Arman Hossain

[arman-hossain]

Post 8, Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance!

Hey, Tumblr fam, have you ever experienced or witnessed online harassment?

Unfortunately, this is a common problem in the digital age, and it can have serious consequences for individuals, communities, and societies. That's why social media governance matters.

Today I want to talk about social media governance and online harassment. Did you know that in Australia, 65% of 1,000 respondents had been exposed to a spectrum of online violence, compared with the global figure of 58%? (The Guardian, 2021).

This is a serious issue that affects a lot of people, especially women and girls. According to a study, one in five Australian girls and young women had feared for their physical safety due to online threats (Plan International Australia, 2021).

It's clear that social media platforms need to do more to prevent online harassment and keep their users safe. That's why social media governance is so important. By setting and enforcing clear rules and policies, platforms can create a safer environment for everyone. But social media governance isn't just the responsibility of the platforms themselves. We as users also have a role to play in calling out online harassment and reporting it when we see it.

For example, Twitter has a policy that prohibits "behaviour that harasses, intimidates, or uses fear to silence another person's voice" (Twitter, 2021). The platform allows users to report harassment and provides options to mute, block, or report abusive accounts. Similarly, Facebook has policies that prohibit hate speech and harassment and allows users to report and block accounts that engage in such behaviours (Facebook, 2022).

So, let's work together to make social media a safer and more welcoming place for everyone. And remember, if you or someone you know is experiencing online harassment, there are resources available to help.

Stay safe out there!

Reference:

"Two-thirds of Australians exposed to online harassment, global study finds", The Guardian, [Viewed 10 May, 2023], <https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jun/23/two-thirds-of-australians-exposed-to-online-harassment-global-study-finds >.

Plan International Australia. (2021, April 7). Free to Be Online: The Impact of Online Harassment on Girls and Young Women, [Viewed 10 May, 2023], <https://www.plan.org.au/media-centre/media-releases/2021/04/07/16/55/free-to-be-online-the-impact-of-online-harassment-on-girls-and-young-womenReferences> .

Liu, J., Ke, Q., & Qiu, L. (2021). Social media governance and online harassment: A review and research agenda. Information & Management, 58(1), 103364, [Viewed 10 May 2023] ,<https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2020.103364 >.

Twitter. (2021). Hateful conduct policy, [Viewed 10 May 2023],<https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/hateful-conduct-policy >.

Facebook. (2022). Community standards, [Viewed 10 May 2023] ,<https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/hate_speech >.

[arman-hossain]

Post 7,Week 9: Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming [ Another Screen]

Today, social gaming has evolved one step further because of internet and rise of online gaming. Many games now designed specifically with social interaction in mind. These games often feature in-game chat functions, social media integration, and other tools to help players connect with one another and build communities around shared interests. And with the rise of live streaming, players can now watch and interact with their favourite streamers in real time, further blurring the line between gaming and social media.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the growth of online gaming, as people turned to video games to stay connected with others while stuck at home. According to a report by Verizon, online gaming traffic increased by 75% in the first week of quarantine measures in the US (Verizon, 2020). And in another research from Nielsen shows that Australians women account for 59% of the 1.8 billion hours spent playing video games (Nielsen, 2021). Followingly, online gaming led people to create Gaming communities for example, “Dhayana Sena” created an online group especially for older women and her goal was to support older women by giving equality and diversity (Nielsen, 2021). Another interesting thing is that online gaming environment became highly socially interactive as anyone can stream their live video while playing the games to engage with others. In south Korea, online gaming, and live streaming became a culture and social landscape to build communities and connect with others (Akamai, 2021).

On the other hand, The Chinese government has recently implemented new regulations that restrict the content of video game live streaming and online esports competitions. The regulations also limit the type of game content that can be streamed on Chinese platforms and call on streamers to avoid "traffic-oriented" aesthetics and other "undesirable" behaviour. The restrictions also encourage streamers to interact with viewers in a "civilized and healthy" online environment (Xinhua News Agency, 2021).

Overall, video game culture has been driven by a desire to connect with other players, share experiences, and build communities around a shared love of gaming and we can expect this evolution to continue.

References:

Verizon. (2020). Online Gaming Traffic Up 75% Amid COVID-19 Outbreak. [Viewed , 28 April,2023]  ,<https://www.verizon.com/about/news/online-gaming-traffic-75-amid-covid-19-outbreak >.

Nielsen. (2021). Women account for 59% of gaming time in Australia: Nielsen. [Viewed 28 April , 2023] ,<https://www.nielsen.com/au/en/press-releases/2021/women-account-for-59-of-gaming-time-in-australia-nielsen/ >.

Akamai. (2021). State of the Internet / Connectivity Report: Q1 2021. [Viewed 28 April, 2023],<https://www.akamai.com/us/en/multimedia/documents/state-of-the-internet/q1-2021-state-of-the-internet-connectivity-report.pdf >.

Xinhua News Agency. (2021). China introduces new regulation on live streaming games, esports. [Viewed 28 April, 2023],<http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-08/31/c_1310153705.htm >.

[arman-hossain]

Post 6, Week 8 : Social Media Beauty Filters [Readjustment of Beauty]

This is age of digitalised beauty as a growing capacity of using beauty filters on social media have popularized in western society. For years, augmented-reality filters on social media sites like snapchat, Instagram and TikTok have allowed users to easily edit their pictures and videos with pre-set characteristics that often perpetuate specific standards like plump lips, hollow cheeks, wide eyes and many more. Throughout the time there’s AI filters have made and the experience with these filters is so seamless and can achieve such a convincing level of reality (Ryan-Mosley, 2023). According to the study, the famous filter called “Bold Glamour Filter” on TikTok has been used 16 million times since its released last month and young people love using filters as the number has spread over 600 million (Ryan-Mosley, 2023).

Unfortunately, I must describe a phenomenon “Digitized Dysmorphia” in which individuals become obsessed with the way they appear on digital media. Digitised dysmorphia is a socially constructed condition that is enabled by digital technology, yet it stems primarily from the cultural commodification of beauty and certain types of femineity (Coy-Dibley, 2016). And this form of modification has been normalised almost to the point of being expected in our current beauty culture, perhaps most starkly among Instagram stars and their viewers.

Related to this modification of beauty filters we can talk about pornography which predominantly involve male audience and reflecting their choices. In this relation, males are digitising a dysmorphia bred by male-dominated patriarchal views of what women should look like. And an influencer like “Sasha Pallari” said "I feel like the detrimental effect this is having on social media users has finally been taken seriously and this is a huge step in the right direction for how filters are used, and the way cosmetics are advertised online" (Hallett, 2021).

Ultimately, these filters have the results that are so ultra-realistic, and it is going to be harder to distinguish what is real and what is not! Also, some individuals use beauty filters and editing tools as a form of self-expression or to challenge traditional beauty standards, rather than to conform to them.

References:

Ryan-Mosley, T. (2023, March 10). Hyper-realistic beauty filters are here to stay. MIT Technology Review. [Accessed April 5, 2023],<https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/13/1069649/hyper-realistic-beauty-filters-bold-glamour/#:~:text=For%20years%2C%20augmented-reality%20filters%20on%20social%20media%20sites,lips%2C%20hollow%20cheeks%2C%20thin%20noses%2C%20and%20wide%20eyes. >.

Coy-Dibley, I. (2016, July 5). "digitized dysmorphia" of The female body: The re/disfigurement of the image. Nature News. [Accessed April 5, 2023] ,<https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201640#:~:text=Digitized%20dysmorphia%20is%20a%20socially%20constructed%20condition%20that,commodification%20of%20beauty%20and%20certain%20types%20of%20femininity. >.

Hallett, E. (2021, February 3). Influencers told not to use 'misleading' beauty filters. BBC News. [Accessed April 5, 2023] ,<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-55824936 >.

[arman-hossain]

Post 5, Week 7 - Body Modification on Visual social media [bodies of others do not suit you.!]

Body modification has become a popular trend on visual social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. People use these platforms to share pictures and videos of themselves with various body modifications such as tattoos, piercings, body paint, and other forms of body art. The popularity of these platforms has contributed to a rise in body modification culture and has allowed people to connect and share their experiences with others who have similar interests.

Instagram is considered as being part of attention economy (Panel®, 2022) from which emerges many influencers community and numerous people seeking attention of others and being able to fit in. Nowadays influencers and microcelebrity are marketing tools for brand on Instagram. For instance, the microcelebrity are people with followers exceeding ten thousand followers and they can engage with business on social media platforms to promote brands and business (Panel®, 2022). But this is related to the theme of identity on social media as most business tend to create beauty ideals for women such as Selena Gomez. Followingly, studies show 88% of women and 65% of men compare themselves to images they observe on social media (Support, 2021). But unfavourable thing is Visual body processing of others’ bodies also involves processing of your own body and involves perception with mental representation of a body which might result eating disorders because how we experience visual body might not always reflect the reality (Support, 2021).

On the other hand, body modification as a form of self-empowerment for women (Atkinson 2004; Braunberger 2001; Pitts 1999; 2003). And, the female or male body can no longer be regarded as a fixed, concrete substance, a pre-cultural given when it comes to understanding how power works in our society. "In Phenomenology of Perception (1962) Maurice Merleau-Ponty writes that the "body is to be compared, not to a physical object, but rather to a work of art... it is a focal point of living meanings..." (p. 150-151).

Somehow, I would say it is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with sharing images of body modifications. Moreover, It is important to approach these platforms with a critical eye and to always prioritize personal safety and well-being as the bodies of others do not fit you.

References:

Panel®, E. (2022, November 9). Council post: 17 experts share technologies making a positive impact on society. Forbes. [Accessed March 16, 2023] ,<https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/09/20/17-experts-share-technologies-making-a-positive-impact-on-society/?sh=89eb09321b34>.

 Support, C. (2021, February 2). How does social media influence body image? EmotionMatters. [Accessed March 29, 2023] ,<https://emotionmatters.co.uk/2018/10/04/how-does-social-media-influence-body-image/ >.

Riverside Girls HS Library. (n.d.). [Accessed March 29, 2023] ,<https://riversidegirlslibrary.weebly.com/body-modification.html >.

Pages, T. S. (n.d.). Body modification, gender, and self-empowerment - cyborgology. Cyborgology Body Modification Gender and SelfEmpowerment Comments. [Accessed March 29, 2023] , <https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/09/22/body-modification-gender-and-self-empowerment/  >.

[arman-hossain]

Post 4, Week 6- Slow Fashion [Hold Values!]

Slow fashion is a movement and an approach to clothing production and consumption that advocates for more sustainable and ethical practices. It emphasizes quality over quantity and encourages consumers to purchase and wear clothing that is designed to last for a long time.

Circular fashion, for example, is an approach that emphasizes the reuse and recycling of clothing and textile waste, as well as the use of sustainable materials and production methods. This involves creating a closed loop system in which materials are continually repurposed and reused, rather than being discarded after use.

Slow fashion came at the heels of the “slow food” movement. Fashion and sustainability journalist and researcher Kate Fletcher first used the term in a 2007 article for The Ecologist (Vito, 2022).

According to a McKinsey study, for every five new garments produced each year, three garments are disposed of. Incredibly, research has shown that 90% of our clothing is thrown away before it needs to be (Marquis, 2022). The emergence of this Fast fashion has had significant negative repercussions on the environment and society. For instance, each year, workers at Zara alone make 840 million items of clothes, the majority of which are sold in the company's 6,000 stores worldwide (Marquis, 2022). Most of the clothes come from Bangladesh, China, and India where wastewater ruining the prosperous rivers and turning them into biological dead zones full of dangerous chemicals. Also, our water supply and food chain are being contaminated by the small plastic microfibers that shed from synthetic clothing after washing.

After emergence of slow fashion fortunately, sustainability is rising in the mind of many people around the world. Slow fashion pushes the general public, fashion brands, and retailers to transform the traditional take-make-waste system into a more regenerative and circular economy. Awareness and spread of slow fashion movements forced fashion brands to manufacture eco-friendly materials and clothes. For instance, Pangaia, the London-based sustainable apparel brand, has recently introduced two new 100% bio-based alternatives to its material line-up: “PlntFiber” and “FrutFiber”. These fibres consist of plant blends and agricultural waste (Slow Fashion Movement: Fashion's next big trend? 2022).

Overall, a trend, slow fashion is so much more. This is a revolution. There are several compelling reasons why its popularity is rising. We need to make and use better-quality clothing that is long-lasting, ethical, and environmentally sustainable.

References:

Vito, F. (2022, July 25). What is slow fashion and how can you join the movement? Earth.Org. [Accessed March 16, 2023],<https://earth.org/what-is-slow-fashion/ >.

Marquis, C. (2022, November 9). What does slow fashion 'actually' mean? Forbes. [Accessed  March 16, 2023],<https://www.forbes.com/sites/christophermarquis/2021/05/14/what-does-slow-fashion-actually-mean/?sh=4be0393e73b4 >.

Slow Fashion Movement: Fashion's next big trend? 3DLOOK. (2022, June 18). [Accessed March 16, 2023] , <https://3dlook.me/content-hub/slow-fashion-movement/ >.

[arman-hossain]

Post 3, Week 5: Digital Citizenship and Digital Society <Not Designed for teenagers?>

it’s true that digital media and content influence teenagers to be highly active on social media and establish a digital identity. Also, because social media is a complex and difficult environment for young people to traverse, teenagers are more likely to experience negative psychological and behavioural effects from it. Moreover, teenagers may be more susceptible to the influence of peer groups on digital environment which include dangerous behaviour, exposure to harmful material, cyberbullying, Internet trolls, hate speech, and leaving a digital footprint. Yet research demonstrates that teenagers' propensity to using social media and their level of engagement on digital platforms both contribute to social comparison and jealousy (Charoensukmongkol, 2017).

It’s interesting to know that 67% of American youngsters are acting as digital citizens, according to the common-sense media survey from 2020 (Rubin, 2022). Anastasia Vlasova, a teen, started visiting a counsellor about a year ago. Her time on Instagram, where she was mesmerised by the supposedly ideal lifestyles and bodies of the fitness influencers, is what she believes to have contributed to the development of her eating disorder (Wells et al., 2021). In essence, we lack knowledge how to establish a digital citizenship and act as a digital citizen.

How about the other digital citizenship approaches?

There’s a unidimensional approach to digital citizenship focuses on aspects of digital citizenship which concentrates on the elements of discipline (i.e., education, communication and journalism, and political science). A lot of research in education focuses on ethical and/or normative viewpoints on Digital Citizenship (Ribble, 2015; Winn, 2012). We can consider digital citizenship as a  safety  concept and educational concept  that must be included in  curriculum  and  taught  in  educational  settings  so  students  will  behave responsibly and ethically online. Followingly, we can create an opportunity for teenage students to view digital citizenship as a tool for civic engagement, we can empower them to use digital resources to address social challenges and promote positive change, like finding a communication solution for disabled people in a society that is already at risk.

Ultimately, including the concepts of digital citizenship into the educational process can assist students in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and morals necessary to become active, responsible, and beneficial contributors to the digital culture.

<Ahhha not mathematics>.

References:

Charoensukmongkol, P. (2017, October 6). The impact of social media on social comparison and envy in teenagers: The moderating role of the parent comparing children and in-group competition among Friends - Journal of Child and Family Studies. SpringerLink. [Accessed March 1, 2023] ,<https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-017-0872-8>.

Bazuzzza. (2020, January 6). Social media bullying vector concept for web banner, website Page Stock Vector - illustration of dislike, message: 168583948. Dreamstime.[Accessed March 1, 2023] ,<https://www.dreamstime.com/hand-holding-smartphone-dislikes-bad-comments-insulting-messages-vector-illustration-internet-trolling-social-media-bullying-image168583948 >.

Rubin, D. L. and T. (2022, August 30). Digital Citizenship Instruction: Challenges and opportunities. Infobase. [Accessed March 1, 2023],<https://www.infobase.com/blog/digital-citizenship-instruction-challenges-and opportunities/#:~:text=Common%20Challenges&text=More%20complex%20actions%20like%20working,benefit%20students%20as%20lifelong%20learners>.  

Wells, G., Horwitz, J., & Seetharaman, D. (2021, September 14). Facebook knows Instagram is toxic for teen girls, company documents show. The Wall Street Journal. [Accessed March 5, 2023], <https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739 >.

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students must know. International Society for Technology in Education.

[arman-hossain]

Post 2, Week 4: Reality TV Shows [Lazy Television]

There are various and disputed definitions of reality television, which is a category of television programming that focuses on actual people and their ordinary lives and experiences. The term "television genre" refers to certain programmes that primarily focus on non-fictional subject matter with the intention of entertaining viewers rather than informing them (What is reality television? 2023). Typical behaviour of regular people in real-world situations or in situations that are frequently fabricated by programme producers to resemble real-world situations are the focus of another category of reality television programme.

Today's reality shows, however, are awful, lazy television since they primarily feature regular people without talents; if they talk, sing, or dance at all, they do so poorly, which detracts from the entertainment value. Popularity alone does not necessarily translate to quality programming. Because of this, I'd say that lazy people watch reality TV programmes that lack taste and turn reality TV into laziness.

There are many wonderful reality TV shows as well that teach and entertain at the same time, but some of them, like Bear Grylls, offer important insights.

42% of 25–34-year-olds believe reality TV dramas are actual, while 60% believe on-screen relationships are real, according to data from one poll published in 2016(Newsdesk, 2021). But nothing is genuine. However, Mike Fleiss, the creator of The Bachelor, claimed on the Today show in 2012 that "70–80% of reality TV is scripted" (Newsdesk, 2021).

Also, the reality TV sector is a significant one that has made a lot of people incredibly wealthy such as "Kim Kardashian," a well-known American television personality, has a nett worth of $1.8 billion (Person, 2022).

To the extent that the U.S. has become a harsher, shallower, angrier, more divided place in the 21st century, reality TV—which has helped normalize cruelty, belligerence, superficiality, and disloyalty, and rewarded people who weaponize those traits—bears a share of the blame (Person, 2022).

Perhaps today's reality TV shows might capture the excellence and avoid being lazy TV shows while also being interesting and compelling.

References:

What is reality television? FutureLearn. (n.d.). [Accessed March 10, 2023] ,<https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/pictures-of-youth-introduction-childrens-visual-culture/0/steps/43948>

Newsdesk. (2021, May 6). Research shows reality TV is not 'harmless entertainment'. South West Londoner. [Accessed March 10, 2023],<https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/entertainment/06052021-research-shows-reality-tv-is-not-harmless-entertainment >

Person. (2022, August 4). How reality TV has reshaped our world. Time. [Accessed March 10, 2023] ,<https://time.com/collection/reality-tv-most-influential-seasons/6199108/reality-tv-influence-on-world/ >

[arman-hossain]

Post 1, Week 3: [Love the Skin You're In]

So, yes, it's important to love the skin we're in and value our bodies for everything it does for us. Our mental health and general wellbeing can benefit from practising self-love and self-acceptance. But we have been living in a society where body insecurity and dissatisfaction, especially among women, are very frequent. And social media play in fuelling body modification surgeries for e.g., the most popularised body modification fad known as the Brazilian Butt Lift(BBL) which involves taking fat from the stomach or back and inserting it into the buttocks of a woman who wishes to have a larger, more shapely behind and relatively smaller waist. Nowadays, even its increasing prevalence of men’s body anxieties but according to research, 92% of those receiving cosmetic surgery are women (Sussex, 2022).

Humans aren't always logical, but they frequently make decisions based on perceived benefits and standards. Women could put themselves through possibly harmful cosmetic operations in the hopes of achieving social and financial success.

The way we accept our relationships with our bodies presents more of a challenge than how society and social media views the body. In essence, the concept "body positivity" first appeared in 1996 when a psychotherapist and a patient who had had therapy for an eating disorder made unwise dietary and activity choices (Cherry, 2020). Now, the #bodypositive movement in its current form began to emerge around 2012, initially focusing on challenging unrealistic feminine beauty standards “all bodies are beautiful” (Cherry, 2020).

It’s very unrealistic to expect that we will stop using social media altogether. According to Dr Fardouly says, viewing appearance-neutral content on social media appears to be beneficial for body image and brief exposure to such content on Instagram improved women’s body satisfaction and mood (Newsroom, 2023). Eventually, #bodypositive can choose to put more body positive content into people’s feeds and promote it more prominently.

References:

Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). The BBL bubble: How social media fuels body modification. Psychology Today. [Retrieved March 22, 2023], <https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/mirror-mirror/202108/the-bbl-bubble-how-social-media-fuels-body-modification >.

Cherry, K. (2020, November 21). Why body positivity is important. Verywell Mind, [Retrieved March 22, 2023],<https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402>.

Newsroom, (2023, January 6). Small exposure to body positive content can improve body image. UNSW Newsroom, [Retrieved March 22, 2023[, <https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/small-exposure-body-positive-content-can-improve-body-image#:~:text=Here's%20how-,Body%20positivity%20on%20social%20media,women's%20body%20satisfaction%20and%20mood>.