Digital Orbit of Collective Action: Switching Between Inclusive and Exclusive Modes of ICT in FridaysForFuture

Abstract

This study analyzes how ICT-based social movements manage the paradoxical challenges of being open and closed at the same time. For this approach, we conducted a qualitative study of a large-scale netroots movement organized primarily through online media, namely, FridaysForFuture. Our findings reveal that FridaysForFuture’s digital infrastructure is based on three spaces of digital interaction, which we refer to as spheres. These spheres can be distinguished as national, local, and external spheres that build on one another. Within these spheres, dynamics of digital coordination unfold, which we describe as “open.” However, despite the appearance of openness, restrictive characteristics also emerge, which we label as “closed dynamics.” In each sphere, FridaysForFuture members work toward specific goals through open dynamics, while addressing problems through closed dynamics. This study contributes to research on ICT-based coordination, digital mechanisms, and social movement structures by demonstrating the transformative effects of ICTs on organizing forms.