Identity, Legitimacy, and Voice: Understanding Rule Adoption, Compliance, and Evolution in Online Communities

Abstract

Online communities have become deeply entangled with 21st century social life, supporting cultural discourse and the production of knowledge and information commons. While much research has focused on the platform-level administration, few have investigated the actual governance practices of the volunteer leaders whose work sustains the millions of online communities. This dissertation explores those practices through the life cycle of online community rules. Through 40 interviews with volunteer leaders from Reddit communities, Fandom wikis, and Fediverse instances, this research investigates the processes and beliefs behind why and how rules are adopted, enforced, and evolve over time. Findings reveal that rules serve multifaceted purposes, including setting behavioral expectations, reinforcing community identity, and signaling legitimacy to external stakeholders. Enforcement challenges often stem from ``grey area'' situations, requiring collaborative sensemaking for consistent rule interpretation, and leaders would often strategically build trust to ensure compliance. Rule changes are influenced by leaders' capacity to address issues and by platform-specific affordances for member feedback. This research advances theories of community governance, content moderation, and institutional change by illustrating the dynamic relationship between leadership decisions, member participation, and the materiality of online community software. Finally, it concludes with implications for designing adaptive sociotechnical systems that support sustainable practices for volunteer-led governance.