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Covid Information and Misinformation
Because of the quarantine nature of Covid-19, many people turned to social media for entertainment and information. Unfortunately, much misinformation was spread during this time as well which lead to more confusion on the topic. Disinformation regarding vaccines and treatments spread quickly on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This caused unnecessary fear and confusion for viewers which effected the mental state of many people. -
George Floyd Protest / Black Lives Matter Movenemt
Social Media was used as a key role in spreading the video of George Floyds death. Hashtags like #BLM or #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd trended globally on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. The more viral this video went, the more passionate viewers got. Anti-racism education petitions were formed and many platforms linked them to their posts. Pathos was used to evoke strong emotions in the viewers. -
Pronouns in Social Media Bio & Gender Identity
Social media platforms like Instagram created an option to add pronouns in you personal bio for people to see. Many people used this as a way to express their preferred gender while others criticized and opposed that ideology. Since this option was added to Instagram, many offices and workplaces have incorporated the use of preferred pronouns. This has challenged the workplace and has also started more of a focus on gender identity. -
Israel & Palestine Conflict
While the battles were going on between Israel and Palestine, others used social media as their own battleground for opinions from both sides. Hashtags like #FreePalestine were used to rally others to join their side in Instagram and TikTok. Social media used videos and photos from the effected areas to evoke strong feelings toward the situation. -
Celebrity Endorsements for Presidential Election
Leading up until now, social media has been a strong tool for presidential candidates. This year, celebrities have used social media to endorse their candidate, aiming to influence their followers. Celebrities like Taylor Swift has a huge impact on her followers, so when she influenced Kamala Harris, it most likely swayed voters to follow her opinion. In this case, social media is used as a platform for celebrities to sway their following in the way they hope the election goes.