The Brief: "This you?" is a response on Twitter used to question an individual or an organization's intentions in a tweet deemed contradictory to the individual or organization's previous behavior. "This you?" tweets are accompanied with proof of prior controversial actions.

Bluesquiggle
DEEP DIVE

“This you?” is a quip used on Twitter to clapback at a conflicting statement an individual, brand, company, or institution has made in the past in regards to their previous, controversial behavior.

Twitter users typically reply to the tweet with the phrase “This you?” along with photo proof of the individual or organization’s previous questionable actions. It is unclear when “This you?” first appeared on Twitter and who first coined it, but it is increasing in popularity on the app, especially in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter movement online, which protests police brutality against Black people.

While many are using their platforms to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement, many Twitter users are also calling out celebrities, influencers, universities, brands, and corporations for their performative activism, using “This you?”

One of the most controversial and popular “This you?” call-outs was against the NFL. The National Football League tweeted a statement sending their condolences to the family of George Floyd, a black man died after a police officer took a knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds suffocating him. Many found it contradictory considering the NFL ousted 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 for peacefully and silently taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality. In May 2018, the NFL began fining players who decided to peacefully protest.

On May 30, user @itsjazmarie retweeted the NFL’s statement along with their response to Kaepernick’s peaceful protest with the caption, “This you?”

In a sensitive time such as this, many people do no want to stand with companies they believe do not have their best intentions in mind and, in this case, are simply co-signing a movement while mistreating Black employees or exhibiting racist actions in the past. It is important to highlight that many of these individuals, organizations, and brands have shown little to no effort to improve their treatment toward Black people or understanding of the issues at hand.

Here are other “This you?” tweets calling out companies:

The Richmond Police:

Universities:

Celebrities, athletes, and influencers: