notes

Have you ever heard of someone being treated unfairly? Or even being gunned down and

killed by law enforcement for no apparent reason? I’m sure you have. This has happened

continuously and continues to happen on a wide scale. Many African Americans have lost their

lives because of social injustice and racism. Society has made these incidents seem normal all

over the world and that is why the world is ruthless and utterly chaotic. Words can’t describe the

pain, heartache, and grief that a family has to go through when their loved one is killed. More

and more families are having to experience sadness and grief because of crimes and devastating

tragedies. Sometimes “Black Lives Matter” doesn’t even seem real because of the evil and

cruelty that exists in our country.



Slacktivism has grown at a rapid rate over the years because many people are turning to

social media to garner their thoughts and invite others to vent with them. Many issues are

allowing people to tweet, post, and retweet an immense amount of social situations. Slacktivism

is the practice of supporting a political or social cause by means of social media or online

petitions. Since social media is an ever growing platform it is easier than ever to discuss the

problems that are disturbing you. According to NBCUniversal News Group. (2020, June 13). A

Social Media “Blackout” enthralled Instagram. but did it do anything? NBCNews.com.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/social-media-blackout-enthralled-instagram-did-it-

do-anything-n123018 “The blackout is the most recent example of why activists and academics

greet similar social media efforts- widely known as “slacktivism” - with skepticism and

criticism.” Protests and social unrest over the death of George Floyd in police custody extended

to social media platforms. Which then led to flooded calls about demands for changes in law

enforcement and societal structures. These demands came from the root of a disturbing problem

, which is known as racism. Racism still exists and it is growing every single day. There were an

incredible amount of social media posts about this issue, but there was one particular post that

gained global attention over everything else. On June 2, about 28 million people posted black

squares to instagram as part of the ritual for #BlackoutTuesday. The Black Lives Matter

movement gained so much attention that it was difficult for anyone not to get involved in it. The

movement eventually started protests, fights, and even riots all because of the blackout.

Slacktivism gave many people the opportunity to say what had been on their minds and hearts

for a very long time. In result, the outcome was not a happy ending.



The power of retweets is something which cannot go unnoticed. The more people

retweet, the more a post or problem gains attention. When something gains common ground that

usually empowers others to join social movements. According to Natian, M. S. N. (n.d.-b). From

slacktivism to activism: Exploring the increase of youth participation in online social movements

through Twitter., Debating Communities and Networks XII. Debating Communities and

Networks XII. https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2021/2021/04/26/from-slacktivism-to-

activism-exploring-the-increase-of-youth-participation-in-online-social-movements-through-

twitter/

“With only a retweet, a young person is able to join a cause that he is passionate about regardless

of his disabilities or geographical boundaries, and which has the potential of quickly

spreading to reach millions of other users with a minimal number of resources and

expertise.” No matter where a person is, a retweet can reach millions of people in a

matter of seconds. That is the power of the internet. Everything can get noticed at any

point in time. This is why slacktivism is so important because with the power of the