Instagram is awash with all black posts today, with thousands of users, influencers and celebrities taking part in #BlackoutTuesday, to share their support for the #BlackLivesMatter protests happening across the US.
As you can see above, more than 21 million #BlackoutTuesday posts have been shared at the time of publication, underlining the rising calls for more action to eliminate racism and racial injustice, in all forms, across the world.
#BlackoutTuesday began in the music industry, with musicians calling for a total pause in activity in order to both contribute to the rising protest action, and to take time to consider what concrete steps can be put in place to address the underlying issues contributing to the current situation. It’s since extended to many other areas, and the number of posts and related updates is still rising on Instagram.
It’s become so big, in fact, that Instagram has issued a reminder for people to use the #BlackoutTuesday hashtag, instead of #BlackLivesMatter.
As Instagram notes, with protest action still ongoing, people are using #BlackLivesMatter to stay up to date with relevant information and updates, and the #BlackoutTuesday posts are starting to clutter the main news stream.
You can choose to edit your post caption to remove the #blacklivesmatter hashtag and your post will no longer be shown on that hashtag page. In some cases, it may take up to 10 minutes for the post to be removed once you edit it. #blackoutday
— Instagram (@instagram) June 2, 2020
If you’re looking to take part, and show your support for the movement by adding a #BlackoutTuesday update, please ensure you add the dedicated hashtag to avoid flooding the news stream.
#BlackoutTuesday is the latest of several social media-based initiatives supporting the ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.
