Less Shouting, More Doing
Turning Online Awareness into Real-World Change
The last week has seen an unprecedented uprising following the horrifying death of George Floyd at the hands of a group of Police Officers in Minneapolis, USA. Waves of protest swept the globe and notably this was backed up by a social media campaign which ended up centring around the hashtag #BlackOutTuesday. The campaign for the most part involved posting an empty or overlaid black square to social media feeds as a show of support and solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement.
As we browsed the feeds on Tuesday evening there were mixed emotions. On the one hand it was fantastic to see such a fast and massive show of support to eradicate once and for all an injustice that has no place in any civilised society. On the other it was disheartening to watch how the campaign was slowly hijacked by insincerity and witness the conversation quickly turn toxic in some quarters.
Following similar high profile campaigns, notably the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014, and Colin Kapernick’s high profile taking of the knee in 2016, we came away with the overriding sense that we have been here before and asked ourselves how could there be a different outcome this time around?
How we got here…
Last week’s protests were sparked in response to the notable killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in separate instances across the past weeks. Both cases are horrifying and public outcry has been damning and widespread.
One of the biggest issues with how these campaigns play out on social media is that these platforms have increasingly evolved into broadcasting channels for the influential.
A notable response came from the music industry. #TheShowMustBePaused was intended as a disruption to the work week “to take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation” about what actions the music industry should take to support the black community.
Originated by Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, they published a statement on Monday which intended for the initiative to hold the “multi-billion music industry, an industry that has profited predominantly from Black art and who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable.”
In response, various major music labels and streaming services announced plans to halt operations on Tuesday. However, on social media, the initiative took on a life of its own and by the end of the day it had evolved into something altogether different.
The result was that social platforms such as instagram were swamped with brands, organisations and individuals posting an empty black square to their feeds accompanied by the hashtags #BlackOutTuesday or #BlackLivesMatter as a general show of support for the black community. While the sentiment of these posts is admirable, the way the campaign was lost by the organisers highlights a fundamental flaw with the way awareness campaigns play out across social media. Let’s explore what this is…
Social media = BrandMe™
One of the biggest issues with how these campaigns play out on social media is that these platforms have increasingly evolved into broadcasting channels for the influential.
Unlike a conversation which is two-way and contains ample opportunity for clarification, broadcasting is a risky pursuit. A one-way message is at the mercy of interpretation and utterly reliant on context. Things can easily be misconstrued and without due care, an innocuous broadcast message can run away from an author and take on a life of its own.
We have known this for a very long time. As far back as the very outset of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1922, society has been nervous of the risks associated with broadcasting and aware of the great responsibility broadcasters hold. As such, traditional broadcasting institutions (in the UK at least) are held to account by independent regulation. Compliance teams check and recheck everything to ensure content is factual and balanced.
Social media was never intended to compete in this landscape. The early social networks were about cultivating human interactions. They focussed on networking and making connections. Facebook was designed to be a way to meet and interact with fellow college mates.
But those early intentions have given way to a world of YouTube stars and Instagram influencers — delivering carefully curated images and branded content to their audience.
Social media has made broadcasters of us all. It has become a virtual television network where every one of us is broadcasting BrandMe™ to our audience daily. And in a world where the expectation is to become a brand — then brands we all become.
Social media’s ‘image’ problem
If we consider our persona on social media to be like that of a brand, then the difficulty showing support for any cause becomes immediately apparent. Why? Because brand actions are inherently promotional. They are all about creating an image others can buy into. And when you commit to that gamified system of communication, it is incredibly difficult to break out of.
The momentum that movements such as Black Lives Matter gather puts significant pressure on us all to make some kind of public show to continue the cultivation of our image — and we all fall into the trap and follow suit.
So when the rumour mill gets going that people are posting black squares to show their support for an anti-racist movement, following suit can seem like a quick, easy and risk free way to get involved. But the danger with this is that by allowing us to feel like we have done something positive, this can act as a get out clause for taking personal responsibility to actually do anything effective, and the result feels insincere.
In the best case scenario such public expressions run the risk of being perceived as narcissistic and self-serving. In the worst cases they can be tone-deaf, cause genuine offence and can even be counterproductive, putting people at risk (as seen by the widespread misuse of the #blacklivesmatter hashtag which wiped out a feed that was being used by protestors and activist groups to share useful and timely information to one another).
Finger-pointing the well-meaning
Many have sought to call this out. We have seen repeated challenges online for purely image-based engagement with the campaign instead of protesting, donating or getting educated on the subject. While it is admirable that many want to see more from their influencers, networks and friends, calling people out should be considered with care.
Ultimately, the campaign loses sight of the inclusivity it is trying to promote. This is a problem for campaigners that requires careful consideration.
To understand why, we must apply a systems lens to society and see the interconnectivity of many issues and how these can swirl into a perfect storm. While racism is undoubtedly a huge issue that demands attention, it is not alone — the economic system keeps many in society restricted and without a voice.
While there is little excuse for brands and high profile influencers, many of the people who posted black squares this week will be fighting their own daily battles of survival. If you are a nurse who is about to embark on your third 12-hour shift in three days you’re not going to be able to attend a protest. If you are working gig economy jobs and are still having to rely on universal credit to support a family it will be exceptionally difficult to donate. While many agree with the need to change and want to do something, campaigns of this magnitude can feel inaccessible and a quick post on social can seem like an easy way to do your bit.
Those who fall foul of the pitfalls and who are put-right or shot down are at huge risk of being disengaged. The negativity can in some cases overtake the debate to the degree where well-meaning people feel as though they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Some retreat entirely — especially the older generation, for whom posting publicly is a significant act.
Ultimately, the campaign loses sight of the inclusivity it is trying to promote. This is a problem for campaigners that requires careful consideration.
From ‘expression’ to ‘connection’ to ‘action’
In spite of these traps, the allure to broadcast remains huge for many in society. Social media has gamified human interaction into a numbers competition. The ability to reach a few thousand global followers gives the illusion of having a bigger impact than doing something on a smaller local scale. But the hard truth is that tangible acts within one’s own community have the potential to create a more lasting impact than any number of likes from within the echo chamber of a social feed ever could.
So what is the right thing to do?
We believe the answer lies in moving beyond expression and promotion towards greater human connection and action, and rethinking the role social media has to play in facilitating this.
This step is characterised by one crucial ingredient — sharing. Offering things that are useful to others, be that genuine support, practical information and resources, or stories of experience.
There have been some great examples of how to utilise your platform effectively in the past week.
On Instagram writer and speaker Jen Winston published a short guide on how to talk to your family about racism and Millennial Black published tips on how to hold yourself to account once the new cycle has moved on.
As you can see from these examples, social media can and should be an immense tool for good. It has the capacity to make connections and convene people together. It also has the potential for nuance that traditional media channels often lack.
Change is not something we can call on others to make happen for us. It is a choice we must make every day.
But genuine impact can only be achieved here if individuals, companies and organisations are prepared to move beyond simply promoting their opinions to actually take the proactive step of engaging with others on the issue at hand — in other words, connecting.
This requires asking ourselves how we can really be of help in any given situation — be it an end to racism, gender equality, the climate emergency — what can we contribute that will be of use to others?
It takes time to identify what influence you have and what you can offer, but the end result is significantly more powerful.
Beyond the campaign
The noise these campaigns generate is vital. But what happens next week once the protests have dispersed and the feeds have refreshed? Or next month when the public discourse has moved on. Or next year when there are myriad more social injustices that take centre stage? How do we avoid this movement becoming another Orwellian Two Minutes Hate that gives the illusion of change, but in reality we find ourselves having this same discussion once more in the future?
The next vital step is in thinking beyond the virtual and into our everyday lives — what is it we can do at home, at work to bring about the change we seek? Change is not something we can call on others to make happen for us. It is a choice we must make every day.
At Wolf&Player, this is something that guides our work. It is the main focus of our Change/Maker project and will also be the subject of an upcoming initiative launching later in the year.
We have challenged ourselves to ask these questions of ourselves. As well as our personal efforts to educate ourselves, question our privilege, and start conversations, we recognise that as an organisation who benefit from being part of a predominantly white middle class industry it is our responsibility to bring a proactive anti-racism lens to the way we do business.
We, as Wolf&Player, pledge to…
- Contribute to Brixton-based BLAM (Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health) and Southall Black Sisters on behalf of our employees;
- Empower staff to attend organised protests during working hours by providing paid time off;
- Stand aside if offered a project that would better suit a person from an underrepresented background;
- Advocate for underrepresented people to be involved in our projects, and ensure they are paid fairly;
- Establish a work placement scheme for young people of underrepresented backgrounds, to share our skills, knowledge and contacts.
We also call on all brands, organisations and individuals to challenge themselves and make similar commitments. And ask our own community of clients and partners to help us determine if there is more we should be doing.
It is all too easy to think there is little you can do, especially at a time like this where both companies and individuals are under severe pressure. But it’s not enough to simply post your black square and live in hope that things will change. There are so many things that any of us can do to initiate change in our immediate surroundings. Things that require little to no resource other than a change of mindset and some determination. There is simply no excuse.
We hold the keys — the keys of access, opportunity and empowerment.
The work begins now.
