Instagram Gets a New Filter: Social Justice

WRITTEN BY CHEYENNE TANG // ILLUSTRATED BY MADELINE INGRUM

In an era of physical isolation, it is only natural that we have resorted to electronic platforms to seek connections. We live in a time where technology and, more specifically, social media has opened the door to unlimited possibilities. In 2020, America was faced with two pandemics: the COVID-19 outbreak and the pandemic that has been killing for centuries, racism. If life were a game, 2020 seems like the “Boss Level” for humanity: designed to test our ability to persevere. The global pandemic is testing whether we can put others’ health and safety before our own. George Floyd’s murder amplified the Black Lives Matter movement to an international level. Worldwide lockdowns and quarantines have encouraged many to take time to transform their lives. With nowhere to go, self-reflection about our racist behavior is almost inevitable. This new level of awareness naturally led to another transformation: the social media transformation. On May 25, George Floyd was brutally murdered by police officers who arrested him for a counterfeit $20 bill. The officers ignored his pleas for mercy until he could no longer say “I can’t breathe.” The global outrage on social media that followed Floyd’s death was something I have never experienced before. The whole world was listening to America, and our country’s leadership failed to demonstrate empathy and understanding of basic human rights. Floyd’s death was the spark that ignited the flame to transform American social media spaces. It was up to social media users to educate their followers and enact activism. Previously, Facebook and Instagram were places for people to flaunt their “perfect” life and share what they’ve been up to with their friends and family. TikTok was a place for dance trends and Vinelike comedic videos. However, in the past months, the vernacular has shifted. I watched my Instagram feed become a bulletin board of social issues and politics. Family members and friends were posting quotes from influential figures, slide decks with resources and

information, and the previously superficial platforms became an avenue for important conversation and debate. Whether it’s a simple clapping hands reaction to a slide deck I posted, or a reflective response acknowledging that “...it was verbose to use things like antiBlack violence and misogyny in conversation but this [post] totally makes sense.”

Social media becoming the avenue of change has brought out some darker sides of the social media transformation. Performative activism became more apparent as users were posting to “prove” to their followers and friends that they cared about the Black Lives Matter movement, but may or may not have done more than post a black square one day. “Performative activism is defined as activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause.” #BlackoutTuesday is one of the largest social media trends to demonstrate performative activism. Originally started by the music industry, the intention behind #BlackoutTuesday was to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement by halting normal business function and social media activity. This was to be achieved by posting a black square on Instagram instead of a photo of your avocado toast that you ate for breakfast. What transpired instead was a sea of black squares on social media feeds that drowned out the resources and petitions with actionable items for people to show their support. The millions of black squares greatly outnumbered the amount of signatures on petitions to support victims like Breonna Taylor. People are being told what does and doesn’t count as activism, and others are invalidating individuals’ experiences. Cancel culture, “an attack on someone’s employment and reputation by a determined collective of critics, based on an opinion or an action that is alleged to be disgraceful and disqualifying,” allows people to escape from further accountability and growth. Brands and celebrities are being canceled for their lack of true commitment to social responsibility. As figures with a large platform, audiences expect messages of support and action. Users are seeing through the smoke screen of posing in solidarity and seeking more tangible and long-lasting efforts to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

While social media poses some dangerous outcomes, it has also provided a plethora of resources to a younger generation who is addicted to the machine in their hand. The internet has already made information incredibly accessible, with resources at the tip of our fingers. The phones we carry are mobile encyclopedias and dictionaries. In the past few months, we didn’t need to open Google to access information about the deeprooted systemic racism America was founded on. All we had to do was open the Instagram app and the information was given to us. Some users’ motivation for sharing informative posts was to educate their followers on more nuanced topics that may not be common knowledge. Some people shared to show solidarity with the movement. Sharing information became easier than ever before. The social media shift has given me the tools I need to educate myself and my followers on issues that need more attention. While performative activism and allyship is dangerous, it starts the conversation about social justice and provides room to grow in productively. Rather than honing in on the negativity that has sprouted, I hope to lean into the positives. This was a much-needed transformation, and I can only hope that everyone likes the way the world looks with this filter on.