Personal Identity Economics: Facebook and the Distortion of Identity Politics

Abstract

This article examines Facebook’s role in the treatment of marginalized identity as currency. Recent examples of solidarity statements and corporate social responsibility rhetoric treat disenfranchised racial and gender identities as value-added competitive market quantities to boost brands. This trend also incentivizes marginalized actors to capitalize on their own disenfranchisement in pursuit of visibility and career advancement. The resulting identity politicking replaces communal care, grassroots social ties, solidarity, and interdependence with isolating market competition. This article diverges from scholars who trouble the differential value of identity—by troubling the valuation of identity itself. Facebook normalizes identity as private property in what I call a transition from identity politics to “personal identity economics.” I coin this concept and break it down into the following four factors: (1) The optimization of difference beginning in the 1970s, (2) Facebook’s algorithmic invasion of market logic into intimate aspects of life starting in the mid 2000s, (3) Ads Manager’s economization of identity into legible economic units, and (4) neoliberal corporate social responsibility rhetoric of “social good” as a profitable asset.

Doctors for the Truth: Echo Chambers of Disinformation, Hate Speech, and Authority Bias on Social Media

“…In social media, where echo chambers are created, the perfect ecosystem for the diffusion of false information and growth of toxicity and hate speech is therefore created, which, according to the authors Cinelli et al [42], are commonly linked. This is a cause for concern for society in terms of the power that these platforms can hold, particularly when it comes to politics [43][44][45]. The study by Wang et al [46], for example, explores the correlation between a change in opinion, namely political polarisation, and interaction with political campaigns on social media.…”

Sharing in the echo chamber

“…Lim et al (2021) noted that advocacy campaigns, such as the "defund the police" movement defy popularity metrics by calling for material change rather than the traditional self-promotion for which social media sites are known. However, Lim (2021) warned of the potential for digital activist spaces to be monetised. Lim (2021) used the term personal identity economics to describe the social media practice of individuals using their marginalised identities for personal gain, whether social or economic.…”

“…However, Lim (2021) warned of the potential for digital activist spaces to be monetised. Lim (2021) used the term personal identity economics to describe the social media practice of individuals using their marginalised identities for personal gain, whether social or economic. This indicates the necessity of examining how users understand the relationship between digital activism, such as sharing activist infographics, the potential for social gain, and the possibility of enacting change outside of the platform.…”