Am I a social media slacktivist? How to utilise your platform for positive change

What does it mean to have a platform? How can we use these platforms effectively? What is performative activism? We are a generation lucky to be born in the digital age, the age of information. We have the advantage of a plethora of apps, pages, and data at our fingertips. But with this comes responsibility to use these platforms for good and to propagate change. So, as black tiles slowly disappear from our feeds and the hashtags are diluted with ‘regular’ online activity, it is important to analyse how we can continue to be proactive activists both on and offline and to consider how we are using our platforms to initiate change.

Whether your social media account has 1.1 million followers, or one, you have a platform. Perhaps you run your own blog or are an avid tweeter. Maybe you are part of the Instagram generation, or maybe you are still stuck on Tumblr. Regardless of the programme you choose, these apps comprise your platform. It is a place where you have total autonomy over your activity. You can share your thoughts, feelings and opinions, update people on your life, promote your business. Some platforms are higher (and therefore more visible) than others. But responsibility comes with any platform. And that responsibility stems from the necessity to use your platform for good.

Recently, there has been a shift from posting for likes to posting for purpose. Every post shared has a multiplier effect. And, in reference to the Black Lives Matter movement, this has not gone unnoticed. An Instagram search for #blacklivesmatter returns over 21M posts; this is amplified on other apps. Not to mention the variations on this hashtag specific to country or city. The hashtag itself was introduced years ago, in response to the death of Treyvon Martin. But in the past fortnight, it has gained more traction than ever. The result? People are starting to listen and take action.

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These platforms have become more than just sunsets and selfies, they are an opportunity to provoke change.

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From sharing educational resources to linking petitions and rallying protestors, the online community has facilitated wider support for the movement. Inevitably, this has invoked positive change. The officer that killed George Floyd now faces second-degree murder charges, with the other officers present now also facing charges. Breonna’s Law was passed in Louisville, banning no-knock police warrants. Three white men are now being held accountable for Ahmaud Arbery’s murder. Statues representing racist values have been removed in cities across the world. Donations to Black Lives Matter and other anti-racism organisations in the UK have exceeded £1m. And the use of social media for online activism is not exclusive to Black Lives Matter. Time and again the online community has come together to show its support for the causes it cares most about. The recent ‘Run 5, Donate 5, Nominate 5’ trend raised £5m for NHS workers. Remember that ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? $115m (£91m). These platforms have become more than just sunsets and selfies, they are an opportunity to provoke change. But more than trends and hashtags and tagging challenges, it is important to recognise the difference between utilising your platform and partaking in performative activism. The flood of support for Black Lives Matter has been great, but more is needed. Reposting anti-racism content on your platform is the absolute minimum. And the absolute minimum is no longer enough.

Performative activism is that used to increase your social capital, rather than due to a true desire to help the cause. Frequently coined ‘slacktivism’ (or surface-level activism), it is akin to posting something for the sake of others knowing that you are a good person. Ultimately, it still spreads the resources that will hopefully contribute to reducing discrimination. It might even inspire a few others to educate themselves further or become more actively involved in the movement. But it does not help to dismantle white supremacy and the racism that is so deeply engrained within society. It is an indolent approach that fails to acknowledge that change starts from within. Using your platform to promote positive change is insincere if you ask your followers to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself. So, when posting, reposting and sharing, evaluate your intent. Is your goal to raise awareness of an issue? Or is to make others aware of your own sanctity? Is your online platform reflective of the actions you are taking offline? Online activists often find it difficult to discern between being active and being vocal. Being active is doing the work. It means educating yourself, signing petitions, amplifying Black voices, donating. It also means being vocal, which entails spreading information in order to help gather momentum. Use your platform. Take time to have conversations with your friends and family: particularly, the uncomfortable ones, because these are the important ones. You cannot be active without being vocal on some level. But you can be vocal without being truly active.

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Analyse your purpose. Is this simply a superficial display of social conformity?

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So, next time you are about to share something, whether related to Black Lives Matter or another cause, analyse your purpose. Is this simply a superficial display of social conformity? Or is this a resource that you yourself have used and feel would benefit others? Take time to analyse your own impact. Are you continuing to put in the effort besides your daily story update? Others may be putting in the effort behind the scenes, beyond their online presence. There are probably plenty of people more educated and active than those who post it blatantly over social media. Equally, there is no obligation to post certain ideals on your social media account. However, if you are normally an avid member of the online community, ask yourself why your output may have changed? Reflect on what is holding you back. Are you taking a step back to refocus energy on educating yourself? Great. Or are you embarrassed about your ideologies or opinions? What might this say about these ideals you uphold, or about the followers you are trying to hide them from?

If you align yourself with what you say, you must not be ashamed to attach your profile picture and handle. If you believe in social change, you must be prepared for criticism. Learn to critique your own advocacy. You will learn to use these mistakes to improve. You may lose followers, you may encounter difficult conversations, but that is part of the responsibility that comes with your platform. This goes not just for Black Lives Matter, but for all your online output. Look outside your own feed. Your friends may be relatively progressive, but that does not mean that everyone observes this same content. Seek out other voices – especially Black voices – and challenge yourself as well as others. Social media is essentially an extended online conversation. So, be proactive in your discussions but give others the opportunity to speak and listen when they do.

Your platform is an opportunity to cultivate your output as a reflection of your values. It is a chance to learn and grow, to connect with content you may not experience in your everyday life. Evaluate not only your output, but your intentions. Most importantly, acknowledge where you may have fallen short, and commit to cultivating a better, more aware platform in the future. Keep your foot on the gas. The average lifespan of a trending hashtag is 45 minutes. At best, two days. Black Lives Matter is more than a hashtag. It is a humanitarian movement.