When it comes to race and ethnicity and social media engagement, African Americans are vastly outpacing their counterparts. African-American Internet users spent the most time on social networking sites compared to all other ethnic groups, according to a Social Media 2012 report from Nielsen and NM Incite. In July 2012, African Americans spent 8 hours and 7 minutes on social networks via their personal computers. They only came in second to Hispanic users when it came to mobile access to social media, with African Americans spending 8 hours and 20 minutes on the various platforms.
With Blacks at the helm of social conversations, BlackEnterprise.com takes a closer look at the top Black moments in social media:
Barack Obama – Four More Years
It was the photo that was seen around the world. Obama’s heartfelt hug with the First Lady was sent after his win in the November general election with the caption “FOUR MORE YEARS.†The photo instantly went viral, and became the most retweeted post of all time, surpassing 500,000 retweets.
Beyonce Joins Tumblr
Beyonce may not be a fan of Twitter (she’s only tweeted less than 10 times despite having over 6 million followers) but her Tumblr page, complete with glamorous shots, set the world on fire when it debuted in January of last year.
Burger King Pulls Mary J. Blige Commercial After Twitter Reaction
Burger King learned racial sensitivity the hard way after a commercial staring soul singer Mary J. Blige leaked to the Internet. The ad, which some on Twitter deemed offensive, featured Blige singing about fried chicken. It was pulled immediately after fervor from her fans followed the accidental release. Blige later went on to say that the she was “crushed†by the online reaction to the ad.
Barack Obama Does Reddit AMA
Fledgling link site Reddit claims to be the “front page of the Internet,†however it’s no holds-barred attitude and lax restrictions on “offensive†content has garnered the site controversy. Even so, Obama participated in an online discussion forum on the site, entitled “Ask Me Anything,†which crashed the site and gave Reddit a newfound notoriety.
Obama Says “This Seat’s Takenâ€
After actor Clint Eastwood made a somewhat comical mention of Obama as an empty chair during the Republican National Convention in 2012, the Obama team fired back with a simple, yet very effective photo. The pic featured Obama sitting in an executive chair with the caption, “This seat’s taken.â€
#hoodiesforTrayvon Movement
The killing of Florida teen Trayvon Martin sparked fierce debate on social media. Activists showed their support for the slain teen by wearing hoodies in their Twitter avatar. #HoodiesforTrayvon became a trending topic and even garnered celebrity support from Jamie Foxx and The Miami Heat.
Spike Lee Posts Wrong Address on Twitter
Possibly inflamed by the killing of teen Trayvon Martin, Spike Lee posted what he thought was the address of accused killer George Zimmerman. It turned out to be an elderly couple’s home. Spike Lee’s tweet caused the two to flee their home due to death threats. The director has since settled with the family, however, his actions prompted a discussion on Twitter privacy laws.
Frank Ocean Comes Out on Tumblr
Def Jam signee and R&B artist Frank Ocean took a bold step by professing his bisexuality on blogging service Tumblr before his Grammy-nominated album release. The move garnered Ocean praise on social media and started online discussions about black male sexuality.
Michelle Obama Joins Pinterest
Pinterest’s popularity skyrocketed within the past year; however it received a dose of credibility when the First Lady joined the “pinning†service on Fathers Day 2012. Obama has gone on to be one of the most visible faces on the service, acquiring almost 50,000 followers.
Cory Booker Saves Dog
If Cory Booker is elected to The Senate, then he may have to credit Twitter in his victory speech. After a reporter tweeted to the Newark mayor about a dog freezing in record cold temperatures, the mayor took action, rescuing the pooch and placing him in a cop car, all while scolding its owners on Twitter.
Booker Helps Superstorm Sandy Victims Via Twitter
Newark Mayor Cory
Booker is no stranger to Twitter (see what he did with the dog, right?). However the mayor’s Twitter timeline became a resource during Superstorm Sandy, tweeting important information to Newark residents. He even served as comic relief by making a few jokes every now and then.Rihanna Becomes Twitter Sensation…For The Wrong Reasons
It seems that pop star Rihanna has been all over Twitter and Instagram lately, but not for her music. The singer’s scantily clad photos, Twitter beefs and defense of her former lover Chris Brown have kept her in the news…for all the wrong reasons.
CNN Anchor TJ Holmes Live Tweets ‘Driving While Black’
CNN anchor TJ Holmes tweeted a photo of him getting pulled over by a cop in suburban Atlanta earlier last summer. The anchor, who claimed he hadn’t broken any laws, was pulled over by the police because of problems with his “insurance papers.†The situation showed that even celebrities are not above racial profiling.
Gwyneth Paltrow Drops the N-Word on Twitter
Is the N-word okay to say on Twitter? The white Hollywood star tweeted a photo backstage at Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Watch the Throne†tour, quoting the duo’s song title, N-gas in Paris. Even after Black celebrities defended her, Paltrow’s tweets sparked a firestorm on Twitter.
Twitter Opens Office In Detroit
One of Twitter’s most prolific moves happened offline. The social media giant opened an office in Detroit, adding a much needed tech presence to the struggling city. #TwitterDetroit became a trending topic as officials and citizens expressed support for the move.
Whitney Houston’s Death Breaks on Twitter
An unsuspecting tweet from a family member of one of Whitney Houston’s employees confirmed the death of the late singer almost a half-hour before any news media. The tweet added a personal touch to the tragedy and has further cemented Twitter as a breaking news platform.
Pharrell Williams Launches I AM OTHER
The Grammy-award winning producer has made his mark in music and fashion, but in 2012 he launched I AM OTHER, a social network for creatives. Combining traditional social media as well as a video platform on YouTube. The producer hosted the most-recent season of Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl. In fact, social media propelled Rae into viral success, resulting in a development deal with ABC Television.
Oprah Responds to Detractors on Twitter
Twitter’s open nature means that celebrities are more open than ever, which is not always a good thing. After being called out for not doing enough for African Americans, the billionaire media mogul responded with the tweet, “I’ve put 500 African -American men thru college. And u sir?â€
I guess we know who won that Twitter battle.
Share your most-notable social media moment in the comment section below.