Open AccessBetween ‘filter bubbles’ and community leaders: An exploratory study of Facebook groups for Russophones/Russians in the Netherlands
Author(s) -
Rashid Gabdulhakov,
Daniel Trottier
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of global diaspora and media
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2632-5861
pISSN - 2632-5853
DOI - 10.1386/gdm_00006_1
Subject(s) - negotiation , filter (signal processing) , online community , exploratory research , online forum , public relations , internet privacy , online discussion , user group , political science , sociology , world wide web , computer science , law , social science , computer vision
Through an exploration of Facebook groups designed for Russophones and Russians in the Netherlands, this study considers online community belonging negotiations. In doing so, the article aims to address the role of online administrators (admins) in online community construction, seeking to enrich the algorithm-centric literature covering customized feeds. The authors argue that by moderating discussions, approving and banning users, and setting the agenda more generally in the online environments that they create and manage, admins acquire and perform functions that may surpass or compliment algorithmic biases.