“It is not just a fight against corruption or brutality; it is a call for justice, human dignity, and accountability. In the digital age, the power of the people, amplified through social media, has become an undeniable force for change, compelling the world to confront systemic injustices.” Jumoke Lawal, Nigerian Social Justice Advocate
In recent years, social media has given protests a new frontier, transforming activism from a grassroots endeavor into a sophisticated public relations operation. It starts with a simple act: a tweet, a post, a video upload.
But in the hands of those demanding change, these digital moments coalesce into something far greater. With the rise of a single hashtag such as #MeToo, #ArabSpring, and #EndSARS; simple yet powerful, surges through the digital ether, capturing the hopes, anger, and determination of a generation, these protests against corruption and mismanagement have demonstrated that PR is not just for corporations; it’s for the people fighting systems that fail them.
The hashtag has become the rallying cry of modern protests and a cornerstone of this new era. It transcends borders and languages, bringing global attention to local grievances and placing pressure on institutions to act. It encapsulates a movement in a word or phrase, making it digestible and shareable. When corruption scandals break, the hashtags emerge as rallying cries—unifying the anger of the oppressed into a cohesive demand for change.
Movements against corruption, injustice, and mismanagement now rely on hashtags not just as tools for visibility, but as strategic public relations vehicles designed to create change.
The hashtag-powered revolution is no accident. It is a meticulously crafted PR effort, wielded by activists and citizens who understand its potential to amplify voices and demand accountability. In recent years, the strategy has been refined, demonstrating how a single phrase can grow into a global phenomenon.
In the case of the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria, what began as isolated outcries against police brutality transformed into an international protest against systemic corruption. The hashtag unified the discontented, connecting their voices across cities and continents.
The #EndSARS movement was not born overnight. It was the culmination of years of frustration over the rampant abuse of power by the SARS unit, a special police force in Nigeria that had been accused of widespread corruption, extortion, illegal arrests, and brutal tactics, including torture and murder. Despite numerous reports and outcries from citizens, SARS had largely operated with impunity, shielded by the Nigerian government and the police hierarchy.
In 2017, a few brave individuals began to share their stories on social media, highlighting the excesses of SARS officers. It wasn’t until October 2020, however, that the movement truly gained traction, after a video surfaced showing SARS officers allegedly shooting and killing a young man. The video ignited widespread outrage, and citizens across Nigeria, and later globally, began to rally around the #EndSARS hashtag.
The movement’s digital strategy was revolutionary. Protesters, armed with little more than smartphones, live-streamed their experiences, sharing stories of abuse and bravery with an unfiltered immediacy that traditional media often struggles to capture. Each tweet, post, and video was a brick in the digital fortification of the protest, ensuring the message could not be ignored.
Social media became the great equalizer. Influencers and celebrities amplified the hashtag, from local musicians to international icons like Rihanna and Jack Dorsey. Their endorsements pulled global attention toward Nigeria, demonstrating the unrelenting power of collective digital action. The movement raised funds, organized legal aid, and provided real-time updates—all through the tools of social media.
Yet, the story of hashtags and protest PR is not limited to one country. Across the world, similar narratives unfold. In Hong Kong, during the pro-democracy protests, hashtags like #StandWithHongKong united millions despite aggressive government crackdowns. In the United States, #BlackLivesMatter became a rallying cry against systemic racism, galvanizing support for policy changes and cultural shifts. In these instances, hashtags acted as the connective tissue, binding together individuals and communities into cohesive movements.
The success of a hashtag as a PR tool lies in its ability to tell a story. Unlike traditional protests, where slogans and speeches often remain confined to physical spaces, hashtags create a digital archive of the movement’s evolution. They allow the world to witness not just the demands, but the human faces behind them—the mother who lost her son, the survivor standing defiant, the young protester holding a handmade sign in trembling hands.
But the hashtag revolution is not without its challenges. Governments, recognizing the power of these digital tools, have sought to suppress them. Platforms have been blocked, internet access restricted, and activists targeted. In Nigeria, the government’s temporary ban on Twitter during the #EndSARS protests aimed to stifle the movement’s momentum. Yet, the protesters adapted, migrating to Instagram, Telegram, and other platforms, proving the resilience of digital activism.
Skeptics often argue that hashtags are fleeting, pointing to the fickle nature of social media trends. While it’s true that online attention can wane, the legacy of a hashtag often extends far beyond its initial burst of activity. It creates awareness, sparks conversations, and leaves behind a digital footprint that future movements can build upon.
The hashtag has evolved from a mere symbol to a powerful weapon in the fight against corruption and mismanagement. It has democratized the tools of public relations, allowing even the most marginalized voices to shape narratives and challenge power structures. In doing so, it has redefined activism for the digital age.
As the world grapples with rising discontent, the role of the hashtag in protest PR will only grow. These six-character rallying cries are not just trends; they are the chronicles of change, written by ordinary people determined to reshape their societies.
These protests proves that in today’s world, the fight for justice doesn’t just happen on the streets—it happens online, where digital spaces offer activists the chance to reach a global audience and put pressure on those in power. While the ultimate outcomes of the protests remain uncertain, the lasting impact of the #EndSARS movement is undeniable: it demonstrated the immense power of social media PR in fueling protest, driving social change, and demanding accountability from the highest levels of government.
The revolution is here, and it is being hashtagged.
