Social media in black lives matter movement: amplifying or reducing gaps in protest participation?

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the role of social media in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement by examining how social media news use impacts BLM protest action. Theoretically, we go beyond the frequently discussed relationship between social media and protest participation and examine how grievances, political efficacy, and racial identity conditionally impact the influence of social media on protest engagement. The findings suggest that social media news use amplifies, rather than reduces, the gaps between engaged and disengaged citizens regarding protest participation, particularly in the online sphere. These indicate that social media is not an equalizing tool for BLM participation.