#publicpphere

Keywords: public sphere, platform vernacular, Instagram, hashtag

The idea of a single, unified public sphere feels almost outdated in the digital age. Instead of one big conversation, we have countless micro-publics scattered across platforms, each with its own slang, rules, and rhythms - its own platform vernacular (Gibbs et al. 2015). These aren't just quirks of communication; they're shaping, filtering, and sometimes straight-up warping how we interact online.

Every platform has its own linguistic DNA. Twitter (or X, if you insist) forces brevity, encouraging sharp takes and shorthand. TikTok, on the other hand, thrives on visual storytelling and performative speech (Manic 2024). Instagram? A mix of aesthetic curation and hashtag-fueled visibility. These platform vernaculars create new ways to connect, but they also gatekeep. If you don’t speak the language, you’re on the outside looking in - what Gillespie (2018) calls vernacular gatekeeping.

And let’s talk about how these codes get tangled up with the platforms themselves. McVeigh-Schultz & Baym (2015) argue that while these vernaculars give users new ways to participate in public discourse, they also create new barriers. You might think you’re just learning the ropes, but you're also playing by the platform’s rules—rules shaped by algorithms that care more about engagement than meaningful discussion (van Dijck & Poell 2013).

Take Instagram’s use of #funeral, for example. It’s not just a tag - it’s a mash-up of mourning, self-expression, and visibility tactics. People use it to share their grief, but also to ensure their posts surface in wider networks. The hashtag becomes a meeting point for personal loss, cultural rituals, and social media logic (Gibbs et al. 2015). What should be a deeply personal moment gets reframed through the lens of a platform designed for reach and validation.

As digital spaces continue to evolve, these shifting codes determine who gets heard, who gets ignored, and how meaning is constructed online. Understanding platform vernaculars isn’t just about keeping up - it’s about recognizing the hidden forces shaping the way we communicate.

Reference list

Bruns, A, Gunn Enli, Skogerbo, E, Anders Olof Larsson & Christensen, C 2015, The Routledge Companion to Social Media and Politics, Routledge.

Gibbs, M, Meese, J, Arnold, M, Nansen, B & Carter, M 2015, ‘#Funeral and Instagram: death, social media, and platform vernacular’, Information, Communication & Society, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 255–268.

Gillespie, T 2018, Custodians of the Internet: Platforms, Content Moderation, and the Hidden Decisions That Shape Social Media, Yale University Press.

Manic, M 2024, ‘Short-Form Video Content and Consumer Engagement in Digital Landscapes’, Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov Series V Economic Sciences, vol. 17, no. 66, Transilvania University Press, pp. 45–52.

McVeigh-Schultz, J & Baym, NK 2015, ‘Thinking of You: Vernacular Affordance in the Context of the Microsocial Relationship App, Couple’, Social Media + Society, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 205630511560464.