Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction· 2026Q2
Organizing in the Digital Age: Understanding Community, Challenges, and Consequences in Digitally-facilitated Labor Organizing
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Digital tools like Discord, WhatsApp, and Slack are now integral to US union organizing, enabling communication across dispersed workforces, but also introducing challenges in security, information overload, and trust-building.
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Key points
- Digital platforms (Discord, WhatsApp, Slack) are essential for modern US union organizing.
- These tools help overcome spatial and temporal barriers in communication.
- New challenges include technical security, information overload, and building trust.
- Despite complexities, digital tools are integral to contemporary labor organizing successes.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
The contemporary American labor force is highly dispersed, necessitating the use of digital communication tools to bridge spatial and temporal gaps in union organizing. This study provides an in-depth analysis of how workers within various labor unions utilize digital, text-based communication platforms—including Discord, WhatsApp, and Slack—for labor organizing. Through 17 qualitative interviews, we examine the challenges and opportunities presented by digital organizing, identifying both technical and social obstacles. Our findings reveal that although digital tools are integral to contemporary labor successes, they also introduce new complexities, such as navigating technical security, managing information overload, and building trust and consensus. Based on these insights, we draw connections to broader understandings of digital organizing and the role of digital tools in unions.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Public Administration
Public AdministrationSocial Sciences