meebeslisten

Meebeslisten is a term used in discussions of participatory culture to describe a practice in which a group collectively decides which media or content to engage with, rather than leaving the choice to a single individual. The concept emphasizes shared input, deliberation, and consensus-building in selecting music, videos, podcasts, or other media assets. It is often discussed in online communities, clubs, or collaborative projects where collective curation is valued.

Etymology: The coinage appears to combine the Dutch prefix mee- meaning together with beslissen meaning to decide, and has been used in Dutch-language discourse to denote collaborative decision-making in media selection. The term also surfaces in broader European discussions about participatory media practices, sometimes in English-language writings as a label for group-centric curation.

Practice and formats: Meebeslisten can take many forms, including open discussions, polls, voting rounds, rotating facilitation, or consensus-based checks. It is enabled by platforms that support collaborative playlists, shared libraries, or group moderation workflows, but can also occur in offline settings such as study circles or community screenings.

Benefits and challenges: Proponents cite increased inclusivity, diverse tastes, and shared ownership; critics warn of slower decision-making, potential dominance by vocal participants, and the need for clear facilitation rules.

See also: participatory decision-making, collaborative consumption, crowdsourcing, co-creation, consensus decision-making, participatory media.