Rethinking platform vernaculars: Collective practices and power dynamics in platform environments

In 2015, Gibbs et al. introduced the concept of platform vernaculars to describe how communicative genres emerge through interactions between platform affordances and user practices. Although widely adopted in media research, the concept has not been systematically refined in light of recent developments in affordance theory and platform studies. Drawing on an integrative literature review, this paper revisits platform vernaculars as plural, recognizable, repeatable, temporarily stabilized, and contested formations emerging through collective negotiations of affordances within platform environments. The paper further introduces four heuristic categories–intended vernaculars, dominant vernaculars, community vernaculars, and counter-public vernaculars–to discuss how communicative norms, genres, and modes of participation become normalized, marginalized, contested, or transformed across platforms. By rethinking platform vernaculars, the paper offers a systematic analytical framework for studying platform practices and norms. Furthermore, it positions vernaculars as a lens for analyzing platform power and user agency, opening avenues for future research.