Amplification, evasion, hijacking: algorithms as repertoire for social movements and the struggle for visibility

ABSTRACT

While scholars of activism have begun to unfold the dynamics of the ‘contentious politics of data’, less explored are the forms of appropriation of algorithms to pursue political objectives by social movements. This article fills this gap by offering a novel theoretical framework, a conceptual vocabulary, and a typology to foreground and articulate algorithmic activism as a subset of algorithmic politics. It starts discussing why an excessive focus on the power of platforms risks disregarding the exploration of agency and provides the definitions of algorithmic agency and politics. Subsequently, it centres on algorithmic activism and demonstrates that algorithms have become the latest addition to the contention repertoire of social movements. Drawing on a heterogeneous set of examples and case studies (including our own research and a database of 250 articles), we propose and examine a typology of three dynamics of algorithmic activism, i.e. algorithmic amplification, evasion, and hijacking. We show that the struggle for visibility (either to achieve it or deny it) lies at the centre of all these types of activism. In the conclusions, we reflect on the key takeaways of our work, clarifying that algorithmic activism (1) exceeds the notion of ‘hashtag activism’ (2) constitutes an agnostic concept (3) is part of an incessant political struggle between algorithmic strategies and tactics.

KEYWORDS:

• Data politics
• algorithmic politics
• algorithmic agency
• algorithmic resistance
• algorithmic activism
• social movements

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University (Wales, UK) for providing funding that supported the creation of the database used in this article through the AlgoRes Project. A special thanks to Thomas Davis for his hard work and dedication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. See for instance: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Mueller/comments/8on76n/the_first_picture_that_comes_up_when_you_google/.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología [SNI (Mexican National System of Researchers)]; School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC), Cardiff University, Wales, UK [Seed Funding]; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [430-2014-00181]

Notes on contributors

Emiliano Treré

Emiliano Treré (PhD, University of Udine) is a Reader in Data Agency and Media Ecologies at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture. He is a widely cited author in digital activism and critical data studies with a focus on the Global South. He co-founded the ‘Big Data from the South’ Initiative and co-directs the Data Justice Lab. His book Hybrid Media Activism (Routledge, 2019) won the Outstanding Book Award of the ICA Interest Group ‘Activism, Communication and Social Justice’. His forthcoming book with Tiziano Bonini (MIT Press, 2023) explores power, agency and resistance in the platform society.

Tiziano Bonini

Tiziano Bonini (PhD, University of Siena) is Associate Professor in Sociology of Communication and Culture at the Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Siena, Italy. His research interests include political economy of the media, platform studies, critical algorithm studies, media production studies, and digital cultures.