Riding the Tide: How Online Activists Leverage Repression

Abstract

How does repression reshape the way online activists engage with target audiences? While prior research has primarily examined changes in overall online participation, it has paid less attention to how activists adjust their strategies in response to repression. Addressing this gap, this article argues that repression incentivizes online activists to broaden their support base by promoting inter-group engagement and signaling inclusivity. Focusing on the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement, the study analyzes Twitter interactions using network measures of assortativity and cross-group tie proportions. It applies permutation tests and ARIMA-based Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis to compare network patterns across key phases, delineated by the Brooklyn Bridge mass arrests on October 1 and the eviction threat of Zuccotti Park on October 13. The results show that repression triggers a significant decrease in assortativity, indicating increased inter-group engagement, while cross-group tie proportions remain stable, suggesting structural rather than isolated behavioral changes.