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Culture Jamming

Through digital citizenship and civic participation, activist groups are able to digitally protest their opinion and spread their message. Adbusting is a form of culture jamming whereby activists challenge the common opinions within a culture. The group Adbusters (www.adbusters.org) have effectively challenged cultural beliefs such as American Thanksgiving, by ways of an ad that displayed a pig snorting in the background while a strong voice spoke about how Americans consume more than any other country, the campaign was called “Buy Nothing Day”.

Adbusters - USA (2007) <http://bit.ly/1q908LP>

With the proliferation of new technologies comes the increase of activist groups being able to voice their opinions and make noise within digital communities and in a digital space such as social media. This accessibility that many of us have to protest and participate in civic communities, means that there is more ‘slacktivism’ and ‘clicktivism’ (Bakardjieva 2009, p. 103). These terms refer to the easy actions of digitally participating activists that have no real impact or lasting result for the cause.

A campaign in 2012 called “KONY” by Invisible Children Inc is an example of activism that has been widespread through the help of digital communities by minor efforts of a large group of people. The campaign was shared across various social media sites and participants were made to feel empowered as they got behind a cause for justice. The aim of the campaign was for a Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony to be arrested for his crimes of mass indoctrination of child soldiers and other offenses including rape and murder. The campaign managed to raise 20 million dollars towards the cause, however, one year on there was no change and Kony was still free. The activism portrayed in the Kony campaign backfired on the Invisible Children Inc organisation as supporters were left feeling disappointed as their efforts had not translated into results. Some said that the campaign did not display the correct information as some footage was a decade old, as well as simplified the issue when it was far more complex than the campaign portrayed it to be (Truthloader 2013).

Joseph Kony 2012: What happened to invisible children? – Truthloader (2013)<http://bit.ly/1pk3M06>

adbusters.org, 2019, Adbusters Media Foundation | Journal of the Mental Environment. https://www.adbusters.org/ viewed 28.01.19

Bakardjieva, M. (2009). Subactivism: Lifeworld and Politics in the Age of the Internet. The Information Society, p.103.

elxarvani

Exactly right here, the explanation of Adbusting is great and it’s something that we see a lot of now too on social media. With people having the freedom to explore there ideas and opinions more freely. I know many people are involved in online activism and I think its a really awesome thing to be a part of. Obviously, you want to be doing it for the right reasons but I think this new expression and freedom we have as a society is the most powerful thing! Love your explanation of it.

annagpellegrino

Politics and Civic Cultures

We now live in a world driven by new technology and primarily social media, so much so our politicians are now jumping on the social media bandwagon. Overall I’d say there is more engagement from American politicians than Australian ones, this is simply evident in their followings on social media. On Instagram, US President Donald Trump has 10.9 million whereas Australian PM Scott Morisson only has 24,000. There's an ongoing joke that Australians don't know who their prime minister is and this could be a result of their interaction with social media. I know that if all our politicians were more active in online communities like Trump is, they would probably be better recognized.

Online presence, for the most part, can be a great way for politicians to gain followers and voters, however, these social media platforms can bite you back. In 2012 Peter Watson, ALP candidate, was forced to resign as an old homophobic comment of his resurfaced (Jericho 2012).

Digital Citizenship, What is it?

Digital citizenship can be defined as a person with the skills and knowledge to effectively use digital technologies to participate in society, communicate with others and create and consume digital content (eSafety 2018). It is simply your engagement with political issues and human rights through the use of social media, it is an expression of opinion. When I think of digital citizenship what I find most relevant to me is the same-sex marriage vote we had in the previous year. I saw heaps of people I knew posting about it and creating funny memes to do with the postal vote. A lot of this content was shared across social media bringing attention to the issue. This encouraged the outcome of the vote as the plebiscite passed and same-sex marriage was finally legalised.

Social media and politics can go well together if taken with care and responsibility. Politicians like to bite back sometimes online which won’t get them far. If we look to the future I believe it is those who are more engaged with their younger voters online that will succeed. The younger voters are the future of the country, therefore, should be most important in addressing. As technology is rapidly advancing and new social media platforms are being introduced the possibilities are really endless. My advice to politicians would be to stay on top of it!

References

Jericho, G 2012, ‘How many votes are there on Twitter?’, in The Rise of the Fifth Estate, Scribe, Victoria, Australia

Esafety Commission Office, 2018, ‘Digital Citizenship’, Australian Government, <https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/classroom-resources/digital-citizenship>

elxarvani

I completely agree that those that engage with younger voters will be the ones who get the votes. We as a young society are so out of touch with our politicians and it’s something that we can do now that will help our futures later. Social media is an amazing tool that far too many don’t utilize, and you want it to be direct from the source not just from there teams. Hopefully, more of them start to increase this and be connected.

the-digital-communique-blog

Hold on, I’m just taking a quick selfie....

The use of social media selfies and Snapchat has become the new norm for digital natives. A topic of ‘considerable debate’, the selfie dominates social media and sometimes considered narcissistic (Murray 2015, p. 490). Murray (2015, p. 490) believes that when studied collectively, the self-representations of young women feels like an aggressive and revolutionary reclamation of the female body. The selfie has further evolved on Facebook and Instagram to allow the same short videos made popular by Snapchat, and everyone is doing it. On Saturday night, I was heading into Brisbane CBD in an Uber and noticed a car driving pretty erratically in front of ours. When we pulled alongside at the lights, sure enough it was some young women taking a selfie. The popularity of Snapchat has led its creator, Evan Spiegel, to declare that profile based social media experiences are being phased out in favour of Snapchat’s more communicative features (cited in Herman 2014, n.p.). Snapchat’s goal is to communicate through photos not around them, with the primary tool being the selfie (Herman 2014, n.p).

“The selfie is both adored and reviled; yet it flourishes as one of the most effective outlets for self-definition” (Murray 2015, p. 490).

Prior to the readily accessible Snapchat selfies YouTube was the main form of video communication, bringing the potential for both fame and fortune for a successful user. Lange (2009, p. 70) believed that at the time of writing, YouTube videos were mainly evaluated by their value as a marketable product. While it is difficult to ascertain just how much YouTube makes as a part of Google, an estimated $5.6 billion in revenue was brought in during 2013 (Worstall 2013, n.p.). After a period in which YouTubers were really cashing in, several high-profile advertising scandals have seen a change in policy (Bishop 2018, n.p.). The change has been brought about due to concerns regarding YouTube’s inability to regulate its content, leading to big names such as Mars and Pepsi to leave the platform (Bishop 2018, n.p.).

YouTube’s most popular video is Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee which has made approximately $3.3 million dollars from advertising on the platform.

Like it was alluded to by the owner of Snapchat, people are now using videos and pictures to tell a story. I recently got back from Japan where every mechanism and selfie taking device was in play. People at the snow had GoPro’s either on a selfie stick or attacked to their helmets to record and publish their experiences. Elsewhere the increasingly popular selfie stick was visible around every major (or minor) Japanese landmark. This fits in neatly with the theory of an attention economy, proposing that a certain amount of effort and originality is required to gain and maintain somebody’s attention (Lange 2009, p. 72). Over the 10 years since Lange’s article was published, we have seen these changes from posting photos and status updates, to the micro videos that people now use to communicate. Murray (2015, p. 490) sees the selfie as a powerful modern tool for self-expression, encouraging users to share the most pronounced and intimate experiences of their lives. One thing is clear to me, these forms of new media communication form the connective tissue that binds the online generation together.

References

Bishop, S 2018, ‘Why it’s harder than ever to make money on YouTube’, The Conversation, 07 February, viewed 14 January 2019,

Herrman, J 2014, ‘Meet The Man Who Got Inside Snapchat’s Head’, Buzzfeednews, 27 January, viewed on 14 January 2019, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jwherrman/meet-the-unlikely-academic-behind-snapchats-new-pitch#3dlvjg2

Lange, P 2009, ‘Videos of affinity on Youtube’, in P Snickars (ed), The Youtube Reader, National Library of Sweden, Stockholm, pp. 70-88.

Mamiverse Team 2016, ‘In Defence of the Selfie Stick’, Mamiverse, 16 January, viewed 15 January 2019, http://053.f7d.mwp.accessdomain.com/defending-selfie-stick-91170/

elxarvani

The way we communicate now as a society through photos is incredible but also has its downsides. I personally know I love to be out with friends and get a nice photo or funny video to upload to social media. I absolutely love that I can share so freely but I’ve also been in the situations of traveling and just seeing people not live in that moment. Santorini Greece, perfect example It’s almost like people just came there to get a photo not to take in those amazing views and its a shame. I feel sometimes that we are so focused on capturing the moment that we often miss it. I’ve watched vloggers take breaks as they feel there life revolves around the camera and sometimes they want to sit at home and be boring. I wonder how far this form of communication will take us.

annagpellegrino

Play The Game

In week 10 we looked at the gaming community and the social and controversial aspects about it. We also looked at the Magic Circle theory which explains that a person crosses a physical or mental boundary when playing a game that separates it from the real world (Calleja 2015, p. 211). This theory has its flaws though as there are many factors that influence gameplay and the crossing of a physical and/or mental boundary. Real life experience can affect each individual’s own unique experience within the game.

People often feel very connected to games and can get lost in it. I know myself even playing games like Mariokart I feel disheartened when I lose. These emotions become problematic when it comes to online games based on social networks like Fortnite in which individuals must communicate with each other throughout the game. This can cause problems such as cyberbullying within the gaming world. Cyberbullying in gameplay is just like what we discussed with online trolls on social media, it’s the same thing but a different outlet. There is also the debate over whether video games can influence one’s behavior in a negative way. Violent video games aren’t real but can put ideas into players heads. The addictive nature of video and social games can cause players to implement too much of the ‘real world’ into the game and vice versa.

Video game addiction can actually be considered a mental disorder as it has negative short term and long term effects on mental health. Players may stop sleeping and eating and start to develop aggression or other extreme emotions (Psych Guides 2019). The isolation from the real world can also have extreme effects on one’s social behavior. Gaming is innocent for the most part but when it comes to extensive use it can become an addiction. Gaming also creates another space for bullying to occur with not many strategies in place by gaming companies to stop this.

References:

Calleja, G 2015, ‘Ludic identities and the magic circle’, in V Frissen, S Lammes, M de Lange, J de Mul & J Raessens (eds), Playful Identities: The Ludification of Digital Media Cultures, Amsterdam University Press, pp. 211-224.

Psych Guides 2019, Video Game Addiction, Symptoms, Causes and Effects, Psych Guides, viewed on January 25 <https://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-game-addiction-symptoms-causes-and-effects/>

elxarvani

I also get disheartened when I lose Mario Kart, I have had family members who are so addicted to gaming that its all they do. I find it sad to watch but its there escape from reality, which I think we all need to do from time to time. I wonder if gaming will ever become less popular or with our advances in technology if kids are going to start gaming from younger ages? My nephew is 4 and he knows how to play Minecraft… such a strange world

the-digital-communique-blog

Trolls under the bridge

The concept of trolling is an interesting one. I certainly would never condone the online bullying and belittling that happens over the internet but it must be hard to decipher sometimes. The banter that my friends and I use to communicate could easily be taken out of context by somebody who didn’t know we were friends. Olweus (cited in Boyd 2014, p. 131) defined bullying as an act requiring aggression, repetition, and an imbalance in power, and must contain all three of these factors. Trolling takes a similar mentality online by using controversial online messaging to creating discord and emotive responses (Urbandictionary 2019, n.p.). It is interesting to think about whether trolling meets all of Olweus’s criteria, and I would argue that in a lot of cases trolls are not acting aggressively. But does that mean that it is not bullying? To me bullying is more about how the other person feels, and whether the act continues after the victim has expressed a desire for it to stop.

McCosker (2014, p. 201) argues that acts of trolling should be examined through the correct cultural and geographical context to properly understand both the effect and meaning of act. This is an interesting point as cultural differences or even subtle differences in the use of language can change the meaning/interpretation of a message.

A case in point for me is Shannon Noll’s Facebook page. He gets an absolute barrage of comments and takes it all in good humour thankfully, I personally think they are hilarious but perhaps another viewer may not….

He was even good natured enough to make a sports bet add where he read out some of the comments.

According to Boyd (2014, p. 130) parents and journalists believe that social media significantly increases bullying, an assumption that is refuted by the data. This has led to a strong focus on teen suicide from the unquantified journalistic view that the majority of youths are bullied online (Boyd 2014, p. 131). McCosker (2014, p. 202) aligns social media conflict with agnostic pluralism, speaking to the necessity of having a contested space which allows for passionate debate and contested interactions. A study conducted on a short and highly provocative anti-Islam film found that interactions between the content creator, Dutch MP Geert Wilders, and those who commented was minimal (McCosker 2014, p. 206).

YouTube by numbers (Aslam 2019) link: 1.9 billion monthly active users 5+ billion videos shared to date 150 million hours of YouTube watched daily YouTube services 95% of all internet users

After conducting his analysis on YouTube commentary accrued on videos regarding the Christchurch earthquake and a flash haka, McCosker (2014, p. 213) describes YouTube as a “participatory space that incorporates and perhaps also accommodates conflict and cruelty”. The work of Thelwall and Sud (2012, p. 616) found that certain themes, such as religion, trigger lengthy discussion while other genres such as music and comedy were the least commented on. I think overall these works show that emotive subjects are far more likely to attract comment and debate, which also makes them a likely target for trolls who are able to find easy trigger points to gain a response.

References

Aslam, S 2019, ‘YouTube by the Numbers: Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts’, Omnicore, viewed 11 January 2019, https://www.omnicoreagency.com/youtube-statistics/

Boyd, D 2014, It’s complicated: the social lives of networked teens, Yale University Press, New Haven.

McCosker, A 2014, ‘Trolling as provocation: YouTube’s agonistic publics’, Journal of Research into New Mdia Technologies, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 201-217.

Thelwall, M & Sud, P 2012, ‘Commenting on YouTube Videos: From Guatemalan Rock to El Big Bang’, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 616-629.

Urban Dictionary 2019, ‘Trolling’, Urban Dictionary, viewed 11 January 2019, https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trolling

elxarvani

I love this Shannon Noll example of how he took his trolls on. But for some it’s not that simple to rebut, online trolls enter the minds people through there in boxes and make them feel awful about themselves. It’s psychological bullying and it’s horrible. I don’t know why suicide is the answer to some young and old people, I wish they could see there are other options, advice and help out there. I wish we could be more informed as a society, we have the most powerful tool at our fingertips being used to destroy others and I hate it.

georxgina

Visual communities and social imaging

During each topic in this unit, we have discussed the importance of visual, including photos and images on social media and the ways in which we connect digitally (Swinburne Online 2018). Using the term ‘networked visuality’, we can understand how imaging is becoming an integral part of the formation and maintenance of social networks (Swinburne Online 2018).

Maintaining a central role in society and culture, photographs have become a medium of communication. “Changes in media technologies have engendered changes in how we capture, remember and communicate personal images of everyday and family life” (Vivienne & Burgess 2013 p. 3). Many platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook have embraced the new hybrid practices of personal image-sharing and networked publics (Vivienne & Burgess 2013 p. 6) by incorporating the camera function on the smartphone enabling new visual methods of expression, sharing and communication through posts or popular app features. The smartphone has paved the way for new kinds of personal photography in the form of the selfie, “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website”(Oxford English Dictionary 2019). In 2013, the Oxford English Dictionary’s chose ‘selfie’ the word of the year as it had discovered a rise in mainstream media sources using this term. Companies like Apple and Samsung have since advanced their technology of front-facing cameras making it both easier to produce and to share these types of photographs.

The use of visuals has raised legal and ethical issues surrounding privacy and control of our content. Some tools have enabled users vulnerable to unauthorised distribution of their content. Additional concerns surrounding body image have arisen due to favourite social influencers using programs and apps to manipulate their images. Influencers are caught using these apps to create an unrealistic version of themselves by airbrushing pores, lines and pimples, whitening their teeth and even going as far as to change their facial structure and waistline. In recent years the mobile app, Facetune, has become a success by allowing consumers to download their app for free but then charging a monthly rate to unlock all features. Due to its accessibility, user interface and low cost compared to Photoshop and Lightroom it is endorsed by multiple Instagramers and celebrities. People compare these manipulated images to themselves, in turn, experiencing a high level of body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. As more and more young people are exposed to these images asking the question ‘Why don’t I look like that?’ it is essential we communicate and promote self-love.

References:

Oxford English Dictionary 2019, ‘Definition - Selfie’, Oxford University Press, viewed 9 January 2019, <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/selfie>.

Oxford English Dictionary 2013, ‘Word of the Year 2013′, Oxford University Press, viewed 9 January 2019, <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/word-of-the-year/word-of-the-year-2013>

Swinburne Online 2018, Lecture ‘9.1 This week’s focus’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, 9 January 2019, <https://swinburneonline.instructure.com/courses/704/pages/9-dot-1-this-weeks-focus?module_item_id=60106>

Swinburne Online 2018, Lecture ‘9.3 Networked visuality’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, 9 January 2019, <https://swinburneonline.instructure.com/courses/704/pages/9-dot-3-networked-visuality?module_item_id=60109>.

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

elxarvani

Facetune, Photoshop and other editing Apps have created an extremely harmful place for young women and men. We are constantly getting flooded with perfect skinned images, perfect lighting, and filtered photos. I’m not perfect, I’ve edited my photos and blurred out a spot. But some take it to another level. Some girls edit their images to the point where they don’t look human almost a digital character version of themselves… I understand why people do it, but I don’t understand why it’s come to this point. When did this begin and why didn’t it stop.

scientronid

godwantsit

Social Gaming - WEEK 10

As online gaming and virtual reality worlds continue to grow and in some cases dominate people’s lives, the legalities of online conflict resolution remain a heavily debated subject. Barlow and Kapor 1990, cited in Calleja 2015, p. 216)

Social Gaming is an interesting topic. I have been around family members who are so obsessed with Video gaming that I truly believe it’s affected them today. I have a cousin who would not leave his room he would play games all day and all night and as a 22year old he has severe anxiety. But this is a pattern that we see throughout the topic of social gaming.

There are many video games on the market which create a community so those who feel alone feel connected within there gaming community, Like many online gaming communities, the World of Warcraft is known to house certain players who portray a ‘toxic’ culture, a term adopted by the gaming community to describe individuals or groups that express anti-social behaviours such as trolling (Jonsson 2015, p. 28). This is something I think is true. I do believe those that use video games every day find themselves lost in the game.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has included “gaming disorder” in its draft for the next edition of its diagnostic manual, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which is due for final release this year. The disorder is characterized by behaviors such as impaired control of time spent playing video games and prioritization of gaming above other activities, in a way that negatively affects other areas of a person’s life such as their education, occupation, and relationships. (Gardian, 2018) When one spends too much time social gaming they lose themselves to this disorder it’s a real issue which needs to be fixed.

The issue with gaming is that the companies producing the games often don’t think of the effects to the user. It’s a monetized industry that cares too much about the coin than the health and wellbeing of young or not so young impressionable adults.

Jonsson, A 2015, ‘In computer veritas: Flaming as a form of toxic online disinhibition and its triggers in World of Warcraft’, Master Thesis, Uppsala University, viewed 22nd January 2019, <http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:838563/FULLTEXT01.pdf>.

Jordan Ericka Webber 'Dangerous gaming': is the WHO right to class excessive video gameplay as a health disorder?’ viewed 22nd January 2019 Gam2018 https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/feb/05/video-gaming-health-disorder-world-health-organisation-addiction

Visual Communities and Social Imaging - WEEK 9

Personal photography was once oriented around the experiences of close networks, and around the family album, which worked as a tool for achieving 'social cohesion’—representing and assembling togetherness—in the process of being there together for the photo. (Swinburne 2019)

This has now completely changed. Today technology provides everyone with a digital camera or mobile phone to capture moments anywhere at any time and then share those moments with friends and social groups instantly (Burgess & Vivienne 2013).

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat provide us the platform to share snapshots with our friends and family 24/7 our culture has completely changed from this.

Many platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook have embraced the new hybrid practices of personal image-sharing and networked publics (Vivienne & Burgess 2013 p. 6) Snapchat is what I observe most of my friends and myself using for selfies as Snapchat filters have become one of the most popular features on the APP. Often these filters make your skin smoother, eyes brighter and sometimes even change your whole face. Recently there was a filter that changed your hair color... this platform has taken the selfie to the next level constantly encouraging people to take images based on the release of these filters which only encourages use from the consumer.

The rise of the selfie—usually defined as an arms-length mobile phone camera self-portrait shared via social media—is a prominent part of the rise of ubiquitous photography and social imaging. It involves a number of factors, including new forms of visual communication and public intimacy, the presentation of the self and of place and location, and also new interactions with the cult of celebrity. (Swinburne 2019) I am 20 years of age and I am living among this selfie culture amerced in it. Every-time I open my instagram feed I’m flooded with many images from celebrities and influencers which has not stopped or become less popular.

These selfies are often unrealistic and many of them have been ‘face-tuned or photoshopped’ which makes others feel insecure because they can’t achieve the same look. Sometimes I think traditional photography would be better for our mental health as a young society. But then I remember how lucky we are to have this type of technology. It’s hard to say if its good or bad, overall our visual communities and social imaging will create the path for our next generations.

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

Swinburne Online 2018, Lecture ‘9.3 Networked visuality’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, 22nd January 2019, <https://swinburneonline.instructure.com/courses/704/pages/9-dot-3-networked-visuality?module_item_id=60109

Crowdsourcing in times of crisis WEEK 8

We could say that crowdsourcing is '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 Online 2014)

Crowdsourcing is something most of us have been apart of without even realizing it. Facebook has made a permanent page for Safety Check, its feature for letting others know that you’re safe during an emergency. (The Verge, 2017) This feature allows you to let your friends and family that you are marked as ‘safe’ during natural disasters/terrorist attacks etc. This is a form of crowdsourcing.

The ABC published there The Australian Journal of Emergency Management Volume 27, No. 1, February 2012. This highlights there emergency conduct management and how they deal with a crisis. There use of these media during the Black Saturday bushfires of '08 – where a staff member used twitter to great effect – helped pave the way to making social media activity a more routine work practice. It became evident to the broader organization that employing well-organized social media could have a profound impact in an emergency situation. felt it was the ABC's responsibility to continue to use social media during emergencies thereafter. (Postetti, 2012)

The organizations have paved the way we receive our live information, the best part about ABC and other news outlets is that the information is verified and true is the best point of reference in attacks and disasters.

Another example is the Queensland floods

The Twitter hashtag #qldfloods quickly became the central coordinating mechanism for floods-related user activity on Twitter. Hashtags are a user-generated tool for marking specific messages as relating to a particular topic or theme. • More than 35,000 tweets containing the #qldfloods hashtag were sent during the period of 10-16 January; more than 11,600 of them on 12 January alone (the height of the flooding in Brisbane). More than 15,500 Twitter users participated in #qldfloods. (Bruns, 2012) the simple use of #hashtaging gave people the information they needed quickly and effectively.

Crowdsourcing and Crisis management is something extremely important and something that we need to use for the right reasons in times of need. This is the power social media has and we should use it to our benefit as a society.

(Bruns et. al, 2012, pp. 7-10). Executive Summary: ‘#qldfloods and @QPSMedia: Crisis Communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland Floods' (PDF 3.25 MB) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

J.K Jacob Kastrenakes 2017 viewed 22nd January 2019 https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/21/16179530/facebook-safety-check-feature-gets-own-tab

Postetti, J & Lo, P 2012, The Twitterisation of ABCs Emergency & Disaster Communication, Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 34-39.

Trolling and Social Media Conflict - WEEK 7

Bullying is a topic many people talk about, what they don’t talk about is the facts and the resolutions to this issue. Boyd's study states that Although new forms of drama find a home through social media, teens’ behaviors have not significantly changed. Social media has not radically altered the dynamics of bullying, but it has made these dynamics more visible to more people. (Boyd 2014, p.152) Bullying has been around for many years and with the rise of social media, this only gives people another place to bully others. In some cases trolling is done anonymously. As social media has evolved so has a dangerous world of cyberbullying and trolling. Cyberbullying and drama are defined as, “performative, interpersonal conflict that takes place in front of an active, engaged audience, often on social media" (Boyd 2014, p. 138) This trolling can also happen on Facebook threads where thousands of others either engage in the bullying which creates an extremely negative space online. Others band together to try and engage awareness on opinions and topics others feel they need to express opinions about. Often this is still not enough, people are severely affected mostly, teenagers. Other targeted groups are Muslims or those from other countries. I want people to share this video for two reasons. Firstly because although we like to think we live in a culturally inclusive society, sadly this kind of stuff isn’t that uncommon. I know I’ve copped my share for being brown and all my ethnic friends have a story or two. It’s a thing in this country, let’s not pretend it’s not. And secondly, so this video gets back to these three in particular. I want you guys to see this in the sober light of day so you can see how truly pathetic you are. (Checkpoint Media 2012) in the video made by Checkpoint media you see how disgusting racism on the streets can be but now with social platforms, it can allow for others to jump on the bandwagon or like this video express how disgusting it truly can be. Trolling is a major issue that is prevalent in online space. Educating our youth on the effects of this is the first step so we don’t end up with a country filled with hate and racism offline and online.

Boyd, D 2014, 'Bullying: Is the Media Amplifying Meanness and Cruelty?', in It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, Yale University Press, New Haven, USA, pp. 128-152.

Checkpoint Media, 2012, Caught on camera racist Australian abuse girl smash bus window YouTube viewed 22nd January 2019, <https://twitter.com/gracedent/status/290434401811173376>.

Activism and Protest - WEEK 6

Online activism is something that has always been interesting to me. We learned some key ideas and identified some trends throughout this week. Overall the context of these examples and this topic was to showcase what digital activism is and how it works.

An example of this digital activism is the Greenpeace organization who are a ‘global campaigning organization acting to change attitudes and behavior, to protect the environment and promote peace.’

This campaign they have been running on the fashion manufacturing industry for the last seven years. This campaign is such a key example of how these digital campaigns and activism work and can be sustained not just a 'slacktivism' and 'clicktivism', campaign which is easy activism that has no real or lasting effect in the world. This campaign has been going strong for 7 years with support from celebrities and large clothing organizations. This campaign is the exact opposite to Kony 2012 which was completely a ‘slacktivism’ approach where everyone cared until they didn’t.

Online activism is so important for awareness but the most important part is that those voicing their opinions be the change and do something about it. they are the ones who make the difference at the end of the day, regardless of the funds supplied by the rest of us!

Cultural Jamming:

The phrase ‘culture jamming’, popularised by Mark Dery (1990), 'comes from the idea of radio jamming: public frequencies can be pirated and subverted for independent communication, or to disrupt dominant frequencies. Culture jamming is a form of resistance to the hegemony of popular culture, based on the ideas of guerrilla communication and the detournement of popular icons and ideas. It has roots in the German concept of spassguerilla ("fun guerilla") and in the Situationist International'(Marshall 2004)

Some examples below of Cultural jamming. These are all in reference to the beauty industry and there advertising. I think these are great. The classic ‘maybe she's born with it’.... ‘maybe its photoshop’ The beauty industry needs this sort of cultural jamming, especially for young women. It’s okay not to be perfect, we all have pores and imperfections. All images sourced from Pinterest.

References:

R.L Lu Yen Roloff 2018 ‘How to fashion a better world’ Greenpeace. Viewed 11 January https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/17710/how-to-fashion-a-better-world/?utm_campaign=toxics&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=post&utm_term=yes&utm_content=video&custom=apac

Cultural Jamming 2019 Pinterest Thread viewed 11 January. https://www.pinterest.com.au/betlemidze/culture-jamming/?lp=true

Politics & Civic Cultures - WEEK 5

Our political landscape in Australia is very interesting. I feel like I know more about America than Australia's political landscape. I think this is because of the filter bubble that has been created for me with my Instagram, Facebook choosing to show me only things I’m interested in and beyond that, I must conduct my own research. If you look at my Fathers facebook feed there is much more politics on there. It’s interesting to see that one compared to another. The labor representative within our Frankston Area is Paul Edbrooke, I researched his Facebook and Twitter presence. He remains very active and seems genuine in his overall approach online. This is definitely him writing and curating his online persona. Everything relates back to the community and looks as though it is his passion and he wants better changes made for Frankston.

This makes me happy because trust me we need all the help we can get!

I also love the advice Barack Obama gave that in 2009. One of the students, displaying a sense of nerve and drive, asked what he could do to become president one day. Obama replied, ‘I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life. That’s number one.’

How many of our politicians have been exposed on FB & Twitter for something distasteful they have written in the deep trenches of the internet. Everything is public and we want our politicians to be the most ethical best-fitted people to run our country.

The best part of having politics in our digital landscape is the ability to band together for social change. Exposing those in parliament to what we want by our likes, #hastags, and videos we can bring together more exposure and changes than ever before. I think as long as our politicians are engaging with us and reading our tweets then this will only be to the benefit of our cultures and our digital communities.

References:

Paul Edbrooke MP (Facebook 2019)

Jericho, Greg. Rise of the Fifth Estate : Social Media and Blogging in Australian Politics, Scribe Publications Pty Ltd., 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=1020873. viewed 8th Jan 2019

the-digital-communique-blog

Hi fellow bloggers, I have decided to relate weeks 1&2 to my experiences in the Military.

I am currently employed by the Australian army, and will use this perspective to examine how social media is used to convert latent ties to weak ties, and in some instances strong friendships. New media has profoundly changed the way that people interact, which has led to new theories regarding relationships and socialisation (Siapera 2012, p. 192). Social network sites encourage users to display increasing amounts of personal data while providing a platform of digital connectivity that allows users to remain peripherally connected to one another (McCosker & Wilken 2014, p. 292). Schmidt, Lelchook and Martin (2016, p. 440) describe two types of social capital gained through social media use. The first is from relationships with close connections such as family and friends while the second is comes from bridging social capital which is gained from weaker ties to work colleagues or acquaintances. These weaker ties between work colleagues or acquaintances are particularly important in military life as a person’s work location is likely to move between states every 2-3 years. Research conducted by Schmidt, Lelchook and Martin (2016, p. 439) found that Facebook and Twitter usage is no longer confined to personal life and acquaintances, with studies showing that around 60% of people report having at least one work colleague as a Facebook “friend”. I would say in the military the number would be closer to 100%. From my observations, this is due to shared hardships, being in a new location with few established friends, and the likelihood of working with people from a shared background and demographic.

The importance of social media to a military member can be viewed in two ways. Firstly, the conversion of latent ties to weak ties creates social capital and allows a greater support network to be established (Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe, 2010, p. 873). By “Friending” colleagues on Facebook, a person is able to share readily accessible information about their lives (be it holidays, illnesses, breakups etc) which can then be used to reduce social tensions (Boyd 2012, p. 75). This is essential when moving to a new workplace/location as it enables you to find people with shared interests and experiences. Secondly, social media allows strong friendships to move back the other way to former weaker ties. Research has shown that people are only able to maintain a certain number of stable social relationships, and while social media platforms may increase this number, people will almost certainly accumulate more “friends” than they can maintain meaningful relationships with (Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe 2010, p. 878). I can certainly relate to this. Since joining the army over 10 years ago, I have had some of my closest friends move to the other side of Australia and there may be some of them that I never see again. Social media allows me to remain connected to them, holding the potential to re-establish a strong relationship if location permits.

Thanks for reading!

References

Boyd, D 2012, ‘Participating in the Always-On Lifestyle’, in M Madiberg (ed), The Social Media Reader, New York University Press, New York, pp. 71-76.

Ellison, N, Steinfield, C & Lampe, C 2010, ‘Connection strategies: Social capital implications of Facebook-enabled communication practices’, New Media & Society, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 873-892.

McCosker, A & Wilken, R 2014, ‘Social Selves’, in S Cunningham and S Turnbull (eds), The media & communications in Australia, 4th edn, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp. 291-295.

Schmidt, G, Lelchook, A & Martin, J 2016, ‘The relationship between social media co-worker connections and work-related attitudes’, Computers in Human Behaviour, vol. 55, pp. 439-445.

Siapera, E 2012, Understanding New Media, Sage, London.

digitalcomms2018-blog

I have never thought about how social media would be such a valuable tool to say connected to people in the military. I guess a part of me always assumed you wouldn’t have access to all forms of social media for some reason. I find it really interesting that you say social media allows you to stay connected, but a strong relationship can only be established or re-established if location permits. Have you tried to hold a strong relationship with a mate after moving interstate? Does it never work?

heidijanedesigns

I find it extremely intriguing that we can find out our social media behaviour by looking closely into our life and our occupation. I have never thought of our behaviours to be linked to closely with our situations but it does make perfect sense. Yourself being situated in new locations every few years means in order to make lasting and solid connections- social media is a must.

In my situation, I do seem to have a lot of acquaintances on social media, which being quiet honest I probably wouldn’t stop on the street to talk to them. I have even gone as far sometimes to ‘cull’ my friends list to the people that really truly mean something to me. Whist this action may seem savage, I find it makes more sense to invest time on social media on those who support you and make add positivity to your real life.

bridiedigitalcommunites-blog

Hi Heidi, I found this really insightful the way you thought about social networking sites and their benefits in terms of your work. Before the rise of social networking sites we would be mostly connected with our close friends and family and least connected with acquaintances and work colleagues; now with this digital acceptability, we are able to share and connect more with people we would usually have limited interactions with which could in term be a beneficial thing.

ellenaarvaniuni

I’ve never thought of it this way and now that I’ve read this I really understand your perspective. FB friending the people you work with is very common these days I know I do it. My jobs have never been across the country but after a while, if you move jobs etc you do lose that touch. although having them on there and remaining connected can keep you up to date with there lives and that's interesting. You never know when you might want to reconnect or reach out to someone and in your situation, I’m sure you’ve met many people over the years. whether the connections are strong or weak creating these connections through social media is what's important and the ability to do so is amazing.

yay

Social Media: Does it Connect or Disconnect Us?

Social media sites allow us to find out information and stay connected with friends. They allow ease of communication by giving you the tools to send a message anywhere in the world to anyone at any time. But is this technology connecting or disconnecting us?

Siapera (2012, p. 194) states that new communities are evolving that are not based on location or sharing a common space but rather a virtual community is being created through common ideas and beliefs. This idea paints a picture of endless communication possibilities where at the touch of a button people are connected without the need to have ever met. Constant connectivity to people and content has never been so accessible and technology is allowing this to take place.

However, this impacts individuals and their desire to communicate verbally. Young children are being exposed to the world of social media and are losing the ability to disconnect from the online world and appreciate the offline world. Wilken and McCosker (2014, p.292) state that people are becoming so obsessed with making themselves accessible online that they limit their opportunities by creating anxieties online. If people feel they are being left behind they try to compensate by providing more information, creating more content and connecting with more people which is damaging as it only encourages them to increase their online presence and ultimately their anxieties.

Social media is both beneficial and damaging when used as the only form of communication. Social media is a great tool for connecting online but it is important to remember to disconnect.

References

Saipera, E 2012, Understanding New Media, SAGE, London

Wilken, R & McCosker, A 2014, ‘Social Selves’, in Cunningham & Turnbull (eds), The Media & Communications in Australia, Allen and Unwin pp. 291-295

ellenaarvaniuni

I completely agree with this, it's worrying to see children/teens and some adults not appreciate the moment they are in. Offline is when life happens and its when we create the memories and journeys not online. The only people who benefit career-wise from being online constantly is someone like a social media influencer where their career is dependant on them being online. the rest of us are in a position to disconnect the two and create our lives off the screen. I think that's really important!

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