Chris Mikaelian

[jazminbugarin-deactivated202102]

Short answer quiz #3 - Due 11/20

The social media site I will be creating an algorithm for is a micro-blog, Wuphf.com.

Wuphf.com will measure users’ activity, followers, comments, uploads, searches, saves, hashtags, likes, and reblogs.

The content users will receive and be recommended will be weighed heavily on the content the users seek the most and what pages they follow. The site will make daily recommendations on accounts, posts, trending content to its users. The user can then choose what they want to keep or discard. If the user keeps and saves the recommended content, more recommendations of similar scope will show up on their feed. If the user discards the suggestions, then the site will stop showing that content on the user’s page.

The factors that will not be measured are the user’s demographics, such as age, gender, region, race, and culture. The content will not be recommended to users based on their demographic information. I prefer they tailor their own feed to their interests and liking. Users may not like it when they are recommended something continuously because of their age or gender. Additionally, they may have interests that do not relate to their demographics.  

The site will learn or adapt to new information by processing it and storing it. This will allow the site to become familiar with new information and know what is acceptable to publicize. For example, if harassment or harmful information is going around, the algorithm will learn to respond to the problem and make sure it stops, blocks, or deletes the content from showing up.

The biases that will be built into the program are to hide or discard harmful, offensive, or inappropriate content and users. If the negative content cannot be deleted by the program immediately, it should limit the content from showing on people’s feeds as much as possible.

The model will live out the ethical practices we have discussed in class, such as identity tourism, internetworked global feminism and social movement, participatory culture. Identity tourism will be practiced by allowing users to be whoever they would like to be online. Also, internetworked global feminism and social movement will be involved because it will allow women to participate form a community to speak about experiences and injustices they receive. Additionally, participatory culture will be practiced by having users share ideas and common interests to form to create content.

[christaporm1]

Hello Jasmin

Your short answer response was very well thought out and thorough. Your social media name is quite creative and I enjoy how you spoke about not measuring age, sex or race. Looking back on my social media platform I wish I also wrote about not measuring these statistics. You wrote about putting biases to help limit discriminatory content but what specific algorithms are you going to equip the site with?

[notkassandra]

Blog Post 11/20

Short Answer Quiz #3

1. Determine what kind of social media site you are creating. Then answer the following questions, explaining your decisions.

The social media site I would be creating an ethical algorithm model for is a microblogging social media platform called Vines Connected. A social media platform on which registered users who are minorities in higher education/academia, can share posts publicly on their journey through higher education. This platform will be dedicated to inspire, support and promote diversity in higher education. This site will aim towards creating a community among minorities reaching higher education through sharing of experiences in academia, sharing of tips among other fellow students and sharing of academia memes.

2. What will you measure?

I will measure the age of users as older users can provide great input and advice for the younger users who are about to begin higher education. I will also measure the field of study users belong to since there are many fields within academia and each have their own adversities. Additionally, I will measure the amount of likes and comments discussion posts are circulating to spotlight the popular post of the week that may provide useful information or just make someone laugh. Measuring the amount of likes and comments will allow users to connect and relate with one another.

3. How will you weigh these factors?

The most important factor is the comment as it allows for building a community. If there are no comments, there is no engagement. Likes would be the least important factor as it does not provide any form of communication. Likes provide the least of engagement besides acceptance and reassurance for users.

4. What factors will not be measured?

I will not measure the location/region of the users for safety reasons. I also do not think it is a necessary factor to help build a community among minorities in higher education.  

5. How will the model learn or adapt to new information?

The model will learn and adapt to new information by displaying newer posts at the top of the page as the user logs into the site. Additionally, users will be able to translate posts to their preferred language.

6. What biases will be built into the model? How will this change the algorithm’s outcome?

Biases that will be built into the model will be the block and reporting feature, where users can block an individual or report a post. Additionally, other biases that will be built into the model are moderators that control what post to flag and delete that are deemed as inappropriate and offensive to users.  

7. How will the model live out the (un)ethical practices we have discussed?

The model will live out unethical practices we have discussed through users discussing their experiences in these predominantly white institutions. This model will amplify the voices of minorities in higher education. This social media platform will act as a virtual homeplace for users. Additionally, users can provide resources and credible information to each other.

[christaporm1]

Hey Kassanda

I enjoyed your short answer response very much. How do you feel the biases you have built into your program differ from other social media programs who have failed to provide equality. The biases you have built I feel are strong cater to destroying individual toxic users but how do you feel that it silences widespread discrimination?

[christaporm1]

Short Answer Quiz 3

Connecter-page is going to be a blog with photo blog elements. Connecter-page's goal will be to facilitate inclusive discussion on any topic with self-organized communities. Communities are organized by creators of said community or page and it is this person’s responsibility to moderate and regulate the exchange of ideas. Once a community reaches a mass of 500 active users the moderator who started the page will now have to step down. The next moderator must be elected by the active users for 1 month and moderators who are elected can step down at any time and are only allowed to be a moderator for a maximum of 6 months then elections must take place again. These community elected moderators will enforce the basic promise of inclusivity of Connecter-page and they are allowed to create more rules and employ their administrations of sorts to support their moderation of their community. Connecter-page will track likes on popular posts an example of how to pop the variety of content will be ranked will go as follows a community on meal prepping is created the post on the community page with the most likes will automatically be on the trending section of the said page with the most overall popular ones rising. To safeguard against the malicious, racist, and unexclusive community’s within Connecter-page above all community moderators will be Connecter-page liaisons who must have a degree in Women’s gender studies or other related social sciences. The role of the Connecter-page Liaisons will be to ensure the promise of inclusivity for all sexual orientations, religions, and races equally and they will have the final say in any matter even above community moderators if a violation of Connecter-Pages promise occurs one or more liaisons will step in to resolve the issue. By creating a space with the specific goal of inclusivity and equality then toxic communities can be promptly disbanded while those that promote inclusivity can continue to elect their moderators unless a situation arises where Connecter-page liaisons must take an active role to ensure the goals are met. This model allows for the community to police themselves fairly and the website will not track cookies or use an invasive measure to track its users. This website is meant to be a nonprofit to continue to support its operational costs noninvasive non-tracking advertisements can be displayed. I am confident that the safe and inclusive biases that are built into this social media platform will ensure that the promise of inclusivity and a safe space for all people to exchange ideas will be met. This model gives the community’s the opportunity to police themselves will severe violations require action to be taken by the Connecter-page administration.

[dianafloresx]

Week 12: November 11, 2020

What do sites offer to be considered as virtual homeplaces?

A virtual homeplace is defined as a place that offers comfort and nurture, where one can seek safe harbor against the racial and sexual oppression they may face daily (Lee, 2015). Black females are targets of regulations and face racial oppression because of their hair and how they decide to style it. Curly Nikki, a blogger, offered a virtual homeplace for Black females to empower each other by sharing their experiences and uplifting each other. Curly Nikki has provided affirmation and space where they feel appreciated and accepted through her continuous support and appreciation of their natural hair.

How did natural black hair become an issue of civil rights?

Euro-centric standards of beauty are pushed continuously through social media. It has influenced the idea that natural black hair is deemed unkempt and out of the norm. Many companies, schools, and the army have created guidelines for people of color to follow and comply. Their guidelines state that their hair could not be worn in locs and cornrows as it was tied to criminality and deemed unprofessional due to the lack of knowledge of Black hair (Lee, 2015). Individuals have taken a stand against racial bias embedded in society. Petitions have been signed, and many have shared their experiences to bring awareness to the oppression they face daily.

How does the gamergate movement showcase misogynistic beliefs?

The gamergate movement pushed the idea that gamer journalism had been corrupted and created a concern for protecting the gamer identity (Hathaway, 2014). Zoe Quinn’s experience showcased how the campaign targeted women in the gaming industry. Individuals harassed Quinn to the extent that she had to move away for her safety. The gamergate movement conveyed misogynistic undertones since its supporters engaged in harassment and threats. As the gamergate movement grew, its supporters harassed feminists like Anita Sarkeesian, revealing that they were also anti-feminist.

How do ethnic online communities focus on profit over purpose?

Ethnic online communities contribute to the digital divide since access to technology is limited in low-income communities. Thus, offering services to minorities open up an opportunity for financial gain. However, profit has been focused on instead of the purpose of the websites. Individuals can see this through the way ethnic online communities spend money to make themselves visually appealing. The better EOCs seem to support their communities, the more potential investors they gain. McLain comments that the money spent on making the website look good is money spent that could be used to support their communities (2003).

Hathaway, J. (2014). What is gamer gate and why? An explainer for non-geeks. Gawker.

Lee, L. (2015). Virtual homeplace: (Re)constructing the body through social media. 91-111.

McLaine, S. (2003). Ethnic online communities: Between profit and purpose. 233-254.

[christaporm1]

Hello

Your writing on how online community’s sometimes pick profit over purpose is very insightful. I also wrote about this subject on how people who do not belong to the community often profit from the content produced by it and often leads to whites profiting from non whiter community content. How do you feel we can best solve this issue?

[dshimizu3242-deactivated2023082]

Week Twelve Blog Post (11/11)

How are users of online communities taken advantage of?

Online communities are subject to targets by advertisers.  With a vast market of users accessing the same online space, online websites that house communities of any kind are subjected to targeted advertisements and marketing campaigns by advertisers.  To maintain not only their website but also profit, online websites have seized this opportunity to capitalize on users of ethnic online communities (EOCs) to allow ads to run rampant through their website.  For example, “Members log in to find that the amount of ads is easily equivalent to site content, if not surpassing it.” (Mclaine, 242).  Here, we can see that the objective of online websites housing online communities are actively capitalizing on their users.

How can blogs influence change with their communities?

Historically speaking, Black hair has been discriminated against throughout American history.  From U.S. Army policies target banning specific hairstyles prominent in the Black community to anti-immigration policy, discrimination regarding Black hair has plagued America.  However, there has been an increase to reverse this with the use of online blogs.  On a popular TV show, “[Patti] Stanger argued that this young lady needed to get a long weave in order to be more attractive.” (Lee, 99).  In response to this, the bloggers created a virtual homeplace, where they discussed and educated each other about racial oppression regarding Black hairstyles and brought people together to enact social change.  This is just one example of how blogs can create change offline and gradually reverse the effects of racial injustice.

How does the Gamergate movement show the fine line between online communities and cyberbullying?

Gamergate movement aimed to redefine the perceptions of the gaming community in terms of identity.  In this instance, the movement highlighted the thin line between online communities and cyberbullying.  When Gamergate shifted from attacking the game developer’s actions, Zoe Quinn, to corruption in game journalism, the damage had already been done. Mclaine’s article states, “Quinn’s address and phone number were made public shortly afterward, and the threats against her became so intense that she left her house and started couch-surfing.” (Mclaine, 3).  Here, we can see online communities’ fragility as they shift between controversial topics and the irony it created for the gaming community.

How do Virtual Homeplaces form a sense of community?

The sense of virtual homeplace results from people utilizing an online platform to share their experiences and bring people together with similar viewpoints.  In the case of Black hair throughout American history, “there is a common message that the natural Black body is inappropriate, unprofessional, distracting, and needs to be fixed.” (Lee, 96).  Here, we can see a commonality between the community members who are working against racial injustice and discrimination that has existed for centuries.  By supporting each other and sharing ideas, it creates a sense of belonging and unity in virtual homeplaces.

–

Hathaway, J. (2014). What is gamergate and why? An explainer for non-geeks. Gawker.

Lee, L. (2015). Virtual homeplace: (re)constructing the body through social media. 91-111.

McLaine, S. (2003). Ethnic online communities: between profit and purpose. 233-254.

[christaporm1]

Hello

I read your post and I would love to say it was well written. You spoke about how gamergate highlights a difference between cyber bullying and strict online communities. I also wrote about this and I wanted to ask you where do you draw the line between bulling and strict online community’s ?

[christaporm1]

Week 12 (Part 2)

How has the beauty industry used subliminal messaging to push beauty standards as a racically punishing doctrine?

For a long time now African-Americans have been viewed by racists and bigots as savages inferior and all-around subhuman and these notions continue today in our beauty standards. African Americans and their natural beauty is often targeted and misconstrued as a natural and less human and more animal like in this has been done by racist white actors attempting to perpetuate Anglo Saxon or European beauty standards. Furthermore African-American hair has long been the target of trying to subdue African-American culture within the United States and the beauty standards that are put on to us by companies are a huge perpetuator of these ideas the following quote from Latoya Lee further highlights my claim. “But more importantly bloggers and commentators were attempting to reclaim the Black female body from white advertisements and the white beauty industry that commonly portrayed the Black body in its natural state as ugly and needing to be improved ,a reinforcing of scientific racism...” Lastly ,many commentators shared stories of how they too struggled withtheir “natural hair” and had to answer to many people who did not like their hair and thought they should straighten their hair or wear a weave. As a result, the blogs turned into a place where these Black women were providing encouragement and support for each other and their choices about their body (Lee 2015)”. This excerpt highlights how African-American women after all these years of discrimination are just barely starting the conversation of her beauty standards unfairly target them and label them as ugly or unnatural.

Hathaway, J. (2014). What is gamergate and why? An explainer for non-geeks. Gawker.

Lee, L. (2015). Virtual homeplace: (re)constructing the body through social media.

McLaine, S. (2003). Ethnic online communities: between profit and purpose.

Bogost I. (2020) The Quite Revolution of Animal Crossing.

[christaporm1]

Week 12 post (Part 1)

How is Gamergate a representation of gender bias and sexism within videogames and online spaces? Video games are a virtual representation of what is going on around us. In recent years minorities as well as women have been replacing white straight men on video game platforms. This has affected the dominance of the straight white man on video games and online and they have responded by attacking others the following quote is an example of how gamer gate and issues around it or a clear representation of gender bias sexism all within video games and their online platforms. “In September, the attacks on Quinn coalesced into an organized campaign, coordinated on 4chan, Reddit, YouTube and in various IRC channels. Gamers came to a consensus that publicly harassing a woman over her sex life was a bad look. They quickly pivoted to focus on corruption in games (Jay 2013).” They attacked a woman because of her sex life and then used corruption as a way to cover it up. How are video games and there community’s the extension of real world issues and a virtual embodiment of difficulties faced by people in real life? I asked this question and I wanted to answer it because read the article reminded me of the stories my grandpa told me at Armenia. And learning more about animal crossing showed me how these video games are representative of real life issues. The following quote is about the economies existent in the video game animal crossing from Ian Bogost “But the size and economies of these villages were too modest even to sustain their basic familial and mercantile needs, So the villages would take collective debt (Bogost 2020)” this quote reminded me of my grandfather explaining how his village ran when he lived in Armenia. Video games to become an extension of the real world and the difficulties faced by people. Why must minority’s be weary of communities “built” for disenfranchised groups? As the Internet becomes increasingly popular around the world more groups are being included and especially in the United States with Latinos and African-Americans joining the Internet at a faster rate than ever before it is important to be cautious of what groups we support. It is all too easy for racist and “neutral quote platforms that are supposed to support minorities in the United States to take advantage of them by profiting off their work. “profit and community make curious bedfellows. As Janelle Brown (1999) noted in the online magazine Salon.com the temptation to sacrifice necessary community maintenance and development in order to ensure financial return seems to have proven difficult to resist, judging by the glut of impotent community providers such as GeoCities, Xoom, and theglobe.com. Rarely, if at all, do these “community centers” inspire or facilitate efforts toward individual or group empowerment, organizing, or advocacy. Simply typing the word “COMMUNITY” in big HTML letters doesn’t make it so (Mclain 2003). Search shows how online platforms have to balance profitability and supporting their audience it could be easy for anyone who does not look for the best interest of the community they are attempting to support to use them for straight profit. How has the beauty industry used subliminal messaging to push beauty standards as a racically punishing doctrine? For a long time now African-Americans have been viewed by racists and bigots as savages inferior and all-around subhuman and these notions continue today in our beauty standards. African Americans and their natural beauty is often targeted and misconstrued as a natural and less human and more animal like in this has been done by racist white actors attempting to perpetuate Anglo Saxon or European beauty standards. Furthermore African-American hair has long been the target of trying to subdue African-American culture within the United States and the beauty standards that are put on to us by companies are a huge perpetuator of these ideas the following quote from Latoya Lee further highlights my claim. “But more importantly bloggers and comm

[stephaniejasso]

11/04 blog post

Are subcultures within social media platforms such as black Twitter the same as creating groups in person?

No because there are differences in face-to-face interaction versus online interaction but there is some sense of similarity. Both groups in person and online have a hierarchy mentality, they prioritize certain people over others such as only some unjust cases are talked about and most of them involve men victims. It had to take a whole other hashtag in order for people to talk about and start advocating for black women who face similar oppressions as black men.  

Why is online activism short-lived?

Online activism allows for a new set of tools to challenge oppression, spread awareness, and assist in organized counter actions. Yet there is so many cases of injustice that online activists can’t shine a light on each one for a consecutive amount of time. While online activists are finding creative ways to take back hashtags, another problem that needs a voice pops up. There is also the fact that since it is online activism, people can miss posts or aren’t informed of causes because mutual followers don’t give the topics its attention. 

Should the government and corporations see online activism as criminal activity?

No, because activism takes many shapes in forms yet there are laws set for activists work to be paused. Everyone has the right to form a protest and spread the word through online, as well as sharing their views or taking over. Vegh brings up the subject of hacktivism, who are politically minded hackers who use technology to advance human rights through electronic media. While hacking does break laws set to protect people’s privacy, that doesn’t give anyone to target such a vauge group to be labeled as criminals.

Is it true that online communication fuels activists’ momentum when it comes to doing work in the real world?

Fuchs analyzed surveys done by two different activist organizations, and the results over lapped in saying that face-to-face communication was the most important form of activists’ protest commutation and best modes to gain information. Occupy Wall Street activists did have high numbers when admitting that they use older online media such as email and websites to gain information. Online activity definitely makes it so that people can communicate from miles apart but protests and social movements aren’t new so online forms of communication aren’t necessarily needed to keep activists’ momentum going, it just makes things easier.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

[christaporm1]

hello

I read your ideas on online activism and if the government should consider cyber activism a crime.Now although I do agree with you that activism online should not be a crime if anything it should be praised I would like to ask you a follow-up question. When cyber activism does cross a legal territory do you believe that punishment should be more severe less severe because of the amount of people online activism can reach?

[carinazef]

Week 10 Blog Post Due 11/4 :)

How did surveillance play a role in black bodies? 

To begin with, the construction of the black body was being labeled as a criminal and classified as problematic in society. Ethno-racial populations, including laborers and slaves, were being targets of surveillance throughout the United States. Mobility was an important source of power for slaves however “ knowing where enslaved persons were, what they were doing, as well as being able to identify persons” was a way to control them (Lee, 2017).  Slaves had no privacy because they were constantly being targeted and followed and they had identifications such as slave passes, manumission papers, and slave hire badges. Surveillance of them continued that lead to the construction of “criminals” and “problem populations” and ultimately gave a negative perception of who they are. This construction consisted of inferior, superior, and biological notions of criminals that were based on older (racist) notions of differences between white and black races. It is clear that this was a form to oppress black communities. They were even laws implemented to surveil and patrol these groups that were labeled as criminals. This shows the unfair treatment of black communities that they received. 

How is Twitter an important factor for black communities? 

The advanced search tab on Twitter allows people to view information about specific hashtags and keywords. After the murder of Mike Brown, there was a new hashtag called “IfTheyGunnedMeDown” emerged on black Twitter as a way to recover/redefine and love Blackness. The hashtag enabled people to voice their opinion about the media’s portrayal and stereotyping of victims who had been killed or injured by police officers. It is clear that marginalized groups face unjust treatment and are often killed by police. Media also found a way to portray Mike Brown negatively by manipulating photos and using photos that made Brown look dangerous. People on Twitter, on the other hand, tweeted and retweeted the picture of Mike Brown in his high school graduation cap and gown and the photo his family publicized after his death which contradicts how Mike Brown was being portrayed on Media. Furthermore, this hashtag sparked discussion of ‘what picture from my social media account would the news use to portray me if I were gunned down?’ after seeing how Brown was portrayed (Lee, 2017). Many of these hashtags were used to shed light on the portrayal and unjust treatment that black communities face. 

How is the Internet a way to spread public awareness and advocacy? 

The Internet is another form of receiving news and information since people have access to it almost everywhere. The news on the Internet is typically provided by individuals and independent organizations that focus their attention on events and issues that are being reported on or news that has been misreported by other big news outlets. Furthermore, information on the Internet is an important implication for activism and “creates distribution networks that can later be used for organization and mobilization purposes” (Vegh, 2003). The Internet is able to document and report negative or unjust actions happening around the world and make the public aware of these issues that can eventually lead to taking action. Some of these issues that are report shed light on certain situations that can trigger and fuel an activist movement which is why the Internet becomes important for organizing movements and carrying out action for change. 

How did the Internet allow people to form social movements? 

The article discusses the Arab Spring which was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions. Social media played an important role in communication and interaction among people involved in the protest. Without the Internet, these people would not have been able to organize and communicate with one another about this issue. This is why the Internet and wireless platforms were “decisive tools for mobilizing, for organizing, for deliberating, for coordinating and for deciding” (Fuchs, 2014). People that were protesting used social media to organize demonstrations and distribute useful information about their activities and most importantly raise awareness of ongoing events. The Internet allows people to voice their opinion and organize groups that influence protests and a new form of activism. 

Citations: 

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

[christaporm1]

Hello,

After reading your response I Noticed some similarities between the questions and responses that we both posted I feel that although yours targeted a slightly different demographics and issue the ideas we were trying to unveil roughly the same. You spoke about how the Internet is a amazing tool for the public to spread awareness and advocacy. I also spoke about this and we had slightly different responses to the same general question.You spoke a little bit more about how the Internet is used to distribute media and its own sort of mass media system and I spoke a little more deeply about how the Internet is actually a major tool for mobilization and a product of civil unrest. Do you believe both of our ideas coincide and exist mutually to power the Internet in civil disobedience issues or in and around the United States?

[christaporm1]

Week 11 Blog post

What is black twitter and how does it contribute to American civil engagement?

Twitter is a huge social media site in the United States it influences politics, the economy and social norms. Of the people who use Twitter a large proportion of them are African Americans. Twitter as a space for African Americans to discuss ideas about politics in the lives around them. Following quote from black Twitter supports my assertion “Black Twitter, a subculture within the Twitter platform, materializes through the creation of hashtags...black Twitter can be a space for jokes, for social viewing of a television series, and as a space where people can voice anger and frustration [4]…She argues that black Twitter’s power comes from its participatory democratic nature—the idea that users, through the creation of ironic, yet cutting-edge hashtags, create a space to address social issues of racial bias and discrimination (Lee 2017).” That served highlights how black Twitter contributes to civil engagement in day-to-day topics and it also shows how black Twitter is a space for African-Americans to discuss ideas jokes and just engage with other people without the interference of racist often white voices. It provides a safe space for African-Americans to converse without having to deal with many of the discriminatory norms of day-to-day life inside conversations.

What is online activism and how effective is it?

Online activism is a very powerful tool for social justice and can be a very powerful tool against a nation when it is used as a cyber weapon. Online activism can rally people to a specific cause an organized people. In the reading for The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank highlights the fact of how online activism can be used as a cyber weapon against intrusive oppressive powers. The following quote from The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank supports my claim “When hacktivism is elevated to the state level (in agenda or in terms of actors) and when it becomes a sustained engagement between parties connected to an ongoing conventional armed conflict the goal of which is domination over the adversary, hacktivism becomes cyberwar... This special potential of cyber-militaristic strategies against authoritarian regimes has even been raised by the consultants of the government think tank RAND (Arquilla, Ronfeldt 1998, 46). Discussing cyberwars, Arquilla and Ronfeldt (1998) further noted that the revolution in military affairs (RMA) also means that nonstate actors armed with cyberweapons would play an increasing role in future conflict (Vegh 2003).” This excerpt highlights how but social media used as a cyber weapon can be very effective against oppressive governments and repressive societies. It is important that there are constantly evolving ways that people stay connecting to help dismantle oppressive governments and society’s.

What role does mass media play in movements in the US and around the world?

Social media and mass media have spread around the world the last decade people from across the planet are now connected on cell phones, TVs and other forms of mass media. Mass media is a game changer. Mass media is a great place for activists spreading there word since mass media reaches so many people and facilitates widespread conversation. The following excerpt form  The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank supports my claim “the mass media constitute a very important battleground for activists. Media attention guarantees wide visibility and the most effective forum for publicizing the issues in contention. While the U.S. mainstream media are in the hands of the corporate world, the sensationalist nature of hacktivism works to the activists' advantage. Both the activists and the corporations are aware of the power of the image (Vegh 2003).” This except highlights how mass media plays a role in world movements and in the United States. It highlights how mass media attention guarantees that the people most affected by many of these issues will have a resource and a guide to see how others are dealing with the situation whether it be through protest or civil disobedience mass media gives people hope and the knowledge of how others are dealing with the same situation that they are.

Does Social media activism flame social unrest or is it a product of it?

Often times politicians and the media paints social media and social media activism as the cause for civil unrest and civil issues. Politicians may be saying what they say but this is often not the truth social media and social media activism are often a byproduct of social unrest. Rather than a sudden 'awakening', the region was already in turmoil, protests had been accumulating for almost a decade, starting with the outbreak of the Second Intifada and Ariel Sharon's massacre of Palestinians; the invasion of Iraq, anger over leaders seen as the local lackeys of the US and Israel. A widespread and deep anger over the regional politics overlapped with domestic issues and grew deeper as the economic impact of the neoliberal (IMF/WB) privatization com-bined with the price increases caused by the global financial crisis (Fuchs 2014). This quote is about how the political landscape during the Arab spring just exploded and during this whole time social media posts we’re advertising and organizing locations of where to protest so this quote shows that since the turmoil in the wakening around the nation was already sparked and started the fire was already in the hearts and minds of the Arab spring protesters and social media cooperated and helped organize political events. This gives credence to the fact that social media activism is just a product of civil unrest.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4 Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026 Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

[notkassandra]

Blog Post 10/28

What is a troll? Based on the definition of a troll, do you believe Grandpa Wiggly falls under as a troll?

In the article by Phillips, trolling is defined as someone who is driven by lulz, exploitability, and remains in the essences of anonymity. Lulz is used as a comedic and visual aesthetic. If one fails to generate and/or celebrate lulz, one’s behavior does not qualify as trolling. The concept of exploitability refers to nothing should be taken seriously. This allows for trolls to carry out and justify their malicious acts. The celebration of anonymity refers to the ability to keep one’s offline identity vague, which allows trolls to engage in behaviors that would not be acceptable in a public setting. Others have defined trolling as having the harmful intent and transgress online community’s guidelines, as described in the Bergstrom’s article. With the story of Grandpa Wiggly, someone who developed a false online identity on Reddit, the question of whether he falls under the characterization of a troll, arises. I believe that Grandpa Wiggly does not fit the profile of a troll because his false online identity did not cause any harm to the other online users, rather it was a performative act in the form of entertainment.

How do websites like Reddit and 4chan allow trollers to remain anonymous and thrive in these online communities?

To create an account on Reddit is fairly simple since there is no email required to be provided. This lack of personal identification information on Reddit accounts allows for users to maintain multiple accounts readily available. The lack of information on Reddit accounts also adds to the essence of anonymity, as it allows for users to remain anonymous. This anonymity allows users to keep their offline identity concealed from the other users, which also allows for them to behave in a way that is outside of their offline persona. Since there is no email connected with the account, it is harder to trace back to who the account belongs to, leaving their identity anonymous. 4chan on the other hand, further allows for complete anonymity, as there is no username or logging in required to participate in the discussions. 4chan keeps no history on discussion board replies, so there is no way of tracing back to one. This further encourages trolls to spew hate online without having the fear of their identity being exposed.

How does trolling result in the harming of another?

The story of Leslie Jones’s online abuse highlights how trolling can become online harassment. The start of the trolling began soon after the release of the trailer for the new Ghostbusters reboot featuring an all-female cast. Leslie Jones was verbally attacked by misogynistic and racist tweets that ultimately lead to her temporary abandonment of her Twitter account. Leslie Jones also experienced trolls using her name as Twitter accounts, to pretend to be her. This account tweeted offensive tweets, that tarnished her reputation as a few believed it was her tweeting these tweets. Leslie Jones’s online abuse shows how trolling can be damaging, as they can remain anonymous, use someone’s identity, ruin their image, and take an emotional toll on one.

How is trolling performed on other online spaces?

Trolling can be seen in the video game, Grand Theft Auto, where players can join the online realm and choose and customize their avatar to their liking. Here, many male players use the female avatars to troll other male players into believing they are playing with a female player. When a female player enters GTA online, they receive much more attention and invites. Other ways of trolling being dominant in GTA is through the act of lying to other users of doing a money drop for them. Money drops are when a user drops a large amount of money through hacking the game. This allows for players to become rich in the game without having to do the hard work of missions. Money dops can result in being banned from the game. Here trolls use money drops to attract players, which then they proceed to killing the players in the game instead of fulfilling their promises. This leads to the players who were lied to, getting off of GTA online or finding a different online server out of anger and embarrassment.

Bergstrom, K. (2011). “Don’t feed the troll”: Shutting down debate about community expectations on Reddit.com. First Monday, 16(8)

Duggan, M. (2014). “Online Harassment” Pew Research Center, pp. 1-11

Philips, W. (2015). Defining terms: The Origins and Evolution of Subculture Trolling. This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture. pp. 55-87.

Silma, A. (2016). A Timeline of Leslie Jones’s Horrific Online Abuse. The Cut.

[christaporm1]

Hello Kassanda, 

I don't think I mentioned this before but I really like your profile picture on your profile it's quite unique. I would like to touch on where are you spoke about trolls on Reddit and 4chan.I recently looked into some of fortunes more recent developments and I found out it was a hub for white supremacists literally Nazi signs when I open up a bunch of conversations and I was surprised to see that some people were denying the holocaust in this chat forms. After diving more into 4chan And seeing what some of these people talk about it's scary. I read your question about how do these websites like four Chan and read it allow people to stay anonymous And you highlighted how easy it was and how safe it was for these people to be harbored in these communities where do you think with society should draw the line on hate speech and dangerous speech online is it something we should police?

[lizbethgonzalez98]

Week 10 Blog Post (due 10/28/2020)

1.       If the trolling victim isn’t hurt or doesn’t acknowledge a troll, can we still consider him/her a troll?

In the readings, we are exposed to two different definitions for the word troll. The first is Norse Mythology, which states that a troll has malicious intent and wishes harm/ discomfort on their victim. The second comes from fishing, where the troll is baiting for a response from their audience. Grandpa Wiggly, who was seen as a troll by many, didn’t fit either of these definitions; he stated that he played a role. Many people felt like they were being trolled, but there was no malicious intent behind the Reddit user, and no harm was done to others. Allowing the victim to decide whether a person is a troll or not takes away from the act itself. If a troll is trying to cause chaos and disrupt online spaces, then he/she should be considered a troll even if they hurt no one. In the case of Grandpa Wiggly, I do, to some extent, believe he was a troll because his coming out caused a lot of chaos. People’s trust was broken, and they felt deceived, which led to people rethinking the internet guidelines.

2.       Is trolling a issue tech companies can fix?

I don’t think trolling can have a complete fixed because people will always find a way to deceive others. Trolling has been going on for many years, and as the internet grows, there are more platforms for trolls. While trolls didn’t self-identify as trolls, in the beginning, they were still doing things that were classified as trolls behavior. In the case of Leslie Jones, we see trolling that has gone too far. Jones was receiving threats and was being made fun of because she was a woman and not only that but a woman of color. It has been shown that “a significant percentage of this laughter is directed at people of color, especially African Americans, women, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.” With that being said, I think tech companies should have stricter rules for the harassment of others. Behavior that is targeting a person shouldn’t be allowed. If an account is purposely being used to deceive and harm it, it should be reviewed and shut down if deemed disruptive.

3.       At what point can trolling be considered bullying?

Trolling should be considered bullying when targeting a person and making fun of them based on their looks or beliefs. Lulz, a kind of “unsympathetic, ambiguous laughter,” done at someone else’s expense, should never be okay. If the troll targets a specific person, sends them threats, makes fun of them, or is attacking them, they should be considered bullies. The internet is a public space, and making someone uncomfortable using it is taking away their rights to use a public space that is just as much theirs as it is the trolls. Using the excuse that the trolls “don’t mean, or don’t have to mean, the abusive things they say” isn’t okay because while a troll can choose to what extent their word match their beliefs, we don’t know how the person on the receiving end will take it. We don’t know what the receiving end is going through, so the comments could be taken personally. As stated in the article, “trolls exercise what can be described as pure privilege – they refuse to treat other as they insist on being treated.”

4.       Are trolls just people who are using the internet for disembodiment?

In previous articles, we have read about how different people use the internet for embodiment or disembodiment. Usually, the people who use it for disembodiment are trying to escape the realities of their real-life situations. They create a different character online that gives them more freedom. Trolls are people who aren’t using their own identity; they are making a character. I don’t think trolls can be categorized as using the internet for disembodiment because they aren’t necessarily doing it to escape their reality. Trolls hide their identity because it allows them to engage in disruptive behavior without the consequences affecting their lives outside of the internet.

Bergstrom, K. (2011). “Don’t feed the troll”: Shutting down debate about community expectations on Reddit.com. First Monday, 16(8).

Phillips, W. (2015), “Defining Terms: The Origins and Evolution of Subcultural Trolling”. This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture. pp.55-57.

Silman, A. (2016). A Timeline of Leslie Jones’s Horrific Online Abuse.

[christaporm1]

I have to say you're writing is amazing your questions are so riveting they are profound and I couldn't of thought of that on my own so I said say great job. Your last question “Are trolls just poeple who are using the internet for disembodiment?” This question tackles the idea that people are using the internet as an escape mechanism.  This idea of a virtual identity online is amazing its almost like the internet has begun to affect and power of our identity in the real world its almost like we are cyborgs at this point. What do you believe trolls do what they do?

[christaporm1]

Week 10 part 2

[christaporm1]

Week 10

[elizaorelijah]

Week 8- Formations of Digital Gender

How are online women-only groups significant for defying hypermasculinity?

A ladies-only group is significant in allowing for women to have a voice that will be heard in a white male dominance internet. Oftentimes in groups with all genders, women are ignored or overlooked. They are too shy to ask a question or respond to a post since men normally have the authority in online groups. With the safety of a group aimed solely at women, they can express themselves, their stories, and confessions without becoming vulnerable and receive actual responses. Having control over something as simple as an online group can give these people the power that they do not hold in the real world.

Why do you think white males are usually the perpetrators of cyberbullying?

White men have the sense that they are in charge of everything and anything. They think this way because we have all grown up in a society where they are far from disadvantaged. They can say and do what they want without the repercussions. With that said, it is easier to say mean things to another person behind a screen than it is in real life. They have these big heads thinking that they are superior to all other races, ethnicities, and genders, and mix up their idea of superiority with privilege. If they weren’t privileged then they would most likely not be the main statistic of cyberbullying perpetrators. But as of right now, it is easier for them to get away with whatever they want, and that’s not the way it should be.

How can the bodies of virtual characters affect young children negatively?

Characters in simulations are dramatically shaped so that the users can easily identify the characters. One avatar can have bigger boobs and one avatar may have a bulge in between their legs. With these dramatic shapes are unrealistic and impossible standards of what a body is supposed to look like. For children playing video games, it can translate to the real world. Through games, children may believe that the characters with the impossible-to-achieve bodies is what someone’s body is supposed to look like. They can become more judgemental of other people and themselves for not complying with the unrealistic standard. If games or any other simulations depicted people with realistic body standards, then there would be no potential hazards for children.

In simulations, why is it important for female characters to be young and white?

When reading O'Riordan’s text on virtual personae in simulations I can tell you I was displeased. According to O’Riordan, if there is a female character in any simulation, she has to be young and white in order for a “familial relationship of fathering” to be invoked (O’Riordan, 2006, p. 247). In other words, if the woman in the simulation is not the adjectives listed previously, consumers will sexualize and eroticize the girl. My initial thoughts were to question guys in general. There isn’t a time when a fairly attractive girl is not talked about inappropriately by simulation users. A woman’s body seems to be the only thing a guy is interested in when there’s a female role in online technologies. Personally, I believe it’s a little off-putting that the only way creators can make a character not be sexualized by others is making the woman a little girl to be fathered. I was immediately reminded of the video games “The Last of Us” and “The Walking Dead” where the main characters are two little girls just trying to survive.

Daniels, J. (2009). Cyber racism: White supremacy online and the new attack on civil rights. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Haraway, D. (1991). Simians, cyborgs, and women: The reinvention of nature. New York, NY: Routledge.

O'Riordan, Kate. (2006). Gender, technology, and visual cyberculture: Virtually women. Brighton, United Kingdom.

[christaporm1]

Hello

Elizabeth I like your post very much it went into depth about how simulations and video games import white female characters into male dominated spaces.After reading your response I think I need to go back and add a little more than mine about this very interesting and intense topic.Our digital platforms are imbued with sexism, racism and ageism And it's subtle enough for most people to miss and I like how you highlighted the stacked I would like to ask you a question how do you think we as a society can change the market to be more inclusive of different peoples so that we can give an accurate representation and celebrate diversity within our online platforms?

[radrea]

Week 8 Blog Post: Due 10/14 

How would you define cyborg technology ?

According to Haraway, a cyborg is a cybernetic organism which is a hybrid of machine and organism. “ the Cyborg is a condensed image of both imagination and material reality...” To me, cyborg technology has helped us innovate our future. With cyborg technology , we have helped many people for example people with accidents, who lose an arm or leg and this technology helps construct robotic hands or legs that are developed to the particular person. This technology is innovative but expensive. Claudia Mitchell is a great example because her bionic arm was developed for three million dollars but it helped her live her life again.

What is the reason why technology is portrayed as female?

Technology was brought up as a female dynamic “in order to make technology a welcoming friendly environment for users”. I never really questioned the motive behind female voices in the gps, or Siri and Alexa which are well known technology services. After reading the chapter by O’Riordan, the author emphasizes that these “simulations replicate and exaggerate not only heterosexual and patriarchal relations”. The author uses Ananova as an example , which was used and programmed to read the news 24 hours a day. They want to make technology be as humanized as possible to have users be comfortable with whatever they put out.

What is white supremacy online and how does it impact us differently from white supremacy in the print only era ?

White supremacy in the print only era has extended onto the digital era. Daniels emphasizes that masculinity is constitutive of white supremacy. White supremacy online is a male dominated racial project. In the print only era white supremacy was not able to reach certain people around the world unlike now in the digital era where in seconds you can be seen by thousands of people in different regions across the world depending on the platform you use. Coming together in seconds solely based on your views. This makes it easier to create groups that are negative towards specific groups of people and start online problems because of the lack of security and freedom most platforms allow online.

Do you think the digital era has given white supremacist an easy platform to share their views with no consequences?

I think it is convenient for white supremacist to go online and attack others virtually in the comfort of their own home. That is why I think you see it more online than you do out in the real world. The lack of security and enforcement online with what you post is scary when you really think of it. Most people get away with attacking people and saying anything they want including racial slurs. The digital era has given these groups of people an easier way to speak their ideas and views with no consequences. In the near future I believe there is going to be a new implemented system that holds people accountable for things that are said online. Since technology is becoming more of a new norm and a popular system, I feel that it will become more secure and hold people accountable for what they say. Either that or it can go south and just become more of a mess than it already is.

Daniels, J. (2009). Gender, white supremacy, and the internet. Cyber Racism: White Supremacy Online and the New Attack on Civil Rights (61-86). Rowman & Littlefield.

Haraway, D. (1991). A cyborg manifesto: Science, technology, and socialist-feminism in the late twentieth century. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature (149-181). Routledge.

O’Riordan, K. (2006). Gender, technology, and visual cyberculture. Critical Cyberculture Studies (243-252). New York University Press.

[christaporm1]

Hello, 

I would just like to start off by saying I enjoyed your post very much and gave a nuanced look into how gender white supremacy and Internet mix.I would like to highlight the part when you spoke about how white supremacists are using virtual platforms to Target African-Americans and I would like to agree with you it is scary how white supremacist now it's so easy for them to be racist that they do it from the comfort of their own home.You spoke about using some kind of enforcement online what do you think that would look like and how can we enforce it?

[christaporm1]

Week 8 part 2

Daniels, J. (2009). Gender, White Supremacy, and the Internet. Cyber Racism: White Supremacy Online and the New Attack on Civil Rights (pp. 61-86). Rowman & Littlefield.