The virtual public sphere and social movements on social media

Abstract: Like many things, social movements have been able to take a new form, and behave differently, thanks to the rise of the internet and social media networks. The purpose of this study is to analyze how long lasting this engagement is from its participants, and how short-run participation in social movements can be understood. This study has been heavily inspired by Zizi Papacharissi, therefore the topics being analyzed and discussed will revolve around the public sphere and what form it takes in the digital space. The aim is to contribute to understanding of the virtual public sphere. The cases used to examine this phenomenon are discussion surrounding the Black Lives Matter and Me Too social movements. This study will be limited to looking at data from twitter and google trends. The method used in this study is a quantitative analysis and a qualitative text analysis, by piecing together previously conducted research. The results are that participation in virtual discussions increases and decreases quickly, over a short time period. Anonymity, bots, and the technological foundation of virtual public spheres are suggested as explanations. The conclusion made is that participation is possible, but limited to affectual attachment.