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The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest

Dissertation (MA (Digital Culture and Media))--University of Pretoria, 2024.

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Other Authors: Du Preez, Amanda
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Du Preez, Amanda
author_browse Du Preez, Amanda
author_facet Du Preez, Amanda
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MA (Digital Culture and Media))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
format Thesis
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:48.172Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/100954 The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest Du Preez, Amanda michaelarabe16@gmail.com Rabe, Michaela UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Algorithmic gatekeeping Digital panopticism Digital visibility Digital invisibility Digital hypervisibility Social media activism Participatory culture Marginalisation Dissertation (MA (Digital Culture and Media))--University of Pretoria, 2024. This dissertation investigates the intersection of visibility, algorithms, and digital activism in contemporary social movements. In an increasingly digitised and algorithm-driven world, the dynamics of visibility – whether manifesting as visibility, invisibility, or hypervisibility – profoundly shape participatory culture, societal narratives, and power structures. By drawing on theoretical frameworks like Panopticism and algorithmic control, this study examines how digital platforms influence which voices and causes gain visibility, and how social media algorithms marginalise or render others invisible. Through discourse analysis and comparative case studies, the research explores both the opportunities and challenges posed by digital activism, especially for marginalised groups. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter and #AmINext are analysed to showcase how social media can amplify activism but also risk undermining it. The thesis critiques the biases embedded in algorithms, highlighting their function as gatekeepers of digital visibility, shaping public discourse by selectively promoting certain narratives over others. Ultimately, this research offers a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between visibility, algorithmic power, and digital activism, contributing to the ongoing discourse in media studies, social justice, and the ethics surrounding algorithmic media. Visual Arts Master of Arts (Digital Culture and Media) Unrestricted Faculty of Humanities SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions 2025-02-15T11:33:13Z 2025-02-15T11:33:13Z 2025-04 2024-09-29 Dissertation * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/100954 N/A en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Algorithmic gatekeeping
Digital panopticism
Digital visibility
Digital invisibility
Digital hypervisibility
Social media activism
Participatory culture
Marginalisation
The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title_full The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title_fullStr The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title_full_unstemmed The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title_short The paradigm of visibility : algorithms of protest
title_sort paradigm of visibility algorithms of protest
topic UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Algorithmic gatekeeping
Digital panopticism
Digital visibility
Digital invisibility
Digital hypervisibility
Social media activism
Participatory culture
Marginalisation
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/100954