Untitled

[chickytoi]

Answer to Question #1b

Question 1b:

How things like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo (these are only examples – choose your own) have changed the concept of power on the web and the world. Find another hashtag from the last 5 years that has also contributed to this change. Explain the hashtag and what it changed/is changing regarding the concept of power on the web and the world. Include screenshots of where the hashtag is being used.

Another example are the hashtags #NDTR, #NationalDayForTruthAndReconciliation, #TruthAndReconciliation, #OrangeShirtDay, #EveryChildMatters, which was used to bring awareness to the residential school system and its impact on Indigenous communities. After the heartbreaking discovery of unmarked graves at these former residential school sites, these hashtags helped raise awareness and sparked conversations about the historical and ongoing treatment of Indigenous people in Canada. These hashtags also helped to educate non-indigenous Canadians about the trauma and injustices faced by the Indigenous people – giving everyone a chance to advocate. It allowed people to share their stories and demanded that the government take action.

Cell phones have become powerful tools for activism. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #NationalDayOfTruthAndReconcilation show how these devices give individuals the power to document injustice and share it with the world. This has shifted power away from traditional authorities and given marginalized groups a way to be heard. By allowing people to share their stories, cell phones have played a huge role in raising awareness and demanding change.

The screenshots from the Government of Canada website shows how the #NationalDayOfTruthAndReconcilitaion hashtag helped raise awareness about the impact of residential schools. It shows that social media and hashtags can actually influence government action, like how this day was officially recognized. It also shows that the democratization of power can push for change and hold powerful institutions accountable.

REFERENCES:

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

https://psacunion.ca/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation-uncovering#:~:text=Use%20the%20hashtags%20%23EveryChildMatters%2C%20%23NDTR%2C%20and%20%23ReconciliationWeek.

[chickytoi]

Answer to Question #1a

Question 1a:

Cell phones have become important tools for activism. Explain how cell phones give power to individuals to document and share social injustices and enable movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo to gain momentum. How does this ability change who has the power in society? Any examples should be from the last 5 years. 

Cell phones have transformed the world of activism by empowering individuals to document and share social injustices. With smartphones, cameras and social media apps, anyone can now record wrongdoings and share them with people all over the world. This (democratization) has made it easier for everyone to spread important information and has been a big part of movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, helping them grow and make a huge impact. People can now speak up and show evidence that might have otherwise been ignored.

Being able to record videos and take pictures has become a huge part of activism. For example, in 2020, the tragic death of George Floyd was filmed by a bystander on their smartphone (citizen Journalism). The video showed Floyd begging for his life while a police officer knelt on his neck. It quickly went viral leading to massive protests around the world against police brutality and racism. This shows how just one video can spark a movement and bring attention to injustices that might have been ignored. Without cell phones, it’s likely that many incidents like this would not have gotten the same kind of attention.

The #MeToo movement which became popular in 2017, used social media to allow survivors of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories. Hashtags like #MeToo connected people’s experiences, making it easier for them to support one another. The viral aspect of these posts helped the movement grow and gave more people the courage to speak out against their abusers. By sharing these stories through cell phones, the movement spread quickly, bringing more awareness to sexual violence in the workplace and beyond.

The ability to share these events has shifted power in society. Before cell phones, the ability to report and spread information was mostly controlled by governments, the media, or other powerful forms. Now, anyone with a phone can share important events with the world (thanks to social media). This change means that groups who were often ignored, like people of color or victims of harassment, now have a platform to speak out and demand change.

The #BlackLivesMatter movement on the above website hows how the movement surged on Twitter after George Floyd's death, showing the power of social media in increasing voices and organizing protests. The hashtag shows how online activism can shift power from traditional media outlet to everyday people.

The #MeToo movement on the site above shows how social media and hashtags empower survivors of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories. The movement shows how the democratization of information through hashtags shifts power, allowing people to push for social and cultural change.

REFERENCES:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/06/10/blacklivesmatter-surges-on-twitter-after-george-floyds-death/

https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/the-metoo-movement-in-canada/

[chickytoi]

Questions I choose for Reflective Critique #3

For reflective critique #3. I chose the following two topics:

Question 1a:

Cell phones have become important tools for activism. Explain how cell phones give power to individuals to document and share social injustices and enable movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo to gain momentum. How does this ability change who has the power in society? Any examples should be from the last 5 years. 

Question 1b:

How things like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo (these are only examples – choose your own → (#NationalDayOfTruthAndReconciliation →my choice) have changed the concept of power on the web and the world. Find another hashtag from the last 5 years that has also contributed to this change. Explain the hashtag and what it changed/is changing regarding the concept of power on the web and the world. Include screenshots of where the hashtag is being used.

[chickytoi]

Negative Democratization - The "Alpha Male" 😒

Andrew Tate is a former kickboxer and social media influencer who became popular and controversial on the internet around 2022 and 2023. He had been around social media for a while, but his fame skyrocketed when he started sharing videos on TikTok and Instagram about views on relationships, success, and what he called "being an Alpha male." A lot of his advice was extreme and he often made statements about women that many people saw as sexist or just plain disrespectful.

The interesting thing about Andrew Tate's rise is that he didn't become famous in the usual way, like through TV or traditional media. Instead, his videos went viral because people kept sharing clips of him saying shocking or bold things. He quickly gained millions of followers, especially young men who found his views on confidence and success inspiring. But not everyone felt that way, tons of people were upset by his views and called him out for promoting toxic ideas. Eventually, social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube banned him for violating hate speech policies. However, his fans continued sharing his content.

This shows how the democratization of the internet allows people like Andrew Tate to get huge followings quickly, even if their message is negative or harmful. Traditional media might not have given him a platform but social media did, making his views go viral all around the world, raising questions about handling dangerous content online.

REFERENCES:

https://www.tiktok.com/@cryinginmycarpodcast/video/7197931512170384686?lang=en&q=andrew%20tate&t=1730703958703

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/andrew-tate-custody-arrest-romania-business-allegations-rcna64070

[chickytoi]

Digital Time Capsule - Pink Sweat$ - Positive Democratization 🫱🏾‍🫲🏾

Background and Rise to Fame

Pink Sweat$, whose real name is David Bowden, made a splash in the music scene in 2019. He started out by sharing his music on SoundCloud, but it was TikTok that really helped him reach a much bigger audience. His song “Honesty” went viral on TikTok, racking up millions of views and streams. The catchy tune and relatable lyrics resonated with listeners, especially the younger ones. Pink Sweat$ was able to show off his talent without needing a record label or support from traditional media. This is a great example of how the internet has created new opportunities for artists to share their music and become famous on their own. TikTok is a platform that has changed the game for many artists. It allows users to create short videos set to music, making it easy for songs to go viral. Pink Sweat$ took full advantage of this feature. He shared snippets of his songs, behind-the-scenes moments, and personal stories (like his marriage), which helped him connect with fans on a deeper level. TikTok algorithm shows engaging content, so even someone without a huge following can reach millions if their content resonates with viewers. For Pink Sweat$, his ability to create relatable music and share it through engaging TikTok videos allowed him to build a loyal fan base quickly. Many users on TikTok used his song “Honesty” in their videos, which further boosted its popularity. This kind of raw promotion is something that traditional music routes often lack. It shows how democratization has empowered artists to take control of their careers and reach audiences directly.

The concept of online democratization played a huge role in Pink Sweat$’s rise to fame. This idea means that anyone can share their work online without needing a big company or traditional media backing them up. For Pink Sweat$, TikTok was the perfect platform because it allows anyone to post videos and reach a wide audience. When he released “Honesty,” it quickly went viral and promoted content based on engagement, which means that if a video resonates with viewers, it can spread rapidly, regardless of the creator's background. This really evened out the playing field for artists like him, showing that talent can shine through even without a major label. Without TikTok and the way it democratizes content sharing, Pink Sweat$ might not have reached the same level of fame so quickly, especially with him sounding so much like the artist Khalid.

His Rise to Fame

Posts that helped him maintain and grow his fame (the fans)

Pink Sweat$’s has 2M followers

REFERENCES:

https://www.tiktok.com/search?lang=en&q=honesty%20pink%20sweat&t=1730693998823

https://www.tiktok.com/search?lang=en&q=honesty%20pink%20sweat%20covers&t=1730695275495

https://www.tiktok.com/@pinksweatsmusic?lang=en

[chickytoi]