#platformisation

🎮 1. When Politics Becomes a Digital Game

In the digital age, citizenship is no longer just about voting or joining traditional political organizations—it has expanded to include online activism, viral hashtags, and digital protest content.

But here’s the catch: political engagement is being “gamified” through social media platforms.

📌 Research Question: How do social media platforms and gamification mechanics transform digital political behavior?

⏩ Key Theories:

Gamification Theory (Deterding et al., 2011)

Platformisation & Algorithmic Governance (Van Dijck et al., 2018)

Hashtag Publics & Digital Citizenship (Choi & Cristol, 2021; Bruns & Burgess, 2011)

Clicktivism & Slacktivism (Morozov, 2011; Vromen, 2017)

💡 Main Argument:

Social media platforms gamify political participation by rewarding engagement through likes, shares, badges, and streaks.

Platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook turn political movements into challenges and interactive games.

This has both positive and negative effects on digital citizenship.

🤖 2. Gamification of Politics: From Serious to Playful

Gamification Theory (Deterding et al., 2011) describes how game-like elements are applied to non-game contexts to motivate participation.

So what happens when gamification meets digital politics?

(a) Reward Systems & Digital Citizenship

Social platforms introduce incentives to encourage users to engage in activism:

🔥 Hashtag Streaks – Posting daily with the same hashtag to maintain a “streak” (e.g., #FreeBritney, #MeToo). 🏆 Badges & Achievements – Facebook used to award Top Fan badges to those who engaged the most in political discussions. 📈 Leaderboards & Trending Visibility – Viral political tweets get algorithmic boosts, making them visible to more users.

📌 Gamification of Digital Citizenship Model (Illustrating how platforms use gamification to shape political behavior.)

⏩ Supporting Research:

Choi & Cristol (2021) argue that digital citizens are motivated by social and personal incentives in hashtag campaigns.

Vromen (2017) found that younger generations engage less in traditional politics but are highly active in digital activism through hashtag publics.

(b) Hashtag Publics: When Politics Becomes a Trend

Bruns & Burgess (2011) describe “hashtag publics” as temporary digital communities that form around specific political moments.

But social media algorithms have gamified these movements by turning them into viral challenges:

🎥 #IceBucketChallenge (2014) → #TrashTag (2019) → #BlackoutTuesday (2020) 🏁 #ElectionChallenge on TikTok, where users film themselves voting to farm likes and views.

⏩ Supporting Research:

Van Dijck et al. (2018) argue that platforms like TikTok and Twitter use algorithmic governance to actively shape political trends.

Bruns & Burgess (2011) initially described hashtags as organic, but today they are algorithmically curated, turning politics into a crowdsourced game.

📌 Visual: "Hashtag Publics as Gamified Political Tools" (Diagram showing how hashtags become interactive challenges.)

🎭 3. Clicktivism vs. Real Activism: Is Politics Becoming a Meaningless Game?

🚨 The Problem with Gamified Citizenship:

Evgeny Morozov (2011) criticized Clicktivism and Slacktivism—when people engage in politics just by liking, sharing, or posting without real-world impact.

📌 Two Major Issues:

1️⃣ Politics Becomes Superficial

#BlackoutTuesday faced backlash because people posted black squares without taking real action for Black Lives Matter.

2️⃣ Platforms Commercialize Activism

Facebook was accused of promoting paid political campaigns by boosting certain trends, turning citizens into "players" in a corporate political game.

⏩ Supporting Research:

McCosker (2016): Platforms don’t just provide spaces for activism—they control and monetize it.

Theocharis et al. (2023): Many users believe their digital activism has major impact, when in reality, it often doesn’t lead to tangible change.

📌 Visual: "Clicktivism vs. Real Activism" (Diagram contrasting digital engagement with real-world activism.)

🔮 4. Conclusion: Gamified Citizenship – A Tool or a Trap?

✨ Key Takeaways: ✔️ Gamification makes political engagement more appealing to younger generations. ✔️ Social media algorithms prioritize viral challenges over serious debate. ✔️ Gamification can increase participation but also risks turning activism into empty gestures.

💡 The Future of Gamified Citizenship:

Will politics become even more of a game on social media?

Can gamification be used without trivializing activism?

Are we real digital citizens or just players in an algorithmic political system?

📌 What do you think? Is gamification good or bad for activism? Let’s discuss! 💬👇

🔗 References

Choi, M., & Cristol, D. (2021). Digital citizenship with intersectionality lens: Towards participatory democracy driven digital citizenship education. Theory into Practice, 60(4), 361–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2021.1987094

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: defining “gamification.” Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference, 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040

Bruns, A., & Burgess, J. (2011). Hashtag Publics: The Power and Politics of Discursive Networks. ProtoView, 2(42).

Morozov, E. (2011). The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom. PublicAffairs.

McCosker, A., Vivienne, S., & Johns, A. (2016). Negotiating Digital Citizenship: Control, Contest and Culture. Rowman & Littlefield.

Theocharis, Y., Boulianne, S., Koc-Michalska, K., & Bimber, B. (2023). Platform affordances and political participation: How social media reshape political engagement. West European Politics, 46(4), 788–811. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2022.2087410

To give a short context. platformisation can be described the transformation of social network sites into social media platforms, which came into the rise of the platform as the dominant infrastructural and economic model of the social web and its consequences (Nieborg et al., 2020). People also considered platformisation as a method to describe many aspects of several digital platforms, which could be either business models, infrastructures or even algorithms,... In short, it is basically a change from Web 1.0 (which were one-way communication only) to Web 2.0 (the interactive interface). 

In terms of people benefited from the platformisation, there were two main types of people affected. Normal media consumers can now have an easier time accessing the article online, and they had the ability to interact with the articles by expressing their opinion and have conversation with others about the content that are on the site at that time.

Consumers are not the only one benefited, as publishers and developers can also benefit from the platformization process. And the method of making any progress of that is to make their product able to reach out to new audiences and had a strong relationship with the customers (Spjeldnæs, 2022).

Of the example of platformisation, the most significant one may have been online news outlets, in which they intergrated some of the social network features into their outlets. By doing so, they let themselves open for everyone to interact and share the information in the web page on to their favourite social network site. Not only that, people can also discuss and communicate with others about the article, and thus can help people behind the article know the reaction of the consumer to the said article. This reaction would help publishers and writers to understand more about the audience that they are trying to reach out to.

REFERENCES USED:

Nieborg, D.B., Poell, T. and van Dijck, J., 2022. Platforms and platformization. The Sage handbook of the digital media economy, pp.29-49.

PLATFORM & PLATFORMIZATION

The term "platform" is multifaceted, encompassing diverse connotations across computational, political, and architectural spheres. In computational contexts, a platform serves as a foundation upon which further innovation and development can be built. Politically, it represents a space where individuals can voice their opinions and perspectives, serving as a platform for expression and discourse. Architecturally, platforms like YouTube are characterized by their open and inclusive nature, facilitating egalitarian expression rather than enforcing elitist gatekeeping practices. Gillespie (2010) emphasizes this aspect, highlighting YouTube's design as a welcoming facilitator of diverse voices, devoid of normative and technical constraints. Thus, the notion of a platform transcends mere technological infrastructure, resonating deeply within social, political, and cultural landscapes.

Platformisation represents a significant shift from viewing "platforms'' as “things” to an analysis of ‘platformisation’ as a process” (Poell, Nieborg, & van Dijck, 2019). It involves the evolution of social network sites into expansive social media platforms, signifying the rise of platforms as the primary framework for the social web's infrastructure and economy. This shift not only democratizes websites by enabling their customization through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), thus facilitating integration with third-party services (Helmond, 2015), but also highlights the broader integration of digital platforms' business models, infrastructures, algorithms, and operational norms into various aspects of society (Chia et al., 2020). Consequently, platformisation serves as a lens through which to understand the far-reaching impact of digital platforms on contemporary socio-economic landscapes.

SHEIN CASE STUDY: IS SHOPPING PLATFORM A NEW TREND IN FASHION INDUSTRY?

SHEIN, standing as the global leader in fast-fashion and digital shopping, solidified its position by claiming nearly 28% of the U.S. fast-fashion market, surpassing even Amazon as the most downloaded shopping app, thereby presenting a formidable challenge to traditional giants like H&M and ZARA (Talenox, 2023). Unlike its counterparts, SHEIN prioritizes digital innovation over conventional brick-and-mortar strategies, significantly enhancing its digital prowess and operational efficiency.

Notably, SHEIN's adoption of cloud-based supply-chain management software has garnered acclaim from investors and suppliers alike, as it employs sophisticated algorithms to analyze consumer spending patterns and advise suppliers on optimal stocking levels, thus facilitating rapid and cost-effective production. This relentless commitment to digital transformation underscores SHEIN's forward-looking approach, facilitating automation and bolstering profitability.

Furthermore, SHEIN's ingenious incorporation of gamification elements borrowed from China's vibrant e-commerce market, notably pioneered by Taobao, has fostered an immersive and engaging platform. Through a nuanced points system incentivizing various interactions such as daily check-ins, purchases, and reviews, coupled with entertaining mini-games and live streams, SHEIN cultivates a loyal customer base and transforms the act of shopping into a delightful form of entertainment. Such strategic initiatives have not only augmented repeat purchase frequency but also propelled SHEIN to the forefront of an intensely competitive industry, characterized by fickle consumer preferences and dynamic market trends.

Jin and Shin (2020) elucidate three pivotal innovations within SHEIN's ultra-fast fashion business model, emphasizing its online-centric approach, seamless integration of AI and big data, and effective utilization of gamification strategies to enhance brand resonance and social media presence. By eschewing reliance on third-party platforms and establishing its proprietary website, SHEIN adeptly harnesses firsthand consumer insights to optimize its offerings and amplify revenue streams. This differentiated approach, coupled with SHEIN's distinctive Customer-to-Manufacturer business model, has empowered the brand to transcend traditional constraints, offering consumers unparalleled agility, affordability, and convenience (Uchańska-Bieniusiewicz & Obłój, 2023, pp. 52-53).

As a frontrunner in the cross-border e-commerce landscape, SHEIN continues to capitalize on emergent trends and technological advancements, leveraging its nimble positioning, robust data analytics, and astute market positioning to seize new opportunities and navigate evolving consumer preferences with aplomb (Yang, Li & Gong, 2023, p. 193). Looking ahead, the future of cross-border e-commerce heralds both opportunities and challenges, necessitating companies to embrace innovation, expand into new markets, fortify user experiences, and refine business models to sustain and enhance competitive edge in an ever-evolving landscape.

References

Chia et al., 2020. Platformisation in game development. Internet Policy Review, 9(4), pp. 1-28.

Gillespie, T., 2010. The politics of ‘platforms’. New Media & Society, 12(3).

Helmond, A., 2015. The Platformization of the Web: Making Web Data Platform Ready. Social Media + Society, 1(2).

Jin & Shin, 2020. Changing the game to compete: Innovations in the fashion retail industry from the disruptive business model. Business Horizons, 63(3), pp. 301-311.

Poell, Nieborg, & van Dijck, 2019. Platformisation. Internet Policy Review, 8(4).

Talenox, 2023. Inside SHEIN’s Strategy: Why H&M and ZARA are losing to the newcomer. [Online] Available at: https://blog.talenox.com/shein-business-strategy-hm-zara/ [Accessed 26th January 2024].

Uchańska-Bieniusiewicz & Obłój, 2023. Disrupting fast fashion: A case study of Shein’s innovative business model. International Entrepreneurship Review, 9(3), pp. 47-59.

1.     Definition

According to Helmond (2015), platformisation is the transformation of social network sites into social media platforms ... the rise of the platform as the dominant infrastructural and economic model of the social web and its consequences.

According to Chia et al. (2020), platformisation is also defined as a concept to describe the growing integration of digital platforms’ business models, infrastructures, algorithms, and the practices around them into every facet of society.

Digital citizenship is a topic that I have already covered in previous posts but today I will expand on these ideas. It is important to note that people do not always present good citizenship and that the power these citizens hold can be used for the wrong reason (McCosker 2016). Platforms allow for several interactions and communications to take place, ranging from buying, to researching, to viewing and to creating new relationships (Poell et al. 2019). Linked to this, Platformisation is another concept that should be covered here on my page. It refers to social media sites that operate as a neutral place where anyone can come and share whatever is on their mind, allowing users to engage with each other, without the platform interfering.

These platforms allow for issues of online harassment due to bad digital citizenship and the freedom for individuals to express themselves as a result of platformisation. There are a number of issues that are counted as online harassment including name calling, embarrassment, receiving threats, sexual harassment, impersonation or spreading of rumours (McCosker 2016). Individuals often choose to commit these forms of harassment for their own entertainment and satisfaction after seeing the visible embarrassment and trouble they have caused. Although sometimes these contributions are serious and the user is unaware of the trouble they have caused, often too stubborn to recognise that they are in the wrong.

Online conflicts can occur to anyone, no matter how well known they are or whether they have done anything to upset others. Linking to my post regarding the implementation of aesthetic labour by individuals and brands on Instagram, we must acknowledge how influences are often easy targets for harassment. This is due to the constant social media updates that they post publicly giving predators several opportunities to strike. Their commitment to the aesthetic template’s use of pornification provides users to make sexually inappropriate comments such as “love to spank and kiss your gorgeous ass” or even more hostile comments such as “Turn around before I take out my dick and beat you…” (Drenten et al. 2019).

References

Drenten, J, Gurrieri, L & Tyler, M 2019, How highly sexualised imagery is shaping 'influence' on Instagram - and harassment is rife, viewed 7 June, 2020, <https://theconversation.com/how-highly-sexualised-imagery-is-shaping-influence-on-instagram-and-harassment-is-rife-113030>.

McCosker, A 2016, ‘Managing Digital Citizenship: Cyber Safety as Three Layers of Control’, in A McCosker, S Vivienne & A Johns (eds), Negotiating Digital Citizenship: Control, Contest and Culture, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, London, pp. 1-15.