Digital Technology and Voice: How Platforms Shape Institutional Processes Through Visibilization

Abstract Digital technologies, and the affordances they provide, can shape institutional processes in significant ways. In last decade, social media other digital platforms have redefined civic engagement by enabling new ways of connecting, collaborating, mobilizing. this article, we examine how technological both enable hinder through visibilization – which define as enactment features to foreground give voice particular perspectives discourses while silencing others. We study such dynamics examining #SchauHin, an activist campaign initiated Germany shine a spotlight on experiences daily racism. Our findings show actors counter-actors differentially leveraged two campaign. has implications for understanding role technologies well interplay between visibility efforts deinstitutionalize discriminatory practices institutions. Keywords Affordances technology Institutional theory Platforms Social movements. Citation Gümüsay, A.A., Raynard, M., Albu, O., Etter, M. Roulet, T. (2022), "Digital Technology Voice: How Shape Processes Through Visibilization", Gegenhuber, T., Logue, D., Hinings, C.R.(B). Barrett, (Ed.) Transformation Theory (Research Sociology Organizations, Vol. 83), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 57-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20220000083003 Publisher: Limited Copyright © 2022 Ali Aslan Mia Oana Michael Etter Thomas Roulet License Published Limited. These chapters are published under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate create derivative works these (for commercial non-commercial purposes), subject full attribution original publication authors. The terms licence be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode. Introduction recent years, large protests against ethnic violence erupted around world particularly United States, where deaths Black Americans including George Floyd Breonna Taylor unleashed flood criticism civil unrest. Amidst escalating anger calls “No justice, no peace,” injustice racial divisions taken center stage. What expansive scope momentum movements #BlackLivesMatter taught us is that changing face politics activism (Ouellette & Banet-Weiser, 2018). Individuals, organizations, groups increasingly taking raise awareness systemic racism call deinstitutionalization deeply ingrained problem (Gantt Shafer, 2017; Matamoros-Fernández, 2017). online, on-demand systems potential harness scalable networks users resources (Castells, 1998). By providing immediate connectivity (van Dijck, 2013), become sites interaction, debate, conflict represent heterogeneity “norms, values, expectations, concerns” (Etter, Colleoni, Illia, Meggiorin, D’Eugenio, 2018, p. 61). Disparate communities each with their own interests agendas able come together engage various forms co-creation, ranging from spontaneous (Albu 2016) more orchestrated iterations (Etter Vestergaard, 2015; Gegenhuber Naderer, 2019). Such mobilizing (Dobusch Schoeneborn, Vaast Kaganer, 2013) facilitated aggregation “voices” significantly Ravasi, 2019; Illia et al., 2022; 2020; Scheidgen, Günzel-Jensen, Krlev, Wolf, 2021; Wang, Greenwood, 2021). As certain voices aggregated, foregrounded made visible others pushed background, potentially becoming unseen unvoiced (Hudson, Okhuysen, Creed, 2015). Thus, act making something involves discursive openness closure, because struggle promote view reality often effect subordinating equally plausible ones (Clemente Deetz, 1992; Leonardi Jackson, 2004). interest article explore voice, visibility, Specifically, aim understand perspectives, positions, or do so emergence sought bring into public sphere. Drawing upon multiple data sources first-hand accounts those involved campaign, unpack effected influenced development its goal contributing showing used appropriated open close discourses, aims advance research intersection First, it contributes relational emphasizing affordances, i.e., “the action possibilities opportunities emerge engaging technologies” (Faraj Azad, 2012, 238). mobilize power collective action, not “objective” but ability expansive, distributed creation dissemination content knowledge 2013). our case, initiators supporters engaged “counter-actors” who disrupt mobilization side enacting platform properties radically different played out, extends understandings “affordances-in-practice” (Costa, 2018) shows “reconcile goals materiality technology” (Leonardi, 2011, 154). Second, sheds further light influence (Hinings, zooming specific affordance technology: visibility. Visibility conceptualized “root-affordance” built (Treem, Leonardi, van den Hooff, 2020, 45; cf. also Flyverbom, Stohl, 2016). case builds conceptualization activated sets actors. activation can, one hand, generate opening up about and, other, obscure manipulation sowing confusion Treem 2020). addition, “enactment” algorithms hidden information architectures embedded (Hansen 2015) curate make some knowledge, behaviors, preferences less so. affordance, strategic qualities enacted process “seeing being seen” (Brighten, 2007, 325). illuminates hindering reflection critique intangible aspects institutions On practical level, demonstrates fundamentally altered engagement. Not only amplify silence 2020), facilitate toward taken-for-granted arrangements. Theoretical Framework Processes, Visibility, It argued emergence, change, decline requires institutionalized arrangements Washington Ventresca, Studies example, shown increasing limits general failings present lead “champions forms” (Schneiberg Lounsbury, 2017, 284; see Hoffman, 1999; Rodner, Kerrigan, Vom Lehn, Zietsma, Groenewegen, habits objectively accepted masses, identifiable (Tolbert Zucker, 1999). been trigger notably prompting reflexivity (re-)examination (Dacin Dacin, 2008; Maguire Hardy, 2009; Seo 2002). While enhance salience practices, voices, meanings manifested 2015), subordinate divert attention away This subordination alternative “doing” “being” maintenance marginalized suppressed obscurity (Hudson Mair Martí, 2009). way, sides same coin shaping Within scholarship, concept implicitly acknowledged part understood supported beliefs values (Thornton Ocasio, 2008) productions necessarily accessible consumable all parties (Phillips Oswick, 2012). Many foundational pillars granted, makes very nature invisible, even enact them. Recently, however, studies begun emphasize material manifestations “part way organizations stabilized” (Monteiro Nicolini, 2015, Practices typically have, aspect (Jones, Boxenbaum, Anthony, them (Boxenbaum, Jones, Meyer, Svejenova, further, actor’s institution monitoring practice diffusion possible (Chandler Hwang, Another stream related “seen” voicing (Cornelissen, Durand, Fiss, Lammers, Vaara, Together, streams suggest actors’ interaction (Meyer, Jancsary, Höllerer, 2018; Wang 2021), reflexive interactions, audiences aware structures underpinning (Gray, Purdy, Ansari, Kodeih, Whereas traditionally limited “spatial temporal here now,” brought “a form visibility” (Thompson, 2005, 35). connectivity, decentralized creation, aggregation, opened wider range affect 2022). Marginalized actors, leverage diverse air grievances endemic problems injustices (Harmon, Toubiana whereas had previously privilege powerful high status, positions authority, control over important extensive (Deephouse Carter, 2005; leveled playing field extent Seidel, Hannigan, Phillips, particular, provided influential “podium” (Wright, Reay, Staggs, vulnerable intensive widespread scrutiny (Daudigeos, Valiorgue, Hond de Bakker, 2007). sense, easily challenged maintained, marginal change increased velocity enhancing speed direction communication (Castelló, Nielsen, 2016; Reger, Pfarrer, Hidden events public, instantaneously short time lags 2005). An illustrative example enabled exposure police people, thereby generating triggering (Ramsden, has, thus, helped overcome spatial distance direct would otherwise remained difficult reach traditional channels (Breuer, Landman, Farquhar, Heavey, Simsek, Kyprianou, Risius, result velocity, intrusive, unwieldly, hard (Altheide, 2013; Indeed, fluid diffuse highly challenging Heavey colleagues (2020, 1494) point “because boundaries porous media, messages targeted audience spillover raft unintended consequences.” help tackle problematic Thompson, 2005), intentionally unintentionally next section, build above-presented insights processes, situating within affordance-based perspective technology. then pull areas develop visibilization. Technological Visibilization adoption organizing raised compelling questions coordination collaboration (Barberá-Tomás, Castelló, 2014; Vaast, Madsen, Seidel afforded commonly assumed transmission information. However, negative implications, paradoxically generates closure overload (Chen Wei, 2019) algorithmic distortion thus elucidate gives order dark of, consequences associated with, digitalization (Trittin-Ulbrich, Scherer, Munro, Whelan, To gain richer takes nuanced account, adopt pays socio-materiality From standpoint, imbrication Huysman, Steinfield, separate interacting (i.e., users) platforms) facilitates discourses. (e.g., deleting, adding, sharing functions) creating diminishing At time, having intentions capabilities down For use coordinate activities, persuade opinion, disturb negative, antisocial, thrill-seeking behavior (Cook, Schaafsma, Antheunis, contextual voices. scholars highlighted should receiver’s perspective, namely whom becomes (in-)visible (Treem small in-group inhabit semi-public sphere, invisible many activists, important, reasons (Albu, Uldam Kaun, 2018), larger (Bennett Segerberg, Again, shapes closure. Furthermore, mediating central opaqueness (Milan, Algorithms “sets coded instructions” Dijck Poell, 2013, 5) “formalized rules artifacts” (Coretti Pica, 73) “entangled, complex, dynamic agency” (Glaser, Pollock, D’Adderio, 2021, 2) given co-constitution practices. impact what much They performing “sorting, filtering, ranking functions” (Neumayer Rossi, 2016, 4) steer interactions overrepresent devalue (Bucher, 2012; Gillespie, Rieder, Research work users’ (Poell closing run profit oriented designed provide user purposes collection advertising (Gillespie, 2014). Overall, then, accomplished emerges Twitter hashtags powered algorithms, wiki pages, etc.) human democratic participation freedom speech promoted activists). Visibilization, words, nonhuman (Latour, 1996) underlying informational trending hashtags, newsfeeds). sensitizes varying intentions, combination underpin Methodology Context combined use, (in-)visibility. better patterns, traced #SchauHin Germany, everyday interactions. touched debated issue German society, attracted counter-actors, preempt development. selected paradigmatic (Flyvbjerg, 2006), provides window processes. opportunity focused 16-month period September 2013 until December 2014 continued observe collect June 2020. idea was initially discussed moved Titanpad digital, real-time collaborative text editing writing existed 2010 2017. Although deeper ideas among organizers supporters, soon gained access began disrupting efforts. response disruption, moved, again, back which, microblogging network platform, offered set than Titanpad. Due fact across platforms, divergent ways, illuminating purposes, ideal context appropriation Data Sources draws internal external were organizers’ documents files, included memos, strategy documents, email exchanges. amounted 2,000 pages visuals text. examined took screenshots points time. Additionally, #SchauHin2 profiles, manually screening 800 tweets hashtag #SchauHin. supplement data, collected additional 18 articles 14 videos covered Analysis utilized drawing racism, employed qualitative analytic approach (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1994). could classified movement, interested movement impacted mobilization. alerted play progressed, identified commonalities differences features. patterns prompted reflect establishing affected campaign’s broader raising organize emerging insights, structured key along chronological timeline. We, generated Twitter, mapping onto timeline get developed involved. drew reports sense activities struggles unfolded. Once confident hindered why. coding discussions converged importance specifically opinions, detracted diverted it. noted four features, adding/editing/deleting content, topic algorithm. levels somewhat idiosyncratic indications volume discussions, tweets, likes, profile follows, messages. shaped foregrounding Findings marked ongoing actively tried prevent Central communicated enable, facilitate, discourse obscuring Below, begin overview started. describe group accomplish aims. highlight, invisibility. Initiating Campaign emerged during conference Friedrich Ebert Foundation Berlin 2, 2013. Activists, bloggers, journalists came discuss topics blogging sexism mass blogosphere. One theme repeatedly lack stories people confronting panelist suggested start conversation allow share racism: Can I suggestion first? sexism. actually ultimate opportunity, blogospheres internet possibly just together, probably watching livestream. Maybe livestream you kind topic. And “everyday racism” too long, shorter please. (Panel discussion “Rassismus Sexismus ab_bloggen” (blog_away sexism)) Conference participants enlisting find appropriate catchy name hashtag, draw day-to-day encounters: Looking Got ideas? #abbloggen ((@User1) @User2 looking flag Any ((@User3) days after conference, tweeted suggestions #MeinSchland (MyGermany), #keinRassistaber (notaRacistbut) #rausschrei (outcry). Below few examples hashtag: @User4 #meinschland like best. good, bit long. ((@User5) 6, #-everyday included: #allrass #DeinRassismus #zumausderHautfahren #AFD #keinRassistaber. think #meinschland? ((@User2) participating search decision move web editor, views written exchange. effectively in-depth Organizers announced switch tweet: continues. Here: http://t.co/Fd4vFdB5a3 Ideas? beginning planning phase discourse. complete, launched moving Twitter. Each counter-ac