Friendly Neighbourhood? Digital Community!

A space to reflect on the ever-changing digital landscapes of today; and the connections made within them. All content posted here is for my participation in MDA20010 - Digital Communities Semester 1 2020. Studying at Swinburne University of Technology. Legal Declaration: Portions of this site and the works within it are being produced with the intention of critique and/or educational use under Australia's 'fair dealing' exceptions to copyright (Section 40 & 41). However, if you feel your IP is being infringed, please contact my service provider (tumblr) with the appropriate DMCA requests, as I, the single author take full responsibility for the content of this site

[dfranco10]

Part of the journey is the end.

Tony Stark, Avengers Endgame (2019)

[dfranco10]

This officially concludes my time here on Tumblr; exploring the ever-changing digital environment we all live in today. Learning to use this platform has been a very interesting experience, as has communicating with those of you who have engaged with my posts. For that I thank you; it means a lot.

I hope I have gleamed some sort of insight into these weekly topics. It has been fun, and I have a feeling I’ll look back on this exercise fondly. 

That’s all from me; I’ll be hanging up the cowl for now.

Thanks for swinging by.

[dfranco10]

A brilliant quote shared by a fellow student @lavieestbellebelle​ regarding last week’s discussion on online trolling and cyberbullying:

“I think the best thing in life we can do in any situation or circumstance we can’t relate to or understand is to learn. There’s no point being ignorant and just deciding something is a certain way because we’re not well-informed on it.”

This could easily be applied to a plethora of topics, but it feels especially poignant regarding this discussion. Sticking together to understand an issue and stand as one against it seems like a pretty solid strategy if you ask me...

[dfranco10]

A YouTuber showed the devastating mental health impact of constant online hate with a raw video documenting her anxiety and panic attacks

Imogen Horton showed her 386,000 followers the real reason she wasn't uploading videos lately with raw footage of her struggles.

“I was second guessing everything about myself, and I felt like I’d lost myself.”

Here, YouTuber Imogen Horton, opened up about how being consistently targeted by trolls on the platform has caused serious doubt in herself and her motivation to continue producing content. I direct example of how trolling often goes too far...

[dfranco10]

Fans Are Trolling Kylie Jenner for Yet Another "Photoshop Fail"

Apparently her finger is "too smooth."

Here is a short example of how sometimes ‘trolling’ is seen simply as users poking fun at big-name celebrities, such as Kylie Jenner. This is admittedly the lighter side of ‘trolling’ before it becomes targeted and sinister.

[dfranco10]

The Dark Side of Trolling - Week 11

It is very easy to think of ‘trolling’ as quite a humorous, harmless occurrence on the internet and any social media platform. “As our social world is increasingly mediated through communication technologies” such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Ostini et al. 2015); there are bound to be individuals online who don’t have the best intentions at heart. Trolling, typically something that can only happen within the online space, is the act of an individual or group poking fun at someone, making jokes directed towards a specific post or group, or is simply an action with the aim of annoying or irritating the recipient. Yet these acts have grown to become a concern to many over the years, with some arguing “that technology (such as social media) simply offers a new site for bullying” (Boyd 2014, p. 132) to occur and be inflicted upon others.

While these online acts of irritation may seem merely like “indirect bullying” (Boyd 2014, p. 128), that’s almost exactly what it is; bullying. Online trolling has provided a new avenue for bullies to target individuals behind a wall of 1’s and 0’s, as “the rise of social media has prompted tremendous concern about cyberbullying” with “the assumption among many parents and journalists that social media radically increases bullying” (Boyd 2014, p. 130). Cyber bullying has grown to become a large concern regarding online users within their teenage years, as that may be when they are most vulnerable to online attacks either from peers or strangers on the web.

Trolling, in some cases, has outgrown playground bullying and turned into “extreme internet harassment”, as “Suzanne Fernandes has been targeted online with racial abuse, pornography and death threats” through her social media accounts (Laville et al. 2016), which has had a seriously negative impact on her mental health, yet she doesn’t believe her local police take the matter seriously enough. This supposed lack of decisive action by police regarding online trolling and harassment raises questions of if they should be more involved, or if the social media platforms themselves “need to be held legally accountable for the abuse they host” (Laville et al. 2016).

“While bullies and trolls are frequently collapsed into the same category” (McCosker 2016, p. 3), whether it be posting jovial memes making fun of a celebrity, or directly targeting someone through social media with harsh intentions; it is fair to say that the very idea of ‘trolling’ has the potential to bring out the monster in anyone.

Books:

Boyd, D 2014, it’s complicated, Yale University Press, London.

McCosker, A 2016, Negotiating Digital Citizenship: Control, Contest and Culture, Rowman & Littlefield Int., London.

Sites:

Laville, S, Wong, J & Hunt, E 2016, The women abandoned to their online abusers, The Guardian, viewed 27 May 2020, <https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/11/women-online-abuse-threat-racist>.

Ostini, J & Hopkins, S 2015, Online harassment is a form of violence, The Conversation, viewed 27 May 2020, <https://theconversation.com/online-harassment-is-a-form-of-violence-38846>.

Lectures:

Milne, E 2020, ‘Week 11: Digital Communities and Trolls: understanding social media conflict’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 27 May, viewed 27 May 2020

[dfranco10]

Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse opened up their Animal Crossing: New Horizons island to lucky turnip price-hunters

The couple received hundreds of requests from people trying to cash in after they revealed a deal too good to pass on.

A fun, short article that chronicles how actor Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin recently spent time on the newly-released Animal Crossing: New Horizon directly interacting with fans by playing together and offering in-game trades. Further proof of how games manage to bring people together, regardless of status in this instance!

[dfranco10]

The New Social Side of Gaming - Week 10

To many people, seeing an individual sitting in front of a screen, controller in hand and talking (maybe yelling) to seemingly no one would be a concerning sight. Yet this is what gaming looks like today for the most part, as it fosters communication and social interactions.

Whilst many games released today on various platforms are still single player, such as Insomniac’s Spider-Man from 2018, countless games are produced with multiplayer capabilities, which allow people to play alongside their friends, family or even strangers. “These days gaming can actually be a lot more social” (ABC 2012) due to internet connections being the norm, and the content itself becoming more accessible; especially thanks to many cheap or free-to-play mobile games available, such as the cross-platform Fortnite. With the social gaming industry “projected to reach just under A$25 billion by 2022” (The Drop 2017), it is no surprise that online and local multiplayer gaming has grown to be so popular amongst gamers, as it allows them to feel included within a community that shares their same interests, as online players have “an opportunity to engage in communication with millions, if not billions of other people” (Digicult 2019).

However, there is still a large social element to gaming even when individuals are not actually playing themselves. The rise of online platforms such as justin.tv, Ustream and Twitch; the latter of which “boasted 2.2-plus million unique broadcasters per month” with “about 10 million daily active users” (Taylor 2018, p. 3) in 2017, allows regular people to broadcast their gameplay across the globe for others to watch. “Live streaming offers professional esports players and teams opportunities to build their audience, brand, and incomes” (Taylor 2018, p. 4) by simply broadcasting from their own homes if they choose to, and ultimately giving the viewers something to communally discuss and bond over. As people tuning in can “talk to fellow audience members” (Taylor 2018, p. 4), gaming continues to engage and connect people through both gameplay and mutual interests.

While widely-broadcasted esports tournaments can bring people together to immerse themselves in event-like content, games themselves like Call of Duty Warfare, Fortnite, and Farmville can bring people closer through shared objectives and audible communication. Gaming is merely just another channel through which the online space has brought people together through mutual hobbies and shared experiences. Nevertheless, even though games can joyously bring people into contact with their friends around the globe, they can still also simply result in a grown man yelling at a young child on the rare occasion. But hey, that’s the world of gaming.

Sites:

ABC 2012, Social Gaming, ABC Technology Explained, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.abc.net.au/technology/techexplained/articles/2011/04/11/3158121.htm>.

Digicult 2019, The Insane Growth of Social Gaming, Digicult, viewed 20 May 2020, <http://digicult.it/internet/the-insane-growth-of-social-gaming/>.

Gambling Commission 2020, Social gaming, Gambling Commission, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/for-the-public/Safer-gambling/Consumer-guides/Social-gaming.aspx>.

The Drop 2017, Social Gaming: It’s Bigger Than You Think, The Drop, viewed 20 May 2020, <https://the-drop.com.au/social-gaming-its-bigger-than-you-think/>

Books:

Taylor, T. L. 2018, Watch Me Play, Princeton University Press, New Jersey.

[dfranco10]

#MeToo: how a hashtag became a rallying cry against sexual harassment

Actor Alyssa Milano’s online call after the Harvey Weinstein revelations became a conversation about men’s behaviour towards women and power imbalances

Here’s a fascinating, entry-level read by The Guardian on how the #metoo movement began through social media to become the juggernaut it is today. It also highlights how it has created an important (virtual) way for women around the globe to band together...

[dfranco10]

Online Activism through Social Media - Week 9

Thanks to social media, practically everyone on the internet is able to have a voice and, if successful, create some sort of positive change. The features of social media platforms give users the opportunity to at the very least share their thoughts online with the world. If anyone feels it necessary to raise awareness on a certain topic or to try and make a difference by digitally informing people, then this is someone doing their part as a digital citizen. “Social media doesn’t just give you a voice to express your opinions”, it also empowers you to “share your beliefs, and rally around political figures who you believe support your causes” (Johansson 2018).

Though it is debatable, a large part of activism in today’s world is heavily reliant on social media. In order to get a message out into the discussion space and to rally enough supporters for a cause; the issue at hand needs to be publicised and well-known in order to “get a head start on being proactive amidst all the issues in the world” (Herron 2017). That said, online activism can cover a plethora of issues with an array of social importance. Online activism may range from something as publicised as Australian politics through the #auspol hashtag, to something as trivial as an online fan petition begging Warner Bros. to release an alternate cut of a film, to the recent #IDONTMIND trend which is “encouraging many teenagers to not be afraid to talk about their mental issues” (Herron 2017).

Yet there is arguably no recent example that summarises the power of online activism through social media quite as much as the #MeToo movement. Originally started by Alyssa Milano, this hashtag has encouraged and “allowed many women, including teenage girls, to open up about their experience with sexual assault” (Herron 2017). #MeToo “jumped from social media to every workplace” (Bowles 2018) in recent years, making a splash in Hollywood and countless industries. This rights movement was a revolution that potentially would never have grown to its scale if it weren’t for social media and the use of the hashtag in a single Twitter post on October 16, 2017.

As social media continues to rise in prevalence throughout society, other users will also continue to feel empowered to speak up about what they feel is important and “bring attention to the issue” (Herron 2017). With various examples out there to prove the success of online discussion and awareness, and what they have the potential to lead to, you never really know if the next hashtag or Twitter post will be the beginning of a new online revolution.

Sites:

Herron, B 2017, Social Media Empowers Adolescents, Gives Them A New Voice, The Panther Prints, viewed 13 May 2020, <https://www.peshprints.com/opinion/2017/11/06/social-media-empowers-adolescents-gives-them-a-new-voice/>.

Johansson, A 2018, Social Media Gives Everyone a Voice – Including the Crazies, Socialnomics, viewed 13 May 2020, <https://socialnomics.net/2018/09/03/social-media-gives-everyone-a-voice-including-the-crazies/>.

Article:

Bowles, N 2018, ‘The Mainstreaming of Political Memes Online’, New York Times, 9 February, viewed 13 May 2020, <https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/09/technology/political-memes-go-mainstream.html>.

Journal Articles:

Alvarez N, Lauzon, C & Zaiontz, K 2019, ‘On Sustainable Tools for Precarious Times: An Introduction’ in Alvarez N, Lauzon, C & Zaiontz K Sustainable Tools for Precarious Times (Contemporary Performance Interactions), Palgrave Macmillan, Switzerland, pp. 1-25.

[dfranco10]

The Instagram Aesthetic Is Over

The look made famous by the platform just doesn’t resonate anymore.

Here’s an interesting write-up on how the younger demographic using Instagram don’t particularly fall for the forced aesthetic expectations, and "are going out of their way to make their photos look worse”. 

Take that, plastic surgery industry! (dramatically puts on sunglasses)

[dfranco10]

How Plastic Surgery has capitalised on Social Media’s Focus on Cosmetics and Looks - Week 8

Being a very visual, picture-based social platform, Instagram has naturally earned a reputation of focusing on aesthetic posts often only concerned with how they look. So it is no surprise that their 400 million users have created a culture throughout the platform based around looks, cosmetics, and body expectations. These very expectations have become heavily detrimental to the mental wellbeing and self-image of many users, as these social expectations on social media bring “on feelings of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem”, especially amongst “the young users on the platform” (Dreghorn 2020). 

A report conducted by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2018 noted that the Instagram platform has become a popular channel for plastic surgery businesses to market towards their target demographic and younger adults interested. Many surgeons in the industry have quickly “embrace(d) Instagram as a tool for patient education… business development, and have since gained large followings” (Dorfman et al. 2018, p. 333). Not only has Instagram, intentionally or unintentionally, fostered a realm that often priorities extreme body images and cosmetics, but it has also allowed those within a relevant industry to utilise it as a means of advertising where they can easily attract perceptible individuals. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, “42% of surgeons report(ed) that their patients are seeking aesthetic surgery to improve their appearance on Instagram” or other social media platforms (Dorfman et al. 2018, p. 332). This highlights the fact that the industry is well-aware that Instagram and similar sites can be used for marketing purposes whether or not it is morally correct, while this also signifies that Instagram indeed has had an immense impact on users, how they view themselves and their bodies.

Within Australia alone, recent reforms have made it “mandatory that all surgery, including cosmetic surgery, may only be provided by a registered private hospital or day procedure centre” (Minister for Health 2019) as a means to protect individuals from harmful, unqualified or dangerous body modifications. Yet whilst this helps and protects those that have chosen to have surgeries done, this fails to address or aid users on social media still obsessing over their body image just because a platform told them to. Despite Instagram removing the visibility of likes on their platform to redirect focus onto content instead of reception, it may be too late to stop the social belief that looks are indeed everything.

Sites:

Dreghorn, B 2020, Everything You Need To Know About Instagram Hiding Likes, Business 2 Community, viewed 6 May 2020, <https://www.business2community.com/instagram/everything-you-need-to-know-about-instagram-hiding-likes-02283204>.

Minister for Health 2019, Protecting Victorians From Dodgy Cosmetic Surgery, Premier of Victoria, viewed 6 May 2020, <https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/protecting-victorians-from-dodgy-cosmetic-surgery/>.

Journal Articles:

Dorfman, R, Vaca, E, Mahmood, E, Fine, N & Schierle, C 2018, ‘Plastic Surgery-Related Hashtag Utilization on Instagram: Implications for Education and Marketing’, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 332-338.

[dfranco10]

Slow Fashion: Inspiring a movement - Week 7

The idea of ‘slow fashion’ is a direct result of the “issues of sustainability in the fashion industry (with) global contexts’ (Gupta et al. 2019, p. 189) as both the fashion and textile industries continue to churn out waste with little to no remorse. For an example of scale, the fashion industry “accounts for 2% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product” and therefore makes up “an approximate value of £2.5 trillion” (Gupta et al. 2019, p. 190). This is evidently an industry that many consumers partake in utilising, and consequently rely on to a certain extent. Yet there is vivid support behind the importance of ‘slow fashion’ and the eradication (or at least lessening) of the current ‘fast fashion’ within the industry.

First becoming a vague concept in the 1960’s “when consumers started to be more concerned about the impact their consumption patterns (had) on the natural environment” (Gupta et al. 2019, p. 189), the concept of ‘slow fashion’ has become a topic of strong contention, debate and passion online. Acting responsibly and ethically online, individuals have used online platforms to present their concerns about fast fashion, and pass their messages of “pro-environmental concern” onto their followers (Geiger et al. 2019, p.1120). 

Yet more interestingly, desires of ‘slow fashion’ have encouraged people to take advantage of their digital citizenships by actively utilising platforms and features to act ethically, socially-aware and creatively to enforce their beliefs and attempt to make a better alternative for the world. Online personalities with larger followings, such as Tiffany Ferguson and Venetia La Manna, “promote sustainable initiatives” and work to persuade franchises and stores within the industry to “incorporate aspects of sustainability – in form of environment, social, and/or economic components – at the core of their organisations” (Gupta et al. 2019, p. 192-193). Meanwhile, individuals like Laura Mugford with a more modest following attempts to simply raise awareness of ‘fast fashion’ amongst her followers; feeling it to be the least she can do. Mugford does so through her Instagram Stories to her 4,500 followers, with the occasional YouTube video accompanying.

‘Slow fashion’ has caused a “growing awareness of the negative implications” (Ozdamar Ertekin et al. 2015, p. 53) of ‘fast fashion’ and has sparked a flame that has seemingly inspired many to speak up about the issue and raise the necessary awareness to the masses. Despite the amount of waste this dilemma causes, it is nice to see so many individuals care about it and take advantage of the platforms at their disposal; hoping to make a big difference no matter how many videos or posts it takes...

Journal Articles:

Geiger, S & Keller, J 2018, ‘Shopping for Clothes and Sensitivity to the Suffering of Others: The Role of Compassion and Values in Sustainable Fashion Consumption’, Environment and Behavior, vol. 50, no. 10, pp. 1119–1144.

Gupta, S, Gwozdz, W & Gentry, J 2019, ‘The Role of Style Versus Fashion Orientation on Sustainable Apparel Consumption’, Journal of Macromarketing, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 188-207.

Henninger, C, Alevizou, P & Oates, C 2017, ‘IMC, social media and UK fashion micro-organisations’, European Journal of Marketing, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 668-691.

Ozdamar Ertekin, Z & Atik, D 2015, ‘Sustainable Markets: Motivating Factors, Barriers, and Remedies for Mobilisation of Slow Fashion’, Journal of Macromarketing, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 53-69.

Sites:

Lauraandherbucketfullofdinosaurs 2020, Sewing project completed, 25 April 2020, viewed 29 April 2020, <https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XI9mwA0Zk/>.

Mugford, L 2019, How Fast Fashion Kills, and How You Can Help, 9 January 2019, viewed 29 April 2020, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDo1Z8nMquY>.

Venetiafalconer 2020, No more charity t-shirts, 26 April 2020, viewed 29 April 2020, <https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Xn_1VAQI4/>.

[dfranco10]

Digital Citizenship - Week 6

Given my previous comments about Tumblr being a platform amongst others that allow their users to share their opinions online with the click of a button, I think it is worth discussing the factors that may prevent this. Though it is quite easy to make a post about the latest blockbuster or a recent celebrity interaction; it is quite intimidating to put your political beliefs out there, for various reasons.

This comes down to the idea of a digital citizen “in a context of widespread connectivity” (Borges 2016, p. 258), who is out there on the internet utilising technology as a means of communicating their thoughts with others, and creating a presence. Mossberger et al. (2012, p. 2498) defines a ‘digital citizen’ as someone “who use(s) the internet regularly and effectively”, whilst it is believed that this “digital communication can facilitate cooperation and solidarity toward certain social initiatives that require active” support and interaction (del Carmen García Galera et al. 2017, p. 129).

Yet it seems that there are two primary obstacles preventing individuals from easily fitting into the common understanding of a digital citizen. The first of these is access, where the simple fact is that depending on individual situations; people will have varying degrees of access to social platforms, internet and even devices. “Given different modes of access, including home broadband, smartphone use, and public access” (Mossberger et al. 2012, p. 2492), it becomes difficult to contribute to the online conversation if you cannot physically access it.

Adorjan et al. (2019, p. 430) found that another boundary may be the concern of “cyber-safety” and the relative “sense of prudentialism and self-control” amongst other online participants. These findings highlight that many simply do not feel entirely safe when interacting online, and this is especially the case when it comes to politics. As an area of discussion that often brings out strong opinions, online political talk can be confronting for many and often results in harsh, negative criticism from users; as was seen throughout the Twitter hashtag of #auspol, which was dubbed a "political bloodbath” by Ariel Bogle.

So with such limitations, it is surprising that so many online users are still able to create a presence and fit within the definition of a ‘digital citizen’. A wide concept for many to enjoy, while it remains intimidating to some, or literally out of reach for others. But perhaps taking the first step into sharing your opinion will open a door into a wider world of communication, political debate and self-expression.

Sites:

Bogle, A 2016, #auspol: The Twitter hashtag Australia can't live without, Mashable Australia, viewed 22 April 2020, <https://mashable.com/2016/03/21/twitter-australia-auspol/#4tvfXtsZUEqV>.

Journal Articles:

Adorjan, M & Ricciardelli, R 2019, ‘Student perspectives towards school responses to cyber-risk and safety: the presumption of the prudent digital citizen’, Learning, Media & Technology, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 430-442.

Borges Júnior, E 2019, ‘Digital citizenship: a way out of the crisis of politics?’, Matriz, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 257-262.

del Carmen García Galera, M, Muñoz, C & Pedrosa, L 2017, ‘Youth empowerment through social networks. Creating participative digital citizenship’, Communication & Society, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 129-140

Mossberger, K, Tolbert, C & Hamilton, A 2012, ‘Measuring Digital Citizenship: Mobile Access and Broadband’, International Journal of Communication, vol. 6, pp. 2492-2528.

[dfranco10]

How does Tumblr function as a digital community? - Weeks 1-5

With its various features ranging from text posts to blogs, from GIFs to following accounts, from private messaging to tagging, Tumblr has welcomed users into a platform that truly thrives on supporting its community. This admittedly isn’t anything special in contrast to many other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. In fact they have many of the same features already mentioned. Tumblr allows users to write up their thoughts, their jokes and whatever they can think of; and simply share it. Tumblr lets users craft their own blogs and pages with their own aesthetic choices, a range of layouts, and lets them be undoubtedly them. The site encourages users to not completely conform to the pre-determined platform restrictions, and to do it (whatever ‘it’ may be) however THEY want to.

Tumblr, a public sphere where many come together to participate in discussion, questions the now-common belief that social media does not “foster civil discussions” but does so by “leaving room for pre-existing ones” (Kruse et al. 2018, p.63). The site grew to become a haven for pop culture fandom, feminist pride, celebrity interactions; and carved out its own niche amongst social media users as being “very fandom-oriented” (Tiffany 2019). Individual communities have sprouted from this interface of sharing, each based around whatever it is that those people love; a love that they share with each other online. Whether it be the love for a film franchise or a mutual political stance, Tumblr has savoured the idea of data publics being able to bond over their shared access and experiences.

Amongst other platforms that fail to foster open discussion, Tumblr acts as an open space for individuals to share their thoughts freely, to idolise celebrities, to "navigate this risky space to engage in feminist politics” as Keller (2019, p.2) describes it, and to be their own person; continuously supported by those that follow them back. The platform, now owned by Automattic, fully acknowledges that “Tumblr is the best place to share what you’re passionate about and connect with others who are passionate about the same thing, no matter how weird, or niche, or random it might be” (Bromwich 2019). They truly want their users to be themselves, to feel welcomed by all in this ever-growing digital environment; with no expectations attached.

(Patrick O’Keefe, Twitter)

Sites:

Bromwich, J 2019, What’s Next for Tumblr?, The New York Times, viewed 8 March 2020, <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/22/style/tumblr-matt-mullenweg-interview.html>.

Tiffany, K 2019, Tumblr’s First Year Without Porn, The Atlantic, viewed 8 March 2019, <https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/12/tumblr-year-review-2019-nsfw-ban-memes/602911/>.

Journal Articles:

Keller, J 2019, ‘“Oh, She’s a Tumblr Feminist”: Exploring the Platform Vernacular of Girls’ Social Media Feminisms’, Social Media + Society, vol. 5, no. 3, p. 1-11.

Kruse, L, Norris, D & Flinchum, J 2018, ‘Social Media as a Public Sphere? Politics on Social Media’, The Sociological Quarterly, vol. 59, no. 1, p. 62–84.