Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. News

#BlackoutTuesday posts are diluting protesters’ messages, activists say

By

Thousands of social media users posted black images on Tuesday to voice support for the Black Lives Matter movement — but activists warned that well-meaning supporters were unintentionally silencing real protesters.
Recommended Videos

#BlackoutTuesday began in the music industry, with major record labels like Columbia, Interscope, and Republic Records announcing they would cease operations for the day to stand with protesters calling for justice after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police.

Related

Soon, other tech music companies like Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud joined in, and the hashtag movement spread beyond the music world.

But there’s been an unintended side effect of the support: Hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter, which were attached to the posts about Blackout Tuesday, have been drowned out with images of dark squares.

BlackoutTuesday on Instagram
The #BlackLiveMatter hashtag has been flooded with black images. Image used with permission by copyright holder

“If you do #BlackoutTuesday on Instagram, do NOT use the hashtag #blacklivesmatter or any of the other ones folks are using for info,” warned activist and Campaign Zero founder Brittany Packnett Cunningham “It BURIES all the important information and connection.”

Protesters have used #BlackLivesMatter and similar hashtags to share information as they demonstrate, but the flood of black images was picked up by Twitter and Instagram’s algorithms and crowded searches for those hashtags.

Others argued that the hashtags could be co-opted by those who opposed the protesters, and some pushed on users to amplify the voices of people of color or educate themselves instead.

Be strategic about #BlackOutTuesday.

Don’t use #BLM or #BlackLivesMatter with it. It suppresses vital information.

Still post about what Black people are experiencing.

Post what’s happening at protests + get involved with them.

Educate + share resources about white supremacy.

— Raquel Willis (she/her) (@RaquelWillis_) June 2, 2020

By Tuesday morning, some Black Lives Matter supporters had even used the algorithms against opponents. Some supporters started flagging their posts with hashtags like #SecondAmendment and #WomenForTrump, causing those searches to be blacked out as well.

Want more news, reviews, guides, and features from Digital Trends? Follow us on Apple News, Google News, and Flipboard.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Paul Squire
Paul Squire
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paul is the News Editor at Digital Trends. Before joining DT, Paul spent 3 years as an editor on the New York Post's digital…
Apple might once again be considering a TV of its own
The Apple TV Siri Remote in hand.

Toward the end of the first decade of the 2000s, rumors swirled that Apple had its sights set on making a TV — a proper set, not a streaming device like what the Apple TV has become. Steve Jobs even claimed to have figured out exactly how to add the product to the company's portfolio, but the idea never came to fruition before his untimely passing. In today's Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman said that Apple "may even revisit the idea of making an Apple-branded TV set."

Gurman didn't mention details beyond that. In fact, the mention of the TV set came on the heels of a discussion around Apple's upcoming smart home device. Gurman's phrasing regarding the TV — "something [Apple] is evaluating" — is the key here. Gurman suggests that revisiting an Apple-branded TV might be dependent on the success of upcoming smart home devices, especially since HomeKit has been the least popular and least-supported platform of the three major choices.

Read more
The uncertain future cost of Apple’s Emergency SOS feature
Person holding iPhone 14 searching for Emergency SOS satellite.

It's been roughly two years since the launch of the iPhone 14 and its Emergency SOS via satellite feature. You might recall that during the first two years, Apple said it would be free to use but that it might require a subscription after that time, according to MacRumors. Last year, Apple extended the time limit by one more year, so you actually have until November 2025, when the trial period ends.

That's good news. The Emergency SOS feature is, quite literally, lifesaving. During April of this year, three university students lost their way in a canyon and used the feature to call for help. Another story arose in July where the feature came through once more in a moment of crisis. And if you keep digging, you'll find numerous other examples of how this tech is truly beneficial.

Read more
Apple’s smart home display already sounds like a convenience victory
Nest Hub Max

Over the past few weeks, rumors of Apple developing a smart display for home control have picked up pace. The company is said to be developing two versions, and one of them might even feature a robotic arm and revive an iconic Mac’s design. 

Now, Bloomberg has shared some juicy details about how the entry-level option will look and work. The device will offer a 6-inch screen with a square-ish format flanked by sensors, including a FaceTime camera in landscape orientation. 

Read more