Chapter 7

Between Actions and Algorithms

How Social Media Facilitate and Enable Collective Action

Abstract

Can algorithms facilitate and even enable certain types of collective action? This is a fundamental question as more aspects of life, social and political processes, the economy, etc. are affected by digitalization and informatization. Deploying several theoretical models, among others Christian Fuchs’ TripleC model and Hannah Arendt’s notion of Action, the chapter discusses this question in regard to social media and collective action.

Keywords

Action; Agency; Algorithm; Collective action; Collective behavior; Integrated sociality; Social media; TripleC

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