Why Are Social Media Feeds Filled With Black Boxes Today?

People are showing their opposition to the result of yesterday’s U.S. Presidential election of Donald Trump with Instagram and Twitter users changing their profile layouts to plain black profile pictures and headers.

Social media was a defining factor in the election results; according to opinion piece by Shout! Strategy Director Michael Jenkins it was the “Twitter Election”. But some social media users are protesting the results with #Blackout and #TwitterBlackout becoming symbols of disapproval for Trump:

black layout if you’re against trump #TwitterBlackout pic.twitter.com/xDtHhMEiBg

— shinee being extra (@shineebeinextra) November 9, 2016

whatever happens in the next four years

Black Lives Matter
LOVE IS LOVE
Women Are Strong
and Minorities Matter#twitterblackout

— emily (@rositamaggie) November 9, 2016

Fight for what is RIGHT.

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) November 9, 2016

Im not going to deal with someone who does awful things to women and makes fun of people with disabilities. #TwitterBlackout

— KenzieHorrorX (@mykensieandalex) November 9, 2016

#Twitterblackout for all the people who were attacked during a hateful camping and now have to deal with a bigoot.
BE #noncompliant

— Marisol ♌ ⚨ (@Skjaldmo4Sol) November 9, 2016

I’m a Black man that will continue to have to deal w/racist people yelling trump at me and saying black lives dont matter #TwitterBlackOut

— Dwan Turner (@DwanTurner) November 9, 2016

LGBTQ+ lives matter
Muslim lives matter
Women need equal rights
Black lives matter
Latino lives matter#twitterblackout#HesNotMyPresidentpic.twitter.com/ZtUZ8vDePa

— lara |-/ (@charcoalskiess) November 9, 2016

You’re gonna be fine as long as you’re not

Black
Latino
LGBTQ+
An immigrant
Any POC
A woman
Disabled
A victim of abuse#twitterblackout

— beth ?️‍? (@cookiesftniall) November 9, 2016

Congratulations America you just played yourself ?????? #AmeriKKKa #ImWithHer #Kanye2020 #notmypresident #twitterblackout

— Desiree Gregg (@desg213) November 9, 2016

I’m not American, but today will go down in history. And can effect everyone’s future. #twitterblackout

— juicy lucy (@lucysalvatorex) November 9, 2016

Instagram

I spent the Bush years in London defending America, but I don’t think I can anymore. I never realized how much hatred there was in what I thought was the strongest country in the world. I don’t know what to say.

A photo posted by Jonathan Shia (@jonathanshia) on Nov 8, 2016 at 11:54pm PST

// Stand up for what is right. Love is love. Women are strong. Minorities matter. ? #blackout

A photo posted by Ali Newbury (@alinewbury) on Nov 9, 2016 at 3:41pm PST

A photo posted by Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) on Nov 9, 2016 at 7:29am PST

A photo posted by Mark Ronson (@iammarkronson) on Nov 9, 2016 at 8:45am PST

A photo posted by Florence Welch (@florence) on Nov 9, 2016 at 8:56am PST

?

A photo posted by Chloe Sevigny (@chloessevigny) on Nov 9, 2016 at 4:28am PST