Two-thirds of black social media users say that most or some of the posts they see on social media are about race % of social media users who say that of the posts they see on social networking sites are about race or race relations
In recent years, these platforms have provided new arenas for national conversations about race and racial inequality. Some researchers and activists credit social media – in particular, Black Twitter – with propelling racially focused issues to greater national attention. In fact, two of the most used hashtags around social causes in Twitter history focus on race and criminal justice: #Ferguson and #BlackLivesMatter. In addition to social and political issues, social media also serve as places where conversations about race intersect with a number of issues, including pop culture, sports and everyday personal experiences.
A new Pew Research Center survey finds significant differences in the way black and white adults use social media to share and interact with race-related content1 And a Pew Research Center analysis of tweets reveals that key news events – from Baltimore, to Charleston, South Carolina, to Dallas – often serve as a catalyst for social media conversations about race.
Black social media users (68%) are roughly twice as likely as whites (35%) to say that at least some of the posts they see on social networking sites are about race or race relations. When it comes to their own postings, a similar racial gap exists. Among black social media users, 28% say most or some of what they post is about race or race relations; 8% of whites say the same. On the other hand, roughly two-thirds (67%) of whites who use social media say that none of things they post or share pertain to race.
Two-thirds of black social media users  | say that most or some of the posts they  | see on social media are about race  | % of social media users who say that of the posts  | they see on social networking sites are about race or  | race relations  | Some  | Only few  | None  | Most  | All social  | 34  | 41  | 14  | media users  | Whites 6  | 29  | 48  | 16  | Blacks  | 24  | 44  | 27  | Note: Whites and blacks tincludeonly non-Hispanics All socia media  | users include adult.socialmedia users ofall races Don't  | know/Refused" responses are notshown.  | Source: Survev ofu.s adults conducted Feb 29-May8, 2016  | Q13a  | "Social Media Conversations About Race  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 