By Kiana Blake

The year 2020 will go down in history. What is most likely to come to people’s minds is of course is COVID-19, the global pandemic that shook the entire world. But it was also during this pandemic that we saw the tragic murders of three Black Americans: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. The death of George Floyd sparked protests across all 50 states as well as in several countries across the world, including in various cities across Canada.

While this is a difficult reality to digest, George Floyd is another African American added to a long list of lives that have been taken as a result of police brutality and misconduct. The difference between, for example, the 1991 Rodney King incident, is the power of social media in shedding light on the civil rights and racial inequities faced by North Americans. The public outcry and outrage arising as a result of the videos which surfaced online provided individuals across the world with a voice. It created lines of communication for people to join in and participate in fighting for the basic human rights of those who have passed, those who live on and our future generations. Social media has become the most accessible platform for users around the world to stay informed and join discussions which they might not have otherwise been able to prior to the early 2000s.

The question remains: does social media do more to promote or harm social justice initiatives? The answer is one a typical lawyer may give you: it depends. According to a study by Statista, the active global social media population worldwide is nearly 3.81 billion. In 2019, users in North America accessed social media for approximately one hour and 56 minutes per day. In the case of Instagram, it is a platform that has been used even more so during social movements related to the tragic events in the states. The easiness of sharing or re-posting a story or post to demonstrate solidarity has made it an avenue for people from all walks of life to offer their support. According to the report, the United States is the country with the biggest Instagram audience and there are 500 million daily active Instagram Story users. These numbers vividly emphasize our reality: technology and social media have provided almost four billion people with easy and nearly instantaneous access to recent worldwide events, no matter where they are located.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. In the aftermath of the George Floyd incident, there has been a clear division amongst various communities largely generated by social media platforms. The United States’ very own President has championed an “us versus them” rhetoric via Twitter which has contributed to civil unrest not only within their country, but across the world. What’s more is that social media has given anti-black proponents an anonymous and almost untraceable mechanism to share their problematic and offensive beliefs, worldviews and values. While social media is very much a method of enhancing social justice, it has also opened the floodgates to every single person with an account to share their opinions, no matter how divisive they might be. With the saturation of sexist, racist, queerphobic, transphobic and other identity-based violence across social media platforms, the online world is no longer a safe space.

With this being said, social media can also be a place for sharing issues and engaging in respectful dialogue on the internet. After all, the combination between in-person events and solidarity on social media platforms (e.g. Blackout Tuesday) can play a significant role in bringing about radical changes in our society and aid in our strive toward social justice. For the Black Lives Matter movement, social media platforms help to facilitate protests in a small amount of time while also gathering allies and efficiently spreading the word. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other popular platforms are also powerful in holding people accountable for their offensive words and actions. Moreover, they allow for the quick dissemination of information which presents itself as a double-edged sword. According to Forbes Magazine, with a large portion of the community being constantly connected to social media, news is delivered across social media channels instantly, reaching more people faster. However, this quickness can create issues where fiction is presented as facts, leading to further misinformation on particular issues. Given the fact that it is difficult to determine whether facts posted are true or false, social media users must be diligent in sourcing the credibility of a post before they share it.

Overall, social media has the potential to bring about social change and shed light on human and civil rights issues across the globe. While for some it may be used as a vehicle to perform identity-based violence, for many it offers a chance to get involved and stand in solidarity in order to promote social justice. As a starting point, social media users must engage in respectful dialogue in order to bridge the gap between various communities. It is only through togetherness and working as one will the North America and world witness systemic and long-lasting change. May Ahmaud, Breonna, George and the countless other victims of police brutality rest in peace. We will continue to fight and stand in your honour.

Looking for ways to help? Visit blacklivesmatter.carrd.co.