Cape Town – The hashtag #SocialMediaBlackOut started trending on Tuesday, following a call by Ntsiki Mazwai who encouraged South Africans to boycott social media. The hashtag’s aim was to protest against high data costs.
READ: SA rallies against high data costs with #SocialMediaBlackout
In a Twitter poll, Fin24 asked users if they thought this boycott would help reduce data costs. Users had strong views on the matter. See the responses below.
Do you think a #SocialMediaBlackout will aid in reducing the cost of data in South Africa?
— Fin24 (@Fin24) June 21, 2017
10000% no. We've purchased the data we are or are not using. We'll run out of it and will have to buy more.
— Rick-Ret Cadillac (@irCadillac) June 21, 201
We should actually memo the govt to regulate these industries, they're freaking monopolising every service
— Lauretta-M™ (@Lauretta_Morudu) June 21, 2017
Overall, it appears as though the campaign was not that successful as another hashtag, #SocialMediaShutDown started trending on Wednesday.
READ: Why #SocialMediaBlackout failed and trended instead
Have a look at these memes:
I'm here on #SocialMediaShutdown protest to keep law and order. We don't want damage to tweets and vandalism in mentions. Watching the TL
— RSA Police Minister (@MbalulaFikile) June 21, 2017
#SocialMediaShutdown I tried to be offline but I couldn't, it felt like I'm hungry pic.twitter.com/EkVi6xcBvB
— tembinator (@junk_status) June 21, 2017
When everyone is on #SocialMediaShutdown but i am not bothered because: Free WiFi at home and at work...?????? pic.twitter.com/6yTE9nHhmI
— Jabu (@JbMotha) June 21, 2017
#SocialMediaShutdown When you have been offline and decide to cheat only to realise shutdown is trending?? pic.twitter.com/zWChzeIOoq
— forbykay (@forbykay) June 21, 2017
How is this #SocialMediaShutdown hashtag trending though ? pic.twitter.com/OrmQcy6CQ8
— Altjozi (@altjozi) June 21, 2017
MTN just gave me a free Gig to utilize for the next 7 days does that mean I've been bribed? #SocialMediaShutdown pic.twitter.com/YkD0aMdMdl
— sandile (@Fenzito_souls) June 21, 2017
Waiting for amagundane who are not part of #SocialMediaShutdown pic.twitter.com/xSKadvIMNx
— Bayanya laba (@MdladlaSiya) June 21, 2017
Tried staying offline in the name of #SocialMediaShutdown but kept on getting notifications that people are tweeting, so yeah we outchea pic.twitter.com/GIZ6bUQVa0
— Benjamin Freedom (@BenjaminFreedom) June 21, 2017
While on this #SocialMediaShutdown can we also address the issue of our tweets being stolen by FB people to look relevant there pic.twitter.com/ihniT1sqB6
— ukhanki (@TboozeSA) June 21, 2017
Bunch of hypocrites!!??#SocialMediaShutdown pic.twitter.com/kQQwHUn0UW
— Amanda (@Queen_Cand) June 21, 2017
This is how the mobile networks are laughing at us while we tweet our data away. #SocialMediaBlackout #SocialMediaShutdown #tsaon3 pic.twitter.com/TCrItZFsPc
— Kenneth Ntuli (@kennethntuli) June 21, 2017
Instead of #SocialMediaShutdown have a #socialmediablackball where you use your data- tag and hashtag your provider and give piece of mind? pic.twitter.com/IL0ilJBjRa
— Garth Breytenbach (@GBreyts) June 21, 2017
Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter: Fin24’s top storiesMTN be like "bayeke Vodacom, we'll deplete their data abasazi kahle" #SocialMediaShutdown pic.twitter.com/8s0P3hLsw9
— Boy Masaka? (@Percyk10) June 21, 2017