Friend or foe : exploring master suppression techniques on Facebook

• Introduction. This paper focuses on the unexplored area of master suppression techniques on Facebook. A lot is known about these techniques in offline contexts, but very little is known about their application in the online context in general or their use and nature on social media in particular. This paper therefore explores the use of master suppression techniques on a social media platform. Method. We used a netnographic approach based on passive and unobtrusive observations of 30 open forums on Facebook. Approximately 1000 threads and posts were observed. Analysis. We analyzed the gathered data using qualitative content analysis techniques based on the concepts of meaning units, condensed meaning units, codes, subcategories, categories and themes. Results. People apply a range of master suppression techniques on Facebook, some of which have been imported from offline contexts while others have not. Conclusions. We were able to determine which master suppression techniques people apply on Facebook and show that they appear to be harsher than we initially expected. A categorisation model for master suppression techniques used on Facebook was developed using these findings.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications (hsv//eng)

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