Opening Instagram comes with a flurry of light-hearted content, photos from friends, and more surprisingly, advocacy from peers. Whether discussing mental health awareness, international conflict, or US politics, social media serves as a forum for students to express and share their opinions.
“I think social media activism, of course with the help of COVID and rapid online social media growth, has been much more frequent with my peers,” sophomore Balthazar Sauquet said.
Social media activism has been around since the 2000s, though it has grown more casual in the modern day. According to Ethnic Studies teacher Jack Neumeier, the social media activism of his college days was often attached to in-person follow-through from students. Neumeier was part of a food justice program known as The Garden, which used social media to garner support and donations to fund the program.
“On Facebook, when we would all announce what we were doing for that day during the campaign, we did that together as a group. We would first physically meet, all 80 of us, and then we’d all share the same thing at the same time,” he said.
Neumeier believes the physical reinforcement helped hold the organization accountable in a way that online activism fails to do today. “If it’s not attached to an action item, I don’t personally believe social media activism makes any difference, because people have their sides already, and so I’m not convinced that sharing a story is anything more than vanity,” he said.
Sophomore Willow Basta agreed, saying, “I feel like if I were to make a difference, it would be by participating in some organization. I don’t post on social media because I know it wouldn’t be as impactful.”
For others, just the principle of posting on social media can empower others and unite a community. “Social media activism is can be used as a good thing when humans are behind it, as you get to see both sides of stories and find solutions,” Sauquet said.
Senior Kirsten Trihy uses Instagram as a platform to advocate for gender equity and women’s rights. “I have deep interest in feminism and bringing down the patriarchy and toxic masculinity because it’s not only about women. It also uplifts men,” she explained. Trihy sees social media as a convenient outlet for sharing their viewpoint. “People are already looking through my story, so I might as well share whatever.”
Others are skeptical about the trustworthiness of social media activism. “People feel peer-pressured into speaking up on a matter or putting something in their bio,” senior Corbin Nam said. “I struggle with the idea of partisan politics on social media.” For Nam, radicalization is a major concern. “During quarantine, I watched a lot of political TikToks, and I found myself becoming increasingly partisan,” he explained.
“Our politics have become so far beyond what we thought polarized was, because in the Bush years and the Obama years especially, we reached a new level of vitriol,” Neumeier said. According to Neumeier, this “vitriol” was largely fueled by racial critiques of Obama, which increased polarized political messaging and activism. “When it comes to social media, I would say we have reached a terminal velocity. I don’t think it can get worse than this, because it’s already so far gone.”
When it comes to social media, I would say we have reached a terminal velocity. I don’t think it can get worse than this, because it’s already so far gone.
Jack Neumeier, Ethnic Studies teacher
“My solution to online partisanship is to follow people I disagree with, even though it’s really annoying sometimes,” Neumeier said. He explained that seeking out alternative perspectives has depolarized many issues for him, and helped him flesh out a more well-rounded perspective.
For Nam, the solution to polarized activism on social media is reading the news. “Right now, many have decided to abandon ‘real’ news publications, like the New York Times, altogether. People need to read the news and not Donald Trump’s Twitter.” News websites got 11.5% of their traffic from social media in 2020, compared to only 6.5% in 2023, according to the New York Times.. However, per a 2023 Pew Research poll, 40% of surveyed Americans who get their news from social media report that their biggest qualm with it is inaccuracy and misinformation.
My solution to online partisanship is to follow people I disagree with, even though it’s really annoying sometimes.
Jack Neumeier, Economics teacher
Regardless, there is a measure of fact-checking that goes into the work of activists like Trihy. “I try to repost general, broad, philosophies rather than facts. If I post a reel, it’s going to be something like a cartoon or sketch that describes a message,” she said. For fact-based reposts, Trihy checks the credibility of the original creator.
For high school students who are particularly susceptible to social media misinformation, it’s a slippery slope. “I don’t know that this source that you’re quoting is a real source, because I’m not gonna go look it up. I don’t care enough for that,” Basta said.
“Most people’s posts are very much trends,” she explained. “Gen-Z is so dumb. We feed into so many false beliefs. Somebody on Tiktok could tell me something, and I have a better probability of believing it than I’d like to think I would.”
Regardless, advocacy on social media can be a double-edged sword, especially as a teenager surrounded by peers with differing opinions. “There are a lot of disgusting comments,” Trihy said. “When I post feminist content, I always get a lot of hate for being a ‘fake feminist.’”
Regardless, Trihy persists in hopes of her posts resonating with others. For them, follow-up comes from the feedback received from peers. “Every once in a while, a girl will DM me and say, this is exactly what I’m talking about. It makes some girls feel better to see that and be like, ‘Thank goodness I’m not the only one.’”
Every once in a while, a girl will DM me and say, this is exactly what I’m talking about. It makes some girls feel better to see that and be like, ‘Thank goodness I’m not the only one.’
Kirsten Trihy, senior
“The reason I post things on my story is maybe one person will see it and be like, ‘Yeah, that’s actually a good point. I’m going to implement that in my life,’” Trihy said. “Don’t get me wrong,” Nam agreed, clarifying, “It is definitely good for people to use their platform for something besides making a profit from sponsored posts.”
While many remain understandably wary of the information peers post online, the community and solidarity established between students holds undeniable. Social media activism holds the ability not only to radicalize and spread misinformation, but conversely to start important conversations between students.
