LGBT

Fearless

(18,421 posts) Sat Mar 30, 2013, 12:13 AM Mar 2013

How The Red Equal Sign Took Over Facebook, According To Facebook's Own Data

It seemed like most people were changing their Facebook profile pictures to the Human Rights Campaign's symbol for equality -- that red equal sign -- this week as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases concerning same-sex marriage. Turns out, it didn't just seem like most people were doing it -- hard data backs up what you saw in your Facebook feed. 2.7 million more people changed their profile pictures on Tuesday, March 26 compared to the previous Tuesday, a trove of charts published by Facebook on Friday reveal...

The well-known geographic divides are apparently: same-sex marriage gets more support in the more liberal Northeast and West, less in the South. Additionally, Facebook found that 30-year-olds were the most likely to change their profile picture, with around 3.5 percent doing so. The data also showed that, unsurprisingly, those living in college towns were the most likely to change their profile pictures. Sure, it's great that people feel comfortable to publicly show their support for such an important issue, but does changing your profile picture really make a difference?...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/29/red-equal-sign-facebook_n_2980489.html?ir=Gay+Voices&ref=topbar

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The map above documents where the most photo changes occurred.

6 replies

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How The Red Equal Sign Took Over Facebook, According To Facebook's Own Data (Original Post) Fearless Mar 2013 OP

I did my best for S.W. Florida. William769 Mar 2013 #1

I look at the darker shades in rural Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming... Archaic Mar 2013 #2

That's pretty... Kalidurga Mar 2013 #3

I changed mine. bravenak Mar 2013 #4

+1 Fearless Mar 2013 #5

I am amazed when I scroll through my FB how many I see on my page. beyurslf Mar 2013 #6

William769

(55,147 posts)

1. I did my best for S.W. Florida.

Reply to Fearless (Original post)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 12:17 AM

Mar 2013

Archaic

(273 posts)

2. I look at the darker shades in rural Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming...

Reply to Fearless (Original post)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 12:38 AM

Mar 2013

And you can definitely see that it's inevitable.

Older folks aren't on facebook in the numbers younger folks are. So that will skew the graph darker. But those older folks would tend to vote no on it. As the generations cycle, it'll happen like it should have decades ago.

The deep south's lack of shading might be a peer pressure thing in some cases. Where people who would support equality are afraid to change their profile picture.

I wonder what the map would look like in 5 years.

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

3. That's pretty...

Reply to Fearless (Original post)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 12:38 AM

Mar 2013

It's a lot more red than I thought it would be. Love is a beautiful thing.

bravenak

(34,648 posts)

4. I changed mine.

Reply to Fearless (Original post)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 01:05 AM

Mar 2013

I'm 32 does that count? I made it a whole bunch of red equal signs. Most people responded well, so I felt pleased that my friends are normal, not a bunch of haters.

Fearless

(18,421 posts)

5. +1

Reply to bravenak (Reply #4)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 01:12 AM

Mar 2013

32 certainly counts! Overall I think it raises awareness, and it seems to have had a very positive affect to that end!

beyurslf

(6,755 posts)

6. I am amazed when I scroll through my FB how many I see on my page.

Reply to Fearless (Original post)

Sat Mar 30, 2013, 01:44 PM

Mar 2013

Even people who are not political and don''t typical engage in "activism" things online were doing it. I had to scroll quite a ways to find one who didn't have it for awhile.

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