Part solution, part problem? How Bulgarians and Romanians navigate Facebook, gender and entrepreneurship in the UK

This article uncovers the role of Facebook in the lives of two recently settled migrant communities in the UK: Bulgarians and Romanians. We use online observation and interaction analysis to explore the ways in which Facebook diasporic groups have become a key support resource for women and an outlet for entrepreneurial activities. We also assess the risks women encounter, resulting in self-censorship, community disembedding and digital precarity. Our findings suggest that Facebook has shifted from a community and identity-making platform to a marketplace for diasporic products and services. This invites a reconsideration of the limitations of social media platforms for meeting the needs of diasporic communities and especially women migrants.