LGBT

#RaisethePride: Toronto Pride flag measures LGBT sentiment on Twitter

by Craig Takeuchi on June 25th, 2014 at 2:27 PM
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      If you're concerned about queerphobia on social media, there's an art installation and campaign that is encouraging LGBT people and allies to help counter derogatory sentiments.

      Toronto PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has helped to create an interactive rainbow flag in Toronto that is sensitive to the positive and negative messages on Twitter.

      The flag is flying on the roof of the Churchmouse (at Church and Mainland streets in Toronto) for the duration of WorldPride 2014.

      The flag is hooked up to a Raspberry Pi single-board computer, Arduino single-board microcontroller, and a stepper motor.

      The technology aggregates the positive and negative tweets and either raises or lowers the flag in real time accordingly.

      Homophobic slurs (including statements like "that's so gay") lower the flag while messages of support or encouragement and good news lift the flag.

      It offers a visual representation of the state of social media sentiment.

      A virtual flag also rises and lowers at the website.

      To help the flag rise, tweeters are encouraged to tweet something with the hashtag #RaisethePride.

      WorldPride 2014 continues in Toronto until June 29, and includes parties, conferences, a Pride parade, and more.

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