Race and Creating

Social Identities
Online
BY: MARKESHA GIBBONS
 Who Are “This audience is often imagined
and constructed by an individual in
We Talking order to present themselves
appropriately, based on
To When technological affordances and
immediate social context” (Marwick
We Post and Boyd, 2010).
Online?
Understanding
Online Racial
Identities
▶ Jason Chan, author of the article
Racial Identity in Online Spaces,
wrote “To understand how
individuals construct racial
identities, however, first
understanding how social media
engagement affects how they
make meaning of race and
racial identity is necessary”
(Chan, 2017).
▶ Social media users tend to
post and share things that are
directly relatable to their
offline lives. Ex.
#BlackLivesMatter
#BlackGirlsRock movement
How Racial Identity Forms The
Online Audience
▶ Factors such as:
▶ Race
▶ Kinship
▶ Job
▶ Religious Beliefs
▶ Culture Connections
Is how social media users typically build their audience.
Racial identities and how we engage with our followers online is directed by
manifestations we are experiencing at that moment in time.
ON THIS DAY
FACEBOOK FEATURES THAT SHOWS YOU PREVIOUS
POST MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS ON THAT DAY.
 CONCLUSION
▶ Everyone who participates in any type of social platform
online has an online audience, and our audiences is
determined by our racial identities online and how we
brand ourselves for others to view us.
▶ Participating in “hashtag activism” movements such as
Black Lives Matter contributes to building racial identity
pinpointing a specific audience
▶ It is very important how we choose to represent ourselves
online, as it equally important to understand one’s racial
identity and how this leads their engagement and
relationships with their online audience and followers.
 References Page
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