How an Instagram hashtag blacked out the Black Lives Matter movement

By Alec Rosenthal, Newsroom By the Bay

STUDIO CITY, California — If you want to receive attention on Instagram’s explore page, use #BlackoutTuesday. 

That’s right: If you know the meaning of #BlackoutTuesday, it sounds contradictory. But millions of Instagram users have been using the hashtag in order to generate more traction for their posts. Over the past few months, #BlackoutTuesday has been inundated with colorful and playful posts, many captioned with #selfie, #likeforlike, #model and #outfitoftheday. 

Considering the original use of the hashtag, that’s a problem.

#BlackoutTuesday grew out of a social media campaign created by Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, two Black women who met while working at Atlantic Records. Originally titled #TheShowMustBePaused, the campaign was intended to create a public discussion on Tuesday, June 2, on Twitter and Instagram about racism in the music industry.

Agyemang explained the end goal: Holding the music industry accountable “to come up with and execute a plan that actively supports and protects the VERY CULTURE that it profits from.” Elements of this plan included promoting Black people to higher positions, creating more representation for them, and giving them more influence within music companies and institutions.

According to The New York Times, entertainment companies such as Spotify, Live Nation, Apple, TikTok and “many of the largest record companies” said they would honor the #TheShowMustBePaused by stopping operations on June 2.  

However, the campaign soon grew into something different. Those who used the hashtag were to post black squares in order to protest the music industry’s business-as-usual treatment of Black artists. 

But soon, black-square posts including the #BlackLivesMatter and #BLM hashtags began to disrupt a campaign that was intended to disrupt the music industry.  Such posts distracted from informational posts about #TheShowMustBePaused. 

The confusion surrounding the campaign was a lesson in performative activism, which takes place when an individual uses activism and the guise of being an activist for self-gain. Usually it benefits only the self-described activist and not the movement they are claiming to support. 

For example, Madison Beer, a TikTok celebrity and singer, went to a BLM protest and stood on top of a car holding two signs –– one that said, “No freedom ‘til we’re equal” and another with the Black power fist. 

Though Beer’s actions appeared to signal support for Black Lives Matter, they triggered a backlash on social media. To student activist and rising high school junior Ash Wright from Los Angeles, California, Beer’s message felt like an attempt at getting recognition for herself, rather than as a supporter of BLM.

Beer defended herself on Twitter writing, “This is not and never was a photo op it is me standing with a movement and getting out there to spread a message i believe in.” 

Many people, including rising sophomore Erika Hornmark, believe that Blackout Tuesday exemplified performative activism, as the black squares were not truly helping the #TheShowMustBePaused campaign. 

“Blackout Tuesday didn’t help the overall cause –– it was an Instagram trend,” Hornmark said. “There was no valuable information.” 

Students like Hornmark indicate that only posting a black square is simply not bringing justice to Black individuals. These teens believe that signing petitions, donating to funds and attending protests contribute tangible change to the lives of Black Americans.

However, other high school students disagreed with claims that Blackout Tuesday wasn’t helpful. 

“The Blackout Tuesday movement was generally helpful to BLM,” said Hunter Black, a rising senior from San Mateo, California. “As long as (the hashtag) engages individuals, it is also spreading awareness.” 

Charlotte Ehrlich, a rising senior from San Francisco, California, agreed.  “I do not think anything is wrong with posting a black square,” Ehrlich said. “It gives a mass mentality to the issue and lets ordinary people help out.” 

While students couldn’t agree whether Blackout Tuesday was helpful, the general consensus between the students was that silence about BLM is more harmful than engaging in performative activism. In a survey of 24 students about perspectives on activism and Black Lives Matter, 13 said that they would rather have someone post BLM-related content than be silent. 

Rising junior Kaasha Minocha from Saratoga, California, summarized her stance: “Silence is the side of the oppressor.”

—Listen to “Taking center stage on performative activism” at “Recording Race,” a new podcast created by Newsroom by the Bay’s Summer 2020 students under the guidance of team leader Maggie Galloway.

Featured photo: Celebrities including Katy Perry, Tom Brady, and Kendall Jenner partook in the Black Lives Matter movement-related hashtag #blackouttuesday by posting black squares on Instagram. Questions have arisen over what has motivated these public figures to take to social media. Screenshot collage by Madison Rojas.