EMMA SCOTT

HEY STALKERS! Welcome to my blog all about Language and New Media! I'm a second year student at the University of Reading studying English Language and Applied Linguistics. The purpose of this blog is to post my thoughts and opinions on different aspects of Language and New Media, as taught in one of my modules for part of my assignment. Happy reading! 

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

Yes- I agree to ALL of the terms and conditions...

We often don’t think about all of the behind the scenes actions when using technology and being online- we often take what we have for granted and just get on with our lives. Well spoiler alert, technology companies often use your personal data and sell these on to other companies to create algorithms and establish patterns of information. You might not have been aware of this, but you’ve probably definitely agreed to it…

Most things come with a set of terms and conditions; a list of legal logistics which you can either agree to accept or decide to decline- the slight catch is that unless you accept you most likely can’t proceed to engage with the product you want to use. You might be setting up a new phone or laptop, signing up with a new bank, purchasing a subscription for your favourite fashion magazine or even just opening a new app you’ve just downloaded- my point is they’re everywhere. However, I don’t want to ask whether people choose to accept or not accept the terms and conditions they’ve been faced with; instead, I want to ask if people have ever actually read them and should we be more conscientious when it comes to accepting and I suppose (in a more terrifying way of looking at it) signing a contract, especially when it comes to the collection of our data via technology and the internet?

When asked ‘what are the benefits of technology?’, common replies are often that it makes life easier, and allows us to complete tasks faster. So, in this speedier, more fast paced day and age, do we have time to read 83 bullet points containing pointless information that, unless you’re a lawyer, might as well be in a foreign language? Although personally I will mostly agree to any Ts and Cs without reading any of the legal lingo, it’s made me wonder what’s actually included within that list which means I have to agree altogether and do companies take advantage of the likely fact that most people don’t read their lengthy terms and conditions to hide agreements that we might not necessarily be totally okay agreeing with?

Alex Hern, a writer for the Daily Mail has mentioned that companies might deliberately write 1000 pages of terms and conditions to put off a customer from reading them and THAT THE USE OF ALL CAPS LOCK TEXT MAKES THINGS HARDER TO READ AND SO COMPANIES CAN BE CONSPICUOUS WITH PARTS OF THE CONTRACT. For example, did you know that despite Snapchat’s unique feature of sending a photo that can only be seen for a short few seconds, they have the right to copy, reproduce, publish and display all and any photos a user might send. I didn’t- but then again that’s my fault as I quickly tapped through all the user set-up questions in a rush to post my first Snapchat story of what was most likely an averagely staged photo of my dog. However, although Snapchat legally has to state the ways in which they store and intend to use data, it’s probably not something they want to shout from the rooftops.

Other examples of where companies have used user’s data include fitness apps which track your steps and movements, music apps, such as Spotify, which predict playlists that you might want to listen to, based on your previous music choices and online shopping websites which look at clothes you have previously ordered to suggest new items you might want to buy. Fitness apps have even been able to help police investigations by looking at the previous movements of a user of their app!

Now that I’ve hopefully opened your eyes to just a smidge of the behind the scenes actions, how do you feel knowing that it’s likely you have agreed to the collection and sharing of your own personal ‘private’ data or even just that you’ve potentially signed a legally binding contract that you might not agree with? Will you start reading those Ts and Cs or will you continue scrolling straight to the accept button in order to skip straight to reaping the benefits of a product?

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/15/i-read-all-the-small-print-on-the-internet (Retrieved 20th March 2019)

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

The Glass Box

When walking down the street on a sunny Saturday morning, it’s unlikely that you’re going to see someone screaming rude comments towards someone about their weight, their hair and makeup or even the clothes they’re wearing. In real life society, people (the majority of people) understand and practice the appropriate behaviours and communicate politely with one another. However, on social media it is often a different story. Although many users of social media are respectful to other users, some live to share the hate rather than preach the love.

I like to describe this disgusting phenomenon as ‘the glass box’; unfortunately, I think a lot of people believe that impolite behaviour online doesn’t reach nor effect the individual on the receiving end. People assume that because they’re sat behind a screen it acts as a safety buffer and their hurtful words and messages of hate just bounce from wall to wall, never reaching or affecting the person they’re attacking. This is far from the truth. Online abuse is a huge issue in this day and age and many people are undeservingly suffering from cyber-bullies.

There have even been occasions where celebrities have left social media in order to escape the harshness created by these hideous human beings- also known as trolls. For example, Orange Is The New Black star, Ruby Rose, left Twitter after people made comments about her sexuality in relation to her new film role as Batwoman. She received messages saying that she ‘wasn’t lesbian enough’ despite being told previously online that she was ‘too gay’. It seems that the debate over her sexuality got too much for the actress and she decided to quit Twitter over the ordeals.

Other celebrities who suffer from online abuse are models. A hot topic of conversation at the moment is the type of models used for advertisements, media campaigns etc. It’s only on a rare occasion that you see a model who isn’t extremely skinny, with perfectly shaped cheek bones and glossy hair, not to mention the golden glow bouncing from their skin. A lot of women find this consistent perfect representation of women often unrealistic, extremely unrelatable and are pushing for all body shapes and sizes to be represented in the media.

One model who is devoted to ensuring body positivity in the media is Tess Holiday, a plus size model. She made media history when she was the first model of her size to feature on the front page of Cosmopolitan, paving the way for other plus size women and girls to feel beautiful and valued in society. However, despite the preaching and promoting of all body types to be represented in the media, people STILL sent Tess hurtful, fat shaming comments on her Instagram. People went on to call her ‘fat’, ‘obese’, ugly’ and ‘unhealthy’ with some even going on to say she had no right being on the cover of Cosmo when other models worked hard to eat healthy and slim down. For me this is confusing- everyone’s been asking for a more diverse representation, so when we finally achieve this, why do we shoot it down? Does ‘the glass box’ change people’s attitudes and feelings or do these unfortunate people just have a dose of evil running through their veins?

To end, I want to send a message to anyone who is experiencing any form of cyber-bullying or online hate. As hard as it seems- try to ignore it. The haters hate themselves more than they hate you, they’re jealous, they’re bored and they deserve no respect. Keep smiling, stay positive and live life knowing that you’ve smashed through ‘the glass box’ and blossomed into a beautiful human being. Knowing that you’re kind is worth way more than feeling entitled because you just told someone they’re ugly or stupid or worthless. Words don’t bounce back, they hit and they scar.

Sources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/ruby-rose-ed-sheeran-11-stars-who-quit-twitter-1134552/item/stars-who-quit-twitter-millie-bobby-brown-1134541(Accessed on 14 March 2019)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnEMllvBVXX/(Accessed on 14 March 2019)

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

[ASMR] Spa Facial Roleplay (No Music) (Soft Spoken)

You can purchase the products I use in this video here!: http://bit.ly/2rAzbbw I also have a code for free shipping woooooo!: gibiasmr View Original Video wi...

ASMR- A Strange Modality Review

ASMR, also known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is like marmite- some love it, some hate it. But regardless of your preference, ASMR poses an interesting discussion in relation to modality.

Creators of ASMR, also known by some as ‘ASMRists’, have formed a large community on the online platform YouTube; they create videos often based around a particular context such as reading a bedtime story, working as a beautician or even an air hostess and use soft spoken voice qualities such as whispering and breathy voice. Videos also include the soft sounds of nail tapping and the scratching of hard surfaces and even visual aspects like relaxing hand movements. The idea of these videos is to sooth the viewer and send a relaxing tingle down the back of their spine and to their head.

Some find ASMR soothing and a chance to escape from daily life. For example, it’s not unusual that after a busy day at work someone might come home and crave the chance to forget the stresses of day to day life and take a well-deserved trip to the spa. ASMR gives people the opportunity to rest their head and escape to this environment by closing their eyes and listening to a YouTube video focused on the roleplay between a masseuse and client with the use of ASMR practices. Others find it bizarre and slightly disturbing despite its harmless intentions, especially when it comes to some describing how they’ve found sexual gratification when engaging with ASMR. What do you think, do you like the idea of being softly spoken to a state of serenity or do you find the idea strange?

However, despite the differing opinions of ASMR, in terms of modality, ASMR is a unique product of media. Modality is concerned with the different ways in which media products are communicated- for example, the use of text, photographs, videos and music.

Although there is a large YouTube community of ASMRists, the purpose of YouTube is primarily for visual entertainment; ASMR, on the other hand provides enjoyment through the use of sounds, and so the auditory aspect is more influential on an audience member rather than the visual aspect; therefore, they differ from the majority of other YouTube videos- they don’t need to be watched through the lens of an eye in order to be received well by an audience. These days, the visual aesthetic is an intrinsic part of a media product- for example the images on the front page of a newspaper or the HD picture quality of a film; therefore, for a media product that relies on sound to be based on a platform that explodes with primarily visual content is extremely out of the ordinary.

Are there any other media products that don’t fit in with the platform on which they are based in terms of modality?

Sources: urbandictionary.com. Available at https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ASMR (Accessed on 05 Feb 2019)

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

Popularity: necessary or nonsense?

In my previous blog posts fame has been a common subject of discussion. Social media allows even the most ordinary of people to attempt achieving celebrity status but is there actually a desire for fame or is it the feeling of ‘being liked’ that people are craving? In particular, I want to focus on Instagram, one of the most popular social media sites with over one billion monthly active users and possibly the best online opportunity one has to assess their popularity. And how do we measure this? The answer is followers. However, I want to ask whether the need to keep track of our followers is necessary or a load of nonsense.

Firstly, some feel the need to keep a detailed track of who they follow and, more importantly, who follows them; it isn’t just enough to look at the number of followers written at the top of their profile page. The creation of apps specifically designed to inform users of their Instagram following allows them to see who has UNFOLLOWED them (as well as who’s followed them but that’s not as exciting); if you’re petty enough, chances are you’ll unfollow them back. A lot of people refuse to admit it but being unfollowed feels a little bit like a stab to the chest. It’s painful and our only response is to hurt them back. In my opinion, this need to even look at this collection of data is an unhealthy obsession. Although the intentions of the app might say otherwise, it is not a reflective representation of a person’s popularity. Although the digital world is a huge part of day to day life, it isn’t real. Look around you, do you see? Is your family, your friends, your boyfriend or girlfriend walking away and ‘unfollowing’ you? No. Therefore, there’s no reason to stress if your cousin’s best friend’s sister unfollows you because chances are, they have added no value to your life and you probably haven’t added any to theirs either. So, we can start to say popularity might be nonsense after all and there’s no need to download any apps anytime soon.

Similarly, some Instagramers chose to follow accounts that deliberately provide them with more followers- some even go to the extremity of buying accounts with already a high following. In my opinion, I can’t see the appeal of this. As an Instagram user who has her privacy settings turned on, I can choose whether to accept or decline those who wish to follow me. I only ever accept those who I know such as family, friends and mutual friends who I’ve met briefly before. I have no interest if Isabella Johnstone from Austin, Texas, with whom I have no connection with, follows me. It seems pointless. I can’t see her caring about the photos I posted of my recent night out in Reading. She probably doesn’t even know that Reading exists and might presume that it’s related to the literature-based pronunciation rather than the English town. By privatising my Instagram account, I have control over who sees my life. There is no point inviting people in to your life that you have no connection with, regardless of if it makes me seem more popular. Do you think that there is a difference of opinion between those who have their privacy settings turned on and those who have them turned off? Regardless, I still reach the conclusion that popularity online is still absolute NONSENSE.

Overall, although social media feeds the hunger for fame, I think that it makes us unnecessarily obsessed and maybe even worried about our popularity. Instagram in particular reminds us on a daily basis the number of people mildly interested in our lives and other resources even allow us to see who’s become bored and decided to pack up and leave. We should all take a chill pill and appreciate those around us- those who really matter. The people who are there for us in real time- not the strangers who follow you in the hope that you’ll follow them back in order to increase their popularity. It’s utter nonsense.

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

The Art Of Conversation Or Emoji Art?

Digital technology is no longer a foreign concept. Instead, it is now an integral part of our daily lives. Along with the rise of the digital era, the ways in which the human race communicate with one another has been subject to new developments and changes. These changes include the growth of netspeak, the ability to be absent from a conversation and then return at a chosen moment and the use of cute, itsy-bitsy pictures- better known as emojis. In this blog post I will be discussing how these features have had an impact on the way we communicate with one another.

Firstly, computer mediated communication (CMC) has provided the benefit of being able to communicate with fewer efforts than in face-to-face conversation. These efforts are known as transactional costs and include aspects such as phatic talk, a higher likelihood of awkward topics of conversation and the need to think fast and on your feet to provide responses to questions. In an attempt to reduce the transactional costs necessary in a conversation, digital technology allows users to determine how and when they participate in a conversation and avoid the discussion of meaningless topics. However, despite the advantage that communicating via instant messaging environments or social media means fewer transactional costs, does it not have an impact on our ability to perform the art of conversation? In my opinion, being able to speak to people face-to-face, whether it be a formal or informal situation, is key. One should be able to respect the needs of speakers and listeners, engage in phatic talk (even if it provides no meaningful information- it’s polite) and effectively communicate topics of conversation. Although more efforts need to be made here in comparison to online messaging, the art of conversation is essential; whether it be talking to your grandparents (who, chances are will not be persistently ‘poking’ people on Facebook) or speaking to a potential employer in an interview. Therefore, although the affordances of CMC are brilliant (and don’t get me wrong, being able to avoided replying  to an overly keen guy, who I’m really not in to is a god send), I think it is still important to remember the cruciality of being able to communicate in an appropriate fashion, at the appropriate times, adjusting to the appropriate needs.

Similarly, to the art of conversation, there are also instances where correct spelling and grammar is essential in order to successfully communicate a message. For example, the achievements you list in your CV or writing a cover letter- a recent employer I spoke to said if they receive an application with a single spelling or grammatical error, it goes straight in the bin. In the 18thCentury, scholars worked exceptionally hard to standardise the English Language. We call this Standard English (SE) and we still use it today. However, has the development of netspeak decreased our ability to use SE correctly? Netspeak is made up of features such as acronyms, shortened word forms and the substitute of a single letter for a single word- for example, ‘u’ for ‘you’. Although netspeak allows us to communicate quickly, to those who are not common with the language it can look like a dysfunctional scrabble board. Individually, I use netspeak when sending text messages, however I aim to refrain from using netspeak and lean towards SE for social media posts, unless in an ironic situation. My reason for this is that I want to represent myself as educated online and this is especially important on platforms such as LinkedIn. Therefore, I make a conscientious effort to use correct language where necessarily, whilst still benefiting from the affordances of netspeak. However, I grew up in an age where netspeak was only just emerging, therefore, an interesting point of thought could be are children who have been exposed to netspeak since an early age less likely to be able to code switch between netspeak and SE?

Another new feature of language thanks to the development of digital technology is emoticons- commonly known as emojis. When I was younger, I loved adding little emojis to the messages I would send to my (now extremely cringy) iMessage chats with my friends, however, nowadays the emoji means so much more than just a random artistic addition to a message. People use emojis to replace pragmatic features, such as facial expressions, in a written conversation and more importantly, emojis convey meanings- some of which are obvious and some of which are slightly subtler. For example, the red heart emoji clearly means love- it has an obvious meaning and so users can easily involve it in their messages. On the other hand, the nail painting emoji is not so obvious; at first glance, people might assume the obvious and use the emoji if the topic of conversation is going to a salon and having a manicure, however the actual semantics are the feeling of accomplishment and sassiness. Not what you would’ve assumed, huh? Well, let me tell you, there are a lot of emojis with hidden and unexpected meanings like the previous example. Does this mean that people who aren’t experts on emoji meanings are limited in using them? Similarly, the use of pictures to engage in conversation is becoming more and more popular with the introduction of emojis and even platforms such as Snapchat are encouraging users to send pictures as a form of communication. Therefore, an extremity to consider is in the future will the alphabet even be present in future online (and even written) conversation and will those who struggle with this be partially silenced?

Overall, digital technology has definitely had a large impact on the way we communicate today. Personally, our new ability of being able to converse quickly and efficiently, in our own time, on our own terms and with the creativity of cute symbols provides us with huge advantages in terms of making life easier. However, despite these affordances, I think it is important that we don’t get swept away by CMC and remember the importance of being able to engage in face-to-face conversations and being able to write with complete accuracy. Yes, it means more efforts and transactional costs, but these modes of communication aren’t going anywhere. In fact, I hope they never leave.

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

Kim KarTRASHian: The hidden lies about virality

As discussed in my previous blogs posts, social media can provide us with a glamorous perception of life, however, it is often important and necessary to be critical of the data that is put before us- is it realistic or is it manipulated to look this way using glossy, superficial filters? This week we’re going to look at virality and whether the consequences are as glamorous as we might originally think.

It is easy to assume that going viral brings a profusion of fame, wealth and a sense of online royalty. And why wouldn’t this be the case? It’s an easy expectation to believe when influencers such as Kim Kardashian can break the internet with a selection of naked photos in her a million-dollar ensuite and a spoilt American brat can land a record deal after a triggering the meme ‘cash me ousside howbow dah’.  Of course, fame is an exciting and aspirational prospect for many but unfortunately it is reality for only a minority and therefore, I wouldn’t recommend virality as a way to break into the celebrity lifestyle.

If you’re looking to land a career in marketing or social media, then maybe having a personal anecdote involving virality could work to your advantage, however it should be considered that there are definitely right and wrong examples of this to show your employer. In my opinion, there are more constraints than affordances when it comes to the phenomena of virality. Firstly, going viral can be embarrassing. It might be funny for the audience, but it can be a hideously humiliating experience for those involved in the content. I for one HATE being embarrassed. My cheeks start to roast and turn a deep colour of tomato and sometimes even a tiny tear might spring from beneath my eye lid. My instinct would be to have drastic plastic surgery, change my name and move to another planet if I was to be humiliated on the world wide web and everyone knew about it. Whenever I post something, I always ask myself ‘what would I do if my Grandma saw this?’; this way I can be confident that the receival of my post will not end up with me perusing the drastic measures I have outlined above. I can promise these are wise words to live by, especially if you’re intending to become an overnight phenomenon.

Secondly, people often watch and gain pleasure from watching videos of people they view as inferior to them. People like to feel powerful, especially in a space like social media where some seem to think that the barrier of a screen means that they can be as abusive as they want because ‘hurting feelings doesn’t exist online’ (not true- and if you’re a culprit of this, you are filth and please educate yourself on morals and class). Consequently, a lot of people who go viral are subject to a lot of unwanted online abuse and this can lead to even deeper issues such as confidence issues and depression- in some cases going viral can even be life changing. Some receive negative media attention, some have to move town and some lose the respect of friends and family, for example Thomas Markle’s recently staged paparazzi pictures before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018, showing him reading a book about ‘English castles’.

In some cases, there are often occasions where people end up becoming a viral sensation without intending to. One example of an unexpected case of virality was a Christmas light fiasco which left a group of innocent students becoming an internet sensation. The students jokingly put up Christmas lights on their student house in Reading in the not so innocent shape of a penis. The students never shared a picture of their masterpiece, however a passer-by’s intuition to take a photo meant that the house was pictured in numerous print and online newspapers, even in Russia! A funny example, in my opinion, but also an example that highlights more constraints that are attached to virality. The students had to attend an official meeting with their university- this shows that virality can not only lead to embarrassment and abuse, but also to consequences in the professional world.

Generally, I think it’s a wise idea to steer clear from becoming a viral sensation- unfortunately, it is more likely that you will end up red faced and praying the ground will swallow you up rather than sipping crystal champagne and walking the red carpet at the Social Media Awards. Unfortunately, the expectations that Kim portrays means she’s more of a Kartrashian than a Kardashian.

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

Do hyperlinks have an economical value?

Hyperlinks connect pieces of text and although hyperlinks provide us with an easy route from one text to another, some argue that they make us lazy readers and incapable of finding our own sources of information- but, are hyperlinks put in place purely for the purpose of reading or are there other reasons for their existence in a text. When studying the media, it is easy to be blindsided by the idea that it should be studied from only a linguistic point of view- surely there are other viewpoints we should be considering? One aspect I am keen to explore is if hyperlinks provide an economical benefit and I feel that Instagram is a platform that enables this- especially in relation to the fashion industry. Below is a quick look into how hyperlinks might help fashion designers bring in the bucks.

I like to call Instagram the ‘hub of the hashtag’ and #OOTD (translated as ‘outfit of the day’) is evidence that fashion is a popular topic of conversation within the platform and is often used by influencers such as reality stars and bloggers. It is also not unusual for television presenters, such as Holly Willoughby, to post content specifically about their outfits that they wear during the broadcast of their show, as well as events that they attend such as red carpets and I believe that these posts do have an impact on business in terms of sales of the retailers promoted.

I think it is reasonable to say that these posts are not random. They are in fact carefully planned and calculated. One consistent feature of these common posts is the use of ‘tags’ and these can be defined as a hyperlink that connects one Instagram post to another Instagram user’s page. Often the presenter will tag the retailers of the clothing items that they are wearing and sometimes even hair and makeup products that they’ve used; this allows followers to quickly view the page of the retailer and the products they sell, making them more likely to buy the clothes worn by the presenter or even other items also sold by the retailer than if the tags were not present. This is because it allows the reader to quickly source the retailers of the outfit shown and access their page without having to find it themselves. Therefore, by providing individuals with an easy, instant access to the option of purchasing the promoted outfit, it makes them more likely to buy it, proving that hyperlinks have an economical value as well as just being a connection between texts.  

An extreme example of how these tags provide an enormous economic benefit is Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Although she does not have her own Instagram page, updates of her whereabouts are documented on multiple fan accounts. As well as the Duchess’s movements and events, the pages also look at her wardrobe choices and as a highly admired public figure a lot of people are keen to replicate her style. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the Duchess’s choice of clothing has led to many items of clothing being totally sold out due to the popular demand of looking like royalty. It is rare that Kensington Palace, the official Instagram page for the young royals, comments on the outfits worn by the Duchess, so many people rely on the fan accounts to find out the labels and designers she wears, using the tags as a means to gain access to the retailer’s pages and websites which inevitably leads to the encouragement of a purchase, and the making of money.

It is also important to consider the connotations associated with the royals. You have more chance of enjoying lunch with the Queen than seeing Kate in a Topshop jumper, ripped jeans from River Island and Primark sneakers. The royals have more of a preference towards Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior and Reiss- top designers that come with a price tag. Therefore, a sell-out of an item from an expensive designer, caused by an Instagram post related to the Duchess of Cambridge in which they were tagged, provides evidence that hyperlinks can provide companies with a large profit as well as publicity.

Overall, I do think that hyperlinks can definitely have an influence on the economic aspects of an Instagram post. This is thanks to two key factors- firstly, the want to replicate the styles worn by influencers and secondly, the instant access to the details of the outfits promoted within a post and to the page of the retailer. Not only does this highlight the multiple benefits of the use of hyperlinks, it also highlights the importance of analysing the media from multiple viewpoints rather than just a linguistic one. Other than the fashion industry, can you think of any other industries that might use tags on Instagram to make money?

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

Is the use of algorithms to ‘watch’ our online behaviour an advantage or a breach of our privacy?

Life can be busy- you wake up and see your family; you go to work and see your colleagues; you go for a drink at the local and you see your friends. Sometimes we really look forward to the moments when you can come home, curl up in bed with a cosy cup of hot chocolate, scroll through our social media and surf the web- some well-deserved me time and peace and quiet. But, has it ever occurred to you that you may not be alone in quite the way that you thought? Have you ever considered that despite being in your own private space you might be being watched?

Websites such as Google, Facebook and Amazon keep a close eye on your online activity by using a series of algorithms. Essentially, they’re spying on your online behaviour, keeping track of your search history, noting the links you’ve clicked on and the posts you’ve liked. By recording this information, companies can tailor the content you see online to meet your own personal preferences, predicting what you would most likely want to see. For example, when my boyfriend and I searched into Google ‘who is…?’ on our own phones, we were given different results. My result was ‘who is Kim Kardashian?’ and my boyfriend’s, ‘who is the founder of Unilever?’- both results seemed appropriate, as my boyfriend studies Business and Management at university and my guilty pleasure is watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians at the weekend. An interesting experiment but also proof that Google has made a note of our previous searches and used them to make our future search results more relevant to us.

Just like any other thing, there are different views and opinions in relation to the algorithms that keep a track of our online lives. In my opinion I don’t have an issue with the collection of this data. Firstly, one of the main benefits of the development of technology is the speed at which we can now complete tasks such as searching for information. Using Google as an example again, if it keeps track of my previous searches and the topics I’m interested in, it is most likely that when I search something similar in the future it will come up with the same and other similar results, saving me from having to search through the sometimes hundreds of thousands of results presented to me. Therefore, an affordance of these algorithms is the ease of completing tasks and the time it saves us.

Secondly, the things I look at online and follow on Instagram are not random- they’re specific to me and my interests and I have consciously chosen to follow them. For example, my personal interests in cooking and fitness means that I follow a lot of sports people, chefs and healthy lifestyle pages. Thanks to the algorithms used by social media sites, such as Instagram, it means that any other content presented to me, for example adverts and sponsored posts, will be in some way related to cooking and fitness. Therefore, the algorithms ensure that my timeline is relevant in order maintain my enjoyment of using Instagram and to encourage me to keep using the site.

Looking at this from another point of view, what about the restrictions of algorithms? On average, almost five billion YouTube videos are watched per day- an extremely impressive amount! But what if we added the number of Instagram and Facebook posts uploaded online and the pages added on Wikipedia on a daily basis to this figure? The result would be mind blowing and most likely overwhelming for some. Therefore, a constraint of having your digital life planned accordingly to your online behaviour is that you only scrape the tip of the ice burg when engaging with online content and so in theory, it might be fair to say that users of social media and the web get stuck in a repetitive circle of the same content without the opportunity to expand their knowledge on new sets of information, activities, cultures and beliefs, leaving us to become not only narrow minded and bias but also bored.

On the other hand, some people think that the recording of our online data is taking things too far and breaching our right to privacy. These days it’s becoming harder and harder to participate in daily life without being watched, with mass amounts of CCTV in public areas and the persistent reminders to inform the authorities and other companies of any changes to your lives, such as where you live and your marital status. Therefore, I can sympathise with those who feel uncomfortable about the sureveyance of their online behaviour, as it seems that the idea of privacy is becoming extinct. It is also important to consider the safety of this information, as the hacking of databases and the exposure of data is becoming more and more common. Hacking and cyber bullying is a large threat to the safety of the digital world and despite my opinions that algorithms make life easier and more personal, I am also aware of the risks they run and can empathise with those who are strongly against the collection of our online data.

Having read different views towards the recording of our online behaviour, what do you think? Are these algorithms an advantage or are they slowly killing our chances of living a somewhat private life?

Sources: merchdope.com. Available at https://merchdope.com/youtube-stats/ (Accessed on 23 Jan 2019)

[emmacharlottescott-blog]

ARE THOSE WHO DON’T USE SOCIAL MEDIA ANTISOCIAL?

100 years ago, people couldn’t live without champagne served in crystal coupes but nowadays (although I personally can’t live without champagne) it seems that some would possibly drop dead without being able to aimlessly scroll through their social media feeds. Without being able to see their friends and family’s every move. Without the possibility of drinking a nastily bitter cocktail (which admittedly sounded delicious when they read the concoction on the menu) only to still post a picture and brag about the branded jam jar it was served in. I’m sad to say that there are more people out there like this than you think. But what about those who aren’t involved in this glamorous, picture perfect bubble? What should we think of them?

As a social media user myself, I can’t relate to what it’s like to wake up and not know what Kim Kardashian had for her dinner the night before. But despite my exclusive knowledge of this, thanks to my Instagram feed, what about those who don’t know this, who don’t know every single detail of other people’s day to day lives? Should we label them as antisocial or is it perfectly acceptable? In my opinion it’s totally okay to not be engulfed in ‘the bubble’ and here are a few reasons why…

Firstly, by studying language and new media, I’ve realised that social media provides users with both affordances and constraints. One affordance is that mediums such as Facebook can connect you with family and friends in an online space- some may live nearby, some may live on the other side of the world, either way you can message each other and catch up regularly just with the click of a button. Although this recent way of life saves the hassle of finding a date in the diary and filling the car up with fuel, surely it has an impact on one’s physical relationships? I for one (and I hate to admit it), have realised that social media has made me lazy with my friends. Having a face-to-face conversation over a cup of coffee in a café is a rarity and making an effort to travel many miles to see family in other areas now seems unnecessary because I can tell them all about my recent holiday online. Consequently, perhaps some choose not to use social media so they don’t lose touch with the real, physical world and embrace the opportunity to make real efforts and real memories with those they love? Perhaps those who use social media are the antisocial ones?

Secondly, in a world full of career driven individuals there are some instances where being a user of social media can be a disadvantage. It won’t surprise many that being a professional in whatever in industry requires professionalism and a single social media post could throw your chances of landing your dream job completely out of the window. Unfortunately, social media doesn’t favour professionalism in the same way that a workplace does; instead, it favours funny videos of friends, endless photos of couples kissing on the beach during their honeymoon and embarrassing posts typed in the early hours of the morning after a drunken night out. These days a lot of employers do take a look at the social media of potential candidates to ensure that they’re the right person for the job and that they will admirably represent the company, therefore sometimes the best option might be to have no social media at all than to be caught out at an unexpected hurdle. So, I would suggest that in order to be taken seriously in a high-flying workplace, it’s best that your future boss doesn’t stumble across a photo of you drunkenly lying on your kitchen floor, with your superman boxers half-way down your legs, that your mate Dave tagged you in. I can assure you that those who don’t use social media don’t have to worry about this.

Finally, social media provides all users with a platform where their voice can be heard. Another affordance. However, sometimes these voices can be hurtful and judgemental towards other users.  Therefore, another constraint- social media does not allow you to share content whilst being protected from the views and comments of those who view it and this can be detrimental to self-esteem. Examples include fat shaming women who are seven months pregnant, telling a fitness blogger their advice is wrong just because they’re not a qualified personal trainer or even commenting hateful messages on someone’s post because of a difference in political views. Although I have very fortunately never experienced any of this intolerable behaviour, I can empathise with those who chose not to run the risk of being unfairly bullied. Therefore, those who don’t use social media are certainly not antisocial but undeniably considerate of their own wellbeing and happiness and are aware of the dangers that come with it.

So… let’s stop the judging, go back to your tongue turning, shaken not stirred martini and leave those who don’t want to be engulfed into ‘the bubble’ alone. It might be us who are the antisocial ones.