Posts Tagged: Social Media

What does Instagram activism do, anyway?

What does Instagram activism do, anyway?

Is sharing Instagram graphics an important way of organising and educating, or an exercise in performative wokeness? Instagram, the land of brunch photos and fitness bloggers, has not always been a political platform. But, in the last year, with the increasing online visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement, the app has seen a boom …

Facebook’s Oversight Board: long-awaited accountability or smokescreen for culpability?

Facebook’s Oversight Board: long-awaited accountability or smokescreen for culpability?

How trusting or sceptical should we be of Facebook’s Oversight Board and its decisions? In response to years of criticisms of its algorithms and decisions on what content should be allowed, Facebook established its own Oversight Board, as a sort of independent appeals body that would review past controversial decisions and publish fully transparent decisions. …

Tackling abuse on social media

Tackling abuse on social media

Reports of social media abuse have dramatically increased during the pandemic. With social media giants being under more scrutiny than ever before, they have decided to start tackling abuse. This blog will explore the ways they aim to keep us, and our children, safe from abuse online.   Covid-19: a rise in social media abuse, …

Are social media giants truly not taking a stance?

Are social media giants truly not taking a stance?

For the past couple of years, social media, their encryption laws, and illicit and defamatory content have been a subject of conversation. With Facebook’s very close scrutiny to scandals surrounding Telegram and its role in the 6th of January coup, this blog will assess how, by allowing certain content on their platforms, social media giants …

The Perils of Trial by Social Media

The Perils of Trial by Social Media

Social media can be a wonderful thing, but the same characteristics that make it great also make it easy to attack and judge people online. Most people who use social media like social media for the speed with which they can find out about the latest news or what people are doing. However, the speed …

Is there a ‘hate crime crisis’ in English football?

Is there a ‘hate crime crisis’ in English football?

A recent ‘wave’ of racist abuse against players highlights a persisting culture of discrimination. In 2011, then-head of FIFA Sepp Blatter controversially claimed that “there is no racism” in football, arguing that football has “moved on” from the relentless and often violent racism of the 1970s and 1980s. However, racist chants and taunts from the …

COVID 19 – Scapegoating Minorities

COVID 19 – Scapegoating Minorities

Sensationalist media contribute to creating social tensions during the pandemic   COVID-19 has brought to light the major inequalities that exist within our society, in particular the disproportionate effect on BAME communities. The media and government have been responsible for creating scapegoats out of minorities in the rise of cases through baseless allegations. The UK …