hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.. Companies such as the music label Sony, Influencer, museums, actors and music Grande-inside Ariana. No cool Pics more, everything was suddenly black.
A commentator in the Washington Post summed up the debacle later, so: “Black people fighting in the streets, that they be Silenced. So why to go to a silent black rectangle in which there are no black people to be seen, as the activist communication?” The Whole thing was a lesson in how quickly “performative solidarity” can fail.
3. The corrective
the activists started As a reaction to the mountain of black Instagram-platter, a correction initiative. Whenever someone posted a black image, not he or she is advised to use the Hashtag #blacklivesmatter. but #blackout Tuesday. Otherwise, it’ll because of the glut of entries will be impossible to provide the protesters with important information.
The celebrities on Instagram to set the immediately, it was all of a sudden very embarrassed.
4. The shame
There were also Black, who criticized the call to #TheShowMustBePaused. The British Rapper Awate wrote on Twitter, artists would be forced to make a Performance. Others had to participate not in the mood, when “white guilt day”.
Many White did not know, apparently, how to behave, and were afraid to post something wrong, so the black rectangle is the safest way seemed to be. Others were so perplexed by the criticism of their declarations of Solidarity, that they had to be comforted by black colleagues, “overwhelmed by guilt and worry” they were, writes the “Washington Post”.
For some a Reflection of a continued all the same. The designer Ines Mazzotta (33’200 Followers) said that it had occurred to her, in view of the protests the wrong way, still nice pictures to upload. Actually, I intended to spread the works of black designers through your account, but then noticed that you don’t know so many black designers. “I suffered from a serious myopia are liable to short.”
Meanwhile, the Instagram Feed is once again free of the dark tiles.
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