𝔶𝔲𝔲𝔧𝔦

for educational purposes ⋆˙⟡♡

[lmaoitsyuuji]

Get ready for the next battle!

(Are gaming communities becoming more toxic environments for some (e.g. women, LGBT communities, ethnic minorities))?

You got games on your phone?

Over the past decade, video games have undergone a significant transformation, evolving from being a niche hobby to a dominant cultural force that reaches millions of people worldwide. This shift is driven by the rapid advancement of technology and digital platforms as well as the growing acceptance of gaming as a form of entertainment for people of all ages and backgrounds.

And the most toxic community goes to….

If you Google ‘What is the most toxic game community ever’, you’d see that it would list down competitive online games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), League of Legends (LoL), Call of Duty Online (CoD) and more. Competitive online games have birthed many toxic players, creating a digital environment where harassment, bullying and discriminatory behaviour thrive. 70% of gamers has experienced or witnessed harassment and abuse while playing online games (PickFu, n.d). One of the primary drivers of toxic behaviour in online gaming is the anonymity provided by digital platforms (American SPCC 2024). The anonymity provided by the Internet has allowed some individuals to engage in hostile and aggressive conduct without facing real-world consequences. Many gamers hide behind screen names, which often leads to a sense of impunity and some even feel empowered to engage in harmful or aggressive behaviour as they would likely avoid face-to-face interactions (American SCPP 2024).

This toxicity often targets marginalized groups of people, especially women, LGBTQ+ community, and people of colour, who may experience verbal abuse, harassment, stereotyping and exclusion while gaming. Although women now make up a significant portion of the gaming population, they still face unique challenges in a space traditionally dominated by men and gender inequalities continue to influence their experiences and identities within gaming cultures (Scidone, Phillips & Pantaleo 2024). I would sometimes see videos of female gamers sharing their gaming experiences online and how they would get harassed by other ‘male’ and sometimes even female players the moment they use in-game voice chats, which is ridiculous considering the female gamers did nothing to provoke those unwarranted attention. These toxic male ‘alpha’ gamers will harass them even more if they lose against a female gamer and some would even go as far as to report female gamers’ accounts over nothing. Because of this, some female gamers would only play with friends or avoid using in-game voice chat to hide their gender (Oregon News 2020).

Aside from female gamers, the LGBTQ+ communities also face online harassment while playing video games. It is stated that 52% of LGBTQ+ players faced harassment because of their sexual orientation while playing games online while 42% have avoided playing a specific game due to anticipated harassment (Kline 2024). This toxic behaviour includes verbal abuse such as homophobic slurs, which creates an unwelcoming atmosphere for LGBTQ+ individuals. Many LGBTQ+ players often self-censor or retreat from online gaming spaces entirely in fear of discrimination or hate, which further contributes to the isolation of marginalized communities within the gaming world. Moreover, people of colour also experience significant online harassment while playing video games. The ADL has surveyed and reported that the racial and ethnic identity-based harassment is the highest among African American people (44%), Asian Americans (40%) and Hispanic people (31%) (Ramirez 2023). Racial discrimination in gaming spaces often manifests through the use of racial slurs and stereotypes. As a result, many players of colour chose to avoid specific games as well, not wanting to deal with online harassment from other gamers.

Good Game (GG)!

Game companies should implement several methods into combating online harassment against women, LGBTQ+ community and people of colour (PoC). They should adopt and enforce zero-tolerance policies for harassment, abuse and discrimination. This can include suspending accounts that breached the policies or a permanent ban. Additionally, game companies should also implement a more robust report system that allows players to quickly report abusive behaviour and this should also lead to real consequences for offenders. Gaming platforms could also try to include and prioritize creating diverse characters that reflect a variety of identities, including women, LGBTQ+ communities and people of colour. This can help normalize diversity and combat stereotypes. Considering that online harassment can leave psychological and emotional distress on people, game companies can also provide easy access to mental health resources such as online counselling that can help players cope with the psychological and emotional impact of abuse.

Thoughts

All in all, there are bound to be toxic people in any online community, especially in gaming communities. Women, LGBTQ+ communities and people of colour tend to get harassed more while playing games online. The anonymity of gaming platforms has become a breeding ground for unprovoked harassment and discrimination. However, while harassment remains at large, there are efforts to create more welcoming and respectful environment for all players, which signals hope for a more inclusive gaming future.

(789 words)

References

American SCPP C.2024, The Problem of Toxicity in Gaming Communities and Ways to Overcome it, American SCPP, viewed 29th November 2024,

<https://americanspcc.org/the-problem-of-toxicity-in-gaming-communities-and-ways-to-overcome-it/#:~:text=Toxicity%20can%20manifest%20as%20harassment,gaming%20communities%20strive%20to%20create. >

Kline, K 2024, A growing number of gamers are LGBTQ+ so why is representation still lacking, NPR, viewed 29th November 2024,

<https://www.npr.org/2024/02/29/1234590117/a-growing-number-of-gamers-are-lgbtq-so-why-is-representation-still-lacking >

Oregon News c.2020, Here’s what it will take to clean up the toxic culture in esports, Oregon News, viewed 29th November 2024,

<https://news.uoregon.edu/content/heres-what-it-will-take-clean-toxic-culture-esports#:~:text=Recent%20stories%20from%20The%20New%20York%20Times%2C,forms%20of%20discrimination%20are%20in%20online%20spaces.>

PickFu n.d, Gaming Toxicity and the need for better moderation, PickFu, viewed 29th November 2024,

<https://www.pickfu.com/resources/toxicity-in-gaming#:~:text=Toxicity%20in%20gaming%20is%20abusive,violent%20threats%2C%20and%20hate%20speech. >

Ramirez, M 2023, Racism in online gaming is rampant. The toll on youth mental health is adding up, USA Today, viewed 29th November 2024,

<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/03/online-gaming-racism-youth-extremism-mental-health/70721986007/ >

Scidone, E, Philips, M.J & Pantaleo, A.M 2024, Hiding in the shadows: a qualitative exploration of women gamers identities and perceptions of the video gaming context, Volume 4, Article number 181, Springer Nature Link, viewed 29th November 2024

[lmaoitsyuuji]

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

(What is the future of public health campaigns in a digital age?)

How I feel when I have a slight cough and a dry throat:

Health is wealth

Public health campaigns help spread awareness about diseases and health hazards, which can encourage people to seek medical attention for themselves or others (Team CSG 2024). Public health campaigns are essential in shaping community health outcomes by providing crucial information about prevention and treatment options. By leveraging various media channels, these campaigns effectively reach diverse populations, ensuring that important messages resonate well with different demographics.

Beep.. Entering the digital age.. beep

Over the past two decade, the use of digital media and digital technologies for health campaigns and promotion has grown at an unprecedented rate (Koh et al. 2021, p.171). Digital technologies revolutionize the way public health organisations reach and teach audiences as modern campaigns are increasingly using digital strategies to maximize their influence on health behaviours (Krawiec et al. 2021). Digital health campaigns also make it easier for people to consult with health professionals without having to go to a physical clinic or healthcare facility. The rise of telemedicine and digital communication tools has provided a more convenient and accessible alternative to in-person visits.

Digital platforms have enabled for public health campaigns to reach global audiences, which helps expand access and reduce cost. Social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook helps target specific audiences. People who do not have easy access to any healthcare can benefit from these platforms and gain vital information about their health. Through informational posts and targeted ads, health organisations can deliver important health messages to individuals in remote areas, where conventional healthcare outreach methods might be limited or less effective. Aside from that, digital health campaigns also reduce cost as traditional public health campaigns such as in-person events often require lots of financial investment. Digital health campaigns can reach millions of people without requiring additional spending on manpower in the process, making it a highly cost-effective strategy as the costs of developing digital tools are much lower compared to traditional public health campaigns (Koh et al. 2021, p. 173).  This just goes to show that digital health campaigns are the new frontier for public health issues.

WHO said WHAT?!

The digital age of rapid access to information has given rise to what is known as an ‘infodemic’. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes ‘infodemic’ as the overwhelming influx of information during an epidemic or disease outbreak, which includes both accurate and inaccurate content circulating across digital and physical environments (Khan 2023). Although the digital age has significantly improved access to vital health information, it has also led to challenges in managing the accuracy of health information.

For example, false information about the Covid-19 pandemic was widely circulated among the public and some would even be promoted by the media or prominent individuals which later allowed conspiracy theories to emerge as well (Zhang et al. 2023). The misinformation and conspiracy theory created false narratives, often fuelled by a mix of fear, mistrust and sensationalism, and contributed to the widespread confusion and resistance to public health measures. Vaccine fear is a predominant public health issue and a similar pattern of misconceptions emerged in response to the introduction of the Covid-19 vaccine and the concerns related to the Covid-19 vaccine reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) included fears about its impact on fertility in women, its potential to alter the human genome and beliefs in a global conspiracy aimed at reducing the world’s population (Caceres et al. 2022).

Take that!

There are several ways to combat misinformation in digital health campaigns. The government and health organizations should educate the public by teaching individuals how to critically examine and evaluate the information they encounter online. They can do so by providing resources on how to recognize misinformation and identify credible source. Besides that, health organizations can also collaborate with trusted celebrities and influencers as they can use their voices and platforms to counter misinformation with clear, scientifically backed messages. Therefore, health organizations should take advantage of this and partner up with trusted voices to avoid the spread of misinformation. Additionally, health professionals could also engage in direct communication with the public and respond to their questions and concerns about any health issues. They should also act quickly and tackle any common misconceptions through digital health campaigns so that the misinformation won’t spread far and wide.

Thoughts

In conclusion, the future of public health campaigns in the digital age holds immense promise, driven by the rapid glorious  evolution of digital technologies and the growing reliance on online platforms for information. Digital health campaigns provide opportunities to reach a wider audience and promote health literacy to the public. Although the rise of digital health campaigns can bring about misinformation, I believe that health organizations can mitigate the risks effectively and harness the full potential of digital tools to improve public health.

(784 words)

References

Caceres, M.M.F, Sosa, J.P, Lawrence, J.A, Sestacovschi, C, Tidd-Johnson, A, Ul Rasool, M.H, Gadamidi, V.K, Ozair, S, Pandav, K, Cuevas-Lou, C, Parrish, M, Rodriguez, I & Fernandes, J.P 2022, The Impact of Misinformation on the Covid-19 pandemic, pp.262-277, National Library of Medicine, viewed 28th November 2024,

< https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9114791/ >

Khan, M 2023, How Infodemiology Shapes Public Health in the Digital Age, News Medical, viewed 28th November 2024,

< https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-Infodemiology-Shapes-Public-Health-in-the-Digital-Age.aspx >

Koh, A, Swanepoel, D.W, Ling, A, Ho, B.L, Tan, S.Y & Lim, J 2021, Digital health promotion: promise and peril, Health Promotion International, Volume 36, Issue Supplement 1, pp.170-180, ResearchGate

Krawiec, RJ, McInerney, J, McGuire, K & Malik, N 2021, The future of public health campaigns, Deloitte Insights, viewed 28th November 2024,

< https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/public-sector/successful-digital-public-health-campaigns.html >

Team CSG 2024, The Importance of Healthcare Awareness Campaigns 2024, CSG, viewed 28th November 2024,

<https://wearecsg.com/blog/importance-healthcare-awareness-campaigns/ >

Zhang, J, Pan, Y, Lin, H, Sun, Z, Wu, P & Tu, J 2023, Infodemic: Challenges and solutions in topic discovery and data process, Archives of Public Health, viewed 28th November 2024

[lmaoitsyuuji]

Cue the music!

Has any fandoms you’re involved in been part of any protest or acts of social activism (e.g K-pop and Black Lives Matter)?

I have the power of God and K-pop on my side!

Fandom?

A fandom is a term used to describe a subculture of fans who are immensely devoted to a particular area of entertainment, such as music groups, TV shows, movie series and more (Later c.2024). Fandoms are communities of people who share the same enthusiasm and passion towards a piece of media or pop culture. Social media platforms serve as a place for these communities to express their enthusiasm, discuss and share content and connect with others who have similar interests. Fandoms also create hashtags on social media related to their favourite topics to boost visibility for their interest and create discourse online (Later c.2024).

OMG fangirl alert!!!⋆｡𖦹˚.★

Everyone is a fan of something. Take me for example: I’m in tons of fandoms (Jujutsu Kaisen, Ace Attorney, K-pop, etc) and being in fandoms are a lot of fun!! We engage in interesting discourse online, fangirl about our interests, cussing out any lowlife haters, and literally just enjoying life as a fan.

Of course, being a part of a fandom can be exhausting as there’s bound to be toxic fans lurking in every fandom. However, being in a fandom also helps us become our better selves as many fandoms engage in social activism. Fans often unite around causes that resonate with their favourite artists and the messages in their music, channelling their passion to advocate for social change. We can see these sorts of engagements happening with K-pop fandoms.

When K-pop meets social activism

Now, when it comes to K-pop fandom and social activism, I can only think of one group and their fanbase regarding this topic: BTS. BTS (방탄소년단) is a 7-member boy group from South Korea which debuted under Big Hit Music (KProfiles 2024). I’m sure everyone and their grandmas know who BTS are and honestly, I’m quite proud to say I’ve been an ARMY (that’s what they call their fandom—plz don’t think I’m in an actual army) since 2015 until now.

BTS is mostly known for their catchy songs, meaningful lyrics and impressive choreographies and their fandom, the BTS ARMY, is known for their hardcore dedication towards the boy group. Their devotion to the group manifest in countless ways, from streaming their music and voting for them in award shows to organizing charity events in their name and engaging in social acts. Groups like BTS and their fandom, ARMY, have been particularly influential, using their platform to promote messages of love and acceptance and they are known to promote and advocate for social justice online. Due to BTS’ profound influence on their fans, the group had partnered with UNICEF to launch campaigns such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign aimed at combating violence against children and teenagers worldwide. UNICEF’s partnership with BTS leverages popular culture to raise awareness and funds for critical issues concerning children’s mental health (unicef 2024).

Additionally, both BTS and their fans have come together to raise and donate over $2 million in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was formed in 2013, dedicated to fighting racism and anti-Black violence, especially in the form of police brutality (Britannica 2024). K-pop fans gained widespread media attention for their active antiracist work in support of the BLM movement during the Covid pandemic in 2020 (Kim & Hutt 2021, p.8). After BTS donated $1 million to the BLM movement, their fanbase ARMY matched the million-dollar donation using the Twitter hashtag #MatchAMillion in under 24 hours. The fundraise, which was led by the fan-formed ‘One in an ARMY’ charity project, began the next morning after the boy group donated $1 million for the cause and hundreds of thousands of fans followed suit to support the movement (Madden 2020).

This is my fav fancam ever!

Let me explain what a K-pop fancam is: A fancam is a video closeup filmed by an audience member during a live performance by a K-pop idol group (Romano 2020). These fancams are typically posted on social media platforms like Instagram and Twittter (X) and fancams have always been a source of frustration for many Twitter users as their viral threads are often hijacked by users posting fancams to capitalize on the thread’s popularity.

However, in the case of the BLM movement, fancams were used in a positive way. K-pop stans have taken over white supremacist hashtags with fancams (Bhandari 2020).

Fans weaponize these fancams to boost the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and bury white supremacist hashtags by redirecting their energies to post K-pop fancams on Twitter (X) and Instagram (Bibliolore 2020). Besides that, K-pop stans also spammed their favourite K-pop fancams on a Dallas police intelligence app that was trying to collect “illegal activity from BLM protesters” until the app crashed (Ekin 2020). LMAO!

He also stole my heart, officer.

Thoughts

I was there on Twitter (X) when this whole thing happened and although, I didn’t have the means to donate during that time, I did my duty of spreading the hashtags and encouraging people to show support for the BLM movement. Thinking back on it now, I’m so proud for joining an incredibly passionate fandom that supports amazing artists and advocates for good causes like the BLM movement.

(842 words)

References

Ekin, A 2020, Are K-pop and BTS fans a new force for social justice? Al-Jazeera, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/7/1/are-k-pop-and-bts-fans-a-new-force-for-social-justice >

Bhandari, A 2020, The Mobilizing Power of the BTS ARMY, Reuters, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GLOBAL-RACE/BTS-FANS/nmopajgmxva/ >

Bibliolore 2020, K-pop and political activism, Bibliolore, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://bibliolore.org/2020/10/26/k-pop-and-political-activism/ >

Britannica 2024, Black Lives Matter, Britannica, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter >

Kim, P & Hutt, E 2021, K-pop as a Social Movement: Case Study of BTS and Their Fandom ARMY, Journal of Student Research, Vol.10 Issue 3, pp. 1-15, viewed on 20th October 2024.

KProfiles 2024, BTS Members Profile, KProfiles, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://kprofiles.com/bts-bangtan-boys-members-profile/ >

Later c.2024, Fandom, Later Social Media Management, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://later.com/social-media-glossary/fandom/ >

Madden, E 2020, The BTS Army and the Transformative Power of Fandom As Activism, The Ringer, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/6/11/21287283/bts-army-black-lives-matter-fandom-activism >

Romano, A 2020, How K-pop fans are weaponizing the internet for Black Lives Matter, Vox, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.vox.com/2020/6/8/21279262/k-pop-fans-black-lives-matter-fancams-youtubers-protest-support >

unicef 2024, BTS and UNICEF celebrate LOVE MYSELF campaign with renewed support for UNICEF’s #OnMyMind initiative, unicef, viewed on 20th October 2024,

< https://www.unicef.org/partnerships/bts-and-unicef-celebrate-love-myself-campaign-renewed-support-unicefs-onmymind >

[lmaoitsyuuji]

Nah I’d meme

(Do memes (as it is popular in Malaysian politics) provide a useful way of understanding politics?)

Even politics aren’t safe from being ‘meme’d’.

Meme?

The term ‘meme’ (from the Greek word “mimoúmai”, meaning ‘to imitate’) was coined by a British evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book ‘The Selfish Gene’ (Benveniste 2022). A meme is a piece of media that is repurposed to deliver a cultural, social or political expression through humour and can be in the form of a picture or a video.

Quirk: Meme-ify

Memes exists in every social media platform you can think of—Instagram, TikTok, X and even WhatsApp. Do you know what meme format that is popular nowadays? Cat memes >^•-•^<

Cat memes, that had died down in 2010, has risen back from the ashes and are the hype nowadays. Honestly, I laugh at most, if not all, cat memes cause I’m a loser and that’s how I roll.

Behold, the thousand yard cat stare.

When meme meets politics

There seems to be an ongoing trend of people creating memes of political figures/parties in their countries. Trump is likely the most ‘meme’d’ political figure in history—just scrolling through the internet makes that pretty clear!

Political memes have become a common way for people to be exposed to political content and express their political views online (Halversen & E.Weeks 2023). Political memes’ purpose is to make fun of the political state of a country—however, it can educate people about politics as well. It is a good way for information to be spread around as it attracts netizens to engage with political memes. People no longer want to read but prefer to take a few seconds to view a meme and make a simple comment or adjustment to it and resend it to other platforms (Kasirye 2019, p. 45).

“Meme-laysia”

We usually see a surge of new memes online whenever election is around the corner or when a political figure messes up in their job (which they OFTEN do) and Malaysia is no stranger to political memes. In fact, Malaysian netizens strive in creating political memes. The distinguished gentleman above is probably the most well-known ‘meme’ in Malaysia. Memes about him cursing in the Malaysian Parliament garnered attention from locals and foreigners alike—talk about going viral for the wrong reason!

Additionally, memes were used extensively during the 15th General Election in Malaysia across many social media platforms and the influence of memes among young people in the social media sphere succeeded in altering Malaysian politics once more (Mohd Nizah et. al 2024, p.120). Political memes affect Gen-Z voters that participated in the PRU 15 election where over 4.5 million of them are under the age of 21. Memes act as a tool that distils complex political issues, making them more relatable and easier to understand to the younger generations.

Aside from that, there is an example of a popular Malaysian political meme that happens to be about our former Malaysian Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin. To recap everything, Muhyiddin Yassin announced his resignation on August 16, 2021, on live TV after serving only one year in office. This caused confusion amongst Malaysians and they took to social media to share their confused reactions to the news (Lee 2021). You might be asking—what’s wrong with that? You see, the problem about this is that Muhyiddin resigned from being a Prime Minister… to a ‘caretaker’ PM (until there’s a new successor comes). So, he basically resigned from being the Prime Minister of Malaysia… to the Prime Minister of Malaysia. This political issue has birthed many funny memes and here are some memes to prove it:

Source: Mashable SE Asia

Meme-ocracy

Now, do memes (as it is popular in Malaysian politics) provide a useful way of understanding politics? Yes, I do think they provide a useful way for people to understand politics. The younger generations use memes to understand and learn about the political state of Malaysia, especially during elections, as it is easier to consume than traditional news source. Memes simplify complex issues and make them more relatable, helping young people engage with the political landscape in a way that feels more accessible and entertaining. Seeing as how the young generations are becoming voters now, political figures use memes as a political marketing strategy to relate to the younger generations as well as to spread their propaganda to citizens. They also use memes to cope with the current trends of the world and to communicate with the younger generation as memes are less formal, straightforward, humorous and easily comprehended (Nieubuurt 2021).

Thoughts

I do believe people, especially Malaysian citizens, can understand politics through memes. People relate to memes and some memes, even political ones, can be hilarious. I like memes and so should you :).

(773 words)

References

Benveniste, A 2022, The Meaning and History of Memes, The New York Times, viewed 3rd October 2024,

<https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html>

Halversen, A & E.Weeks, B 2023, Memeing Politics: Understanding Political Meme Creators, Audiences, and Consequences on Social Media, Sage Journals, viewed 3rd October 2024,

<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051231205588 >

Kasirye, F 2019, The Effectiveness of Political Memes as a Form of Political Participation amongst Millenials in Uganda, pp.44-52, Journal of Education and Social Sciences, Vol. 13, Issue 1, viewed 3rd October 2024

Lee, J 2021, Confused Malaysians make sense of country’s political crisis through memes, Mashable SE Asia, viewed 3rd October 2024,

<https://sea.mashable.com/culture/17175/confused-malaysians-make-sense-of-countrys-political-crisis-through-memes>

Mohd Nizah, MA, Abu Bakar, AR, Zahran, MA & Mohd Mokhtar, MA 2024, The Influence of Political Memes on Political Marketing Strategy in Malaysia, pp. 118-131, Journal of Public Administration and Governance Vol.14, ResearchGate, viewed 3rd October 2024.

Nieubuurt, J 2021, Internet Memes: Leaflet Propaganda of the Digital Age, Frontiers, viewed 3rd October 2024,

<https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2020.547065/full>

[lmaoitsyuuji]

MDA20009 Digital Communities (Week 4)

Prompt: 'Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikTok and Instagram?'

Blogging? I think I’ve heard of that before

Blogging is the process of creating content online and it refers to writing, photography and other media that are self-published online (Duermyer 2024). The word blog is a combined version of 'web' and 'log' and they are a type of regularly updated website that provide insight into a certain topic (Weiner 2024). In the age of TikTok and Instagram, blogging websites such as Tumblr is still relevant and popular amongst internet users as it becomes a safe space for users to share their thoughts and ideas online. Compared to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, blogging websites focuses more on providing content and space for niche topics where people can discuss about certain topics in the community that they’ve joined.

Domain Expansion: Infinite Scrolling

I have always been an active technology user, even back when I was in high school. I remember seeing the word “Tumblr” and "Twitter(X)" plenty of times on YouTube before, especially when YouTubers mentions it in their videos. Of course, since I was a YouTube girlie, I didn’t really bother exploring Tumblr and Twitter (X) much and was content on staying in my safe little bubble—until recently, where I keep coming back to these two microblogging platforms to indulge myself in other people's blogs.

Tumblr was created in 2007 and its whole existence was geared towards the ‘artsy’ and creative side of social media while using short entry style blogs (Baier, 2023). From arts to fanfictions, Tumblr really is the place for everyone to post anything they want—as long as they follow the website’s guideline rules, of course. The rise of Tumblr all began in 2011, with reports stating that over 10 billion blogs posts were curated on the website before eventually hitting its peak in 2014. However, Tumblr quite literally ‘fell off’ when Instagram and TikTok were beginning to gain traction from netizens and as a result, Tumblr was sadly buried underneath all the other social media platforms. RIP Tumblr, you will be missed— is what I would have said if it wasn’t for the fact that Tumblr is now gaining more attention and users almost a decade later. Tumblr didn’t just ‘die off’ but rather, it was still maintaining its popularity within niche communities.

Now, Twitter (or X, as Elon LOVES to remind us) is a social networking website that was launched in 2006 and it is undoubtedly one of the most popular social media sites today (Forsey, 2019). Twitter allows users to upload short posts known as tweets (which are basically posts with texts, pictures, videos or link uploaded in it) as well as a microblogging service that combines blogging and instant messaging in one app (TechTarget c. 1999).

I guess you can say Tumblr and Twitter (X) are quite similar with one another. The major difference that sets these two social media websites apart is that Tumblr is a microblogging social media site that focuses on creative expression and the sharing of multimedia content whereas Twitter (X) is a real-time microblogging platform that focuses on short updates and discussions (TutorialsPoint c. 2024). Although, it seems that Twitter (X) has also become a space for artists to upload their original arts and whatnot on the platform. Point is—Twitter (X) does a great job of continuing the legacy for Tumblr and these two platforms are still going strong even today.

Hold it!

Blogging still have relevancy in the age of Instagram and TikTok. Blogging can be considered as an online diary for people and writing self-published content online on websites like Tumblr or Twitter helps people to express themselves on the Internet as well as helping them find a community to join in. Internet users can interact with one another through blogs, seeing as personal blogs can expand social networks while opening dialogue between different people who share similar interests (Blogging Your Passion 2023). You’d be surprised if you knew how many people feel a sense of belonging in the communities that they joined.

Thoughts

With that being said, I do believe that blogging is still relevant in the age of Instagram and TikTok. Even Instagram got its own bootleg version of Twitter called Threads—which I have never used before because frankly, I don’t think I need to have two Twitters on my phone! While it's true that people, mostly Gen-Zs, gravitate towards short-form content that are posted on Instagram and TikTok, blogging still maintains a significant presence, particularly on platforms like Tumblr and Twitter. Both of these platforms provide opportunities for both microblogging and in-depth posts, highlighting that longer-form content still has a role to play.

(776 words)

Reference list

Baier, O 2023, Is the Tumblr era back?, Daily Collegian, viewed 21st September 2024,

<https://dailycollegian.com/2023/12/is-the-tumblr-era-back/#:~:text=Tumblr%20was%20created%20in%202007,hit%20its%20peak%20in%202014.>

Blogging Your Passion 2023, Why Do People Blog? 8 Powerful Reasons Why, Blogging Your Passion, viewed 21st September 2024,

<https://www.bloggingyourpassion.com/why-do-people-blog/>

Duermyer, R 2024, What Is Blogging?, The Balance, viewed 18th September 2024,

<https://www.thebalancemoney.com/blogging-what-is-it-1794405>

Forsey, C 2019, What is Twitter and How Does It Work?, HubSpot, viewed 22nd September 2024,

<https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-twitter>

TechTarget c. 1999, Twitter, TechTarget, viewed 22nd September 2024,

<https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Twitter#:~:text=To%20access%20Twitter%2C%20users%20need,to%20tweets%20with%20short%20messages.>

TutorialsPoint c. 2024, Difference between Twitter and Tumblr, TutorialsPoint, viewed 22nd September 2024,

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[lmaoitsyuuji]

about me

yo. i'm hafeeizah. this blog is for educational purposes only (MDA20009 Digital Communities).

a lil info abt me: i'm from kuching and i'm a student majoring in media and communications.

i love love LOVE anime, especially jujutsu kaisen. love reading mangas and manhwas and i cosplay as a hobby. my favourite character is yuuji cuz i kinda kin him. also like playing video games such as dishonored series, rdr2, hades, dti (lol) and more. also love collecting figurines, badges and plushies (of yuuji and gojo).

idk what else to say but yeah thats it. bye 𓆩♡𓆪