Social Media, Communities, & Networks Conference 2026: Semester 1 & SP1

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One response to “YOUTH BEYOND THE BAN: How Young People Form Communities Across Platforms — Adam Robertson”

1. 

   Julia Stanton

   01/05/2026

   Hi Adam,

   Well done on an amazing project! It was very well done, informative and generally very enjoyable to watch.

   Below are my questions for you.

   1: You mentioned that migration between platforms is common, especially as users often are “following functions instead of brands.” Beyond the reasons you already discussed, I was wondering if this could relate to how different platforms support different communities? In my project, I looked at LGBTQ+ people on TikTok, do you think that some platforms feel more supportive or accessible, which might encourage platform migration amongst our youth especially?

   2: I really enjoyed your slide titled “Why Platforms Matter Less Than Functions.” You mentioned TikTok under the bullet point of “communicative.” Could you elaborate more on TikTok’s specifix role within online communities? Since I centered my project around LGBTQ+ people on Tik Tok, I am interested in how these communicative features might influence formation of communities and visibility.

   3: I really liked your quote of “bans relocate harms, rather than remove them entirely.” If you were to create a social media platform, what strategies would you implement to ensure that harms were minimal? In my research on how LGBTQ+ users stay safe online, I found that some platforms censor offensive language in order to maintain a safe environment for all users. Do you think this is an effective approach, or are there other strategies that you would implement?

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