Protests and AR

The Black Lives Matter protests were a big part of 2020. Organizing and sending a message is the focus of protests. BLM protesters used AR technology for their messaging which certainly is a new way of communicating.

Mostly in the form of social media AR filters, Black Lives Matter signs, posters and so on spread the BLM-word. However, lots of different approaches can be found. Estella Tse 3D modelled a rose for use in AR applications and donated all the proceeds to the movement.

Benefits

Using AR technology during protests has huge potential for spreading the word through social media. Particularly the BLM movement but also lots of others greatly benefited from the social media exposure they got. And interactive, engaging and interesting AR filters make sharing the message attractive even for people who are not active members of the movement.

Challenges

There is a chance that some people will see augmented reality features during protests and use it as an excuse to dismiss the movement for not being serious.

What to Take Away

The BLM-movement exploded thanks to technology. And we will see more and more usage for such events, no doubt. Augmented reality provides a great way to spread the message, and enables young artists and creators to utilize their skills for a good cause.

Examples

AR supporting Black Lives Matter

Kacey Dilla used twitter to gather some examples for AR experiences that supported the BLM movement and compiled them into an article.

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