From online testimony to building a counter-public

Drawing on a case study of the Gilets jaune’s (‘Yellow Vests’) reaction to the media coverage they received, this article examines how the movement became an online counter-public. To understand the driving forces behind this process, the research presented here is based on fieldwork combining observation of Facebook spaces linked to the movement, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis shows firstly that the publications circulating online maintained a continuity with the experience of the rallies, in terms of both the narration of events and the emotions experienced. In addition to this ability to resonate with the activists’ experience, there was the construction of a framework that identified the movement’s opponents, based on a shared sense of justice and a denunciation of the way in which the mainstream media operated. This study thus documents the coalition of activists around a shared experience that served as the basis for the construction of a political discourse.