In this article, the devastating death of George Floyd is discussed specifically in the context of social media’s pivotal role. While, unfortunately, police brutality-inflicted deaths happen often, they are consistently swept under the rug. However, when Floyd’s death was videotaped and went viral, action had to happen. Unfortunately, if this were not so out in the open to the public, it is likely that nothing would have happened, legally.
While in this course, we often discuss the negatives of technology’s presence in our lives, it is important to note that in cases like these, it is very helpful to have the resources to not only take a video but to post it online for millions of people to see. The article states, “It gives the public a chance to play judge and jury in cases that could get swept under the carpet”. In the case of getting justice where it is needed and otherwise may be swept under the rug, technology serves a very necessary role.
You make a good point. Oftentimes I choose to see the negatives when thinking about technology and the hold it has taken on many lives. However, with technology being so accessible to most people today, it’s hard to ignore a video that’s gone viral. While I think this aspect of the internet is extremely important, I also believe that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Yes, the video uploaded of George Floyd being killed sparked the very needed attention it received. However, there are still so many videos, along with other types of evidence, that go unnoticed. Regardless, the internet has proven to be a very important tool in garnering necessary attention.