Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram
In June 2020, millions of Instagram users shared black squares along with hashtags including #BlackOutTuesday and #BlackLivesMatter before pausing their social media content for the day. At first in solidarity with the music industry, the black squares were co-opted by uninformed users hoping to sho...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Social Media + Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221080473 |
| _version_ | 1818979363476996096 |
|---|---|
| author | Mariah L. Wellman |
| author_facet | Mariah L. Wellman |
| author_sort | Mariah L. Wellman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In June 2020, millions of Instagram users shared black squares along with hashtags including #BlackOutTuesday and #BlackLivesMatter before pausing their social media content for the day. At first in solidarity with the music industry, the black squares were co-opted by uninformed users hoping to show their support of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the murder of George Floyd while in police custody. Through 20 interviews with social media influencers about the #BlackLivesMatter discourse occurring on Instagram in the summer of 2020, I argue that for many influencers, the posting of black squares was performative allyship utilized strategically to build and maintain credibility with followers. Influencers were unable to genuinely merge their existing brand image with the Black Lives Matter movement long-term, resulting in the memeification of social justice activism and no substantial progress toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the wellness creator industry on Instagram. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:58:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a4cee8eaa2f34e7d85c27ef1623b582e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-3051 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:58:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Media + Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-a4cee8eaa2f34e7d85c27ef1623b582e2022-12-21T19:32:40ZengSAGE PublishingSocial Media + Society2056-30512022-02-01810.1177/20563051221080473Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on InstagramMariah L. WellmanIn June 2020, millions of Instagram users shared black squares along with hashtags including #BlackOutTuesday and #BlackLivesMatter before pausing their social media content for the day. At first in solidarity with the music industry, the black squares were co-opted by uninformed users hoping to show their support of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the murder of George Floyd while in police custody. Through 20 interviews with social media influencers about the #BlackLivesMatter discourse occurring on Instagram in the summer of 2020, I argue that for many influencers, the posting of black squares was performative allyship utilized strategically to build and maintain credibility with followers. Influencers were unable to genuinely merge their existing brand image with the Black Lives Matter movement long-term, resulting in the memeification of social justice activism and no substantial progress toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within the wellness creator industry on Instagram.https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221080473 |
| spellingShingle | Mariah L. Wellman Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram Social Media + Society |
| title | Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram |
| title_full | Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram |
| title_fullStr | Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram |
| title_full_unstemmed | Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram |
| title_short | Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram |
| title_sort | black squares for black lives performative allyship as credibility maintenance for social media influencers on instagram |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221080473 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariahlwellman blacksquaresforblacklivesperformativeallyshipascredibilitymaintenanceforsocialmediainfluencersoninstagram |