The Activist's Guide to the Decentralized Social Universe: A Framework for Exploring How Decentralized Social Networks Can Support Collective Action

In a new 28-page paper on arXiv, researchers Sybille Légitime and Harini Suresh introduce a conceptual framework designed to help activist communities navigate the complex landscape of decentralized social networks (DSNs). The framework defines four core activist community needs: minimal overhead (low barriers to entry and maintenance), community building and reach (ability to grow and connect), on- and off-line safety (protection from surveillance, censorship, and erasure), and operational sustainability (long-term viability). These needs are then linked to concrete platform affordances such as resource efficiency, interoperability, and data ownership.

The authors apply the framework to two contemporary DSNs—Mastodon and Bluesky—evaluating their sociotechnical tradeoffs. They also explore broader community configurations that emerge across different DSN infrastructures and their implications for collective action. Two case studies demonstrate how activist communities facing distinct infrastructural and political constraints can use the framework to identify platforms that best align with their needs. The paper concludes by reflecting on the theoretical promises of DSNs and the structural conditions that shape participation, offering a practical tool for activists seeking alternatives to mainstream social media platforms that pose risks of surveillance, censorship, or erasure.