305 JICMS 3 (3) pp. 305–318 Intellect Limited 2015 Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies Volume 3 Number 3 © 2015 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. doi: 10.1386/jicms.3.3.305_1 Keywords social movement theory critical theory of technology technological infrastructures social network media Facebook Italy Silvio Berlusconi Popolo Viola Lorenzo Coretti The American University of Rome danieLe PiCa John Cabot University the Purple Movement: How Facebook’s design undermined the anti- Berlusconi movement in italy aBstraCt This article assesses the relationship between the use of Facebook and the develop- ment of social movements by focusing on the case study of the Italian movement Popolo Viola/Purple People and its organizational structure. The findings of this study show how Facebook proved to be an efficient mobilizing structure for the social movement only on a short-term basis. After this initial success, the incompatibility between the commercial interests behind Facebook design and the ideology of Popolo Viola became manifest. Facebook failed to provide the movement with the neces- sary instruments in terms of a shared democratic management of its resources. The inability to manage Facebook pages and groups according to commonly agreed values promoted vertical power structures within the movement, contributing to a contro- versial management of the Facebook page and to internal divisions that hindered significantly the potential of the anti-Berlusconi protest. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. JICMS_3.3_Pica_305-318.indd 305 2/5/15 12:00:37 PM Copyright Intellect Ltd 2015 Not for distribution