Tactical agency? Young people’s (dis)engagement with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger

Gangneux, J. (2021) Tactical agency? Young people’s (dis)engagement with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 27(2), pp. 458-471. (doi: 10.1177/1354856520918987)

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Abstract

Drawing on empirical data, this article examines the ways in which young people negotiated messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp in their everyday lives, focusing in particular on the read-receipt feature embedded in the applications. While it is important to continue exposing and critically examining the power structures and socio-technological relations in which young people’s everyday engagement with social media platforms and messaging applications are entangled, the article argues that it is also crucial not to overlook the possibilities and forms of agency that can exist in this complex environment. Combining insights from Foucault and de Certeau, the article seeks to shed new light on the ways in which tactical agency can be enacted and cultivated by young people. This article contributes to current debates about agency, resistance and power in contemporary digital society as well as makes recommendations to foster more responsive digital literacies.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gangneux, Dr Justine
Authors: Gangneux, J.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
Journal Name:Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
Publisher:SAGE Publications
ISSN:1354-8565
ISSN (Online):1748-7382
Published Online:22 April 2020
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2020 The Author
First Published:First published in Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies 27(2): 458-471
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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