Abstract
This paper explores how users interpret the role of digital platforms in online gender-based violence, highlighting how these perceptions are influenced by different gender positions, orientations, and social affiliations. Using data from qualitative interviews conducted in Italy, it analyzes the folk theories and algorithmic imaginaries that guide perceptions and interpretations of platform mechanisms in manifestations of digital gender-based violence. The analysis highlights three central dimensions: the algorithmic amplification of violent content, the reproduction of bias in moderation systems, and the perceived ineffectiveness of the protection tools made available by platforms.
