For this week’s blog post, I focused on how participation online connects to larger structures of power, especially within contemporary activist movements. What stood out to me most is how online platforms allow people to contribute in ways that feel spontaneous and individualized, yet these contributions often accumulate into something much larger. Whether it’s sharing a post, joining a hashtag or adding information to a public thread, digital participation creates networks of meaning that extend far beyond individual users.
What I found most interesting was the idea that participation is not simply about showing up or expressing an opinion. Social media invites participation constantly, but the way that participation actually works depends on who designs the platforms and how they organize visibility. Algorithms and apps' specific rules end up shaping which voices gain traction and which are pushed aside. This made me think about how certain hashtags grow quickly while others disappear, even if they are discussing equally important issues. Participation isn’t neutral. It is guided by structures that are often hidden from users.
The readings also helped me understand why decentralized movements thrive online. Without a single leader controlling the message, participants contribute in distributed ways that still feel unified because they share a common purpose. This distributed participation allows movements to spread and take on different forms depending on specific algorithms.
Overall, this week helped me see participation as a process shaped by technology and power. It made me more aware of how much of my online engagement is influenced by platform design, and how collective action today depends on millions of small acts of participation that build toward larger-scale social change.
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