elliesays

“Portions of this site and the works within it are being produced with the intention of critique and/or educational use under Australia's 'fair dealing' exceptions to copyright (Section 40 & 41). However, if you feel your IP is being infringed, please contact my service provider (tumblr) with the appropriate DMCA requests, as I, the single author take full responsibility for the content of this site.” Digital Communities - MDA20009

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elliesays: a blog on digital communities

“Portions of this site and the works within it are being produced with the intention of critique and/or educational use under Australia's 'fair dealing' exceptions to copyright (Section 40 & 41). However, if you feel your IP is being infringed, please contact my service provider (tumblr) with the appropriate DMCA requests, as I, the single author take full responsibility for the content of this site.” Digital Communities - MDA20009

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[ellliesays]

Snowflake or ethical person?: social media harassment and the manosphere

Don’t be mean online. You’d think it would be easy right? It’s a major part of digital citizenship, and ethics should be a major part of daily life.

But nope! It’s not that simple!

Unfortunately, online platforms and social media have been weaponised to bully, attack and harass others. And it’s a lot more common than you might think.

This week’s required reading states that ‘online harassment is so pervasive in digitised spaces that is it often viewed as the ‘norm’ by the student population who appear willing to tolerate it, rather than take actions to address it, which challenges pejorative claims that they are intolerant and easily offended ‘snowflakes’ (Haslop, O’Rourke & Southern, 2021, pg. 1420).

From a personal perspective I have been called a snowflake in real life for standing up against disrespectful behaviour poorly disguised as ‘jokes’. So it’s easy to see how this can happen when aggressive people can hide behind a screen.

This week’s lecture also states that the issue has become so bad, social media and online platforms themselves have been forced to get involved to help protect their users. Platforms are introducing responsible and respectful behaviour in their conditions of use - and it’s not hard to see why.

This can have an incredibly damaging effect on victims, as outlined in the video below.

The required reading also states that ‘respondents who identify as female and transgender are more likely to be targeted by online harassment’ (Haslop, O’Rourke & Southern, 2021, pg. 1420).

But why? The answer is the manosphere.

The manosphere refers to a range of online communities that have emerged recently that specifically circulate to hateful posts about women and other gender minorities. ‘Members claim that feminist cis women, LGBTQI+s, left-leaning individuals and people of colour have undermined (white) men and that there is a need for a new heterosexual masculinity which is constructed in various ways in the manosphere’ (Johanssen, 2021, pg. 2).

Experts state this occurs as ‘the manosphere…. speaks to the very real lives of young men under the above factors – romantic rejection alienation, economic failure, loneliness and a dim vision of the future’ (Rich & Bujalka, 2023). The insecurities and sensitivities of these men, who have been told by society or decided themselves that their emotions cannot be shown, have used this to fuel an online tantrum of hate – how sad.

What action you take?

Legal action, using human rights, criminal and online safety acts.

Humour as a response or to raise awareness, to remove the bully’s power.

Advocate for societal change.

Placing pressure on the platforms themselves to address online harassment on their platforms using Corporate Social Responsibility.

The more we act and the more we talk about the issue, hopefully the less this harassment will occur. We can’t solve people’s insecurities, but we can support each other through it and promote inclusivity and kindness on online platforms.

References:

Johanssen, J 2022, Fantasy, Online Misogyny and the Manosphere : Male Bodies of Dis/Inhibition, Taylor & Francis Group, Ebook Central (ProQuest), <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=6718113

Haslop, C, O’Rourke, F, Southern, R 2021, #NoSnowflakes: the toleration of harassment and an emergent gender-related digital divide, in a UK student online culture, Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, vol. 27, no. 5, <https://iam.atypon.com/action/saml2post>

Rich, B, Bujalka, E 2023, The draw of the ‘manosphere’: understanding Andrew Tate’s appeal to lost men, The Conversation, 13 February, viewed 8 May 2023, <https://theconversation.com/the-draw-of-the-manosphere-understanding-andrew-tates-appeal-to-lost-men-199179>

TEDx Talks, 2020 The Impact of Online Bullying | Anoushka Cowan | TEDxKingAlfredSchool, February 25, viewed 8 May 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3gAWFuab90>

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The hidden benefit of video games: strengthening community through online gaming

What words do you usually think of when you hear the word ‘gamers’?

Stereotypically, I’d assume you’d think of something like nerds, geeks, losers, dorks. But many of us know, gaming culture is so much more than that.

JP Gee referenced in Lucinda Saldanha et al states that ‘more and more people are coming together around the shared interest of games’ resulting in emerging ‘communities with specific characteristics and dynamics’ (2023).

The groups themselves are incredibly diverse and varied in size, purposes and interests. This week’s core reading states that ‘the cultural, economic, and political values of the videogame field are neither homogeneous nor universal, but instead represent a vast range of practices, communities, aesthetics and intentions (Keogh, 2021).

So let’s explore some of these! We will focus on three specific ways communities are formed through gaming:

1.     Gaming with friends and making friends through games

The lecture states gaming communities are also social communities. Many individuals will play games with their friends who they know in real life, whilst also being introduced to their friends online. This results to larger circles of friendships and new people regularly meeting each other on digital platforms.

You don’t have to have a mutual friend to meet new people though. Some gamers will meet players from the other edge of the globe as they play the same game, meaning their circles can be worldwide!

2.     Competitive gaming

There is also competitive gaming, also known as eSports, which is when groups of people gather to play games against each other, usually in tournament style competitions. This week’s lecture explains this is ‘enormous and lucrative industry’. Statista supports this claim, estimating of the value of the global eSports market to be over 1.38 billion US dollars!

3.     Streaming communities

Streaming is also a valued part of gaming culture, where gamers will stream their games (usually live) to chat, interact and connect with each other. By creating their own entertainment, communities are formed through shared love of games and viewers relating to the experience of streamers and fellow viewers.

This is a video which challenges gamer stereotypes and celebrates the positives of social gaming.

Gaming communities should be celebrated as place for connection and enjoyment - let’s get rid of the stigma!

References:

Hjorth, L, Richardson, I, Davies, H & Balmford, W 2021, ‘Exploring play’ (chapter 2), Exploring Minecraft: Ethnographies of Play and Creativity, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.27-47 < https://go.openathens.net/redirector/swin.edu.au?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1007%2F978-3-030-59908-9>

Keogh, B 2021, The Melbourne indie game scenes: value regimes in localized game development (chapter 13), Independent Videogames: Cultures, Networks, Techniques and Politics, Routledge, <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/swin/detail.action?docID=6295925>

Saldanha, L, Marques da Silva, S, Ferreria, P, “Community” in video Game Communities, Games and Culture, OnlineFirst, <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15554120221150058>

Tedx Talks 2019, More Than Just a High Score: The Impact of Online Gaming Communities | A.C. Williams | TEDxUGA, April 27, viewed 3 May 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmm4ufpfmgk&t=366s>

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Select an effect: should we fear face filters?

You’ve probably heard of AI or artificial intelligence, but what about AR?

Did you know you it’s available to use in most social media apps through filters?

This week’s lecture explains that ‘filters use augmented reality (AR) technology, which “allows the user to see the real world, with virtual objects superimposed upon or composited with the real world.”’ In other words, filters take the image of the real world and change it in some way, usually adding elements.

The lecture explains these filters are popular too, ‘with 700 million users across Meta products accessing AR in some capacity (usually filters) every month’.

Examples of filters:

-        Beautification

-        Humorous/funny face filters

-        Animal

-        Games

-        Advertisement

-        Filters with triggers (raising eyebrows, tapping screen etc.)

Filters such as games and clearly humorous filters can be used for entertainment and enjoyment purposes, but beautification and surgery-based filters can be quite harmful.

Rebecca Coy-Dibley argues that ‘Western society’s booming beauty and sex industries have hyper-sexualised society, over-selling the female image as a currency and commodity of desire’ (2021, pg. 1). 

She notes that social media has amplified this, as ‘not only do we critique our bodies in mirrors, but now we can digitize our dysmorphia by virtually modifying what we dislike, creating “perfect” selves instead’ (2021, pg. 1).

Research shows that filters have introduced a constant comparison of user’s real life features and how they ‘could’ look. This relationship has led to the new disorder of ‘digital dysmorphia’ which refers to ‘significant anxiety about [one’s] appearance’ (Coy-Dibley, 2021, pg. 3).

The video below explores individual’s struggle with social media, filters and their real-life appearance.

Human beings primal need to be loved also contributes to users’ unhealthy relationship with social media and filters. Research by Thomas Wagner et al found ‘approval [is] sought through engaging in extrinsically motivated performative behaviours. The extrinsic validation outweighs the intrinsic motivation to use social media just for fun’ (2021).

So next time you go on social media, remember everything you see is not the truth. I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to let social pressures make you feel bad about yourself and your appearance. Real life you is amazing!

References:

Barker, J 2020, Making-up on mobile: The pretty filters and ugly implications of Snapchat, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, vol. 7, no. 2-3, <https://commons.swinburne.edu.au/file/56ce657d-9493-4f9c-9339-d020f7d522e9/1/2050-0726vol7no2-3pp207-221.pdf>

Global News 2019, Selfie Dysmorphia: How social media filters are distorting beauty, 25 July, viewed 25 April 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRfpuEXrJqQ&t=108s>

Coy-Dibley, R 2016, “Digitized Dysmorphia” of the female body: the re/disfigurement of the image, Palgrave Communications, vol. 2, https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201640

Wagner, T, Wolkins, K, Herman A 2021, Social Approval, Social Comparison and Digital Alterations on Instagram as Predictors of Image Fixation, The Journal of Social Media in Society, vol. 10, no. 2, Tarleton State University, <https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=swinburne1&id=GALE%7CA690357161&v=2.1&it=r>

[ellliesays]

The side effects of scrolling: social media, microcelebrities and body modification

Have you ever:

been scrolling and come across a feminine influencer’s post, showcasing their skinny waist, perfect face and big bum, and thought why don’t I look like that?

been scrolling and seen a masculine influencer’s post, that focuses on their tanned skin, chiseled abs and sharp jawline and instantly felt bad about yourself?

This is because the social trend of ‘ideal body’ has joined forces with social media, leading to users being constantly reminded of these desired body types and how they differ from them.

Body shapes and sizes have gone in and out of fashion for thousands of years, especially for women. In Ancient Greece between 500 – 300 BC, a plump, light skinned and full-bodied woman was the perfect shape, and men’s standard of beauty mattered much more, which favoured muscular and sharp features. The roaring 20s saw the ideal woman’s shape being ‘boyish’, flat chest, downplayed waist and short bob hairstyle. Nowadays, the ‘healthy skinny’ is trending, with features such as large breasts and butt, thigh gap and flat stomach.

These social ideals for body and looks are called aesthetic templates, and with the rise of social media, these templates have become increasingly harmful.

Aesthetic templates refer to individual’s embodying ideal attributes and norms of an environment, such as wearing a suit and tie to a workplace. On social media, current beauty standards have become one of the most important features of the template.

This is partially due to the insurgence of microcelebrities, which refers to an ‘online performance involves creating and maintaining an online identity that resembles a branded good in order to gain status through visibility online’ (Senft quoted in Drenten et al, 2018, pg. 42).

These microcelebrities use their posts and social media interactions to present a version of themselves they believe to be perfect, which they can then benefit from through brand deals and creator funds. Attention economy refers to attention being social media’s most valuable commodity (Drenten et al, 2018, pg. 42) and influencer marketing is estimated to be valued between $5 and 10 billion by 2020 (MediaKix quotes in Drenten et al, 2018, pg. 41).

To profit, microcelebrities have turned to ‘porn chic’ to succeed in this constant battle for attention, which is related to wider cultural pressures of a woman’s looks to represent her value in the modern world (Daniels quoted in Drenten et al, 2018, pg. 42). The microcelebrities can rely on large amounts of makeup, plastic surgery and fake tan, with their posts usually being highly edited and specifically designed to amplify certain areas. 

Consequently, these posts are not real life.

This unfortunately results in ordinary people attempting to recreate these aesthetic templates, in order to feel valued by society. 2017 statistics from American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reveal ‘42% of surgeons report that their patients are seeking aesthetic surgery to improve their appearance on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and other social media channels’ (Dorfman et al, 2018, pg. 332). Body dysmorphia is at an all time high, as ordinary individuals are constantly encouraged to compare themselves to images that mislead and misrepresent.

So what do we do? Since this issue is a social one, it is up to each individual to surround themselves with positive and encouraging online content that makes them feel better rather then worse. 

Some positive social media habits include:

Make an effort to follow people with a range of body types, especially people that look like you

Remind yourself that what you see online is rarely the truth, ie. You come across a picture of Kylie Jenner and take a moment to acknowledge her posts are not real life

Focus your social media on people that you know in real life, rather than ‘celebrities’

Take a social media detox

These videos below also have great explanations and recommendations on how to combat body issues caused by social media.

Social media’s impact on women’s body image:

Fitness industry body dysmorphia:

The online world and aesthetic templates are a dangerous combination, but social media can be used to promote body positively and support people in their journey to self-love and acceptance.

If you or someone you love is suffering from issues with body image or eating disorders, please call the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.

References:

Dorfman, G, Vaca, E, Mahmood, E, Fine, N, Schierle, C 2018, Plastic Surgery-Related Hashtag Utilization on Instagram: Implications for Education and Marketing, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, vol. 38, no. 3

Drenten, J, Gurrieri, L, Tyler, M 2018, Sexualized labour in digital culture: Instragram influencers, porn chic and the monetization of attention, Gender Work and Organisation, vol. 27, no. 41

Duffy, BE, Meisner, C 2022, Platform governance at the margins: Social media creators’ experiences with algorithmic (in)visibility, Media Culture & Society, vol. 45, no. 2

Edwards, V 2022, Beauty Standards: See How Body Types Change Through History, Science of People, viewed 17 April 2023, <https://www.scienceofpeople.com/beauty-standards/>

LX News, Social Media’s Impact on Body Dysmorphia NBCLX, 3 September, viewed 17 April, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bnNxGhnLQo>

Nalewanyi, S 2021, Social Media Gave Me Body Dysmorphia (Warning), 14 December, viewed 17 April 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkaRYiO2fYI>

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‘Oooh! An op shop!’: what is slow fashion and how will it help?

Slow fashion, eco fashion, sustainable fashion, ethical consumption, thrifting, circular fashion. These are all words for the same action – and a very important one.

This week’s core reading, Mariana Domingos’ Slow Fashion Consumer Behaviour: A Literature Review, defines Slow Fashion as ‘the need to adopt sustainable performance and a change in core values in the fashion industry’ (2022, pg. 1). It is explained as a philosophy, which is ‘based around slower production, ethical attitudes and well-made and long-lasting products’ (2022, pg. 2) – who wouldn’t want to support that!

For a label to qualify as sustainable, it must follow four guiding principles:

1.    Items must be produced without child labour in any part of the supply chain

2.    Materials used must be less harming to the natural environment, recycled, upcycled and/or durable.

3.    The production process must be ethical and socially responsible

4.    Long term relationships must be created and prioritized across the supply chain (Fletcher quoted in Lai, 2017, pg. 83).

So in simpler terms, supporting people and the environment, rather than exploiting them.

You might think this is a no-brainer, but this is so far from the majority of fashion retailers mindset. As per humanity’s usual priorities, fashion corporations choose profits over moral principles over and over again. Statista research reveals the global apparel market is worth approximately 1.53 trillion US dollars, which is around 2.3 trillion AUD, and they did this on purpose.

How did we get here? Why should we care? Watch this video to learn more.

The fashion paradox refers to ‘consumer’s insatiable desire’ to own the most exclusive and recent garment, which leads to lack of exclusivity as more consumers acquire the item. When another trend is then popularised, the first item is no longer desired and is therefore discarded (Brewer, 2019, pg. 3), The waste this constant rotation causes accounts for over 260,00 tonnes of discarded clothing annually in Australia alone (AFC, 2022). This works out to 10 kilograms per person a year!

Mark Brewer argues the waste generated therefore indicates the fashion industry is, at it’s very core, ‘inherently diametrically opposed to sustainability’ (2019, p. 3).

But all is not lost! This video demonstrates some inventive natural alternatives to current clothing materials. Maybe we will see more of this in the future!

One can not underestimate the impact of considering these facts when interacting with the fashion industry. Thrifting, upcycling, swapping clothes and buying sustainably when possible can and will have an impact on people and the planet. Keeping one garment out of landfill is one less piece of rubbish polluting our earth, and I reckon that’s worth it.

References:

Australian Fashion Council, 2022, National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme, viewed April 7 2023, <https://ausfashioncouncil.com/program/product-stewardship/>

Brewer, M 2019, Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility, Laws, vol. 8, no. 4

Domingos, M 2022, Slow Fashion Consumer Behaviour: A Literature Review, Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 5, MDPI

Lai, Z et al, 2017, An Exploration of Consumers’ perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK, Sustainability in Fashion A Cradle to Upcycle Approach, Palgrave Publishing

Our Changing Climate, 2022, How We REALLY Stop Fast Fashion, August 27, viewed April 7 2023, <https://youtu.be/04dSAUAoitY>

Statista, 2022, Global apparel market – statistics & facts, Statista, viewed April 7 2023, <https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market-worldwide/#:~:text=The%20revenue%20of%20the%20global,decrease%20on%20the%20previous%20year.>

The Guardian, 2019, Making carbon-neutral clothes out of algae: the designers taking on fast fashion, September 21, viewed April 7 2023, <https://youtu.be/NnTBic466bA>

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*You’ve been invited to a protest*: digital citizenship, social media and social change

Do you interact with the digital world? Are you using it responsibly? If you answered yes to both questions, you are a digital citizen.

The lecture explains that digital citizenship refers to the rights and responsibilities awarded to people who engage with technology or social media. It is an active process, involving a user’s responsible use of the technology within the legal framework of technology or platform. This involves protecting your personal information, contributing to a positive online environment and being confident using technology and the internet.

So how does this individual online action become real world change?

Ariadne Vromen argues ‘most citizens… now engage in politics in individualised, ad hoc ways, rather than as committed members of formal groups’ (2017, pg. 3).

Yannis Theocharis extends upon this theory, suggesting social media introduces a new question regarding ‘how people choose to express their political identities and preferences when presented with an expanded set of opportunities to act’ (2023, pg. 791). She argues that some political based acts have become ‘faster and easier’ with social media, such as ‘sharing a petition or contacting public officials.’ While others have been created by it, such as ‘following political figures, posting written comments… and forwarding political news’ (2023, pg. 791).

With the introduction of new, easier and less commitment-based interaction in politics, digital citizens are more likely to speak up, interact with others and share points of view. The digital public sphere has encouraged individuals to connect with each other and can easily address or support issues that matter to them. With the public’s new ability to easily voice and share their thoughts, social media has created an environment where participatory democracy can thrive more than ever before.

This concept is explored in Victoria Bonney’s Tedx Talk, which explores how social media is impacting American democracy, and how it can be harnessed to positively impact the future of politics.

In this week’s set reading, authors Moonsun Choi and Dean Cristol state that ‘when individual’s personalised activities and engagement become a collective process, the movement for change grows larger and stronger, leading to a social movement’ (2021, pg. 365) – and this is when we see real life change begin to occur. The collective can use social media and real life methods to fight for their beliefs and put pressure on politicians, powerful entities and other community groups to make change. Examples of such movements include the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and the MeToo movements, both of which have sparked change in real people’s daily behaviour and placed pressure on politicians and the system itself to change for the better.

As the newest form of public sphere, social media is a invaluable tool for connecting people, creating social change and encouraging participatory democracy.

References:

Choi, M & Cristol, D 2021, Digital citizenship with intersectionality lens: Towards participatory democracy driven digital citizenship education', Theory Into Practice, vol. 60, no. 4, pg. 361-370

Tedx Talks 2018, How Social Media is Shaping Our Political Future | Victoria Bonney | TEDxDirigo, Dec 18, viewed 29 March 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kd99IIWJUw>

Theocharis, Y, Boulianne, S, Koc-Michalska, K & Bimber, B 2023 Platform affordances and political participation: how social media reshape political engagement, West European Politics, vol. 46, no. 4, pg. 788-811

Vromen, A 2017, Intro, Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement The Challenge from Online Campaigning and Advocacy Organisations, Palgrave Macmillan, London UK

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‘Did you watch ___ last night?’: how Reality TV fosters connection and community

“Did you watch The Bachelor last night?”

“Nah, I don’t watch that crap.”

Conversations like this are all too frequent in the world today. Fans who are honest about their enjoyment of Reality TV are constantly shamed for it, yet the genre continues to thrive.

Reality television is not a new phenomenon, with early examples dating back to the 1950s and earlier, it is clear audiences want to watch the genre. Recently, it has been used to change the landscape of celebrity, politics and power.

More information on the history and the potential of Reality TV can be found in the video below.

Despite this negative stigma, it seems audiences are more prominent than they appear.

With over half of Australians identify themselves as current viewers of Reality TV (ACMA, 2021, pg. 2), Reality TV lives in a paradox. The genre holds the highest ratings for any TV genre, but studies show that it is ranked as the least favorable amongst genres of television (Morning Consult, 2018).

With confusing reactions like this, it is no wonder individuals can struggle to find a community who enjoy the shows in the real world, thank goodness for social media!

Scholars note that social media communities are built through the ‘liveness’ television broadcast. Stephen Harrington argues ‘the intersection of Twitter and television’ creates ‘a virtual loungeroom’ in which fans can interact and discuss the show as they all experience it at the same time (quoted by Stewart, 2020, pg. 354). This community encourages audiences to stay up to date with the latest episodes and events of the show, risking being outcast socially if they don’t.

There is also the risk for not understanding memes or inside jokes. The set reading for this week Reality TV: The tv phenomenon that changed the world explains how memes, wikis, blogs, and forums are also a way of extending Reality TV beyond the television screen, developing community further (Deller, 2019, pg. 159). These allow online archives of reality television which can extend the duration of enjoyment of the series, and therefore ‘have long term impacts on viewers, the industry and participants’ (Deller, 2019, pg. 159).

Overall, Reality TV’s stigma does not restrict it from being a powerful tool for building community and enjoyment amongst viewers. Scholars agree that Reality TV is an important part of culture and modern entertainment, and that the genre is here to stay.

References:

Australian Communications and Media Authority, 2021, Viewer response to reality television in Australia, pg. 2, <https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/Viewer%20response%20to%20reality%20television%20in%20Australia_ACMA%20commissioned%20research.pdf>

Berman, J 2022, Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not, TIME, August 4, viewed 19 March 2023, <https://time.com/collection/reality-tv-most-influential-seasons/6199108/reality-tv-influence-on-world/>

Deller, R 2019, Reality television : The tv phenomenon that changed the world, Emerald Publishing Limited, <https://swinburne.instructure.com/courses/49643/pages/week-4-readings?module_item_id=3179746>

Shevenock, S 2018, Reality Is America’s Least Favorite TV Genre — Yet People Are Still Watching, Morning Consult, 27 November, viewed 19 March 2023, <https://morningconsult.com/2018/11/27/reality-is-americas-least-favorite-tv-genre-yet-people-are-still-watching/>

Stewart, M 2020, Live tweeting, reality TV and the nation, International Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, SAGE publishing, <https://swinburne.instructure.com/courses/49643/pages/week-4-readings?module_item_id=3179746>

TIME 2022, How Reality TV Reshaped Our World, 5 August, viewed 19 March 2023 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1RKnxUT6y8>

[ellliesays]

Discussing Tumblr on Tumblr: is social media a public sphere?

Scholars are now labelling social media platforms as a new version of a public sphere. In her paper Social Media as a New Form of Public Sphere, Erlis Cela explains social media platforms now fall under the terms “networked public spheres” and “cyberspaces” (2015, pg. 196). This new subcategory was created to recognize the shared features of social media and the public sphere, as well as acknowledging their differences. 

But I’m curious, why is this new term necessary? Where does social media fit into the traditional definition of public sphere?

For the sake of this post, we will focus on Lisa Kruse’s definition of the public sphere, which notes the ‘public sphere requires unlimited access to information, equal and protected participation, and the absence of institutional influence, particularly regarding the economy’ (2017, p. 63).

For background on the concept of a public sphere and how it has evolved over time, please refer to the video below.

We will examine this definition in relation to our case study, Tumblr. Born in 2007, Tumblr took blogging to a whole new level. The social media platform grew to success in no time, fostering communities and linking friends and strangers alike. Users were free to post and share whatever interested them, allowing many users to find belonging and connection, but is it a public sphere?

It certainly presents as one, Tumblr is a platform for connection and the sharing of ideas and information. In the past, an example of this has been the platforms allowance of content labelled as ‘Not-Safe-For-Work’, an element that other platforms were stricter about. This encouraged a unique community to grow which celebrated #bodypositivity by posting selfies and providing support and kindness to others.

A Tumblr user’s quote from Anne Reif’s study reads ‘hopefully by making these images of my chubby self, I’ll get more used to seeing cute clothes on my body type, and maybe even come to love myself a bit more’ (2022, pg. 14), demonstrating the importance of Tumblr in providing this positive public space. Cela argues use of social media in this way has increased social interaction and discussion substantially, with building communities regardless of physical distance (2015, pg. 196).

But when focusing again on the definition, social media does not tick all the boxes. For example, platforms such as Tumblr do not have unlimited access for all. Social media scholars argue that believing this would be ‘ignor[ing] the social and political realities of contemporary society’, such as the fact much of the world does not have internet access and there are extra barriers for minorities or people with disabilities (Kruse, 2017). This directly contradicts the definition, suggesting social media is not public sphere.

Tumblr also has policy and terms and conditions, which can and have been changed to restrict content. In 2018, Tumblr revised its policies to no longer accept NSFW material being posted on the site, consequently banning #bodypositive content in the process.

Ashley Vex states that ‘the idea that all spaces must be appropriate for all people and at all times is reductive and doesn’t even exist in our offline lives’ (2019, pg. 361), therefore proposing Tumblr is less of a public sphere after the policy change as it is restricting individuals ability to converse freely. With this, these conditions suggest the presence of an ‘institutional influence’, which true public spheres are free of.

Overall, the answer to whether social media is a public sphere is still unclear and can be argued either way. The introduction of the terms ‘networked public spheres’ or ‘cyberspace’ are necessary, as social media walks a fine line of representing the positives of the public sphere, but has not developed enough to fully fit the definition.

References:

Cela, E 2015, Social Media as a New Form of Public Sphere, European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, vol. 3, no. 3, <https://revistia.com/files/articles/ejser_v2_i3_15/Erlis.pdf>

Kruse, L, Norris, D, Flinchum, J 2017, Social Media as a Public Sphere? Politics on Social Media, The Sociology Quarterly, vol. 59. no. 1, 

Reif, A, Miller, I, Taddicken, M 2022, Love the Skin You’re In: An Analysis of Women’s Self-Preservation and User Reactions to Selfies Using the Tumblr Hashtag #bodypositive, Mass Communication Society, Taylor and Francis Group

Then & Now, 2017, Habermas: The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere, Oct. 19, viewed 17 March 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1K46oK3xTU>