Who Is a Good Digital Activist? Exploring Social Justice Activists’ Adaptation to Instagram’s Algorithmic Changes

Through interviews with 16 social justice activists, we explore their challenges of adapting to Instagram, particularly in light of the platform’s evolving algorithm. Our findings reveal that the frequent changes in these algorithms significantly impact their ability to engage effectively– and disproportionately impact visibility, especially for those with fewer resources and less algorithmic expertise. Our contributions encompass discussions on activists’ challenges in adapting to platform changes, and the strategic shifts towards gaining broader visibility. We also address the expectations of being a "good digital activist" amidst algorithmic mediation on Instagram, emphasizing participants’ need for navigating platform mediated complexities and maintaining authenticity. Finally, we suggest design implications, advocating features– for both existing platforms and alternative systems exclusively for activism that reduce activists’ concerns about quantitative metrics, promote selective privacy, tie amplification to thoughtful engagement, and foster community building through contextual moderation and communication.