Social media users criticised for using George Floyd protests as photo-ops

Social media has become a vital channel for spreading footage and information about the George Floyd protests taking place across the US, with many sharing blackout posts in solidarity with demonstrators.

But some influencers have been criticised for faking participation in the protests and subsequent clean-up efforts, or capitalising on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Last week millionaire YouTuber Jake Paul appeared in videos in an Arizona mall which was in the process of being looted, sparking complaints and criticism.

He was filmed with a group of friends watching people entering broken-into Chinese restaurant P.F. Chang's, with one video appearing to show someone handing him a bottle of vodka taken from the premises.

In a social media statement after the incident he said he had taken part in the protests all day and had been tear-gassed by police. He denied being involved in "looting or vandalism".

Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin, an intern at the Washington Examiner newspaper, was filmed in Los Angeles over the weekend briefly borrowing a drill from a man boarding up a shop while her companion took photographs, before removing her face mask and getting back into her car.

In another case, a woman was photographed in front of a smashed T-Mobile shop, and three people were also filmed taking photographs in front of a burning car.

In one case, a woman's Instagram account posted screenshots of conversations appearing to show her and her friends arranging to go to the protests to take pictures of themselves for pictorial purposes. It has now been hijacked by critics, who are using it to expose other social media users for posts criticising the protests, or reenacting Mr Floyd's death for fun.

Influencers in the Wild, a Twitter account dedicated to chronicling the actions of influencers, tweeted: "Stop treating the protests like Coachella!"

On the video app TikTok, white influencers from around the world posted videos where they painted their faces with fake blood and wrote protest slogans on their skin. One German teenager posted a video where she painted half of her face black, before taking it down and apologising.

Many brands also made posts in support of the movement, with some criticised for voicing support while running businesses that critics say perpetuate and enable racism.

'Nextdoor', which is used to share crime reports and suspicious behaviour among communities, posted "Black lives matter. You are not alone. Everyone should feel safe in their neighbourhood," prompting criticism from people who pointed out racist posts on the app.

One US sports commentator Patrick Clayborn responded: "Love to walk my dog and be called 'suspicious' on your website!"

Last week Madonna posted a video of her adopted son David Banda, 14, dancing to a Michael Jackson song in "tribute" to Mr Floyd, which was criticised as a bizarre response to the killing.

Many celebrity tributes were compared to a 2017 advert starring reality TV star Kendall Jenner, which depicted her  defusing a protest by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. The company apologised and took down the advert after one day.

However, other celebrities drew praise for their posts, including 18-year-old Los Angeles pop star Billie Eilish and comedian and filmmaker Seth Rogen.