MEASURING THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PERCEPTIONS OF BLACK LIVES MATTER ACTIVISM

Abstract

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has received widespread attention for amplifying the issue of racial injustice against African Americans in the United States. Social media's role in mobilizing individuals to participate in social movements has been extensively studied, but the impact of social media use on citizens' decision to support the BLM movement is yet to be fully understood. This study analyzes the relationship between social media use and individuals' behavior towards the BLM movement, with a specific focus on how diversity in one's social networks on social media affects their attitude towards BLM. By conducting a survey in the United States, this study finds that higher diversity in one's social networks on social media significantly enhances their likelihood of participating in the BLM movement, with non-white respondents driving the significant result. The study contributes to the literature of social movements by dissecting the mechanism through which social media shapes citizens' relationship with BLM, generating critical implications for understanding the dynamics of social movements in modern society