Abstract

This paper primarily discusses how influential figures and institutions gradually propelled a social movement that originally existed only on social media to drive the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. By leveraging the visibility of social media platforms, shaping public sentiment, and promoting transnational mobilization against institutionalized racism, the movement was able to re-emerge. The article also analyzes the interplay between grassroots activism, celebrity advocacy, and corporate support, examining how these forces transformed BLM from a movement largely confined to the United States into a global call for racial justice. In this discussion, the paper emphasizes the opportunities to break information silos and foster cross-community dialogue, aiming to prevent the potential formation of echo chambers. Furthermore, this paper investigates whether strong promotion through social media platforms can attract widespread public attention and even trigger a series of social reforms, including increased voter engagement and global solidarity protests. It demonstrates the evolving role of digital platforms in driving structural social change. By tracing this process, the paper offers insights into a new paradigm of social movements that transcend borders through the intersection of media, sports, and civic engagement.

Introduction

The revival of the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd emphasizes the capabilities of social media, when amplified by influential public figures such as basketball players and global brands, to bring about social change by amplifying visibility, shaping public sentiment, and inspiring transnational activist mobilization in opposition to institutionalized racism. This essay argues that the resurgence of the BLM movement confirms the revolutionary potential of social media, especially when leveraged by public institutions and individuals, to heighten social awareness, reshape public narratives, and create genuine social change.

Before discussing how social media platforms bring about social change, it is essential to first understand whether this event can influence the thoughts and behaviors of audiences through social media and what unprecedented changes it has brought. “Black Lives Matter” (BLM) is an international social movement, which also that proves this movement has received worldwide attention. This movement is dedicated to opposing police violence and racism against Black communities. 

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement originated in 2013 after the shooting of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American teenager, in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, suspected Martin of being a threat, called 911, and was instructed not to follow him. However, Zimmerman ignored the warning, confronted Martin, and fatally shot him, claiming self-defense. Due to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, Zimmerman was not initially arrested. Public outrage led to nationwide protests, as many believed this case reflected racial bias in the U.S. judicial system. Despite public pressure, Zimmerman was found not guilty, sparking further protests.

Following the verdict, Alicia Garza wrote a Facebook post titled “A Love Letter to Black People,” stating: “Black Lives Matter.” Inspired by this phrase, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi launched the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, encouraging social media users to raise awareness of racial injustice. (Garza, 2014) Initially, #BlackLivesMatter was a social media movement focused on protesting racial discrimination. However, as more cases of police violence against Black individuals emerged, BLM expanded into a national and international movement advocating for racial justice and police reform. (Solomon, 2023)

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds during an arrest in Minneapolis. Floyd, who had claustrophobia, was forcibly pinned down despite showing no violent resistance. His cries for help were ignored, and bystanders filmed the incident, sparking global outrage when the video went viral. (Hill & Tiefenthaler & Triebert & Jordan & Willis & Stein, 2022) The #BlackLivesMatter movement reignited, with protests erupting across the U.S. and worldwide in cities like London, Paris, and Sydney. In Minneapolis, clashes escalated, and protesters burned down the police precinct. On June 2, millions joined “Blackout Tuesday” on social media, posting black squares to protest racial injustice. (BBC, 2020)

This social movement gained global attention, inevitably leading to a series of reforms and chain reactions. Initially, #BlackLivesMatter existed only as a social media movement, primarily aimed at protesting the injustices faced by Black individuals. However, as more cases of Black individuals being shot by police emerged, the movement evolved into a national and even international protest movement.

The Public Stance of NBA Players and Organizations

The NBA, one of the most influential sports leagues globally, played a significant role in supporting the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, particularly in 2020 after the death of George Floyd. With around 74.2% of its players being African American, the league and its athletes had a deep, personal stake in the fight for racial justice. Collaborating with the NBPA, the NBA implemented several powerful symbolic gestures during the resumed season held in the Orlando “Bubble” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” was painted in bold letters on all courts, ensuring global visibility through televised games. Players were also permitted to wear jerseys with social justice slogans such as “Equality” and “Say Their Names,” and many knelt during the national anthem, following the example of NFL player Colin Kaepernick, to protest police brutality and systemic racism.

Social media gave NBA players the necessary platform to give a louder voice. (Williams, 2021) LeBron James used Instagram to post a powerful photo equating George Floyd’s murder and Kaepernick’s protest, evoking worldwide engagement and debate. (Galily, 2019) Stephen Curry also used Instagram to condemn injustice and posted a picture of himself kneeling in sympathy. Jaylen Brown took action by driving to Atlanta to plan a BLM protest, advocating for peaceful protest, and live-streaming it on social media. His actions supported a prevailing attitude among NBA players that they not only have a platform but also a responsibility to use it for good.

Apart from personal initiatives, the influence of the NBA and its players extended to tens of millions across the globe, promoting mainstream media coverage and public discussion of racial injustice. Their efforts involved voter registration drives, economic investment in Black communities, and community activism. This was a watershed moment where sports figures were no longer merely athletes, but also agents of social change. Social media played a central role in this movement, acting as a megaphone and bridge that propagated national events worldwide and inspired personal reflection across several audiences. In the end, the NBA’s engagement with the BLM movement showed how sport and social change are inseparable.

The Echo Chamber Effect: A Hidden Curse

There is also a danger of creating an echo chamber, especially on social media websites that feature algorithmic recommendation systems made to nudge the content that users are most likely to be interested in according to their interests and interaction patterns. (Tufekci, 2017).  This is where, if the users tend to often like, comment, or share BLM-affirming posts, the site will keep displaying them the same type of content. When these messages become highly uniform, it can lead fan communities to form a one-sided narrative, ignoring opposing or alternative voices. Moreover, the emotionally charged nature of the BLM movement, fueled by anger, injustice, and sadness, makes it more likely for people to engage with and share intense content, which can further reinforce the echo chamber effect.

However, based on my perspective, I do believe that the echo chamber can be broken. Some NBA players’ statements were picked up and amplified by mainstream media, exposing their messages to audiences with different political views and cultural backgrounds. For example, white audiences and international viewers who may not have previously paid attention to racial issues began engaging with the topic through their favorite sports figures. This demonstrates how social media can also act as a bridge between different social groups, promoting cross-community dialogue. (Cinelli & et al,2021). In some cases, what initially appears to be an echo chamber can serve as a “megaphone” that turns marginalized issues into mainstream concerns. Many people in the U.S. and around the world were introduced to the concept of “systemic racism” for the first time because of NBA players’ advocacy. Unlike traditional media, social platforms allow for the expression of diverse opinions and open debate. While there is a risk of being trapped in a “filter bubble,” there are also opportunities to encounter opposing views especially if users make an active effort to break out of their information silos. Ultimately, whether or not someone becomes stuck in an echo chamber depends on their level of media literacy, personal initiative, and the content guidance mechanisms built into the platforms themselves.

Societal Changes Sparked by the Uprising

After understanding the origins of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and how the NBA and its players publicly voiced their stance through social media platforms, the most crucial aspect is recognizing the social changes brought about by the power of these platforms, not just within American society but globally.

As the BLM movement gained momentum and rapidly went viral on social media, it further increased political activism, particularly amongst the Black community. NBA players used their platforms to call for fans to register to vote and be a part of change. LeBron James co-founded the organization More Than A Vote, which aimed at fighting voter suppression, especially among African American communities. A few NBA teams even converted their home arenas, such as the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena, into official voting sites. The 2020 U.S. presidential election thus saw a dramatic increase in Black citizens’ voter registration and turnout, which indicated increased civic engagement. (Cobb, 2020) In addition, a substantial rise was observed in public consciousness about systemic racism. NBA players were discussing issues like police brutality, racial inequality, and systemic injustice on a regular basis on social media outlets like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. This created a mass conversation and viral sharing of informative content. Many Americans began to educate themselves with books like The New Jim Crow, gaining a greater understanding of racial dynamics in the country.

The third major shift was building white and non-Black community support. In 2020, a Pew Research survey discovered that 67% of whites polled identified the existence of systematic racism in America, which was over 20% greater than the proportion in 2016. (Parker & Horowitz & Anderson, 2020). The shift was augmented by the revelation of Black athletes’ personal stories and activism, fostering empathy and recognition across and beyond racial lines. Lastly, the BLM movement sparked institutional transformation, particularly in education and corporate diversity initiatives. Schools across locations began to rethink their curriculum to include more lessons on racial equality and history. In turn, companies were compelled to re-evaluate their internal diversity initiatives. The NBA itself began highlighting greater diversity within its upper-level executive positions, and the majority of big corporations, especially the tech and banking sectors, created roles like Chief Diversity Officer to spearhead inclusion.

Beyond the United States, the #BlackLivesMatter movement also led to significant social change in other countries. Possibly the most obvious consequence was the global wave of demonstrations it spurred. Spurred by the language and imagery brought by NBA players through social media, solidarity protests with BLM erupted in major cities across the globe, like London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Melbourne, starting in June of 2020. (Hernandez & Specia, 2020) Both young people and most participants were inspired by social media communications from NBA players, realizing that racial injustice was not “an American issue” but a global human rights issue. Second, international news sources such as the BBC, The Guardian, France24, and NHK kept quoting NBA players’ social media remarks. (BBC News, 2020) These international sources became engaged in shaping politicians’ civil rights groups and legislatures within Canada, the UK, and Australia began to promote domestic reform when it came to the treatment of minority populations. For example, the government of the UK released an anti-discrimination action report, and Australia ordered inquiries into police brutality against Indigenous populations.

In addition to sports leagues making their voice heard, business partners of the NBA also responded. Many international companies like Nike, Adidas, and Puma made their voices heard for BLM and began examining their internal diversity practices. Some even incorporated anti-discrimination campaign concepts and #BlackLivesMatter-inspired design into new product lines for international markets. (Kell, 2020) Finally, NBA players’ social media activism helped to galvanize BLM-type movements in other countries. There were even protests against police brutality against Black citizens in Brazil. The Dalit population in India, also marginalized, turned to social media to request protection and rights. Even China did not lack discussion on the platform of Weibo about racial equality, showcasing social media’s emerging role as the new platform worldwide for movements against civil oppression.

Conclusion

In brief, the reenergizing of Black Lives Matter after the murder of George Floyd is proof of an even wider realignment of the dynamics of modern social change. Social media has emerged as an effective platform for the amplification of marginalized voices and the mobilization of mass movements across the world. When amplified by celebrities such as NBA players and supplemented by company endorsements, the trajectory of BLM’s influence and reach is likely magnified exponentially. This intersection of social media platforms, celebrity activism, and institutional involvement demonstrates a new paradigm of activism beyond geographical and cultural borders to confront structural injustices. As society remains under development in this age of the internet, there is a need to continue learning how these agents catalyze social change.

Reference List

Garza, A. (2019). A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza. The Feminist Wire. https://thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/

Solomon, T. (2023). Up in the air: Ritualized atmospheres and the global Black Lives Matter movement. Sage Journals, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/13540661231181989

Hill,E., Tiefenthaler, A., Triebert, C., Jordan, D., Willis, H., Stein, R. (2022, January 24). How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html

George Floyd: What happened in the final moments of his life. (2020, July 16). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52861726

Williams, A. L. (2021). The Heritage Strikes Back: Athlete Activism, Black Lives Matter, and the Iconic Fifth Wave of Activism in the (W)NBA Bubble. Cultural Studies Critical Methodologies, 22(3), 266-275. https://doi.org/10.1177/15327086211049718 

Galily, Y. (2019). “Shut up and dribble!”?Athletes activism in the age of twittersphere: The case of LeBron James. Technology in Society, 58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.01.002

Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and tear gas: The power and fragility of networked protest. Yale University Press. https://books.google.com.my/books?id=x7S_DgAAQBAJ&dq=Twitter+and+Tear+Gas:+The+Power+and+Fragility+of+Networked+Protest&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Cinelli, M., De Francisci Morales, G., Galeazzi, A., Quattrociocchi, W., Starnini, M. (2021). The echo chamber effect on social media, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118 (9). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2023301118

Parker, K., Horowitz, J, M., Anderson, M. (2020). Amid Protests, Majorities Across Racial and Ethnic Groups Express Support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/06/12/amid-protests-majorities-across-racial-and-ethnic-groups-express-support-for-the-black-lives-matter-movement/

Cobb, J. (2020, May 27). The Death of George Floyd, in Context. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-death-of-george-floyd-in-context

Hernandez, J. C., & Specia, M. (2020, June 6). Protests over George Floyd’s death spread around the world. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/world/george-floyd-protests-global.html

BBC News. (2020, June 1). NBA players speak out after George Floyd’s death. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52888693

Kell, J. (2020, June 4). Nike, Adidas, and other brands speak out in support of Black Lives Matter. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2020/06/04/nike-adidas-black-lives-matter-george-floyd/