Disagreement resolution on digital communication platform in a self-directed political consumerism campaign

Abstract

ABSTRACT Digital media have facilitated the growth of citizen self-initiated and self-directed protest campaigns that often lack an authoritative central organizer. One challenge facing such protest campaigns is how internal disagreements about key issues can be resolved or contained. To what extent can movement participants handle disagreements constructively through digital communication? This article addresses this question through a case study of online discussions surrounding the political consumerism campaign during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement in Hong Kong. Qualitative content analysis illustrates the range of disagreements that could arise in a self-directed political consumerism campaign and uncovers the various types of engaging and disengaging communications that people practiced. Quantitative content analysis shows that disengaging communications were more common, yet people were more responsive to engaging communications. The latter was more obvious as the campaign proceeded. Implications of the findings on the capability of decentralized protests to resolve internal differences are discussed.