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Abstract

The development of technology facilitated by computer networks creates ambiguity over women’s empowerment. On the one hand, the intersection of technology and women’s freedom of expression has led to the emergence of cyberfeminism. The participatory culture encourages the growth of feminist movements to facilitate public engagement and empowerment. However, several overlooked challenges persist in the representation of women’s concerns. Consequently, we undertook this study to offer critique and contemplation on digital feminist activity. This study presents a contradictory perspective, providing a counterbalance and an alternative narrative to the prevailing emphasis of previous research on the glorification of cyberfeminism and activism movements on social media. Using virtual ethnography, we examine five feminist activist accounts on Instagram as the locus of study: @indonesiafeminis, @lawanpatriarki, @perempuanfeminis, @muslimahfeminis, and @perempuan.merdeka. The findings indicated a representation bias within the five digital feminist accounts. Digital feminists prioritize the interests of women within their own groups rather than fostering knowledge and empowerment among all women. They do not advocate for the interests of women from varied backgrounds. Therefore, this study looks into and criticizes the concept of cyberfeminism. The outcome further reinforces the notion that technology embodies paradoxical values: It can resolve women’s issues while simultaneously generating new inequalities.

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