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- Why Are We Still Using Facebook? The Platform Paradox in Collaborative Community InitiativesPublication . Rossito, Chiara; Lampinen, Airi; Light, Ann; Diogo, Vera; Bernat, AnikoOver the past fourteen years, Facebook has grown from a social network site for elite college students in the United States, to its current position as a dominant global hub for online sociality; a platform for an ever-increasing range of daily activities, and a staple in efforts to arrange and coordinate local civic initiatives (Bennett and Segerberg, 2011; Bennett and Segerberg, 2012; Crivellaro et al., 2014; Berns et al., 2019). Civic and people-led initiatives sometimes express opposition to the val ues that Facebook is perceived to represent, or explicitly seek out alternatives to the platform. Yet, the lack of dedicated budgets, together with initiatives’ concern to gain visibility, often result in the adoption of Facebook – and arguably other social media platforms – to mobilize resources, plan collective actions and coordi nate them, or to manage both internal and external communication (Tayebi, 2013; Costanza-Chock, 2020). In this chapter, we examine how five different, community, bottom-up initiatives across Europe use Facebook, the reasons for choosing this platform, and what kind of challenges arise from adopting it. Rejecting polarizing narratives – of social media as the sole instrument of social change, on the one hand, and pessimistic views of surveillance and mistrust, on the other – we draw attention to how these narratives do, or do not, play into use in practice. In doing so, we focus on the tensions that stem from using Facebook as a platform for community initiatives, not at the theoretical level of media studies, but by analysing the situated use of the platform on the ground. We do this through five empirical case studies: a network for self-organizing co working days in homes in Sweden (Hoffice), migrant solidarity grassroots groups (Migration Aid) in Hungary, short-let accommodation for foreign volunteers in Greece (Athens Volunteers’ Accommodation and Ride-sharing), a neighborhood centered community group in England (Egg Club), and a cycling promotion group in Portugal (Cicloficina do Porto). With a strong emphasis on practices of care among those involved – both for oneself and others – the cases provide alternative visions to what have become mainstream examples of platforms, and platform use, in the colllaborative economy. Rather than adopting bespoke digital technologies to advance their causes, all five cases rely primarily on Facebook.
- Shared Mobility: A Reflection on Sharing Economy Initiatives in European Transportation SectorsPublication . Lukasiewicz, Agnieszka; SANNA, VENERE STEFANIA; Diogo, Vera; Bernat, AnikoFreedom of movement is a fundamental human right. The transportation sector, therefore, holds high socio-economic significance—while contributing almost a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and being a major air polluter. Key parts of the ‘collaborative and sharing economy’ relate to transport, including peer-to-peer and on-demand transportation. While these forms of ‘collaborative consumption’ may be seen as promoting environmental sustainability, such models also generate inequality and regulatory disputes (e.g., Uber’s workers and licences), leading to stakeholder conflict. This chapter examines the importance of the main shared mobility services within the transportation sector, their contribution to changing mobility habits, and their connection to sustainable development issues. We also consider conflicts in different European countries caused by shared mobility and the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.