The Black Lives Matter And The Me-Too Movement

Although social media creates real-time news reported by witnesses, it can also cause problems. The various amounts of news outlets that people are exposed to on social media can cause accuracy problems in the information received. News via social media might seem more subjective than objective coming from individual sources rather than big media outlets. News via social media has also advanced in the way that people receive it. News has never had the ability to receive active, real-time feedback like that we are able to do today because of technology. Journalist now have the ability to communicate to their audiences directly both publicly and privately, through that of live commenting and the ability to direct message people on certain platforms.

The great of social movements such as Black Lives Matter and the Me-Too movement have all been generated and spread through social media. When Philando Castile was shot by a Minnesota police officer and his girlfriend live streamed it on Facebook live, a movement was fueled with just the right amount of fire to explode (Dawson). Of this tragic incident, the Black Lives Matter movement took over on all social media platforms. All over people were posting hashtags in solidarity with the movement and people posting opposing the movement as well. The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, in a statement following the scenes that unfolded on Facebook Live said, “The graphic and heartbreaking images” seen remind us why an “open and connected world is so important,” (Dawson). The hashtag stemming from social media, is not just a hashtag, but has become an important three words that calls for social justice and for racial equality across the United States of America. This hashtag has brought together people all over the country to create protests and rallies so people can physically see the amount of people behind this movement. The power of the hashtag was seen again in fueling the fire of the MeToo movement. In October of 2017 when allegations against Harvey Wienstien surfaced, many actresses and people in Hollywood stood their ground and showed their strength

The young population, especially teens, are connected to social media. This creates an opportunity for teens and young adults to be exposed to movements and get involved in political activism via what they see on social media. Teens starting movements has unfolded in front of our eyes in the present day. The tragic events that unfolded on February 14th in Parkland, Florida, when a young man opened fire in a high school killing seventeen people stunned our country once again. The survivors of the shooting, kids, decided enough was enough and they were going to be the ones to change the world. The hashtag “MSDstrong” swept the nation, and teens from all over the country were standing in solidarity that enough is enough. They argued that them as children shouldn’t have to go school in fear that someone could open fire at any given moment. With the use of social media and the ability to connect with kids all over the country, they were able to stage a national walk out for seventeen minuets in remembrance of the seventeen lives taken that day due to gun violence. Teens were also able to post about different rallies and dates of marches that were being held all over the country. Kids led marches to the steps of their state’s capitals so they could be face to face with the people able to ratify gun laws. This is not the first time or the last time teens from all