(De)Legitimization of Authority in Digital Communication

As the online environment furthers its development, spaces for new conceptualizations and configurations of what might be termed traditional “authority” continue to emerge. This is observable in the fact that throughout history, the notion of authority has held a tenuous or contentious relationships with communication technologies and the new affordances they continue to offer. Virtual spaces are crucial for delving into the concept of authority, a term notoriously challenging to define, encompassing dimensions such as status, power, expertise, and experience, among others. Coupled with the fact that the online context remains extremely fluid and continues to evolve, there are many moving parts that warrant consideration in any substantial discussion of authority in the online context. Furthermore, for an individual or a group to be successful in attaining an authoritative status, a process of legitimization cannot be avoided as one simply cannot successfully hold a position of authority without having demonstrated legitimacy. This chapter explores these notions and provides examples through discussion of the context of health discourse as well as Internet memes, parody social media accounts, and deepfakes.