2. The experience of the ONLINE WORLD
has been different for
ETHNIC MINORITIES through:
The access to technology
1
2 The usage of technology
3. The internet was once
considered a great EQUALISER, a
platform that could bring
strangers together, even
ACROSS RACIAL BOUNDARIES [15]
- Microsoft researcher Danah Boyd
“ “
4. Despite hopes of becoming an inclusive
environment, access to the internet was
NOT EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED among all
ethnicities.
Image via flickr
5. Digital Divide:
The separation between
the “HAVES” and the “HAVE-NOTS”
regarding access to information and
communication technology [5]. It
demonstrates
SOCIAL INEQUALITY [14].
Ex. Internet use and High-speed broadband access
6. By 2009 the digital divide between African-American
households and white households reached 20.1%[5].
Today, there is still a 12% difference between
African-American households and white households
with broadband connection[11].
7. Photo by drubuntu - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/51980416@N03 Created with Haiku Deck
Even with this increase in access to
the online world, there is still a
racial distinction in it’s use.
8. Photo by andrewrennie - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/29712408@N02 Created with Haiku Deck
The Canadian smartphone industry is
growing drastically [4] with ethnic
minorities as major consumers
9. African-
American teens
are more likely
than whites
and Hispanics
to access the
online world
through their
mobile devices
[9].
Almost
100%
of African-
American teens
say they are
online
“ALMOST
CONSTANTLY” [9].
10. An increase in
accessing the
online world
through
mobile phones
correlates with
the growth of
Social Media
and it’s various
platforms
Image: Flickr
11. Those of the same ethnicity tend to congregat
on social media platforms where the race they
identify with is largely represented
ge: Flickr
12. “All of the DIVISIONS that
exist in every day life,
including those by race
and class, actually
RE-EMERGE ONLINE“ [1].
“ “
13. For Example[3]:
% of people
who say they
are
INSTAGRAM
users
38% Black
34% Hispanic
21% white
% of people who say they are
PINTEREST users
12% Black
21% Hispanic
32% White
14. Photo by eldh - Creative Commons Attribution License https://www.flickr.com/photos/22480788@N08 Created with Haiku Deck
TWITTER, since it’s creation, has been
extremely popular among African-American
and Hispanic users.
15. Photo by victoriapeckham - Creative Commons Attribution License https://www.flickr.com/photos/48266396@N00 Created with Haiku Deck
Furthermore, various ONLINE COMMUNITIES have
been created on twitter to express
COLLECTIVE FRUSTRATIONS or ideas [6]
The most prominent being African-
American twitter users commonly
referred to online as “Black Twitter”
17. CLICKTIVISM:
Online social activism including
TWEETING, RE-TWEETING, LIKING
or otherwise showing support to social
issues through social media.
It raises awareness through constant exposure in the online world [10] and
has proven to be used quite effectively [12].
64% of people said would be more inclined to show support in other ways
like volunteering or donating after participating in clicktivism online. [7]
18. “SOCIAL MEDIA is a great way to AMPLIFY
voices that would not otherwise be
amplified [2].”
Image: Flickr- Tamara Craiu
19. “This story was
put on the map,
driven, and
followed on
social media
more so than
any story I can
remember since
the Arab spring
[13].”
Image: flickr - @scottlum
-Chris Hayes, a New
York Times reporter,
on Ferguson protests
online and in reality
20. Movements created by African American users on twitter
such as #IfTheyGunnedMeDown and
#BlackLivesMatter demonstrate effective clicktivism.
Image: Flickr - Scottlum
21. Works Cited
1. Danzico, Matt. "Is the Social Web Divided by Race?" BBC News. 3 July 2012. Web.
2. Daly, Nora. "How Has Social Media Changed the Way We Talk about Race and Justice?" PBS. PBS, 15 Aug. 2014.
Web.
3. Duggan, Maeve, Nicole B. Ellison, Cliff Lampe, Amanda Lenhart, and Mary Madden. "Demographics of Key Social
Networking Platforms." Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. 9 Jan. 2015. Web.
4. Eichler, Leah. "Sorry to Be Rude, but My Smartphone Needs My Attention." The Globe and Mail. 4 Oct. 2013.
Web.
5. Finney, Leon D., Dr. "Blacks Surge Overcome Race Based Digital Divide." Chicago Defender: Mar
2012. ProQuest. Web.
6. Jones, Feminista. "Is Twitter the Underground Railroad of Activism?" Saloncom RSS. 17 July 2013. Web.
7. Kielburger, Craig, and Marc Kielburger. "A Click Is Not Enough to Have Impact on World." Canoe.com. 10 Apr.
2015. Web. 12 June 2015.
8. Krogstad, Jens Manuel. "Social Media Preferences Vary by Race and Ethnicity." Pew Research Center RSS. 3 Feb.
2015. Web.
9. Lenhart, Amanda. "Mobile Access Shifts Social Media Use and Other Online Activities." Pew Research Centers
Internet American Life Project RSS. 8 Apr. 2015. Web.
10. Sharma, Ritu. "Stop Pouring Ice on Clicktivism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Aug. 2014.
Web.
11. Smith, Aaron. "African Americans and Technology Use: A Demographic Portrait." Pew Research Centers Internet
American Life Project RSS. 6 Jan. 2014. Web.
12. Stern, Caryl. "In Praise of Clicktivism." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 31 Mar. 2015. Web.
13. Watkins, S. Craig. "Addressing Race, Inequity Issues Through Social Media Power." DML Central. 22 Sept. 2014.
Web.
14. Wu, Ya-Huei et al. “Bridging the Digital Divide in Older Adults: A Study from an Initiative to Inform Older Adults
about New Technologies.” Clinical Interventions in Aging 10 (2015): 193–201. PMC. Web. 10 June 2015.
