Digital Communities

[joelblogshere-blog]

It started with a #hashtag

(above) Political cartoon. Source: Pinterest

On Twitter, the general discussion around politics in Australia can be followed, or participated in, by searching the hashtag #auspol (Rambukka, 2015 pp. 18). The Australian community has become proficient in using different hashtags for following different political issues:

-      #qt to follow Question Time – the publicly broadcasted hour of debate during Parliament sitting days;

-     #qanda for commenting on the weekly politics show on the ABC;

-     and each state and territory has their own politics tag, for example NSW has #nswpol, Victoria has #SpringSt (an odd one out which represents that Parliament is on Spring Street in Melbourne), #taspol, etc.

News: #auspol – The Twitter hashtag Australia can’t live without – Mashable

B&T Weekly, (2017), writes by mid 2017 #auspol had been tweeted 3.5million times by political followers. Whilst that might seem a lot, in comparison, Australian Boy Band 5 Seconds of Summer have been tweeted about almost half a billion times using the hashtag #5SOS.

Jericho, (2017 pp. 113) describes the importance of journalists covering politics needing to be on Twitter, and suggests that if a journalist is not active on Twitter, they’re giving themselves an automatic handicap. Announcements and news is appearing quicker and quicker on Twitter, before making it onto news websites, leaving journalists to fight out who gets the best clicks through to their sites after people have already found they key information through the social media site.

Now let’s leave Australia and do the dive to the most talked about person on Twitter, Donald Trump.

Sigh.

I can’t believe how much we’re talking about him based on what he tweets!

Related news article: How Trump Wins Twitter – Slate

It’s important to note that Trump has been a regular user of Twitter since 2009 (Osborne & Roberts, 2017). From 2009 and pushing his empirical products such as golf courses and beauty pageants, to him tweeting about seeing Lada Gaga in 2010, starting to find his political voice in 2011, through to the post-Presidency win FAKE NEWS tweets, Trump really can claim to be an avid user of Twitter, and How Trump Thinks: His Tweets and the Birth of a new Political Language is a great read as it shows all his tweets with explanations as to what they’re about, so you can try get inside his head and understand what he’s trying to share.

Do you follow politics on social media?

Jericho, G 2013, The Rise of the Fifth Estate : Social Media and Blogging in Australian Politics, Scribe Publications, Brunswick, Victoria.

Oborne, P, & Roberts, T 2017, How Trump Thinks : His Tweets and the Birth of a New Political Language, Head of Zeus, London.

Twitter celebrates 10 years of the #hashtag, 2017, B & T Weekly.

Rambukkana, N 2015, Hashtag Publics : The Power and Politics of Discursive Networks, Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers, New York.

[frangolive]

Standing out from the shadows...

MDA20009: Week 6: Digital Citizenship 2: activism and protest

Once a cause has got a networked individual or community’s attention via a social media platform, how are you going to frame your message to best support your cause?  In the cases of Egypt, Spain and the US since 2009, you use the most powerful platforms of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to set dates, share logistics and show the world your agenda (Gerbaudo 2012, p.3). Growing the nodes of activist networks means getting your audiences to conquer the fear of putting their voices out there and increasing visibility of political alignment (Gerbaudo 2012, p.1).

15 Public art projects advocating social justice can be found at https://mashable.com/2016/09/24/public-art-social-good/

Privileged countries have the advantage of high levels of connectivity and access to digital platforms that disseminate protest and activist causes and afford societies a habituation of physical gatherings in public spaces (Gerbaudo 2012, p.2).  But do we really capitalise on this liberty apart from evidence items of selfies or clicks to show ‘I was there’ (Gerbaudo 2012, p.3)?

 With so many causes lined up on the platform of the social media train, it is possible to feel like you are getting overwhelmed from all the posts in your various inboxes soliciting financial and emotional support.  With activist use of social media so prevalent, diverse and impactful, which journalist, citizen or professional do you engage with first (Gerbaudo 2012, p.3)?

The Sunday Age on the 22nd of April this year runs an article called ‘The Secrets of their success stories’. Straight away the headline is effective as it uses signifiers in the words ‘secrets, success, stories, and most humans from a sociological standpoint like all three of these elements, especially rolled into one semiotic bundle (Feldman & Hart 2015, p.101).  The publication presents the situation of several African – Australians who work between their ethnic, cultural and wider communities to lobby society and government in support of integration strategies that enable increased opportunities for socioeconomic assimilation into their Australian life (The Sunday Age 2018, p.13).  I found it an encouraging example of the three main message modalities that Lauren Feldman and P. Sol Hart describe in their study of ‘efficacy information’ that motivates activism (2015, p.100).

Ahmed Hassan, operations manager at Activating Youth based in the Brunswick.

Photo: Chris Hopkins, courtesy of the Sunday Age

Firstly, it evidenced the ‘internal information’ of the self and the individual’s agency and steps they could take themselves, working over two years on a plan to present to government.  Secondly, it showed the ‘external (systems) information’, explaining how the presentation of the plan to State Multicultural Affairs minister’s office outlined a 12 year plan of 5 essential goals that sought government and representative agency.  Thirdly, it included ‘response efficacy information’ showing how implementing the activist policy would give young and disadvantaged people a voice and diminish citizens falling through the cracks in society and community (Feldman & Hart 2015, p.100).

A Somali-Australian who now lives in Footscray, Halima Mohamed, works to empower African women by helping them establish businesses.

Photo: Chris Hopkins, courtesy of the Sunday Age

The use of these three ‘efficacy messages’ had the effect of making me fearful for peeps who fall through the cracks, angry that in such a privileged country it should happen to anyone, but ultimately hopeful due the solutions enthusiasm of approach to protest, activism and networking (Feldman & Hart 2015, p.101).

I definitely will not be culture jamming this cause (Dery 2010)…

REFERENCES:

 Dery, M 2010, Culture Jamming: Hacking, Slashing, and Sniping in the Empire of Signs, Shovelware, viewed April 2018, <http://markdery.com/?page_id=154>.

 Feldman L, Hart P. Sol 2015, ‘Using Political Efficacy Messages to Increase Climate Activism: The Mediating Role of Emotions’, Science Communication, Vol 38, Issue 1, pp. 99-127, viewed 19.4.18 <https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/10.1177/1075547015617941>

 Gerbaudo, P 2012, Tweets and the Streets: Social Media and Contemporary Activism, Pluto, London

 Hinchcliffe Joe 2018, ‘The Secrets of their success stories’, The Sunday Age, April 22, 2018, p. 13, viewed 22.4.18, < https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-african-australian-success-stories-you-ve-probably-never-heard-20180421-p4zay1.html>

The Art Assignment 2016, PBS ‘The Art of Complaining – The Guerilla Girls’, PBS Digital Studios [online], viewed 21.4.18, <https://youtu.be/5i5cEhd6Vt8?t=2s>

[florenciablogs-blog]

Great post Frances. I quite liked your inclusion of art within the topic of protest. I believe art has gained a much broader following and exponential traction thanks to the platform social media provides. It was much harder for artists to find an audience pre-internet, particularly when the idea was to spread an urgent message.

Abdalla Al Omari is a painter and Syrian Refugee who lives in Belgium. While trying to shed light on the Refugee crisis he crafted various pieces of art depicting world leaders as underprivileged citizens calling the collection ‘The Vulnerability Series’. Abdalla’s ideology was to humanize these individuals who seem invincible in regal positions of power. Through this mere act of stripping their title (of who they have crafted themselves to be) we can see just another man or woman in need of shelter, food and safety that we all posses. The aim here of course was for leaders to stop seeing this as an exterior problem and understand it could be any of us. Abdalla gained international interest from news outlets and mass sharing on social media.

Australia’s own visual artist Scott Marsh often uses his pieces as a form of protest as he is aware a tech savvy generation will post, geotag and publish blogs about his work. Aside from his paintings and murals he is extremely active online ensuring his body of work opens a conversation amongst the Australian population. 

References

Marsh, S, (2018) About, [online] Scott Marsh, Available at: http://scottmarsh.com.au/about/ [Accessed 15 May 2018]

Al Omari, A, (2018) Biography, [online] Abdalla Al Omari, Available at: http://www.abdallaomari.com/biograph/ [Accessed 15 May 2018]

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Some great points on activism and how social media as sparked the online revolution era! It’s definitely important to note how online activism affects countries differently. Like you said it gives countries like Egypt and Middle-Eastern countries the voice they have been deprived of. It allows them to schedule and plan logistics efficiently and effectively in a more organised way which helps get their revolutionary ideologies across in a better light. With privileged countries already having an advantage of connectivity. Thanks for the good read! 

[florenciablogs-blog]

People Power

I recently listened to an interview where Howard Shultz, founder of Starbucks, outlined the trials and tribulations of creating a coffee empire.

Shultz began brewing in a small corner within an existing coffee manufacturing house. His overnight success sparked the independent move to his first store in 1986 christened ‘Il Giornale’. A loyal, consistent customer base fueled his desire to seek investors for further growth and expansion. During this key phase of investment, Shultz personally met and pitched the ‘Il Giornale Masterplan’ to 242 potential investors with the hope of raising 1,700,000 million.

In parallel, he was offered the opportunity to purchase all six ‘Starbucks’ stores. In his quest for investors, which had proven difficult in the past, Shultz’s lawyer Scott Greenburg urged him to meet a Senior Partner at his firm. This happened to be Bill Gates senior who after meeting, offered him the funds to purchase Starbucks. Shultz later fused and rebranded the companies under the Starbucks label. The rest, as they say, is history.

I use this story not to highlight the varying degrees of separation, but rather to show the many barriers entrepreneurs face faced. 

It’s not what you know it’s who you know. 

Right? 

Wrong.

Today, with an idea and an internet connection everyone is accessible and that changes everything. The internet has created an entirely new level environment in which platforms like change.org  and kickstarter.com can allow for an idea to be forged, fostered and grow. 

These virtual shark tanks cultivate inventors and game changers alike, allowing them to seek market feedback, specialist input and financial investments.

Additionally, it expands audience participation to (as much or little as desired) which determines the eventual success or demise of a product. Previously, this gatekeeping role was limited to those in senior positions of power or angel investors. Today, everyday citizens can partake in the innovative process which is only logical. Who knows what you want or need better than you, the buyer?

An informed consumer is a wise consumer hence this global understanding of products, their creation and distribution allows for a new notion of market supply and demand.

The public element also ensures any erroneous information or misinterpretation is corrected. The internet, much like your year 12 English teacher, will pick you up on every last detail. 

The internet has essentially demolished traditional business barriers and today there are no rules.

You can be as creatively flamboyant and inspired as you wish and potentially have a community to back your exploding kittens or backpack bed concept. “Nobody is as smart as everybody” and that is the magic of people power.

References 

CNBC, 2018, CNBC Tech Check Evening Edition: May 08, 2018, [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/05/08/cnbc-tech-check-evening-edition-may-08-2018.html [Accessed 9 May 2018]

Elkington, J and Hartigan, P. 2008, The power of unreasonable people, 1st ed, Boston, Harvard Business Press, pp.105-148.

Gillespie, T 2014, The politics of platforms, Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hxcofU_o7Y [Accessed 8 May 2018]

 Howard, J 2006, ‘The Rise of Crowdsourcing’, Wired, 14 June, http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/crowds.html [Accessed 8 May 2018]

 NPR, 2017, Starbucks: Howard Schultz, [podcast] How I Built This with Guy Raz, Available at: https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=551874532 [Accessed 8 May 2018]

 Image References

Board Game Geek, 2018, A selection of the cards in the World Wide Web pack. [image] Available at: https://boardgamegeek.com/image/2811461/cards-against-humanity-world-wide-web-pack [Accessed 9 May 2018]

Vinish, D 2018, 20 Years Old Starbucks Coffee Philippines - Where it All Began, [online] Steemit.com, Available at: https://steemit.com/busy/@davinsh/20-years-old-starbucks-coffee-philippines-where-it-all-began [Accessed 9 May 2018]

[yespurplewizardbouquet]

I really enjoyed reading this and some of your original insight describing crowd sourcing as a virtual shark tank- really clever. What is an angel investor? never heard that one before. I really like how you compared the Yr 12 English teacher to the internet for picking up on misinformation. Got to go now and feed my cat before it explodes. Classic.

[florenciablogs-blog]

I hope your virtual cat has survived!

On a side note an angel investor is an affluent individual who invests in startups in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt. Essentially, they seek people who already have a great idea or concept and simply need that extra financial boost to get them going. They often wish to remain anonymous in their actions but partake in angel investing because it can be very rewarding to see ideas or individuals you believe in grow.   

The ‘angel’ part refers to their salvation of another (in the financial sense) and of course, in parallel to their anonymity. 

Here is a list of the 15 biggest angel investors of all time. It gives an idea of the entrepreneurs they’ve backed and the fact that you probably won’t know even half of them by name. 

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

I love your take on how the Internet has almost levelled the playing field when it comes to entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses from virtually nothing. Like you suggest how kickstarter allows people to bypass the big investor meetings as they are probably lacking in connections and networks which the internet now provides. It’s almost like how Youtube is the birthing place of many famous singers, comedians and vloggers. It allows the people and public to depict what they want to see and what they want to invest their money into. This economically broadens the span of who’s making money, this widely validates the notion of crowdsourcing.  

[florenciablogs-blog]

Show, don’t tell.

As the saying goes, a picture says a thousand words.

And in a time where there is no time that could not prove truer.

As technology morphs we grow less impatient while our capacity to concentrate withers. Like children, we focus on the bright, bold and loud shifting to the new craze that will stimulate our senses.

Our forms of communication through technology have become so broad that we have replaced much of them with images in the form of selfies, gifs, memes, bitmojis and emojis. There is virtually nothing an image can’t express and if anything using them adds layering words cannot. This human expression or emotional depth an image can provide is the fuel that has propelled its everyday use. 

These visual references allow for common associations, ones that transpose geography, language and age groups to lace individuals together with affinities. An affinity is a point of interest where we find a common link, “network users that share an affinity with the ideas that are being visually projected" (Vivienne & Burgess 2013).

In an interview with Jason Farman, Nathan Yugensou discusses the conceptual change of meaning behind a picture. Where before the photo would be the ends today the photo is the means to communicate a message. The photo itself often becomes secondary or unimportant, mere symbolism driving an idea further.

This ephemeral communication has allowed Instagram to grow to universal status and birthed snapchat.

The means of a picture is such that often we feel we need this image to validate our social encounters.

Remember the most beautiful place you last visited? When you arrived, did you have the urging desire to grab your phone and take a picture, video or story? A need to capture the moment, to share it with your friends? So then, why did this picture not simply stay in your camera roll, for you?

Why did you share this?

To some degree knowing/unknowingly we do this to cement social stance, to remind people that we’re out there living? Because fundamentally if this was not true, we wouldn’t share it on social media platforms. That is not to say this is good or bad- humans are social animals and as such we crave communication but when we are posting faster than we are thinking we need to pause and restart. 

Time to read more Dalai Lama quotes instead of posting them.

 References

Hjorth, L 2011, ‘Mobile spectres of intimacy: the gendered role of mobile technologies in love – past, present and future’, in R, Ling & S, Campbell (eds) The Mobile Communication Research Series: Volume II, Mobile Communication: Bringing Us Together or Tearing Us Apart? Transaction Books Edison, NJ , pp. 37-60.

Jason Farman 2014, Photography, Self Documentation, & Social Media: An Interview with Nathan Jurgenson, 16 June, viewed 14 May 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnPtZ5lKDHo>.

Lange, P 2009, ‘Videos of Affinity on YouTube’, in P, Snickars & P, Vonderau (eds), The YouTube Reader, National Library of Sweden, Stockholm, pp. 70-88.

Mizuko, I 2008 ‘Introduction’, in K, Vamelis, ed. Networked Publics, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 1-14.

Vivienne, S & Burgess, J 2013, ‘The Remediation of the Personal Photograph’, Journal of Material Culture, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 279-98.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

You raise many great points! specifically how you note how images speak volumes. I think visually images can have different intertextual understandings depending on the source of the image. Just like verbal communication, non-verbal communication relies on individuals pre existing knowledge of the content and the meaning behind the image. You didn’t quite mention the gif you used of childish gambino rapping ‘i’m so pretty’ but the representation of the images in the video clip symbolise racism. There are small visual representations of gun violence and racism that would only be understood through the acknowledgement of past events. So as powerful as images are I believe one must know the context of the image to understand the meaning. What’re your thoughts on this?

[bradarnoldt-deactivated20180705]

Week 10 - Social Gaming: Playing the crowd.

My son is Grade 1 at the moment and we receive a weekly newsletter from the school on past and future events and any other news the school thinks is relevant to put in a newsletter.  Two weeks ago we were told not to let our children play an online game called “Fortnight”.

And like most kids at heart and a past part-time games, I had to check it out.  The school was worried about the online community.  Being able to chat with fellow gamers during play was their main concern.  Harassment, bullying etc can all happen.  Never mind the killing and gore after lining up opponents with heavy artillery.  I loved the game and didn’t entertain anyone with conversation but I know better.   But I’d secretly love to play with my mates and destroy some bad guys.

That’s the attraction of online social gaming.  Joining forces, working as a team (and adding your own individual brilliance) to defeat the opposition.  It’s that social feeling of community that brings people back to games like Fortnight, Call of Duty and even Farmville.  The creator, Zynga, practically have community inspiring all of their games. “Social is the thing that we consider first and foremost whenever we are designing a game.” (Zynga 2014).

The online games now days are usually ultra violent (the above gif just one example) but it’s the online chat that can be the most disturbing.  All games have a code of conduct but is rarely enforced.  In EVE online their conditions state that  ‘You may not use any abusive, defamatory, ethnically or racially offensive, harassing, harmful, hateful, obscene, offensive, sexually explicit, threatening or vulgar language.’ (de Zwart 2014) but that’s the main tactic of gamers, hoping the abuse will make other players give up and cede regions to the dominant alliance.

You need a tough skin when playing, both mentally and physically and don’t forget a low ping!  You don’t want to be lagging when you run your guy around a corner into oncoming fire!  

References:

de Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014,’ The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online’, Cultural Studies Review, vol. 20, no. 1, p 315.

Zynga 2014, Home of Online Games, viewed 5 June 2018, <www.zynga.com>.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

I agree with so many of your points on social gaming! Likewise my younger brother plays fortnite with his cousins and friends but so do my friends whom are 26 or older. It intrigues me how people from such different demographics can play the one game! I also like your point on how you have to agree to the terms and conditions of game before you play that outline the terms that explain to a player they can’t use threatening language etc. It does make it tough for parents when you can control what are other people are saying especially when your 12 year old is now involving themselves in a community that entails an older demographic.  

[bradarnoldt-deactivated20180705]

Week 8: Crowdsourcing in times of crisis

As a traffic reporter, I use crowdsourcing every day.  Twitter, Google maps, Facebook, texts, radio and tv reports, phone calls to and from emergency services all combine to build a story that I can use as part of my reports.

It’s live and dynamic.  The situation is constantly changing at every incident.  A simple breakdown in an emergency lane can turn into multi vehicle collision very quickly if someone is not looking where they’re going.  Add the factor of that multi vehicle collision happening inbound on the Monash Freeway at 8am and all of a sudden you’ve got 2+ hour delays on the freeway and major congestion on all the surrounding roads.  All because someone forgot to fuel up that morning and thought they’d make it to work with the last litre of fuel they had in the tank.

Verification is always tough during a time sensitive reporting shift. As it was with Ushahidi back in 2007 when the public was given the platform to report human rights abuses,  “Verification can be relatively straightforward when a single team with similar views is working together.” (Ford 2012) If you’ve taken a call from a listener, spotted the accident via a camera on the VicRoads website and found a tweet from a driver complaining about it, you can be fairly confident the incident is valid.  When some are saying the incident is inbound and some outbound, you’d better verify that or you’re bound to cop the wrath of all of the above sources.

 If you’re not ready with a report when the station wants it, you run the danger of running old information, heresay and (for the sales team especially) missing finishing your traffic report with the correct sponsor on which you ultimately get paid to do!  Putting out the wrong information also can cause anger and frustration for the commuter and embarrassment for the broadcaster and yourself.  Of course, going off half cocked on one report of a major incident can leave you open to…

References:

Ford, H 2012, ‘Crowd Wisdom’, Index on Censorship, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 33-39.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Interesting points for sure! I’d love to know your opinion on the severity of verifying the news. Obviously information needs to be verified otherwise we’re left with a dense blob of information that we can’t do to much with! Like Ford said fake or unverified information can sometimes be worse than no information at all. Do you think an app like ushahidi only works because of the size of consumers who use it? Do you think it would be to hard in a major western city due to the densely populated areas? I think its definitely important to note that higher volume of information would be coming in that could overwhelm those receiving it. Perhaps the app will have to be altered to fit with that specific demographic  

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Social Gaming

I’ve always had a love hate relationship with social gaming. I wouldn’t say I am a gamer but I also wouldn’t dispute it. I’ve definitely succumb to the pop culture successes such as candy crush and FIFA but these probably relate more to the idealistic views of escapism rather than using it as a means of socialising. 

Sometimes after a hard days work its nice to come home and almost completely numb your brain, forget your day and just enjoy the pure satisfaction you get from playing a video game.  

When thinking of gamer you generally picture a 17 year old boy in his room being anxiety and playing a shooter game. The stereotype is real people. When looking at the statistics of a 2017 global research project you can see the demographic doesn’t fit the stereotype. Only 22% of all gamers are from the age of 10-20 with 10 of that 22 percent being girls! The usage of women players is substantially higher than its made out to be. 

Its funny because when you look at games like Fortnite, it has such a vast demographic of users. My 11 year old brother loves playing with his friends, shooting, blowing up and annihilating his friends on the game. Likewise my 26 year old housemate will do exactly the same thing! The fact the one game can cater to the needs of such a broad demographic is astonishing.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Visuals, it’s all about perspective

In the world of social media the debate over how visuals, images, videos, etc. have affected our views towards ourselves and others is outdated. When referring to things like the ‘selfie’ it can be easy to suggest images are only being used to inflate egos. A selfie can be defined as a photograph that one has taken of him or himself and shared through social media applications to gain instant gratification. Theresa Senft describes the selfie as “a photographic object that communicates the transmission of human feeling in the form of a relationship between photographer and photographed, image and filtering software, viewer and viewed, users and social software architectures,” (Senft, 2015). 

Obviously, yes, there are people in the world who have narcissistic tendencies that require them to take photos until they bleed but it’s all worth it because they got the perfect one! But sometimes you have to look at the broader picture and take yourself out of your small social circle and discover the world. 

Social media has shifted the way we humans connect. In relation to visuals it has changed our perception on text and audio with a photo now the core of all conversation. 

A simple emoji can depict an emotional response, the visual of heart symbolising love or even that round yellow emoticon with a tear represents sadness.YES, this is taking away from a more verbal culture but what about those in developing nations who can’t read? What about those who rely on visuals to have a conversation and to learn?

On the ‘Why we post” website discovery seven depicts how we have progressed from a talking culture to a more visual one. Especially in a developing nation where literacy isn’t always a priority as some kids have to leave school early to go to work. In the south of China it is explained that even though some factory workers may be literate, they lack the confidence to talk or write due to limited schooling. The images act as a substitute and enable them to communicate with friends and family in a way they feel comfortable. These images allow individuals who lack confidence and have a low literacy ability to find visuals that represent what they want to say. Visuals have become an essential form of expression for the rural migrant population. 

obviously in different societal settings the reasonings for taking a photo or sharing one can be completely different, but I do think it is important to look at broader picture. Generally with every negative there is a positive and vice versa.

References: 

Senft, T, 2015. What Does The Selfie Say? Investigating a Global Phenomenon. International Journal of Communication, 9,19. 

Ucl.ac.uk. (2018). We used to just talk, now we talk photos.. [online] Available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/why-we-post/discoveries/why-we-post/discoveries/7-we-used-to-just-talk-now-we-talk-photos [Accessed 5 Jun. 2018].

[thoughtsofchanelle-deactivated2]

W6: Social Media & Modern Activism

It has been argued that new technologies in our modern world facilitate and encourage a freedoms agenda through the enhancement of one’s digital rights (Cammaerts, 2015). With the affordances of social media, it’s really no wonder these new technologies are being embraced by activists for protest movements. However, it begs the question; has social media empowered activism? Or, has activism been so heavily impacted by social media, that pre-digital activism methods are now ineffective?

Recent studies have revealed a positive link between social media and political participation (Valenzuela, 2013), which leads to the term ‘digital citizenship’; the benefits which are associated with the ability of social media tools to ‘facilitate the membership and participation of individuals within society’ (Mossberger et al. 2008, p. 1). Social media is no longer simply used as a promotional tool by activists. In fact, evidence suggests that social media has in fact revolutionisedactivism (Lafi Youmans & York, 2012), and in many cases, activism through social media has lead to local efforts evoking a powerful global influence (Bakardjieva 2009, pp.100- 101) where prior to social media, it may not have.

Let’s reflect on the powerful link between social media & modern activism

Ask yourself what information you are privy to on a Facebook event that influences your attendance. If a friend invited you to a protest via Facebook, where you can see information including the amount of people going, the organisational cause behind the movement, the impact the protest is due to have – and hey, it looks like you can even see images of a similar protest from last year, too.

Now, compare this to a time where 25 years ago, that friend may simply have asked you to attend the protest they heard about through another friend, however they’re unsure of the organisation behind it, the amount of people due to attend, or what kind of atmosphere the protest will present. How would this influence your decision on whether or not to attend – and would it inspire you to make change before you even turned up?

I know my answer; and it certainly proves social media has revolutionised events of this nature. In the context of activism, social media enables us to digitally connect with other passionate individuals, contribute with the click of a button, and become inspired through powerful content even prior to attending.

Share YOUR thoughts, including a recent example of modern activism you either involved yourself in, scrolled past, or simply heard about through social media. Most importantly, however - would you have heard about this if social media did not exist?

References

Bakardjieva, M 2009, ‘Subactivism: Lifeworld and politics in the Age of the internet,’ The Information Society, vol.25, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Cammaerts, B 2015, ‘Social Media and Activism’, The International Encyclopaedia of Digital Communication and Society 1, John Wiley & Sons

Lafi Youmans, W & York, J 2012, ‘Social Media and Activists Toolkit’, Journal of Communication, pp 315-329.

Mossberger, K, Tolbert, C, & McNeal, R 2008, Digital Citizenship: The Internet, Society, and Participation, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Valenzuela, S 2013, ‘Unpacking the use of social media for protest behavior: The roles of information, opinion expression and activism’, American Behavioural Scientist, vol.57, no.7, Sage Publications

[dotcomwriteon-blog]

Hey Chanelle, interesting perspective on the role of social media and specific effects on participatory consideration. There’s no denying social media has completely revolutionised (pun intended) activism and protest, but what’s your response to individuals who believe social media networks should remain exactly that - social - and that activism and political issues should be kept off the space and on separate platforms? 

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Your perspective on on how social media has impacted the effects of participation raises some interesting points. Especially regarding how social media has reinvigorate the way people view and contribute to activist movements. I think you’re right in considering the fact the social media has in fact enhanced what was already existing and out dates the previous methodology surrounding activism.

[bradarnoldt-deactivated20180705]

Week 9: Visual communities and social imaging

You can tell the word ‘selfie’ was coined in Australia.  The slang term was named “International word of the year” in 2013 (AAP 2013)  Invented by a drunk Australian in 2002, it follows other slang words Aussie’s use by shortening the word.  Barby, beauty, brolly, brekkie for example.  Aussie of course too!

20 years ago we took photos to last a life time.  Most of the time we only had 24 pictures available in any one roll of film and we wanted to make sure the photo we took was the best it could be.  We gathered everyone around.  Made sure they were ready with their best clobber and made everyone say ‘cheese’.  Then we’d wind on the camera and in 10 seconds or even less, we’d be ready to take another picture!  Crazy times.  Check out Tom Gleeson for his take on taking pictures circa 1997…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU9xTJC3il4

Now days it’s all about ‘Ephemerality‘.  There’s little  permanence now in photography.  Capture the moment, get it out to as many people as possible and move on to the next exciting pic.  The main importance is likes, views and most likely jealousy or annoyance of the viewer looking at others obviously having a much better time than you.

While Kodak have practically gone out of business  YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Tumblr, Pinterest etc have become goliath’s in the social media trade.  Photos brought home from the chemist to look out were mostly consumed by the family.  Now though, everyone can take in what you’re putting out there.  “A photo is posted, and the conversation happens around it, side-by-side, on the screen.” says Snapchat’s  Nathan Jurgenson (Herrman 2014)

Celebrities are making thousands of dollars promoting wears through these social media apps.  Promoting everything from shoes to make up to free flights, often disguised as playful thank you’s to brands and products.  The general public though mostly are just there for self promotion of their location and the people they’re with, having the ability to tag their location and friends or celebrity handles.  If you’re one of those, the truth is nobody cares…

Humble bragging has become a scorn on social imaging.  Defined as “bragging masked by a complaint or humility” (Ducharme 2018).   There are two types of humblebrags. The first falls back on a complaint (“I hate that I look so young; even a 19-year-old hit on me!”) while the second relies on humility (“Why do I always get asked to work on the most important assignment?”). About 60% of the humblebrags people remembered fell into the complaint category. (Ducharme 2018).

If this is you, stop it.  People will like you less according to research. There’s no way I would do that.  I can’t help it if people just love my social media pictures.  It’s hard being that talented I suppose.

References:

Ducharme J, 2018, Humblebragging Makes People Dislike You, According to Science, viewed 6 June 2018 <http://time.com/5095144/humblebrag-bragging/>.

Herrman, J 2014, ‘Meet the Man Who Got Inside Snapchat’s Head’, BuzzFeed, 28 January, viewed 6 June 2018, <http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/meet-the-unlikely-academic-behind-snapchats-new-pitch#3dlvjg2>.

Sezer, O., Gino, F., & Norton, M. I. (2018). Humblebragging: A distinct—and ineffective—self-presentation strategy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(1), 52-74.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

You raise some funny and intelligent acknowledgements on the whole social imaging notion. Not sure how old you are but I consider myself one to have grown up alongside the advancements of technology. From those big and bulky computers to the slim and sleek look of a mac book pro, the functionality of film camera vs. that of your iphone camera. Growing up with these advancements i think gives our generation the best insight to all things media-related. We go to enjoy a technology free childhood but also at the same time got experience life with these innovative creations. The point is I think the use of visuals on social networking sites is generational and based upon ones demographic. For example I can still enjoy the satisfaction of likes and comments on post I’ve made of a travel pic for example with relatively little effort to get the pic, like how you mentioned only getting 24 shots in a camera, your pics are limited. But on my travels I’ve seen people trying so hard to get that perfect picture that they miss the beauty that location holds and that is the worst thing about the ‘selfie’ generation as photos are loosing there meaning and authenticity as social media has seemingly turned photo sharing into a competition. 

[dotcomwriteon-blog]

What’s the name of the game?

This week let’s talk about social gaming. Now before you go clicking away because gaming ‘isn’t your thing’, let me say, it’s not mine either. In truth, I’ve never actually played one and the closest I’ve come to social gaming was slamming Tazos in my primary school yard. Who remembers these bad boys?

But I digress. As a non-gamer frankly, I’ve always struggled to see the appeal of regular social gaming. In the past, I’ve asked some of my WOW playing buddies, ‘What’s so interesting? Isn’t it just repeating the same thing over and over?’ They usually launch into a tirade about “defending the alliance“, yadda yadda yadda. Around about the time I hear the word ‘Orc’ my eyes glaze over and regret sinks in. 

And then this week (Zwart & Humphrys 2014) provided that elusive ‘uh-huh’ moment. Gaming isn’t about the vanquishing of trolls or passing another level. It’s all about Ferdinand Tönnies’ sense of community. Sure those details make the game interesting and might be the difference between throwing something else into the console. But the draw is the natural will to be a part of something greater by achieving objectives with likeminded individuals thereby forging bonds (Tönnies & Loomis 2017, p. 33). 

For too long gaming has been confined to the stereotype of a bunch of nerdy teenage boys, sitting in dark rooms wasting their time getting lost in virtual fluff. Research conducted by the Entertainment Software Association shows that whilst most gamers are males, females are well represented and only 29% of all gamers are under the age of 18 (Lavandier 2016). 

The figures clearly illustrate much myth still surrounds not only the perception of gaming but also of gamers entirely. I can’t help but wonder, is the draw for all these demographics escapism? With our increasingly demanding day-to-day lives we all need an outlet of escape and satisfaction. Is it possible the attraction lies in the opportunity for players to control their ‘destiny’ and manufacture a virtual existence which satisfies them more than reality? After all, the real-world places limitations on us all. We can’t always control the direction  our jobs take; financial constraints can dictate time and leisure activities. In virtual worlds, players must abide by codes of conduct yet are afforded the opportunity to assert authority through self-governing bodies in a way which simply isn’t possible in real life (EVEOnline, 2014).

Who wouldn’t be tempted to forget being a desk jockey by-day and be a total bad-ass by night?

But is there a stronger force at play? 

Neuroscientists at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health have found compulsive gaming activates the brain’s rewards system. By levelling up, unlocking new status features or completing tasks, the brain releases dopamine resulting in an exciting, addictive rush, mimicking the neurological patterns of drug addiction (Lauder 2017). Even one of virtual realities’ fathers, Jaron Lanier, has admitted many in his field are regretting their technological contributions, likening the predicament to a psychological experiment on rats gone wrong (Aiello 2018).

Posing the question, ‘Gaming - friend or foe?  

Keep reading

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

This is an interesting read and notes some interesting points regarding gender and stereotyping. What most sticks out is the sense of ‘escapism’. Being related to what some might call a ‘binge’ gamer I see the idealistic viewpoint on escaping reality and entering the virtual world. There are many determining factors that lead to one deterring from real life connections and leaning towards virtual ones. Although many negative connotations attract the gaming world you can’t help but look the positive light it has shed on those who struggle to make personal connections. This world opens up a safe space for like-minded individuals to share what they feel they can’t with the world. It’s funny, I’m quite a social person and love going out for a beer with my mates down at the local pub but my brother will sit there in his room gaming with his friends and drinking beers, talking about the same kind of things I would but with people all over the world. It begs the question, do the positives outweigh the negatives? 

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Crowdsourcing, the tick of approval

With the internet unearthing the voice of billions of people, one of its greatest affordances is that of crowdsourcing. As of March 2017, there were over 3.74 billion internet users (Stevens, 2017). This has opened up the door and let individuals walk into the room of free speech and information sharing and speak their mind.

 For those of you who don’t know, crowdsourcing, in broad sense can be described as “the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers’. (Merriam Webster, 2014). 

Crowdsourcing has become crucial in times of crisis and in other circumstances. One of the most important things to note about the information that comes forth due to crowdsourcing is the wide range of diversity in information. Mainstream media of late has become quite monotone with multiple news outlets reporting the same story. In the case of ‘fake news’ news reporters all over America have been noted all saying the exact same news script! This is a perfect example of how mainstream media is one tone, the importance crowdsourcing has at times and how an accusation can be projection and how these reporters are reciting propaganda. 

This coincides with Heather Fords theory of verification. In particular she refers to crowdsourcing and verification on the received information. In the wake of the 2007 Kenyan Presidential elections, the innovative platform Ushahidi was born. The application relies on citizens of Kenya sending in information on live events to further the safety and protection of other individuals in the area. The platform pins the information on a mapping system allowing the onlookers to note what is going on and where. But as the platform has grown this has meant the volume of incoming information can be overwhelming and hard to validate. Ford explains “as the sources of user-generated content grow and the volume of data increases, users of technology face critical choices about what information to highlight, about the authenticity of reports and, consequently, which information is declared as ‘verified’” (P.34, 2012). As an NGO and as an organisation not looking for profit but more the safety of civilians it’s hard to police the information coming through. Although in the future their could algorithms made to search key phrases and cross reference information the costs of these implementations would be very high for a NGO like Ushahidi.

Another way crowdsourcing is being used is to sought out crime offenders with police and individuals alike turning to social media. The other day on Facebook I stumbled across a post from ‘Melbourne bartender Exchange’, eliciting the group of hospitality professionals to help find 2 patrons who stole a valuable belonging. The conversation posted a photo of two individuals stealing from a bar and the owner of the bar then used this space of like-minded professionals to help hunt down the culprits. A day later the people were found through the group and the stolen goods returned. This is a great example of how crowdsourcing can be used to a positive tune. If the owner had reported the incident to the police it could of had a very different outcome as the problem isn’t at the top of their priorities. 

References: 

Ford, H. (2012). Crowd Wisdom. Index on Censorship, 41(4), pp.33-39.

Holter, L. (2018). Here's Why That Video Of Reporters Reading The Same Script Went Viral. [online] Refinery29.com. Available at: https://www.refinery29.com/2018/04/195241/sinclair-local-reporters-reading-fake-news-script-explained [Accessed 1 Jun. 2018].

Facebook.com. (2018). The Melbourne Bartender Exchange. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/melbournebartenderexchange/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2018].

Stevens, J. (2018). Internet Stats & Facts for 2017. [online] Hostingfacts.com. Available at: https://hostingfacts.com/internet-facts-stats-2016/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2018].

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Trolls Trolls.... Trolls

The term ‘trolling’ is not a new one, for over nearly two decades now the discourse around flaming, and more recently hating and trolling has been described as a new form of bullying, with the intent of antagonising the recipient. As Anthony McCosker further explains, “What has come o be called trolling should be taken as a starting point rather than a vague end point for understanding the place of provocation its multiple, highly contextualised and always changing forms,” (2014, P.202). It’s hard to pin down the exact reason behind each individual act of trolling and align specific characteristics to further define the mysteries behind trolling but one thing we can examine is why individuals say or do something anonymously online in order to deliberately antagonise and aggravate their intended audience. The problem with trolling is the strong intent to not only problematise but also productively intensify, vitalise and sustain publics within social media sites. 

The argument comes back to what you learn at the beginning of any media degree, participatory culture, the term originally coined by Henry Jenkins can be described as a consumer not only passively consuming a product but also producing and contributing to the conversation. When using these products and participating in the social acts you open yourself up to the negatives that accompany the positives and although this new form of bullying truly does exist, it is almost the only form of bullying you can choose to switch off. 

We then turn the page and land on a heated debate over how social media amplifies cruelty and bullying with the media and parents at the thick of the conversation. Danah Boyd suggests, “nuance often gets lost in the panic... journalists latch onto and publicise data that suggest the majority of youth are bullied, with little methodological or analytical consideration for what that implies”(P.131, 2014). Boyd goes onto explain how the youth of today have grown up on social media and their form of bullying isn’t necessarily done through verbal acts, rather a form of indirect bullying via social media. I think what some people don’t realise is that although we wish bullying didn’t exist, this is the way younger demographics bully and harass, and because it is over social media people feel as though they can police the problem more because it isn’t on the school yard. 

References: 

Boyd, D. (2014). It's complicated: the social lives of networked teens. Place of publication not identified: Yale University Press, pp.128 - 152.

McCosker, A. (2013). Trolling as provocation. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 20(2), pp.201-217.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Voices Finally Being Heard

Living in a time where social media has become a fundamental part of most societies it is important to note how these innovative forms of media give individuals a voice. Living in a country where freedom of speech is an assumed right it can lead to people taking it for granted. At any opportunity individuals in Australia can post on social media any political or personal opinion without too many serious ramifications. As the functionality of these social media platforms expand it has opened up a new channel of citizen journalism. Paolo Gerbaudo explains, “Social media is often used as a means of representation a tool of ‘citizen journalism’ employed to elicit ‘external attention’ (P.3, 2012). 

But not all countries have free media, where even journalist can’t publish on certain topics and must stick to strict guidelines. This has led activists taking the form of anonymous people online and forming groups to expose political agendas as these activists seek justice. Youmans and York explain further, “Social media in the Middle East and elsewhere undermine the territorial, coercive, and social underpinnings of despotic governments by exposing and breaking the state’s power to silence popular grievances and to criminalize opposition” (P.316, Youmans & York). Although social media can bring like-minded people together to be the voice of those who can not speak and at times have a positive affect on society it also opens the door for the latter, groups forming to destabilise society and reek havoc. Youmans and York delve into the actions of the “Syrian Electronic Army”. This group of social ‘activists’ claim to be fighting against the distortions and fabrications of events taking place in Syria. The group has called out the likes of Obama, Oprah and many journalists, giving away the dissidents contact information and threats against critics. 

Although in a world where everyone deserves the right to have a voice there comes a point when individuals are no longer wanting to speak there mind and instead want to cause terror in society. This then elicits the question, how do you control activism on social media, and or does it need to be controlled? 

References: 

Gerbaudo, P 2012, Tweets and the Streets : Social Media and Contemporary Activism, Pluto Press, London.

Temperton, J. (2018). FBI adds Syrian Electronic Army hackers to most wanted list. [online] Wired.co.uk. Available at: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/syrian-electronic-army-fbi-most-wanted [Accessed 12 May 2018].

Youmans, W. and York, J. (2012). Social Media and the Activist Toolkit: User Agreements, Corporate Interests, and the Information Infrastructure of Modern Social Movements. Journal of Communication, 62(2), pp.315-329.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

Children Are The Future

When people use the term ‘the children are the future’ it holds validity when referring to politics. Many politicians have begun to utilize the advancements of technology by adhering to the demands of today’s youth. That is done through targeting youth through social media and showcasing their ideals on a platform that will reach the intended demographic. 

In an era where one of the most prominent ways in which to penetrate the younger voting demographic is through the use of social media it is important to note that this also opens you up the floor to be ridiculed. Greg Jericho states “for many politicians, the risk-averse nature of the profession with gotcha moments lurking around every microphone, means that the benefit of engaging with social media - especially twitter, where as sky news’ John Kerrison advises, you need to imagine every one of your tweets written on the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge - is a difficult concept to grasp” (p.254, 2013). 

one of the determining factors as to why politicians choose to go forth with social media is due to the fact that it is essential for the vast amount reach. As there is no one politician who has won the hearts of all, accompanied with the vast severity of the internet, it can lead to things being plastered all over the world wide web. 

At the moment one of the easiest targets in politics is President Donald Trump. He not only uses social media to run his campaign but also for personal use, writing almost anything he feels all over twitter. Jeff Rindskoph, a journalist from Cheat sheet TV, goes through and deciphers some of Trumps most obscure tweets. He goes on to say “Trumps’s twitter feed offered an unsettling, amusing, and often depressing glimpse into the mind of this controversial orange-tinged reality TV star,” (2018). One of Trumps tweets reads “Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn’t know me but attacked me last night at the Golden Globes, she is a...” this goes to show how he is using social media, less for a campaign and more to express his feelings. But as Jericho explains with the risk-averse nature of the internet it can be seen through the various sites that take what trump says and blows it up x100 and depicts what he is trying to say. In saying that Trump obviously doesn’t take care in what Kerrison says about being careful what you post because he posts whatever he feels when he feels it. 

In saying that there are politicians like Obama whom have used social media in all the right ways to express their thoughts and opinions on serious matters to help validate their campaign. 

References: 

Rindskoph, J. (2018). 20 of Trump’s Worst Tweets (So Far). [online] TV Cheat Sheet. Available at: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/trumps-worst-tweets-so-far.html/?a=viewall [Accessed 7 May 2018].

Jericho, G 2013, Rise of the Fifth Estate : Social Media and Blogging in Australian Politics, Scribe Publications Pty Ltd., Carlton North. 

Trump, D. (2018). Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) on Twitter. [online] Twitter.com. Available at: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor [Accessed 7 May 2018].

[thoughtsofchanelle-deactivated2]

Weeks 1-4: Counter-whaaat?

There is no question our digitalised world comprises of online platforms that have, and will continue to; heavily influence the way in which we communicate and interact. In fact, boyd’s (2012) renowned concept of our society being ‘always online’ (boyd, 2012) could be argued as so precise, it may now be impossible to deny.

Recent learning experiences has allowed me to explore the way in which internet platforms can provide users the freedom to speak and be heard, as well as define, discuss and form unique communities and experiences. More communities are being born, cultivated and shaped in digital form now than ever before, and have a unique ability to provide users with a sense of self-identification and belonging.

This allowed me to appreciate the term counterpublics. In whichever way you utilise our digital world, I assure you, there’s a strong chance you’re part of a counterpublic. Perhaps even many.

… Allow me to elaborate.

Individuals have a desire to self-identify and represent under particular notions of society, and it was in this context that it was once famously argued; a single public sphere simply does not suffice (Fraser, 1993). We have a desire to form and express our identity, interests and needs by relating to and interacting with other individuals, or feeling a sense of community (Fraser, 1993, p.124), enabling counterpublics to form.

How do counterpublics fit into our digital world?

In short – I believe it simply empowers them. The digitalisation of our world has revolutionised counterpublics by enabling instantaneous growth and have power to evoke global influences. Internet platforms, particularly social media, provide endless opportunities for users to engage and interact with other users, organisations, or associations that share similar interests, motives or pursuits with the unique appeal of immediacy and distribution free of global barriers. New counterpublics are commonly formed after dominant notions within the public sphere arouse feeling of influence (Asen & Brouwer, 2001), evoking a desire to self-identify or interact with other users provoking a sense of ‘belonging’, despite being considered strangers to one another on face value. Warner (2002, pg. 424) sums this up perfectly:

“…Counterpublics come into being through an address to indefinite strangers… and counterpublic discourse also addresses strangers as not just anybody. They are socially marked by their participation…”

One particular counterpublic I personally identify with - and perhaps one of the most obvious - is my fellow students undertaking #MDA20009 with Swinburne Online, or the wider Bachelor of Media and Communications (Public Relations) students. Although this hadn’t necessarily originated from social media platform, my studies and relationships with fellow students are empowered by social media, and we’re now able to connect over similarities and common goals. 

Now, over to YOU. 

Can you think of a counterpublic you may identify with? Share you experience or thoughts via reblogging below.

References

Asen, R & Brouwer, D, 2001, Counterpublics and The State, Journal of Social Science, State University of New York Press, USA, 2001

Boyd, D 2012, ‘Participating in the always-on lifestyle’, in M Mandiberg (ed) The Social Media Reader, NYU Press, pp. 71-76.

Fraser, Nancy (1993). Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy, The Phantom Public Sphere, Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press

Warner, M 2002, ‘Publics and Counterpublics’, Public Culture, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 49-90.

[itssuzblog-blog]

I like the idea that doing university online means we get to become part of a new counterpublic. We might not necessarily get to interact with these people and hear their thoughts and opinions if we were on campus. I particularly identify with a counterpublic through a form of social media that I use every day, Pinterest. I look at the different boards as forms of counterpublics. The followers/creators all have the same interest and we are all connected by this.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

The ideology of counter publics as a concept of interaction is a valuable point. Most people, everyone interacting online, would be apart of a counter public like you’ve noted. It is definitely a good observation that the digital communities group as counter public is enriched through the use of social media. This group of students may not have interacted to the level that we are if not due to the interaction through online messaging forums. To be able to hear the tone of voice and ideas from each student that you would most likely not hear in a tutorial is a testament to the power of the internet and in particular, social media.

I think a counter public i am apart of would be that of the AFL community online. I am linked through various social networking sites and given updates on all things AFL. Even through the likes of AFL meme pages on Instagram that publishes user generated content from fans around Australia. The commonality shared between this group is what makes it a unique public. 

[joelblogshere-blog]

Blog 1A (2) Social media, User Generated Content, Affordances....and Privacy

What exactly is social media? The simple answer to this is a bunch of internet apps that allow for User Generated Content (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). So now you’re asking ‘what is User Generated Content’, right? It’s exactly how it’s described – using different forms of media content created by end users, aka you or me, rather than professional content creators.

Mayo (2014) suggests that social media can then be broken down into four main groups:

-      Social networking tools like Skype, Facebook and Tumblr

-      Social publishing and sharing tools – blogs; Twitter; YouTube; Flickr; Google Docs fit into this category

-      Social and content management tools – Survey Monkey, Moodle and other web based tools used for tasks like calendars, surveys, polls and the like; and

-      Gaming environments – Xbox Live, Playstation Network, Minecraft, World of Warcraft etc.

Above image: Survey Monkey website homepage - an example of social and content media management tools. (Zapier, 2015)

Because I haven’t dissected enough terminology and theories, let’s discuss affordances! Gibson (1979, p. 19) wrote that humans, along with animals, orient to subjects in their world – rocks, rivers, buildings etc. The term affordances refers to the different ways these orientations are interpreted (Hutchby, 2001). Whilst a business may see Facebook as an advertising means to get clients, an individual may see Facebook as a tool to communicate with friends and families.

Above video: How Cambridge Analytica psychologically profiled Facebook Users (BBC News, 2018)

I think most people today find social media challenging because of privacy risks, especially with all the recent news about breaches. Trepte (2015) suggests that today’s social media has two types of affordances, or more simply, potential forms of use. There are affordances related to social media functions -  these ask us to comment on statuses on platforms, upload pictures and videos, and tag friends or places we visit. Also termed ‘warm affordances’ they allow us to share content, keep in contact, and interact. The other kind are ‘cold affordances’ - the legal jargon, the stuff that implies an agreement about privacy. For example: the picture I shared of my cat on my Facebook yesterday now belongs to Facebook, as is set out in their terms of service. Yet, my ability to share which friends see that picture is an example of warm affordances.

Recent news: Facebook is rewriting it’s Terms of Service and Data Policy, focusing on easy to read language and making things clearer https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/04/terms-and-data-policy/

Deciding what to share, and what audiences to let access them, can be very challenging. There’s some pictures I’m happy to share with some friends, but not others, because unfortunately humans can be very judgemental….

Then there’s the external links where we go to fill out a “when will we die” survey. Whilst we believed these external permissions were secure, as we now know, there is potential for data breaches.

Related news: Australia’s Privacy Commissioner to Investigate if Facebook breached Australia’s Privacy Act: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australia-s-privacy-commissioner-opens-facebook-probe-over-data-breach

This has actually led to me making some changes on how I access Facebook, and how I share User Generated Content. I revoked app permissions, and have started again, and am very careful with what I click on and give permissions for now. Are you bunkering down on your privacy settings, or are you just letting whatever happens, happen?

Update: I’ve embedded some non-referenced articles in this post, and there’s also an Easter Egg ;)

References

BBC News 2018, How Cambridge Analytica psychologically profiled Facebook Users, BBC News, 4 April, viewed 7th April 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84gTofMPz1k>. 

Gibson, JJ 2014, The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception: Classic Edition, Taylor and Francis Group, London.

Hutchby, I 2001, Technologies, texts and affordances, Sociology, 35 (2), p. 441-456.

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M, ‘Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media’, Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68.

Mao, J 2014, ‘Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students’ technology affordances and perspectives’, Computers in Human Behavior, 34, p. 213-223.

Zapier 2015, ‘Survey Monkey [image], in Zapier - Survey Moneky – Features, Pricing, Alternatives and More, viewed April 2018, <https://zapier.com/apps/surveymonkey>.

[digitialcommsstudent-blog]

In the world of advancing technology, I always find the conversation about privacy online to be super interesting. We all say we don’t want third party websites having our information but when do we ever read the terms and conditions of the sites we use? 

I know when it comes to me personally I don’t put any steps into place do securing my privacy. But i think that is linked to everyones conception of privacy is different and that coincides with the lengths people will go to keep their information safe.

The conversation on warm and cold affordances is a good one, especially with the example you used of sharing photos with friends. In one hand you have the ability to share photos with a select group of friends that you choose but on the other Facebook now owns the right to that image. It’s kind of like a catch 22 isn’t it? It’s like you want to use the application for what it was purposed for but by doing so Facebook then owns all rights of your content. 

Thanks for an interesting read! 

Do you think that people will get so caught up in the concept of privacy in the future that it will be the death of social media?