The theoretical-methodological problematization in circulation and platform research 207 the need for arduous empirical work, “invested with many new investigative protocols.” In these processes, one of the challenges pointed out by the author concerns the observation of the activ- ity of producing meanings that are based on connections built in “contexts of extreme complexity” (Fausto Neto, 2018, p.23). This empirical work requires dedication, inventive- ness, and experimentation. With access to a database and a preorganized corpus, it may be easier to opt for something “ready- made”. One could extract data in a more structured and system- atic way, such as, for example, choosing a hashtag (#) rather than organizing a type of collection that requires cross-referencing information, and investigation on more than one platform and in different formats. However, this practice takes away the work of theoretical and methodological construction from the research- er, which needs to be guided by a research question. We concur with Grohmann (2019) when he reflects on the need for better interpretation and criticism of the data col- lected, paying attention to the context of circulation. The large amount of data, many times, causes us to get stuck in purely descriptive processes. To go beyond description, “it is possible to work with smaller units of data so that they can be properly contextualized” (Grohmann, 2019, p. 160). Research of a more micro nature does not prevent us frommaking more general inferences. Thus, in the following, we detail two cases studied in recent years concerning the collection, processing of data, and interpretation of discursive mate- rialities that seek intersections between methodologies of both a qualitative and quantitative nature. The first example is about a collective research study that dealt with the circulation of in- formation about the pandemic in the Underground, as Carlón (2021) calls this third media system. 3. WhatsApp groups and the circulation of fakes In the case of personal communication apps, how can we access this locus with specific codes and laws that protect access to data and privacy? One strategy we found was through our individual experience and by joining collectives that would
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