John Blake, a CNN analyst, argues that a white person who posts memes, videos, or photos of Black public figures could be perpetuating racism.

“Maybe you shared that viral video of Kimberly ‘Sweet Brown’ Wilkins telling a reporter after narrowly escaping an apartment fire, ‘Ain’t nobody got time for that! Perhaps you posted that meme of supermodel Tyra Banks exploding in anger on ‘America’s Next Top Model’ (‘I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!’). Or maybe you’ve simply posted popular GIFs, such as the one of NBA great Michael Jordan crying, or of drag queen RuPaul declaring, ‘Guuuurl…’” Blake wrote in an article published Sunday.

Also Read | Miami-Dade County youth fair fight video goes viral after false shooting reports create panic, stampede

“You may be wearing digital blackface,” he said.

Blake wrote about “digital blackface” and how can people know when they are allegedly guilty of perpetuating it.

However, Blake received backlash for his article.

“Dear Sane White people, please use this GIF in response to this preposterously dumb diatribe. CNN and John Blake deserve to be laughed at endlessly for this stupid shit,” a user wrote on Twitter.

“Who is John Blake? Whoever he is gave me the biggest laugh for a Sunday. Omg,” another user said.

“John blake” lowkey the whitest name I’ve ever heard,” a user said.

Who is John Blake?

John Blake is a publisher and former journalist. He is a native of Baltimore. He was born on November 6, 1948, in Hitchin to a nurse and a soldier who fought in both world wars, ultimately becoming a major.

Also Read | Tiger on loose in Troup County, Georgia, after escaping zoo as tornado rips through area

At the age of 17, Blake dropped out of school and started working at the Hackey Gazette. Later, he took a job at an evening newspaper in Luton and a news agency followed.

Starting as a pop columnist for the London Evening News in the early 1970s, his journalism developed into a column titled “Ad Lib,” a gossip column and lifestyle guide.

Also Read | Where is the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition Inc?

Blake co-wrote the book Up And Down in 1976 with the Rolling Stones, the memoirs of ‘Spanish Tony’ Sanchez, a friend of, and assistant to, Keith Richards.

He was the first editor of Bizarre, a celebrity gossip column launched by The Sun in 1982.

In 1984, he moved to the Daily Mirror and launched a pop column called “White Hot Club.” Blake become the editor of the Sunday People in 1988. In 1990, he was a producer for Sky TV.

Also Read | Who is Matt Laubhan, WTVA meteorologist gets emotional while covering Mississippi tornado?

In 1991, John and his brother David founded Blake Publishing. After the dissolution of the original partnership in March 2002, he went sole proprietorship and started John Blake publishing. The company was acquired by Bonnier Publishing in May 2016 for an undisclosed amount.

John and his Diane have three children – Emma, Charlotte, and Adam.