ABSTRACT
Social movements and communication have always had a close relationship. Given the difficulties of accessing mainstream media, activists have promoted alternative media. The Internet and social media are introducing numerous transformations in this field. The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the role of alternative media in social movements in Europe in these changing times. Starting from a comprehensive definition of these media, I examine their redefinition in the digital environment. Then, I analyse the emergence of protest media, paying special attention to the cases of Spain, the United Kingdom, and France. Finally, I approach the new communicative initiatives carried out by activists and connected, on the one hand, to monitory democracy and transparency and, on the other hand, to fact-checking. This analysis highlights the need to rethink and expand the concept of alternative media. I propose the alternative platform concept as a way to more effectively capture the diversity of forms that alternative communication can adopt in the digital context.
