Politico's scoop that it had obtained a draft opinion revealing that the Supreme Court had voted to overturn Roe v. Wade spread earlier, and fast, on Twitter. That in itself is not news; the social media platform has been the masses' de facto newswire for many years now, for better or worse. But it is an example of how we take the service's speed, reach, and relatively unfettered, instantaneous access to information for granted.
This is as vital for journalists as it is for activists and community organizers, especially in times of crisis. But it's also a beneficial tour for stirring bystanders to action, as April Reign proved when she created #OscarsSoWhite, the hashtag that turned a Klieg light on Hollywood's lack of people of color among the nominees for the 87th Academy Awards. This was the first push in what became a larger movement for inclusion in front of and behind cameras throughout the industry.
