Seeing black squares on your Instagram feed? Here’s why

If you checked your Instagram feed Tuesday, you might have noticed many accounts you follow — whether they belong to friends, or celebrities — posting black images in lieu of photos.

The gesture represents participation in Blackout Tuesday, a movement that’s encouraging people to halt social media posting for the day to take a stand against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other incidents of police brutality across America.

The movement follows multiple days of unrest in cities across the country that have included peaceful protests, and well as looting, arsons and clashes with police.

Who started Blackout Tuesday?

Blackout Tuesday originally started with two music industry executives who wanted to hold a day to reflect on the murders of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other black citizens.

“We will not continue to conduct business as usual without the regard for Black lives,” wrote Jamile Thomas and Brianna Agyemang in a Sunday night post. Their mission was to hold the music industry, which benefits from “the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people” accountable, they wrote.

Many top record labels have joined in, as well as companies closely connected to the music industry like Live Nation, TikTok and the Recording Academy. Some labels said they won’t release any new music on Tuesday, or for the rest of the week.

Chicago celebs participating

Some celebrities have logged off of social media completely, while others started posting a blank black square to their millions of followers.

Chicago artists and athletes like G Herbo, Mitch Trubisky, Jennifer Hudson, Lupe Fiasco and Taylor Bennett as well as big names like Kylie Jenner, Mick Jagger and Quincy Jones have all posted a black square to their Instagram feeds.

Don’t use #BlackLivesMatter

Those participating in Blackout Tuesday by posting a black square to Instagram and other social media platforms are using the hashtags #BlackoutTuesday and #TheShowMustBePaused.

Many have also used the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, which has been widely used as a tool for protesters to communicate information through social media. But since it’s being used during the Tuesday event alongside the black squares, some activists say it’s hindering their ability to use the hashtag as a tool to communicate important information.

Organizers are urging Blackout Tuesday participants to stop using the #BlackLiveMatter hashtag, so people looking for information on the Black Lives Matter movement or protests organized by the group have access to that information.