As a new Instagram user scrolling through my For You page, I noticed that several of my friends had posted about the Charlie Kirk assassination, typing text such as, “he never deserved it” or “his death doesn’t excuse his actions.” Later, they had similar posts about the shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado. 

Following these events, I wondered if this was a common procedure on social media platforms. I had never heard my friends talking about these events before and only found out as they started posting politically. 

Posting on social media has grown to be a way for people to express their opinions while spreading awareness. But lately, it has become more of a way for people to make the impression that they are an activist. 

Instead of having personal conviction toward a topic, posting on social media has become an easy way to follow a trend. 

When a large group of people start posting about an event, suddenly others, who do not even know much about the topic, feel the urge to post about it too. By following that cycle of reposting without intent, the actual point of social activism has taken a major toll.

In reality, this type of posting has little impact on our community. By constantly reposting the same content, viewers are informed of what is happening and not what can be done about it. It sets a precedent that just posting is enough to be considered an activist.

Furthermore, gaining a sense of popularity and esteem appears to be the main focus of many of these users who post online, instead of being an advocate. In turn, this takes away the attention of people making tangible change, who should be role models instead. 

While social media can be a powerful platform for people to fight for a change, posting performatively weakens its effectiveness. People must have the goal to create change, rather than the intention to brand their account for popularity. 

Lasting and meaningful posts can be created by researching a problem and really understanding how that affects people’s daily lives. Instead of just informing people, there should be a clear call to action that encourages others to make change.

Ultimately, participating in community organizations or starting passionate initiatives will have far greater impact than just clicking “repost” on any friend’s Instagram story.