Author(s)

Xuan Wang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Corresponding Author

Xuan Wang

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the collective anonymity phenomenon known as the "Momo Army" on the Xiaohongshu platform. It aims to analyze why young users choose to abandon personalized identity markers to integrate into collective anonymous groups, and how this behavior constitutes an algorithmic resistance strategy. Employing a combination of digital ethnography and in-depth interviews, the research conducted six months of systematic observation from January to June 2023. Fifteen representative users participated in semi-structured interviews, with data processed through thematic analysis. Findings reveal four core motivations for collective anonymity: concealing individual identity to prevent privacy leaks, mitigating "context collapse" through identity homogenization, building group belonging through anonymity, and employing collective anonymity as an algorithmic resistance strategy. The Momo community creatively addresses identity dilemmas in the algorithmic era through "secondary anonymization," not only evading algorithmic discipline but also forging a new form of "digital subjectivity." However, this approach carries risks such as group polarization, low-quality content, and media dependency. Research indicates that collective anonymity transcends traditional privacy frameworks, emerging as an innovative practice of everyday resistance. "Collective invisibility" reconstructs digital subjectivity and fosters "anonymous solidarity," revealing that algorithmic power is not unidirectional domination but is constantly countered by users' creative resistance. Future efforts must balance privacy protection with freedom safeguards to promote a healthy internet ecosystem.

KEYWORDS

Collective Anonymity, Momo Army; Algorithmic Governance, Digital Resistance, Social Media

CITE THIS PAPER

Xuan Wang, Becoming Momo: A Digital Ethnography of Collective Anonymity and Everyday Algorithmic Resistance in China's Platform Society. Media and Communication Research (2025) Vol. 6: 56-66. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mediacr.2025.060509.

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