Digital Refugee

The term "digital refugee" has emerged as one of the primary descriptors for individuals forced to migrate between online platforms due to adverse conditions1. Digital refugees are users who leave platforms due to:

• Policy shifts that negatively impact their experience1

• Erosion of trust in platform governance1

• Cultural toxicity in online environments1

• Shadow banning that limits their visibility and reach23

Unlike voluntary digital nomads who choose mobility, digital refugees are pushed from platforms by circumstances beyond their control, similar to how real-world refugees are forced to flee their homes45.

Platform Refugee

"Platform refugee" describes users who must migrate between services due to being effectively exiled from their previous digital communities6. This term emphasizes the forced nature of the migration and the search for a new "home" platform that will provide the necessary services and community16.

Digital Exile

"Digital exile" refers to individuals who have been forced out of mainstream platforms and must operate in alternative or fringe digital spaces78. This terminology draws parallels to political or social exile in the physical world, where individuals are banished from their native environments8. Digital exiles often experience:

• Separation from established digital communities7

• Loss of digital identity and presence built over time7

• Need to rebuild connections and reputation in new spaces78

Digital Vagrant/Roamer

The terms "digital vagrant" or "digital roamer" describe someone who wanders between platforms without establishing a permanent digital presence910. These individuals:

• Move frequently between services due to shadow banning or other restrictions311

• Lack a stable digital "home" or community9

• Must constantly adapt to new platform environments and rules911

This terminology directly parallels the concept of vagrancy in the physical world, where individuals wander without permanent residence9.

The concept of "digital homelessness" or "cyber-homelessness" has emerged to describe the state of being without a stable online platform presence1. This term has been particularly established in Japan with the "net café refugee" phenomenon, though in a different context referring to people who physically live in internet cafés1.

In the context of platform migration due to shadow banning, digital homelessness refers to:

• Lack of a permanent digital space where one can freely express themselves2

• Constant search for new platforms that will accept the user34

• Inability to build lasting digital communities due to frequent displacement21

Shadow banning serves as the primary catalyst for this form of digital displacement12. Unlike outright bans, shadow banning is particularly insidious because:

• It occurs without explicit notification to the user34

• Content remains visible to the user but is hidden from others13

• It creates a gradual decline in engagement rather than an immediate cutoff34

• It can follow users across platforms if they maintain similar behaviors56

Common triggers for shadow banning include:

• Posting content that violates platform guidelines34

• Engaging in behaviors flagged as spammy or unnatural54

• Being reported by other users, even if mistakenly5

• Discussing topics deemed controversial by platform algorithms73

For those experiencing digital displacement, platform hopping becomes a necessary survival strategy12. This involves:

• Constantly searching for new platforms with more permissive policies2

• Building redundant presences across multiple services1

• Developing strategies to avoid triggering shadow bans on new platforms34

• Creating networks to alert others about which platforms are currently hospitable25

The terminology for individuals who must constantly migrate between online platforms due to shadow banning is still evolving1. Terms like "digital refugee," "platform refugee," "digital exile," and "digital vagrant/roamer" all capture different aspects of this experience213. These terms reflect the parallels between digital displacement and physical homelessness, highlighting the growing importance of digital spaces as essential environments for human connection, expression, and livelihood45.

As online platforms continue to implement increasingly sophisticated content moderation systems, the phenomenon of forced digital migration will likely become more common, necessitating further development of terminology to describe these experiences67.