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Open Instagram on the 2nd of June, and you’ll find your timeline filled with posts of black squares, captioned #BlackoutTuesday. Numerous artists and music labels showed solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and their fans followed suit. Household names like Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber showed their support for the movement by participating.

Such is the power of the internet. Social media has made injustice streamable to our smartphones, removing physical constraints and making Black Lives Matter more international. A social media campaign can be thought up and made viral on the same day, and the reach of such a campaign is huge. Anyone who wants to take part can do so, making activism more accessible and borderless than ever before.

However, a cynical criticism levelled at viral campaigns is that it encourages ‘slacktivism’, also known as ‘armchair activism’. Slacktivists are mainly seen as people who are only vocal on social media, yet do nothing else. It takes zero effort to post a black square. Those who are constantly posting information on their Instagram stories are seen as only doing so to signal how politically correct and “woke” they are, making it primarily a self-serving action rather than one borne out of actual concern for the civil rights of African-Americans. Their lack of meaningful action speaks louder than their posts.

It is not hard to see where this is coming from. Instagram – where #BlackoutTuesday was mainly held – is often seen as the platform of the superficial. Posts are there to cultivate an image of what you want others to see and think about you. Therefore, it is not hard to construct a slacktivist strawman.

However, although the slacktivist might not have taken action other than making a post, there are positive side effects from them doing so. Slacktivism may be narcissistic, but it cannot be denied that these social media posts do raise awareness of important issues. To say that all of those who participated in #BlackoutTuesday were entirely altruistic and benevolent might be a stretch, but the trend has undeniably gotten other altruistic people to seize the initiative and take action, such as participating in protests, donating to charities and writing to their local representative. 

Therefore, we should recognise that there is a positive externality gained from slacktivism. The assumption that slacktivists are motivated by narcissism should not take away from the positive effects of #BlackoutTuesday. Admittedly, it is not ideal that slacktivists do nothing else, but we should acknowledge that what they do positively impacts society.

One might chalk up #BlackoutTuesday as another irrelevant trend, soon to be forgotten like the Ice Bucket Challenge was. But in the age of Twitter and Reddit, trends and hashtags are simply another way for the younger generation to engage with the rest of the world. In light of COVID-19, people who are self-isolating or are concerned for their health are able to take part without physically joining in protests, incorporating themselves into the movement. Artwork by black artists and educational resources are able to reach a larger audience through social media. But what is important is to make sure that the trend is sustained. That it leads to meaningful actions that create meaningful change.

Modern social movements are heavily reliant on social media platforms. It shows people the ugly truth that mainstream media finds too gruesome or distasteful to broadcast. The graphic murder of George Floyd was originally posted on IGTV, but was not picked up by media outlets until much later. Although the revolution will not be televised, it will almost certainly be viral.