Digital blackface

Digital blackface is a term used to describe the phenomenon of non-Black individuals using digital media, such as GIFs, memes, or audio clips featuring Black individuals, to express emotions or convey ideas. This behavior has sparked debate and criticism due to concerns about cultural appropriation and the perpetuation of stereotypes. Digital blackface has been described as "one of the most insidious forms of contemporary racism" and has been compared to historical minstrelsy, while others have dismissed the concept in its entirety.

Definition

While the definition of digital blackface can vary, it has been used to describe the phenomenon of non-Black people using digital media such as images and voices of Black individuals to explain emotions or phenomena. Digital blackface has been defined by Merriam-Webster as "the use by white people of digital depictions of Black or brown people or skin tones especially for the purpose of self-representation or self-expression". In his 2006 master’s thesis, Joshua Lumpkin Green coined the term "digital blackface" to describe how technology allows nonblack individuals to assume black identities. According to Aaron Nyerges, a Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre, digital blackface "describes the act of producing, posting or circulating ‘black reaction gifs’ online and especially on social media threads." Writer John Blake suggests that if a White person shares an image online that perpetuates stereotypes of Black people as loud, dumb, hyperviolent, or hypersexual, they’ve "entered digital blackface territory". The term has also been applied to situations where racial stereotypes are imitated and adopted online using memes, gifs, and "humorous" online identities that mimic and evoke offensive "thug" or "ghetto" stereotypes.

Writer Vann Newkirk explained to NPR in 2017 that identifying instances of digital blackface can be challenging. He noted that one key indicator is when individuals attempt to mimic what they believe is Black speech in a cartoonish manner, reflecting a superficial understanding of Black culture. One of the defining features of digital blackface is the adoption of exaggerated racialized reactions, which are popular in social media platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. These reactions often reinforce stereotypes of Black people as overly expressive or dramatic. Culture critic Lauren Michele Jackson describes digital blackface as white individuals portraying Black stereotypes, such as being excessively happy, sassy, loud, or "ghetto" without understanding the cultural context behind these expressions, noting that Black characters are seldom portrayed with subtle traits or feelings.

Blackfishing, the act of non-Black social media users — often white women — presenting themselves online in ways that suggest they may be Black, can be seen as a form of digital blackface. This phenomenon can involve altering one's appearance to appear racially ambiguous or falsely implying Black identity, sometimes in an attempt to align with marketable ideas related to Black social justice activism.

It has been highlighted that TikTok's unique format, centered around video content, has led to a distinct form of digital blackface on the platform. Unlike text-based or image-based instances seen on other platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where Black vernacular or memes of Black celebrities are often appropriated, TikTok users embody "Blackness" through personalized videos. This includes mimicking Black rhythms, gestures, affect, and slang with a high degree of creative control. The success of these videos often hinges on the creator's ability to capture and maintain audience attention, effectively making the adopted Blackness a tool for gaining visibility.

Examples

Although the concept had been in circulation prior, culture critic Lauren Michele Jackson has been credited with popularizing the term digital blackface in a 2017 essay for Teen Vogue, where she discussed the importance of addressing digital blackface in reaction GIFs. That year, other media outlets also began discussing this topic and asked non-Black individuals whether it was acceptable to use Black emojis and GIFs.

In his 2006 thesis, using the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as an example, Green suggests that the medium provides a safe space for players to experience racialized violence and sexualization through its black protagonist. Expanding on Green's work, art historian Kate Brown applies the concept of digital blackface to the use of reaction gifs on Tumblr, particularly those featuring black women and queer black men. Brown notes that these gifs, often taking on a minstrelsy quality, have become a common form of communication.

In 2014, Vice News described popular food blog Thug Kitchen as the "latest iteration of digital blackface" after it sparked controversy for using African American Vernacular English in their recipes while being run by two white individuals from California.

In 2023, it was reported that generative AI's use in creating "BIPOC"-presenting models had sparked controversy, with critics labeling it as digital blackface.

In a 2019 paper published in First Monday, Ariadna Matamoros-Fernández, a senior lecturer in Digital Media at Queensland University of Technology, associated the "El Negro de WhatsApp" meme, widely popular in Spain and Latin America, with the concept of digital blackface.

In his 2023 CNN analysis piece on digital blackface, writer John Blake highlights instances where "White" individuals share content like the "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That" video, Crying Jordan and Tyra Banks memes, and a popular GIF of drag queen RuPaul. He suggests that such actions could constitute the unintentional perpetuation of "one he most insidious forms of contemporary racism." A 2022 article in Women's Health asserts that non-Black people using popular GIFs featuring Black individuals, such as Stanley Hudson from The Office or Raven-Symoné, can be considered a form of digital blackface. The article suggests that the use of viral audio on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, where non-Black individuals co-opt audio featuring Black voices for their own content, could also be considered a form of digital blackface. Examples include using popular songs or catchphrases associated with Black creators, such as the "material girl" song or sound bites like "what was the reason" or "it must be nice."

Criticism

Digital blackface has been described as a "digital expression of societally engrained oppression" experienced by Black individuals, who are often commodified and treated as a labor tool rather than as individuals. Critics argue that it is problematic as it reinforces negative stereotypes about Black people, reducing their complexity to a single, often negative narrative. This includes portraying Black individuals as overly animated, loud, aggressive, angry, hypersexual, or overly comedic, and, particularly for women, as excessively sassy. Psychologist Jardin Dogan contends that digital blackface is not just about perpetuating stereotypes but also involves cultural appropriation, as non-Black individuals can adopt a Black identity that they can discard at will, contrasting with the daily confrontation Black individuals face with their race, lacking the privilege to shed it when it's no longer convenient or trendy.

Comparisons to minstrelsy

Main article: Minstrel show

Critics argue that digital blackface, described as "minstrel performance that become available in cyberspace" and as a "virtual, contemporary form" of minstrel shows, is rooted in minstrelsy, a 19th and early 20th-century form of entertainment where White performers portrayed Black characters in a demeaning and stereotypical manner, perpetuating racist ideas and contributing to the marginalization of Black people. According to a 2021 study published in Television & New Media, the online portrayals and behaviors associated with digital blackface mirror the racist foundations of minstrelsy, where non-Black individuals would pretend to be Black through dressing up and performing. Digital blackface is argued to be rooted in minstrelsy not only in the performance's nature but also in the fact that white performers profit socially and financially from the likenesses of Black individuals.

Digital blackface content is often created with the intention of being humorous, according to community psychologist Riana Elyse Anderson. However, she explains that due to the historical roots of minstrelsy and its association with entertainment, non-Black people may perceive these portrayals as exaggerated caricatures rather than representations of individuals who can be experts, leaders, or taken seriously in any capacity.

Criticism of the concept of digital blackface

Turning Point USA, an American nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics in secondary and higher education, has called the concept of digital blackface "virtue signaling nonsense" and a "cancel culture attack". A 2023 article by British online magazine UnHerd argued against the concept of "digital blackface," suggesting that it "reads like an attempt to meme more racism into existence by claiming that it’s already everywhere". The author criticized it as an overblown and divisive issue perpetuated by the media and contended that attempts to segregate cultural expressions along racial lines were regressive. In response to a CNN article on digital blackface, political scientist Wilfred Reilly tweeted that "as actual racism continues to decline, new varieties will simply be invented/’promoted’ and used to make us fight one another," referring to the article as "stupid".

Further reading

• Davis, Cienna. Digital Blackface and the Troubling Intimacies of TikTok Dance Challenges. TikTok Cultures in the United States. Routledge, 2022.
• Green, Joshua. Digital Blackface: The Repackaging of the Black Masculine Image. Miami University, 2006
• Jones, Ellen E. "Why are memes of black people reacting so popular online?" The Guardian, 2018.