We Are #ALTGOV : Social Media Resistance from the Inside

When towing the party line meant lying to the American people, brave government employees took to social media to share the inside scoop. Experiencing firsthand President Donald Trump’s disregard for truth, rogue government employees took to social media as an outlet for anonymized outrage, fact-checking, and a call to action. The #ALTGOV Twitter movement subverted official statements to remind the American public that all was not well in the White House but that there was something they could do about it. This is the story of how the same social media technologies that fractured America have helped rogue government workers and concerned citizens work to keep it together. Government employees who were first disappointed in the 2016 election outcome and then horrified by things like a ban on Muslim immigrants, the repeal of Net Neutrality, the deletion of climate change information from EPA websites found themselves searching for a way to take a stand. Beginning with tweets from the parks about the Inauguration Day crowd, the #AltGov Twitter accounts offered followers context, truth, and opportunities to take real-world action to support human rights, privacy rights, and science. Followers say they offer hope. They’ve also faced challenges from their bosses in the government, from trolls and bots, and from each other. Amanda Sturgill offers the first real look behind the curtain as AltGov members struggled to work effectively with others across a spectrum of goals and motivations, while facing their own fears of being discovered or even inadvertently causing the harm they are trying to forestall. The AltGov movement shows us that social media is more than a megaphone—it’s a way for everyday people to live out democratic ideals and make a difference.