An autoethnography of automated powerlessness: lacking platform affordances in Instagram and TikTok account deletions

Situated within the field of platform governance studies, this paper shares findings from an ‘autoethnography automated powerlessness’, drawing researcher’s disempowering experience being a heavily moderated social media user. Using theoretical frameworks blending affordances and World Risk Society theories, contextualises my experiences moderation pole dance instructor, activist blogger account @bloggeronpole February to October 2021 media’s broader de-platforming nudity sexuality, finding fallacies platforms’ own affordances, which lack mechanisms aid or rehabilitate de-platformed accounts. With little no information platforms about details their moderation, qualitative, ethnographic autoethnographic explorations are all users currently have fight understand puritan, patriarchal censorship often conflated with risk. This study concludes recommendations for different options better, more equal community focused moderation.