Viral feminism: #MeToo networked expressions in feminist Facebook groups

ABSTRACT

The #MeToo movement has emerged as a worldwide phenomenon, revolutionizing conversations about sex and power on social media platforms. This research investigates feminist expressions surrounding #MeToo on Facebook in Israel using virtual ethnography (netnography) and in-depth interviews. Netnography is a qualitative method for the cultural analysis of online community data. The study design included several separate steps: examination of feminist Facebook groups, identification and classification of posts, and analysis and presentation of findings as well as their meanings and empowerment effects in Israel, especially the infusion of militaristic and masculine elements from Israeli culture into local #MeToo feminist social media discourse. This research articulates the varied feminist practices that are made possible and encouraged via the social networking platform of Facebook. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on online feminist discourse by analyzing the expressions and messaging characteristics used by Facebook group members and their affective mediated role as acts of feminism, mainly in the form of broad social meanings that can be inferred from posts.

KEYWORDS:

• #MeToo
• feminist
• Facebook
• Israel
• social media

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. User privacy and content control issues related to the centralized nature of social media providers do, however, exist. Facebook is accused of fake news and information pollution. Israeli media consumers, however, assess Facebook as a high-credibility platform.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Osnat Roth-Cohen

Dr Osnat Roth-Cohen is a senior lecturer in Communication and Media Studies at the school of Communication, Ariel University. Dr Roth-Cohen is a research fellow in the institute for the study of new media, politics and society in Ariel University. Dr Roth-Cohen’s research interests include marketing communications, creative in advertising, advertising and social media and public relations. E-mail: [email protected]