Analyzing Social Media's Role in the #MeToo Movement

Abstract

As more survivors come forward with their stories of sexual harassment, social media sites became an important platform for amplifying these narratives. The intention of this analysis is on the #MeToo movement that has unfolded on social media, specifically Twitter and Facebook. Its genesis is traced, both as a coined term and the hashtag first used by an actress. It is also considered how the discussion has evolved over time, as well as how the callout responses to high-profile accused predators have evolved. Although social media sites empower marginalized voices and experiences of sexual harassment and assault, their capacity for facilitating collective action and tangible justice has not been fully realized. Instead, the ability of this platforms to address and scrutinize the movement and individuals has been the focus of much attention. Two recent case studies are analyzed, one demonstrating the feminist potentiality of a backlash movement and the other more positively examining the long-term positive effects of a movement. A potential future trajectory for the #MeToo movement as it pertains to social media is also discussed. The birth of the #MeToo movement is analyzed, for example, documenting the first 24 hours of this phrase via Twitter. The aim is from that point forward, how many individuals share “first-person revelations of sexual assault/abuse” on social media. Over time, the conversation of the movement turns from first-person testimonials to other discussions of sexism, as is documented with feminist and sexist term analysis on Twitter. The modern movement is intertwined, not starting in the wake of Hollywood celebrities accused of abuse but on a call for better treatment of abuse survivors.

Keywords #MeToo movement, social media, sexual harassment, Twitter, Facebook, collective action, feminist discourse, case studies