Re-Thinking Journalism

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popular social media sites in China 

Reference:

Bower, C 2014, ‘Social Media Landscape in China’ [image],What does the social media landscape look like in china?’  BMJ Blogs, viewed 20 May 2015 < http://blogs.bmj.com/bmj-journals-development-blog/2014/04/28/what-does-the-social-media-landscape-look-like-in-china/>.

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China and Social Media

China is currently home to the largest user base in the world with “513 million people, more than double the 245 million users in the United States” (Chiu, C, Ip, C, Silverman, A, 2012) , thus it can be argued that china is leading the way in technical significance throughout social media platforms. However due to the strength in culture within china many of their social networking sites refuse some of the most popular westernised social platforms such as Facebook. Due to the large audiences base in China, programmers and developers of social media aim to target their brands towards a large network of personalise differences thus establishing various websites to cater to different niches. Many of these various popularized social media platforms such as sina weibo, Renren, KakaoTalk all represent similar features to westernised social platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp. Therefore it cannot be completely suggested that our social media experiences are entirely different.

In continuation, throughout the extensive array of social media platforms within China much debate has arisen around the ideation put forth by Chiu, Lin and Silverman's (2013, p 1) that China is leading the way in the social media revolution. As suggested by authors Cindy Chiu, Chris Ip, and Ari Silverman in their scholarly article ‘Understanding Social Media in China’ China is an active and forward-thinking country that established tools and features within their social domains “more than 18 months” before most countries. These authors then continue to discuss how China was the initial country to first develop social networking sites with “chatting capabilities such as Renren”. However despite China obtaining technological innovative characteristics within their social media platforms, China is not entirely leading the way. Internet can be commonly credited for allowing active online users with the freedom of speech, however through the prevalence of the laws and legislations associated with online domains enforced by the Chinese government this greatly restricts Chinese access to speech and activism and ability to enforce a subversion of its authority. Thus this greatly alters a powerful characteristic of social media, as the consequences of speaking out within China are too great such as jail sentences, further suggesting China does not lead the way. An example of the Chinese governments authority and influences over the internet’s content and stream of social media is evident in the 2009 banning of Facebook due to their speculation of the site allowing for Xinjiang activists to communicate.

Through the exploration of social media in china, I was very shocked that they from 2009, were not able to access Facebook. This then caused me to think about the possible pressures this may place upon Facebook. Due to china obtaining “the world’s most active environment for Social media. More than 300 million people use it” (Chiu, C, Ip, C, Silverman, A, 2012), this enlightens that Facebook is missing out on a large potential audience, which I found rather interesting.

References:

Chiu, C, Ip, C, Silverman, A, 2012, ‘Understanding Social Media in China’, Mckinsey Quarterly, April, pp. 1-4, viewed 21 May 2015, < http://asia.udp.cl/Informes/2012/chinamedia.pdf>.

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Social Gaming

These gaming platforms can often be described as a lawless place due to players often being rewarded with ruthless murders and destruction within their gaming domains.  Throughout the realistic nature enforced within games such as well-recognised game Eve, this causes gamers to connect to their characters and form another online life, causing them to immense a large emotional investment into the game. The nature of the planet Eve has been described as, “a harsh universe largely driven by conflict” (Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys 2014 p10), thus players will experience undeniable “malicious interference with the game experience”, (Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys 2014 p10). This suggests that players often undergo traumatic and tense experiences in this game which will place emotional strain on them and draw them further away from reality, assigning them within a permanent gaming domain.

Zwart suggests that due to the games non-existence rules on ethical and moral behaviour and appropriate, respectful interactions with other players, this places a profound effect upon the ability for players to negotiate rules and behavioural norms, thus arousing amoral behaviour. This can often arouse disheartening conflict between players and puts their emotional health and wellbeing at stake. Despite the now existent self-regulating government body, Council of Stellar Management (CSM) primary intention to act as a “ representative body” for gamers and the CCP, conflict within gaming domains such as Eve still arise. This is apparent through the monoclegate controversy, which arose due to a document, which leaked entailing a company behind the establishment of the Eve was going to place a financial price upon essentials for the game such as ammo and ships, which strictly contradicted previous promises Eve made. This resulted in protests amongst gamers, ultimately putting the game into crisis mode, and sparked the commencement into an ending of the Eve era.

Furthermore conflict within gaming online not only arises within gaming platforms, it also erupts outside of a gaming spheres. This is apparent when recently the Society for Professional Journalists attended an ethics week whereby they established a personalised hashtag on twitter #SPJEthicsWeek, which allows gamers to be in tune with current updates within the gaming world. However a powerful backlash from gamers exploded, and a stream of threats and abuse directed towards journalists attending this event trended throughout twitter. This hatred inflicted upon the journalist caused the journalists to remove the existence of the hastag as it sparked a intimidating and brutal conflict. Furthermore through the prevelance of the ocial trending hashtag #gamergate this has persisted throughout many individuals feeds and has since gained vial recognition. The term gamergate essentially concerned with ethics in game journalism and with safeguarding the online participants. This hashtag was allegedly based around sexuality within gaming domains initially arising from the torment independent game developer, Zoe Quinn experienced online. This harassment erupted due to her ex-boyfriend publicly stated she cheated on him numerous times with multiple partners. This harassment of abuse enlighten the serious and damaging effects gaming sites can inflict upon individuals and how often liberty is often at stake. Therefore through the prevalence of sexism within games and emotional involvement placed into the online domains, this greatly establishes what's at stake in the way people socialise and connect through games.  

  References:  

Melissa de Zwart & Sal Humphreys (2014) The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online' Cultural Studies Review

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Social Imaging Platform

Within today’s society social media platforms are commonly used as an open diary for worldwide citizens, via posting, reposting, sharing, uploading, commenting and liking desired content. Popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat enable individual to visualise and voice their daily lifestyles, however there are often many complications, which arise from the deceiving nature of Internet. For example often-online individuals craft their desired content in order to appear more desirable through leading luxurious and stylish lifestyles. This means of manipulating and selecting content to publish online is known as digital dualism, which refers to a belief that online and offline are distinctly separate realities. Often individuals post fashionable content and deny material which may in fact be their reality, for example a woman would much rather publish her latest beach holiday rather than openly post her suffering abuse she encounters from her partner, simply because this content is not publically alluring nor inciting. This realistic content is mostly uploaded in a bid to raise awareness and enforce activism via using social media platforms against certain discourses apparent within modern society. This can be examined in a case of 37 year old Angela Brower, who was extensively abused by her boyfriend repeatedly over a period of time. Through her bravery and determination Angela publically posted graphic images to her Facebook page of her scars and aggressive bruising in a bid to raise awareness for domestic abuse against women and provide women with the strength and courage to escape toxic relationships.

However unfortunately this is a rare concept where individuals can openly post about the reality’s of their lives. Celebrities are well known sources for uploading content and using their status to advertise their lifestyles via social platforms. This can be recognised within the now Kardashian phenomenon, which illustrates the Kardashians using media forms to express their sex appeal and develop a desirable online image. For example the Kyile Jenner lip saga took the Internet by storm and sparked an enormous trend, whereby teens would aim to replicate their plump lips by sucking into a small glass, which in turn would cut of their circulation causing their lips to swell and increase dramatically in size.  This movement commenced through kyile Jenner posting pictures of herself via her Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram account posing with often-vibrant lipsticks causing her lips to become a main focal point of the picture. Another common transparent feature to the Internet involves the ability to tag and other online users in content visible in a newsfeeds such as Facebook. This raises another concern with Facebook as it opens users up to potential embarrassment due to being tag in an image, which they may not want to be made public or associated with. Although most content can be reported and removed from a social networking site, this does not stop other users from witnessing the content before its removal and potentially saving it. Thus further cementing the visible nature of the Internet.

Snap chat is also another new tool which further helps promote the lifestyles of the rich and famous, however it can be argued that Snapchat used by celebrities offers a more personalised in look into their lives. Its devises a domain which uploads instant photos and videos at true time, ultimately allowing audiences to feel more connected to their idols at a touch of a button at a personalised level. For example when celebrities make their snap chat account public, fans can add their user names and watch video and images taken by the celebrity them selves from their days, whilst other platforms such as twitter allow for succinct messages with one photo each post. However it can be argued that this fame and established on social media and citizen involvement within social media platforms potentially invites the risk of identity theft and breached privacy amongst citizens.  An example of this can be examined within a recent publicised scandal, which involved leaked nudes of Jenifer Lawrence taken from her personalised Icloud. This extreme violation of confidentiality has greatly enlightened the complications involved with the open nature of the Internet. 

references:

Lange, P. (2009) ‘Videos of Affinity on YouTube’, Snickars & Vonderau (eds) The YouTube Reader, pp 70-88. (Document above)

Herrman, J. (2014) ‘Meet the Man Who Got Inside Snapchat’s Head’ BuzzFeed.

Bachai, S 2014,Tennessee Woman, Angela Brower, Shares Photos Of Domestic Violence Abuse ,Medical Daily, viewed 22 April 2015, <http://www.medicaldaily.com/tennessee-woman-angela-brower-shares-photos-domestic-violence-abuse-288168>.

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Crowd Sourcing

Crowd sourcing can be defined as obtaining information, funds, services and content from various crowds by connecting with viral online audiences.  Crowd sourcing is commonly used within emergency situations as a means of gaining financial support from worldwide citizens known as crowd funding. This activity entails gaining funds and monetary contributions from masses of individuals to put towards a common project or service. Gaining funds are commonly obtained via the form of social media platforms, which have the ability to reach enormous viral audiences in a matter of seconds. Through the Internets extensive and far-reaching nature, audiences are able to gain worldwide news such as natural disasters and take immediate action by placing financial contributions towards helping the community stuck by the tragedy. The Internet makes this supporting act from communities an easy task for active online users, as links leading audiences to websites where financial support is accepted are easily recognisable and navigable on social networking sites. This act is recognised as crowdfunding, which is the practise of providing Internet users typically via social networking sites with availably to submit their fiscal support. This act can also occur through individuals sharing and circulating content relating to a disaster, which greatly raises both money and awareness.  

This deed was evident and largely participated in throughout the recent devastation of the Queensland Floods. Through the ability for individuals to use Twitter as a means of connecting with this particular crisis and make use of trending hashtags such as #qldfloods and #thebigwet, this allowed audiences to interconnect on mass and raise awareness and support and rebuild community’s affected by the floods. Twitter similarly allowed for the most recent updates in ‘real time’, which also allows individuals personally fighting the floods to be updated on crucial descriptions such as areas to avoid and the movement of the floods. The progress of the floods increased attention on social media was tracked via an open source known as yourTwapperkeeper (2011), indicating there were over 35,000 tweets expressing the trending hashtag #qldfloods throughout the period of 10-16 January (2012). This evidence suggests that there was a near 100 tweets per hour, which reflects twitters ability to enhance crowdsourcing and the velocity and nature of the awareness and funds.

Social networking’s enablement’s of crowdsourcing is also evident in more recent disasters such as the Nepal earthquake, which occurred April 26 2015 and gained immediate recognition via various social networking sites. This devastation brought forth the trending hash-tags on Twitter including #Nepal #Nepalearthquakedonate, #Nepalearthquakevideo, #Nepalearthquakerelieffund, which greatly increased resources and awareness. However it was not only Twitter inviting humanitarian response to this event, Facebook was also greatly involved. This support, and contribution was displayed via an icon displaying a Facebook hand holding an animated heart accompanied by text stating ‘Thousands of Nepal earthquake survivors need our help. Facebook is giving 2 million to match the donations’. A link to navigating audiences to a donations page followed, which devised a means of crowdsourcing, as audiences were able to obtain information on the disaster through updated events on Facebook, whilst similarly established a crowdfunding environment.

Furthermore through the trending hash-tag #Nepalearthquakevideo, this tag placed audiences who clicked on it within a domain of recent videos of the Nepal earthquake which were uploaded onto social media sites. These videos have since been credited for enforcing the reality and truth of the devastation and destruction of the natural disaster. Similarly the captured footage also acted as a powerful form of crowdsourcing for active audiences online as videos are common features in media which are easy to absorb and communicates allot of information in a short, succinct sequence.

Lastly another powerful form of crowdsourcing relating to the Nepal earthquake was the social networking site Digital globe, which is a satellite company which allows worldwide citizens to have access to satellite imagery and maps, allowing them to report affected areas in order to aid relief workers. This network offers various languages for worldwide citizen, greatly eliminating language barriers and establishing crowdsourcing system enabling audiences to assemble on mass and work in unity to achieve respite within Nepal.

 references:

The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 2012, ‘The Twitterisation of The ABC’s Emergency and Disaster Communication’, Volume 27, No. 1, pp. 1-6

 ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, 2012, ‘#qldfloods and @QPSMedia: Crisis Communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland Floods’, pp 1-58

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Social Platforms enabling Activism

Through the allowance of social networking platforms to reach a vast amount of audiences this invites many activists to preach their ideations and intentions via new mainstream media. Many social networking sites available today such as Facebook and Twitter are common grounds for starting a movement; which many be a large political movement or a minimal one. This can be recognised throughout the recent activist movement known to many as the “ill ride with you movement” which commenced its journey to viral recognition through the establishment of a hashtag known as #illridewithyou, established via popularized social networking site, Twitter. This infamous hash-tag was devised by the Australian public in support for Muslim communities in wake of the Sydney siege and quickly became a viral trend welcoming almost “120,000 tweets” Australian wide.

This hashtage was inspired by a Facebook status created by a member of the Australian public Rachel Jacob's, who wrote about her encounter with a Muslim woman who was too afraid to wear her hijab in the public.This status greatly drew Australians attention onto the racial division amongst our community and hatred inflicted upon innocent Muslims hated for their cultural inheritance. It similarly illustrated that a hijab once held such sacredness and inviolability was now an item, which identified a citizen as a murderous, inhumane being, which must be stopped.  Thus through this example it is clear of social medias importance and power its obtains for activists and the interconnected nature each one holds with one another. Through Jacob’s status, this promoted her encounter to her immediate Facebook friends, however through the accessible and extensive nature of the internet her Facebook friends were then able to share and comment on her post which increased the status visibility and increased its movement through different media platforms.Via this visibility this status inspired Twitter user, ‘sir Tessa’ to tweet a post in support of the Muslim community in Australia followed by a hashtag #illridewithyou. This then reached a wide audience and devised a community, which captured the attention of not only minor socialites and the common citizen, but also high social status civilians and celebrity citizens. This causes enormous trends of re-tweeted content on the hash-tag and newly created posts relating to the topic, which ultimately caused a dominating discourse within the Australian community and immediately devised support systems to unite Australia as one.

 However despite these social media platforms enabling worldwide communities to assemble on mass and support an activist movement, slacktivism can commonly occur which entails an individuals addressing a issue on a social media purely to make themselves feel satisfied that they have contributed to the social movement or cause. Thus this term suggests that individuals sometimes do not contribute in a positive way, rather they involve themselves within a movement for a personal ego lift and appear to be a positive role model to other social media users witnesses their support online. For example this may involve an individual sharing and reposting content involving support towards a political change within a third world country, without really caring about the need for power revolution within that country. Similarly slaktivisim can also be recognised within the trending ALS ice bucket challenged, which gained worldwide recognition through its trending nature on social media platforms and celebrity participation in the act. This involved individuals filming themselves putting a bucket of ice over themselves in support of the disease ALS to raise monetary contribution and awareness. However although this was a promising and thoughtful deed with each video post raising greater awareness, the lack of monetary contribution enlightened slacktivism as many individuals were performing this act and posting videos to their Facebook’s pages without actually contributing money to the cause, which was a main need for this disease.

Furthermore a limitation with social media and activism can be recognised through social medias platforms ability to hinder information and content and eliminate any forms of unacceptable content which breaches laws and legislations. This can be recognised when footage from Syria was removed from YouTube, as it was too graphic which is an example of social media stoping activism rather than promoting it. Therefore it can be argued that mainstream media platforms enable both activism whilst beholding the ability to reduce or stop it.

references: 

Maria Bakardjieva (2009) ‘Subactivism:Lifeworld and Politics in the Age of the Internet’, The Information Society, 25, 91-104.

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Social Media Enlightening Teenage Insecurities

Through the ever-changing breakthrough of innovative technologies comes the emergence of social networking. I investigated the detrimental effects new mainstream media plays upon youth and the ways teenagers interact and consume social networking. Through the exploration of boyds journal article, I drew upon the conclusion that youth involve themselves in an online world for many reasons, however I discovered there reason were commonly associated with their personal insecurities. For example many participate for social status, attention and acceptance within their social realms. However through the broadness of the Internet these intentions can often leave teenagers exposed and vulnerable to unwanted attention and bullying.

Through the Internets extensive nature, teenagers are able to delve into unknown realms of social networking, through sharing, commenting, liking and reposting desire content. However this ability extends to allowing users to extort and upload unwanted hurtful content about other users without consent, which is a common act within new media. Unfortunately this particular material is highly likely to circulate and become popularized content, increasing consumer’s exposure to negativity and bullying, thus highlighting social media as an arena for barbaric spectating sport, via it its visibility and wide audience. It was suggested that this content devises an online discourse whereby witnesses participate in as a means of declaring status, gain acceptance, or supress boredom. Jessica Logan, an 18-year-old female who sent her boyfriend a nude picture is an example of becoming a victim online. As a result of the breakup- her ex posted a nude on social networking site which gained immediate attention, causing it to stream through various schools making her a victim of abuse and harassment both online and off, this resulted in her horrific suicide in 2008.

Boyd also discusses youth’s usage of social networking as a means of gaining attention. Boyd investigated the online social site known as Formspring, which allows its user to post anonymous messages, which invited bullying without recognition or consequence. However through further exploration of Formspring, boyd found that users who experienced bullying through this websites were in fact inflicting the harassment upon them selves by posting anonymous messages onto their own page as a means of attracting pity and attention from other users.

This way of gaining attention from online participants was found to be a trend, as stated by boyd “Psychologist Elizabeth Englander found that 9 percent of youth she surveyed reported using the Internet to bully themselves.” Thus reflecting the ideation that youth utilise the Internet to gain attention.

Finally, social networking has been suggested to have changed the traditional aspects of bullying, as stated in boyd ‘The language of bullying often presumes that there’s a perpetrator’ and a victim. However, social media deflects the ideation that bullying is a human-to-human suffering system via its ability to reach a wide population, which allows public bullying online to involve many perpetrators and attack a single victim, thus strengthening the impact upon the sufferer. This form of new bullying in an online domain has discovered a new term coined “drama”, which focuses on new media allowing users to participate in online conflict taking place in front of an active audience. It was suggested by boyd that through being involved in ‘drama’ this might potentially allow users to gain recognition and status whilst remaining updated. It may also reinforce power structures, which is often achieved through bullying.

references:

boyd, d. (2014) ‘Bullying: Is the Media Amplifying Meanness and Cruelty?’, in It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, pp 128-52

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Cyber Bullying Group Presentation

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Politicians and social media

Post 2:

Through the various social networking sites now available to all citizen of the world, politicians have recently began to make beneficial use of this revolution as a means of promoting their ideas and political beliefs. Through Social media’s undefined boundaries, this allows politicians to exhaust powerful messages to the vast Australian community with ease in a matter of seconds.

Jacquie Lambie is an Australian politician who aims to reach out to the Australian community and promote her political views via various social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter. Through the exploration of both online profiles, I examined the content and her behaviour as a means of understanding if her use of media has enriched her political status and popularity within the Australian community. Both Twitter and Facebook are often utilised by politicians such as Jacquie Lambie as a means of establishing a image of themselves in which they wish the community to view them. Through social networking sites, this allows politicians to control the content, which is exposed to the media, whilst similarly allowing them to obtain the ability to shape and manipulate their social pages to allow them to appear more desirable, approachable and sufficient to the community.

This approach was evident in Lambie’s online tactic, which was found through exploring her methods and techniques she has employed to attract a vast range of followers and support from the Australian community. Lambie’s prolific character can be recognised to be glorified through her updated Facebook page, through various visuals of Lambie working amongst the community such as meeting The Fred Hollows Foundation and attending the 20th National Constitutional Convention. These visuals allow Lambie to appear as a driven character that is constantly amongst the community aiming to make a change, which is a typical case of her controlling desired content to her supporters.

Furthermore social networking sites also enable the ability to allow politicians to reflect their attitudes onto the community. Jacquie Lambie makes use of her Twitter and Facebook accounts as a means of making her appear as an approachable, down to earth character that reflects Australian morals of readiness to lend the Australian community a helping hand as well as belief in absolute equality amongst all.

Her representation of her amicable character is often illustrated through her inclusive tweets directed to all members of the Australian community. Whilst her use of informal language greatly devises her to be a relatable being whom most can empathize with. This is evident through her humorous and personalised post such as one wishing her son a happy 21st birthday. This approach to her social media allows her to appear humane and compassionate, thus a more likable character. Similarly she often enforces a casual nature through her ability to continuously make fun of herself.

Furthermore Lambie often presents her social networking profiles within decorative images for her boarders and well-presented profile pictures. For example her Twitter banner across her profile portrays flowers, which suggests to her viewers her feminine and girlish nature. Her profile display picture on Facebook shows her smiling and appearing happy and content which similarly allows her to appear like a nice person, which is what the Australian community want from their leaders. Her Twitter description displays a minimal selection of powerful words to represent herself as a politician. These short succinct sentences reflect her dominating morals and beliefs within her work. For example her opening description on her Twitter profile expresses “Senator for Tasmania. Advocate for Australian war veterans and injured soldiers. Looking after Tasmania's unemployed. Promoting adult literacy programs.” This brief description makes a commanding statement through her consistent use of full stops and strength on words such as “looking after” allowing her to appear trustworthy and passionate about the good of the Australian people.

Lastly, through social networking sites such as Twitter offering the allowance of hash tags this opens politicians such as Lambie to form an online world of connectedness with other likeminded citizens through the ability to produce and present content to a larger audience base and place it within a domain, thus increasing its exposure. Therefore this allows politicians to reach their ideations outside of their immediate followers and act as a beneficial tool for getting their thoughts out in a fast streaming and sharing environment. Through the manipulation of various social media platforms Jacqui Lambie is able to operate her character into an ideal public figure and ultimately enhance her political status and community involvement.

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Tumblr-The Duality

Much discussion has arisen about the question: is Tumblr asocial network or a blog? In this post I aim to demonstrate the duality of Tumblr, by indicating how this website holds characteristics of both a social network and a blog

A social networking site has been previously defined by boyd and Ellison as a web based service obtaining three characteristics

1.     Construct a public or semi public profile within a bounded system

2.     Articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection with

3.     View and traverse their list of connections and those made by others   within the system (boyd & Ellison. 2007, p. 203)

Through the exploration of Tumblrs characteristics and features this definition helps establish an understanding as to whether or not Tumblr is a social network. Tumblr is a well established website, Founded in February 2007, which has harnessed a vast community base, by allowing individuals to explore and curate blogs on an infinite amount of topics. Users are able cultivate their personal ‘Tumblr profiles’ by uploading photos, text, quotes, music, videos and links which pertain to their interests and character.

By allowing users to devise their own personalised page, Tumblr enables its patrons to establish an online identity and public profile. Due to the fact Tumblr is an innovative online forum it opposes the once traditional face-to-face communication, and embeds a presence of social capital through its ability to allow individuals to connect and form online relationships whilst seeking benefits from online association. Social capital is closely related to most social networking sites and is recognised on Tumblr through its allowance for its users to gain benefits from viewing blogs similar to their own personal interest allowing them to form their own community. Thus Tumblr does in fact obtain factors from boyd ad Ellison’s ideation that a social network must provide its users with the chance to create a public or semi public profile within a restricted system.

Furthermore social networking is based on interconnectedness and expressive, commutative content from online users. Tumblr offers this by enabling individuals to speak their mind without fear. Through Tumblrs ability to make their users anonymous and unlimited text on blogs, this allows for individuals to preach their thoughts, feelings and ideas to a vast community via their profile, thus Tumblr is recognised for acting as an integral aspect of bringing likeminded people within a realm. As suggested within an articles social communication in the twitter age, social networks are referred to as “ friend based networks where maintaining and developing friendship ties are crucial”. This is associated with Tumblr as an individual’s existence on Tumblr is enriched when they experience large amounts of blog followers and experiencing other blogs similar to their interests, allowing for a wide range of users to share a connection with other operators.

Tumblr offers aspects of a social networking site through its ability to allow users to form an online world of connectedness with other likeminded citizens through the ability to follow other blogs, which appear in their streaming feeds. Furthermore, through the innovative existence of hashtages on Tumblr users are able to apply their blogs to a larger theme and place it within a domain of other similar blogs, specific people and groups whilst also opening their blogs to exposure. Through these characteristics, Tumblr blogs also expose users to networks outside of their immediate followers. This aspect of Tumblr is greatly similar to the characteristics of popular social networking site; Twitter. Twitter is commonly referred to as a micro-blogging social network, which as suggested in the article ‘twitter: social communication in the modern age’. Murthy, Dhiraj. (2013, p. 1-13) identified that popular social networking site Twitter, similarly makes use of the hashtages to allow individuals to connect to trending events and themes allowing them to involve themselves within a topic of discussion in an online community, thus reflecting a social networking characteristic being connectedness outside of an immediate group and connect and view others within the system.

It is important to recognise that Tumblr does in fact base its purpose around publishing blogs, it does not contain live chat rooms, status updates and comment bars for discussion- these are intrinsic features of what makes something a ‘social network’. This further confirms the idea that Tumblr offers both aspects of a social network and a blogging website. Similarly though Twitter and Tumblr share similar characteristics the micro-blogging and blogging still variously differ as suggested in the journal ‘Twitter: Social Communication in the Twitter Age’ the social organisation of the two are vastly different and suggest Twitter welcomes “quick reflections” “help keep social networks active on Twitter, whereas blogs are inherently more egocentric in focus” (Murthy, Dhiraj, et al. 2013, p. 9). Therefore Tumblr shares both characteristics of a blog and a social network.

References:

Murthy, Dhiraj, 2013, ‘Twitter : Social Communication in the Twitter Age’, What is Twitter,  

Siaper, E, 2012, ‘Understanding New Media’, Socialites and Social Media,  p.1-10