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On Thursday, Feb. 23, Facebook users may notice red Xs appearing on their feed. It's part of a movement to end human trafficking and modern-day slavery; created by the nonprofit End It Movement, today is known as Shine A Light On Slavery Day. Wondering how to change your profile picture to a red X for Shine A Light On Slavery Day? Taking a moment to support this worthy cause on social media is quick and easy — and it could make a big impact in the lives of millions of victims of human trafficking.
The Shine A Light On Slavery Day campaign was started five years ago by the End It Movement to encourage people to speak out for freedom and raise awareness and aid for those in need. While it may be notoriously difficult to spot, the human trafficking trade is still very much alive and well. In 2012 the International Labour Organization released data showing that 21 million people have fallen victim to forced sex and labor trafficking around the world — with 1.5 million in North American alone. The numbers have only grown over the years, prompting Senator Bob Corker to introduce the End Modern Slavery Initiative in 2015, with a hearing having been held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee just last week.
Facebook profile photos have become an important part of social media activism — a platform to convey messages of solidarity or raise awareness. Of course, it's important to fight back offline as well, by donating money, time, skills, or anything else you have to give; however joining Thursday's campaign with a strong statement across social media platforms is a good first step.
Here's how to change your profile picture to stand against human trafficking:
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Download The End It Movement Digital Tool Kit For Facebook Image Options...
Click the far right option to "Download the digital tool kit" and you will receive a file containing red X images sized for facebook profile photos and banners, as well as similar images for Twitter and Instagram. Select the image that you want to use as your profile photo.