A regular Instagram user would most likely not pay attention to the technicalities of a hashtag on a post. Simply, it is due to the fact that Instagram users almost don’t see 70 percent of the posts on their feed – even though it has been joked about – but the algorithm hears our conversation and interactions and so our favorite posts rise to the top of our feed.
But even though Instagram is used as an escape from reality, whether by shopping and skimming through your favorite brands, laughing at 10 meme-accounts, or indulging in a “how-to-make-banana-bread” IGTV, Instagram is a powerful platform for important topics to go viral, and it often starts with a small #hashtag.
The Rise of the Black Lives Movement
With the social and political momentum that has been on the rise since the start of 2020, Instagram has surely been infested with varying posts that dictate opinions, statistics, facts, and pictures. However, during the last three months, Instagram was flooded with posts about important social movements that have been gaining viral attention worldwide. Starting with the Black Lives Movement (BLM) up to the infamous anti-sexual harassment movement. Even though these two movements have occurred at two different cornerstones of the world, Instagram did not fail in being the hub for sharing.
The BLM has gained attention worldwide, not just in the United States. There was a shared grievance around the world at the loss of every person affected by the systemic racism inflicted globally. As such, Blackout Tuesday, was a day promoted by activists in order to bring forth change in light of the horrific murder of George Floyd. This movement, of posting black background with #BlackLivesMatter, has been bombarded with criticism as it was deemed to counter the importance of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag that promoted important information.
Vox magazine has highlighted the surge of activism on Instagram and indicated how Instagram is now a more viable platform than Twitter as a representative stated, “This movement was about so many more people than that [Twitter]. It’s about reaching a wider audience,” she said. “As we continue into the 2020 election, we have to go where people are, and Instagram is it,” Vox explained.
Egyptian Activism
When talking about the power of a trending hashtag, the anti-sexual harassment hashtag in Egypt that has been surfacing all over social media is the perfect example. The infamous story about the sexual predator, Ahmed Bassam Zaki gained Egypt’s attention as a result of social media being flooded with stories from girls affected by him.
Similar to the #MeToo movement, the girls who came forward with their stories [anonymously] have curated a safe space for more girls to come forward with their stories. Instagram was flooded and a dedicated account @assaultpolice for sharing stories and updates was created. The Instagram account constantly posted updates, information, and horrifying posts with stories, and with just the right hashtags, the movement was able to gain momentum throughout the Egyptian television and the predator is now being charged and awaits legal repercussions.
Egyptian Streets have explained the power of social media in this respect by stating “What remains to be seen is whether there will be a shift in culture in Egypt, where men who are accused of rape, sexual assault or other sexual misconduct on social media, will be held accountable under the courts of law and not just the court of public opinion,” they stated.
Instagram, which was mostly a platform curated for users to share a highlight reel of their lives, is now a platform that is more powerful than ever. It has become the platform for widespread conversations around the world. The anti-sexual harassment story has become viral enough out-beyond the Egyptian borders as the New York Times and many more international publications have written about it.
Likewise, the BLM movement has caught the attention of the systemic racism and exploitation present in Egypt and the MENA region in varying respects and aspects.
The world right now is not bound only by the fear of COVID-19, but Instagram has lured the path for social movement cohesion and ‘relatability’ around the world, a slow road for a change, but a road indeed.
