Digital territories

Co-creation, belonging, and inequalities in local consumption on Instagram

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12712/rpca.v.194.69828

Abstract

The growing platformization of social interactions has transformed neighborhood Instagram pages into digital arenas of co-creation, consumption, and belonging, while also reproducing territorial inequalities. This study aims to understand how these pages operate as digital territories of co-creation, engagement, and inclusion, simultaneously influencing local consumption and community relations. A qualitative exploratory and descriptive approach was adopted, combining netnography of six neighborhood pages in Fortaleza, semi-structured interviews with local business owners, and ethnographic field notes. The findings reveal five core dimensions: (1) digital co-creation of territorial narratives, (2) relational consumption sustained by affective bonds, (3) communicational inclusion through accessible formats, (4) construction of symbolic value and belonging, and (5) digital inequalities mediated by financial capital and technical skills. The study advances the concept of co-creation by integrating territorial and affective dimensions of digital culture, offering an interpretive typology for analyzing platformized community ecosystems. It also provides practical insights for digital inclusion policies and the strengthening of local economies by emphasizing the need for inclusive curation and capacity-building initiatives to enhance small entrepreneurs’ presence and visibility online. We conclude that neighborhood pages function as hybrid platforms of visibility, inclusion, and symbolic contestation, offering new perspectives for understanding digitally mediated local consumption and for designing policies that foster neighborhood-based economies.

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Author Biographies

  • Edilania Miranda Conrado, UECE

    Mestre em Administração pela Universidade do Estado do Ceará - UECE. Formada em Processos Gerenciais pelo Centro Universitário Christus - UNICHRISTUS, com Especialização em MBA de Gestão de Pessoas e liderança. Atua na área administrativa acadêmica universitária desde 2013, atuando atualmente como Assistente de Pesquisador Institucional com sólida experiência na elaboração e suporte de relatórios e projetos de pesquisa acadêmica e institucional, em relação aos processos de avaliação de cursos da educação superior. Tem como áreas de interesse: Administração, Educação e Novas Tecnologias.

  • Felipe Gerhard, UECE

    Possui graduação em Administração pela Universidade Estadual do Ceará (2011), mestrado em Administração pela Universidade Estadual do Ceará (2015) e Doutorado em Administração pela Universidade Estadual do Ceará (2019), com período sanduíche financiado pelo Programa PDSE/Capes em Université du Quebec à Montréal (Orientador: Raoul Graf) e co-tutela em Fundação Getúlio Vargas - Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (Orientador: Eliane Pereira Zamith Brito). Tem experiência na área de Administração, com ênfase em Administração de Empresas, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: Marketing, Comportamento do Consumidor e Métodos Qualitativos.

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Published

2026-03-27

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Artigos/Papers

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