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
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
