Social media has become one of the most powerful tools in the world and offers a platform for several social movements. It connects people globally, allows individuals to share stories we wouldn’t otherwise hear and can help start and continue campaigns. Social media can be, when done right, a great resource to seek information.
Black Lives Matter
The Black Lives Matter movement has been a prevalent movement started on social media for a number of years but is especially prevalent the last week. This movement was started by three individuals Opal Tometi, Patrisse Cullors, and Alicia Garza in response to Trayvon Martin’s death.
This last week, after the unjust murder of George Floyd, social media spread images and information about the case using this hashtag. Protests were organized. Valuable information about conscious and unconscious bias and resources for Non-Black People became widely available.
This movement has put pressure on policymakers to make an important change to fix the systemic racism present across North America. Through social media, communities were able to come together in a movement that took the world by storm.
#HeforShe
The He for She movement is a campaign launched by the UN to encourage solidarity across all genders in the fight for equality. This movement was backed by several celebrities including UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson and figures like Matt Damon and Barack Obama.
The movement encourages men in power across the globe to join a movement to ensure equal opportunities for women and to celebrate them the same as men.
#MeToo
The #MeToo movement was started back in 2006 by Tarana Burke after her own negative experiences with sexual violence. The campaign took the world by storm in 2017 after the Harvey Weinstein case started and traveling across the globe to India. All of this was due to the fact that the stories of these individuals were broadcast worldwide via social media. It’s amazing to see how individuals felt brave and supported enough to come out and speak their truth.
This movement has also encouraged policymakers to take a look at the current climate and how these policies need to protect the victims.
It’s hard to imagine these movements having the impact they did without social media. People are seeking information from social media more than they do traditional media. Individuals are living more authentically, and are not afraid to be heard. Social Media is capable of starting revolutions.
What are some social movements you have seen take social media by storm? Do you think social media movements are effective? Let us know your thoughts!
