Digital Communities

Melanie Gallimore

[narellemda20009-blog]

Blog # 8: When video games become more than just games . .

Is it possible to become addicted to video games? Consider:

a Shanghai gamer fatally stabbed a friend for selling his “virtual sword” on ebay for 7,200 yuan.

a 17 year old was sentenced to prison for fatally shooting his mother because she took away his copy of Halo 3.

a Korean couple played Prius, a game in which you raise a child, until their real baby daughter died from starvation

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) internet gaming disorder refers to the “persistent and recurrent use of the internet to engage in games, often with other players, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as indicated by five (or more) [criteria] in a 12-month period” (diagnostic criteria: are a preoccupation with gaming, withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, lack of control, loss of other interests, use despite negative consequences, deception, mood modification, and losing a relationship, job and similarly important aspects of life).

The Internet gaming market is huge and booming – in 2014 it was a $66 billion dollar industry. Big companies develop games to make people want to play.  and the games are based on

a reward system - they exploit that part of our brain that governs how we feel when we do something: kill monster, get points; complete level, nice music plays. Win game, feel satisfied. It’s a very simple and primitive part of who we are.

people enjoy games because games it helps them escape from = the real world. A study in 2009 found 41% of its participants said they played to escape the real world.

The typical gamer is male, adolescent and white (Kuss 2013) but people with depression and those with social phobias or who have poor social skills are also at risk. Studies in the 2000s(Flanagan 2014) showed gaming addiction varied from 0.2% (Germany) to 50% (Korea) and have led governments and health care providers to institute programs to curb the problem:

“fasting camps” in Japan (individuals are completely cut off from technology)

outpatient clinics for behavioural addiction in Germany and London

inpatient centres in the USA: the RESTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program and the Digital Detoxification and Recovery Centre

To overcoming gaming addiction in both children and adults is to focus on the social problems that make them retreat to the gaming world - improving social skills and becoming socially competent in the real world, managing stress more effectively, addressing real-life issues (depression, anxiety, bullying, loneliness), and setting reasonable time limits around mealtimes, homework times, family or bed time. We, as adults also need to look at our own behaviour, and turn off their screens and smartphones more often.

Technology is here to stay, and we are becoming more and more dependent on it. We need to become more responsible digital citizens in this ever-increasing technological world, and never lose sight of our need to be socially connected, whether that is in the virtual or real world.

References:

Kuss, D 2013, ‘Internet gaming addiction: current perspectives’, Psychology Research and Behaviour Management 6: 125-137.

Flanagan, J 2014, ‘The psychology of video game addiction’, viewed 23 December 2015, <http://theweek.com/articles/451660/psychology-video-game-addiction>.

Vitelli, R 2013, ‘Are video games addictive? Is it possible to become addicted to video games?’, viewed 23 December 2015, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/media-spotlight/201308/are-video-games-addictive

Images

‘Physical symptoms of game addiction’, viewed 26 Jan 2016, <http://gameaddictionz.blogspot.com.au>.

‘Many names for the thing’, viewed 26 Jan 2016, <http://www.slideshare.net/JocelynBrewer/nerd-nite-internet-addiction-and-digital-nutrition-dec-2014>,

Adair, C 2013, ‘Escaping video addiction: Cam Adair at TEDxBoulder”, viewed 26 Jan 2016, ,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHmC2D0_Hdg>.

[theurbantheoristblog]

Hey Narellemda20009, thanks for sharing this, you’ve raised some fascinating points which, might I say have me questioning my personal digital consumption levels.

Yet again, just a great read!

[nakitamarendazuniverse]

Some really shocking cases! I found the fasting camps in Japan particularly interesting as it raises questions about whether gaming addiction is a cultural issue, an idea I hadn’t previously entertained. 

[yesdontyouknowit]

This was so interesting. The choice of images were also really effective. Gaming and social media has addition in more than the gaming side of communicating online. it shades the progress and benefits of using the internet. We obviously should be moving back to our natural roots. I enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing.

[melgallimore-blog]

I agree, some shocking cases on how far people can go when consumed by addiction. 

It just highlights the blurring between the real world and the virtual world. It really does consume emotions. 

I am conflicted about my opinion of gaming. On one hand i feel that it is taking people away from ‘normal’ life, but on the other majority of the games which players are addicted to still hold interaction between players. 

It’s difficult to comprehend for a non player like me, but I suppose like everything is seems the worry is with the extremes. 

[axebrain]

Prepared to engage

Online gaming is something that is a complete mystery to me. Not only have I not played online games, I’ve barely played video games period. Firstly I’m a Gen-X. Secondly it just never appealed to me. I was much more comfortable playing sport, drinking and chasing girls than sitting around whiling away the hours on a video game.

That said, it is now a legitimate and consuming part of ‘life’ for millions of gamers the world over. Online game EVE is said to have “over 500,000 registered users” (Thornhill, T 2014), making the scale of the world truly mind boggling to a novice like myself.

My need for real and face to face friendship was paramount in my shunning of video games but I am now led to understand that many gamers are just that because of the “the ability to play with all of your friends” (Zynga, 2014). A case in point is the Facebook game FarmVille which was the highest rating Facebook game between 2009 and 2011 (Facebook Apps Leaderboard 2016). FarmVille enabled users to share interactions with their friends whilst creating their own unique gaming experience, the very definition of ‘doing things with your friends’.

In a further blurring of the lines between gaming and reality, there is even alternative currencies created for online games which equate to real dollars. However, Thornhill  (2014) points out that the “primary basis for value in the game’s virtual economy is the time and skill that gamers put into such concepts as the mining of minerals, the selling of goods and services, or the stealing of goods and money”. So too, the EVE community have appointed a panel of governors called the Council of Stellar Management to oversee the way the game is played and to take action when it is not played within the spirit of the fair gameplay.

Of course it all comes back to money. What doesn’t. But the hours invested by gamers to create spacecraft, bases and the like far outweighs what is skimmed from the top by those who capitalise from this practice. This creative input by users makes the game more and more difficult to regulate, particularly when attempting to rectify “disputes regarding many aspects of gameplay.” (de Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014) Lessig (as cited in deZwart & Humphreys, 2014) explains that four factors affect regulation on a given point: law, norms, architecture and the market.

These grey areas, particularly in the legalities of gaming, have meant a rise a litigation within large gaming communities, prompting questions about “how far domestic laws can apply to the global environment of the MMOG (Massively Multiplay Online Game)”. It boggles the mind that we have reached a point where be are unaware of how the law is to be practiced because we are quite literally applying law in an arena where it has not been practiced before.

Regardless of my inability to understand the intricacies, online gaming has become something more than gaming. With numbers of players exceeding the populations of small countries, it is a huge and curious object and will continue to prompt questions and push boundaries well into this century.

References

de Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014, The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online, Cultural Studies Review, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 77-99.

“Facebook Apps Leaderboard - AppData”. appdata.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.

Lessig, L 2006, Code: Version 2.0, Basic Books, New York, 2006, pp. 120–5.

Thornhill, T, 2014, The online videogame battle that cost $300,000: Gamers see hundreds of costly spaceships destroyed after user forgot to pay bill to defend their base, The Daily Mail, 29 January, viewed 30 January 2016, <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html>

Zynga, 2014, Farmville, viewed 30 January 2016, <www.zynga.com>.

[melgallimore-blog]

Thanks for the blog. Very interesting. 

I am similar having no experience in gaming and it always baffled me how gamer’s can spend hours playing the same game. 

But with the graphics ever advancing is easy to see that games have created completely different worlds, perfected down to the smallest detail, and have therefore changed how society, especially the young converse today.

[melgallimore-blog]

REFERENCES

Chatfield T, 2009, Videogames now outperform Hollywood movies, The Guardian, viewed 29 January 2016,

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2009/sep/27/videogames-hollywood

 Cross T, 2011, All the world’s a game, Economist, viewed 29 January 2016,

http://www.economist.com/node/21541164

 Thornhill T, 2014, the online video game battle that cost $300,000: Gamers see hundreds of costly spaceships destroyed after user forgot to pay bill to defend their base, Daily Mail, viewed 29 January 2016,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html

 Skillz, 2013, 65 mobile gaming stats to impress your friends [Image], Skillz.com, viewed 29 january 2016,

http://skillz.com/blog/2013/03/05/65-mobile-gaming-stats-to-impress-your-friends/

 Suzor N & Woodford D, 2013, evaluating consent and legitimacy amongst community norms: an EVE online case study, Journal of Wirtual World Research, viewed 29 January 2016,

https://journals.tdl.org/jvwr/index.php/jvwr/article/view/6409/6325

[melgallimore-blog]

Week TEN

I am not gamer; I have never been good at it and have never tried hard enough. That is not to say I am completely naïve, my brother played games and my boyfriend does. What is interesting to me is the time dedicated to gaming.  

 Gaming and its virtual worlds have become the entertainment industry’s highest earning division. (Chatfield, 2009).  Advancements in technology have developed what used to be pixelated standard games into cinematic adventures, where the graphics are so real; it feels like the player is controlling life.

 Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 2, was one of the largest earning films in box office history, earning $169 million, in box office sales its first weekend. Black Op’s the highly anticipated battle game earned $650 million in its first five days (Cross, 2011).

 The entertainment industry is used as a form of escape for society. Being able to relax and enjoy a world that is different to your own is a luxury. Gamers enter a new world with its own governing body; which set out rules by which players abide (Suzor & Woodford, 2013). Take for example the case study EVE online, where $300,000 worth of game time was lost due to a virtual battle (Thornhill, 2014). Irrelevant of the cause, what is most interesting to me is the amount of time spent on the game to fix the mistake. 4000 gamers took part in the online battle that day to regain what was lost in mere moments (Thornhill, 2014). This displays the loyalty players have to a game, and length by which they are willing to go to, to protect their work.

What does this mean for individuals though?

 Everywhere we look games are advertised. We see them on social media through examples such as Farmville; we have apps such as the hugely popular Candy Crush.  The below image may look familiar to some…it displays the all too common antisocial behaviour resulting from our attachment to digital technology.

Figure 1: Mobile gaming, Skillz, 2013

This attachment draws us back to a particular point which has been noted in every posts discussion – the blurring of online and offline. Thornhill further discusses how games are valued; which it through the time and skill of the player (Thornhill, 2014). This is perhaps why I have never been interested. I have never dedicated enough time to games to truly see the value.

  It goes to show that times and society are changing. Kids no longer have to play sport outside because it is their only option. Instead they are able to enter an alternate reality and become something/someone different – their alter ego perhaps.

[magicnumber23-blog]

Blog #7 – Visual Communities and Social Imaging

Offline and online world of social media

Gone are the days when we use to take a photo or video to capture that moment in time, that special memory of a holiday, family occasion or birthday. Memories that were captured offline, developed and displayed around the home or kept in bulky photo albums.  Now, we’re living in an online world where there’s no such thing as offline anymore, less photos around the house and photo albums with a few selected photos.  Innovation and technology hasn’t changed the the idea of capturing a moment, it has changed however, how and when we document – 24/7 (Bishop 2016; Jason Farman 2014).  Innovation of the smartphone and the Internet has enabled us to capture an image or video with a portable pocket sized device, and then instantly upload it to social media for the world to see.  I like it how Sociologist Nathan Jurgenson puts it ‘seeing your life in the present already being documented’.  Jurgenson believes uploading images to social media shouldn’t be compared to traditional photography in its art form, but rather a way of communicating the experience itself (Jurgenson 2014; Jason Farman 2014).  I agree, social media provides a much bigger audience than visitors to your home.

Snapchat: Network Visuality & Visible Publics

(Snapchat n.d)

To be honest I’m not a fan of taking a ‘selfie’ and I’m rarely involved in one, looking in the mirror every morning scares me enough already!  I don’t use Snapchat for taking ‘dick pics’, ‘selfies’ or any illegal activity, I use it to communicate my experiences with an audience that cares and enjoys sharing it with me.  I’m talking about family and friends and 99% of the time it’s 10sec snaps of my 1 year old son growing, learning and general everyday life.  I don’t feel I’m trading the experience in hope of documenting the moment as Turkle puts it, I’m able to do both (TED-Ed 2013).

(Jason Farman 2014)

Snapchat is an example of ‘network visuality’, expression and experiences through images and videos.  ‘Network visuality’ has become a social norm, evident in the existence and popularity of other social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, Flickr and Youtube (Bishop 2016).  In an interview (check it out above), Jurgenson talks about theories as to why it’s normal to have an audience for your content (Jason Farman 2014).  However, there is a difference between a wanted audience and unwanted audience and yes I’m talking about ‘dick pics’ again.  Whether it’s Snapchat, SMS or any other social media platform, no one, not even Snapchat can “guarantee” the vulnerabilities from hacks or leaks (Bogle 2015; Bishop 2016).  However, if your name is Dane Swan or Travis Cloke, your vulnerability is your stupidity (Ryan 2016).

(Womens Day 2016)

Posting, sharing and snapping your visual generated content is a way of communicating the experience itself to others.  But, be warned about the vulnerabilities and implications of an unwanted audience, don’t take ‘dick pics’!

References

Bishop, R 2016, ‘Week 9’, Digital citizenship 2: Activism and protest, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 22 January 2016.

Bogle, A 2015, ‘Snapchat tells users it’s not storing their private snaps after privacy update’, Mashable, 2 November, viewed 22 January 2016, < http://mashable.com/2015/11/01/snapchat-privacy-policy-update/#cOH0jp1Eigqh>.

Jason Farman 2014, Photography, Self Documentation, & Social Media: An Interview with Nathan Jurgenson, 16 June, viewed 22 January 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnPtZ5lKDHo>.

Jurgenson, N 2014, ‘The Frame Makes the Photograph’, Snapchat, 7 January, viewed 22 January 2014, < http://blog.snapchat.com/post/72561406329/the-frame-makes-the-photograph>.

Ryan, P 2016, ‘Magpies Swan, Cloke in ‘nude photo’ furore’, afl.com.au, 18 January, viewed 22 January 2016, < http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-01-18/swan-cloke-in-nude-photo-scandal>.

TED-Ed 2013, Connected, but alone?- Sherry Turkle, 19 April, viewed 22 January 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0g8TsnA6c>.

Images

Snapchat n.d., [logo], viewed 24 September 2015, <http://au.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2014611/rs_600x600-140711114502-600-tech-snapchat-logo.ls.7114_copy.jpg>.

Womens Day 2016, ‘THE NUDE AFL PHOTOS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT…’, [image], kiis1011.com.au, viewed 23 January 2016, <http://www.kiis1011.com.au/entertainment/the-feed/the-nude-afl-photos-everyone-is-talking-about>.

[melgallimore-blog]

This was a really good read. I especially enjoyed your point on there not being as many photos around the house. It actually made me think of something I had never realized - when I was younger we had a whole shelf for photos in frames. If you knocked one over they went down like dominoes. I can’t even remember when that shelf was packed up, but it’s not there anymore. It’s clear to see digital photography is reason for this. 

[aleksnajd-blog]

Week 9: Visual communities and social imaging.

In visual communities and social imaging, there are different ways which we can view visual aspects of people own identifications whether it being on Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr. People use it to engage with others through a way that they can share images to those they choose to connect with (Urban Dictionary, 2016).

In my own experiences, I enjoy tagging photos on social platforms whether it being my trips to Europe or when I am with friends, I like to look back to it as a memory so I don’t forget the good times. It is important to be careful what you post online, because once its uploaded, it’s out there on the web, and there is nothing you can do. Some people aren’t always up to date with social media, and this is smart because they prefer to keep things hidden from people. I have friends on Facebook that have a restriction to what people can post on their walls in case it being inappropriate.

Snapchat is an app on smart phones where you can send images to friends, giving you the ability to write a short message as well as a photo of your surroundings. I myself used it as another means of communications with my friends where you would send random photos or just send a short message to each other. Snapchat is really interesting, although you have to be careful when using it, because photos can be screenshotted and saved on your phone. People that send nude photos can have photos saved through the screenshot function on your phones and it can give the receiver the ability to share this with other people. So be mindful what kind of photos you are sending, it can easily backfire (Elyse betters, 2015).

The first self-portrait to ever been  taken was by Robert Cornelius in 1839 where he took the images by removing the lens cap and then running it into frame where he sat for a minute before covering up the lens again. On the back of the image he wrote, “The first light picture ever taken, 1893” (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, 2016).

References:

Urban Dictionary, 2016, social-imaging, Retrieved 5 January, 2016, from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=social-imaging

Elyse betters, 26th December 2015, what’s the point of Snapchat and how does it work? Retrieved 5 January, 2016, from http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/131313-what-s-the-point-of-snapchat-and-how-does-it-work

Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, 2016, Selfie, Retrieved 5 January, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfie

Robert Cornelius, http://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2013/12/robertcornelius.jpg

Snapchat, http://musically.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Snapchat_logo-2.png

Sexting, http://31.media.tumblr.com/00fc39b8f394059e747e3e2bd5f2693a/tumblr_inline_niryggP8QI1t4xvfm.jpg

[cameronmda20009-blog]

Hi aleksnajd, great blog.

The first selfie is an interesting component, and it seems to have a great deal more importance than the current fad of posting selfies everywhere. While not a fan of selfies, on reflection I also take many pictures when overseas and post them, usually via FB, noting where I am and what the experience is, and I go back through them every now and then and wish i was traveling again!

Cheers

[magicnumber23-blog]

Thanks for the read @aleksnajd! I also use Snapchat.  I find it more convenient and private then spamming my Facebook or Twitter accounts with snaps of my family and random every day experiences. Agree 100%, you do need to be mindful of what you capture and share otherwise it will turn into a ‘revenge porn’ or ‘sexting’ scenario - lucky for me I’m too old for that shit!

[melgallimore-blog]

Thanks for the blog. 

This was an interesting read. I don’t tag photos or use Snapchat so it’s always good to get perspectives of those who use it and how security is considered. 

The first selfie was also interesting. Unlike today, where we have multiple chances of taking and re-taking photos, it’s likely Cornelius only had one. 

[melgallimore-blog]

REFERENCES

 Hermann J, 2014, Meet the man who got inside snapcha’s head, Buzzfeed News, viewed 25 January 2016,

<http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/meet-the-unlikely-academic-behind-snapchats-new-pitch#.cwaP2vmxl>

 Russell J, 2015, Kim Kardashian posing on a pile of dirt – who does that in real life?, Dailymail, viewed 25 January 2016,

<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3198981/Comedian-takes-hilarious-parody-photos-look-like-celebrities-including-Kim-Kardashian-Miranda-Kerr-highlight-unrealistic-staged-are.html>

 Seiter C, 2015, The phsychology of selfies: why we love taking and viewing photos of faces, buffersocial, viewed 25 January 2016,

<https://blog.bufferapp.com/psychology-of-selfies>

 Snickars P, 2009, Videos of affinity on YouTube, National Library of Sweden, viewed 25 January 2016, <http://onlineres.swin.edu.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/99333066111.pdf>

 Vivienne s & Burgess J, 2013, The remediation of the personal photograph and the politics of self-representation in digital storytelling, Sage Journals, viewed 25 January 2016,

<http://mcu.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/content/18/3/279.full.pdf+html>

 VProud, n.d., In defence of selfies [Image], Pintrest, viewed 25 January 2016,

<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/463800461604090085/>

 Wersm, n.d. How Facebook status updates are linked to low self esteem and narcissism [Image], wersm, viewed 25 January 2016,

<http://wersm.com/how-facebook-status-updates-are-linked-to-low-self-esteem-and-narcissism/>

[melgallimore-blog]

Week NINE

Figure 1, In defence of selfies, VProud

 “Securing attention, requires negotiation…” (Snickars, 2009)

There is no doubting that we live in a visual world. Photography has always been an important tool in storytelling, but now more than every we are not only telling stories of fiction, we are telling stories about ourselves. It is through using visuals such as selfies on social media that we present ourselves a certain way, but it is not who we really are ( Seiter, 2015).

Images manipulate a story and when created the correct way implant certain theories in viewers minds. So Is our obsession with the selfies a good thing?

41% of women state ‘selfies and other flattering online photos’ boost their confidence (Seiter, 2015). The same was said for 65% of teenage girls (Seiter, 2015). It has long been thought that the online world is separate to the real world, when online we can present one side of ourselves, while everyday life holds our true selves. No longer is this the case. It is no longer appropriate to separate online from offline (Hermann, 2014), if we present a certain image enough times, it changes the way we are viewed by others (Snickard, 2009).

The use of Twitter, Facebook and instagram have become central to our daily activities (Vivienne & Burgess, 2013). This new image of ourselves is helped along by the ease of sharing. Again we could look into privacy issues in this instance, with the personal control over our personal images being negated as soon as they are posted (Vivienne & Burgess, 2013). However it seems our culture has become obsessed with the celebrity and wants to mimic. Culture has become so obsessed with how one looks that it fails to see the truth behind the creation of the image. Take a look at the following dailymail article. It displays Celeste Barber, a comedian, imitating celebrity photos. While her images are satire, it begs the question of how ‘created’ selfies are.

'Kim Kardashian posing on a pile of dirt - who does that in real life?' Australian comedian skewers celebrity selfie culture by copying their 'natural' poses

 I am all for the confidence boost, I believe we must all have confidence in ourselves, and if the way to get there is through selfies so be it. However I believe more thought into why we are obsessed with taking our own images and what happens once those images are placed on line would benefit society. After all these images present a side of yourself and you can’t always get that image back. As we develop and change our priorities do as well – our future selves might benefit from a new found thoughtfulness.

Figure 2, Selfies and society, Wersm

[melgallimore-blog]

[melgallimore-blog]

REFERENCES

 Ford H, 2012,     Crowd wisdom, Sage Journals, viewed 15 January 2016,<http://ioc.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/content/41/4/33.full>

 Graves L, 2005, Everyone’s a reporter, Wired, viewed 16 January 2016,<http://www.wired.com/2005/09/everyones-a-reporter/>

Graves L, 2005, Everyone’s a reporter [Image], Wired, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://www.wired.com/2005/09/everyones-a-reporter/>

Lewis P, 2011, How mobile phones helped solve two murders, TED, viewed 15 January 2016,<https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_crowdsourcing_the_news>

Sermo, 2014, The power of crowdsourcing, Sermo, viewed 16 January 2016,<http://blog.sermo.com/2014/03/24/raising-the-bar-on-medical-excellence-the-power-of-crowdsourcing/>

Wadhwa V, 2014, Benefits of Crowdsourcing, The Wall Street Journal, 14 January 2016,<http://www.wsj.com/articles/benefits-of-crowdsourcing-1414625224>

[melgallimore-blog]

Week EIGHT

Figure 1 Crowdsourcing Sermo 2014

 When there is nowhere else to go, where do we turn? A statement most journalists have thought at one time or another. Crowdsourcing has become the answer. We have noted in past blogs the effects social media can have on the delivery speed of news. Crowsourcing has become not only a way to ask for assistance but a way to solve large scale problems i.e. crisis (Wadhwa, 2014).

If we look at crisis in terms of criminal activity we can understand the scale to which crowdsourcing can work. Journalist Paul Lewis discusses in the below video details revolving around the cases of two murders; both solved through the assistance of crowdsourcing (Lewis, 2011).

 https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_crowdsourcing_the_news

 Lewis details his call for help and the process undertaken to locate witnesses. Through crowdsourcing Lewis was able to track down bystanders who accounted for details enigmatic to investigators. Submission of photos assisted the case but uncertainty remained (Lewis,2011). Finally one man who happened to be in the area, not a resident, sent through a video of the event. This bystander was randomly scanning his camera around the area, recording the commotion and he just happened to catch the crime on his phone(Lewis, 2011). It is tales like this that provide a clear understanding of the prominence of digital technologies in our lives.  Lewis evaluates that the over use of digital technologies could be a positive in our society,  “Why not? Why not utilize this kind of technology?” as it has helped so many cases and will continue to do so (Lewis, 2011).

 There is a saying that many hands make light work, Heather Ford also presents positive outlooks on crowdsourcing, after all without the assistance of general public the Ushahidi program would have never been invented. The program was marveled for its ingenuity and conception speed (Ford, 2012). Used for crisis mapping the program plots news and visuals from on the ground during crisis, the program was one of a kind.

 Of course with any program faults were evident, and still to this day the program contains errors (Ford, 2012). The main error, which again we have noted in previous blogs, involves issues surrounding fidelity (Wadhwa, 2014). It is imperative to have the ability to weed out fiction from fact. It is the only genuine way to provide the public with up to date relevant information. Unfortunately there are those who move to disrupt such aids and clog the database with false information (Ford, 2012).

Figure 2; Crowdsourcing, Graves 2005

 Crowdsourcing places the onus on the public and expects a duty to society. Everyone is a journalists, a storytellers and a reporters (Graves, 2005).

[sammmiemc50]

Blog # 5 (Week 7) Digital Communities ‘Drama’ and understanding online bullying

In the previous weeks, the units explored the impact of social media and networked communities within the contexts of personal use, the increasingly employment of social media platforms for political campaigning, and activism and protest through digital means (Blackboard 2015). The unit moved to focussing on the contested concept of online interpersonal conflict and exploring further how we manage our identity socially online: ‘trolling’, cyber-bullying and recognising some positive opportunities exist to ‘help’ the bullies themselves whose intention is to expose and embarrass others through social media platforms (Wilken & McCosker 2014).

Bullying - Divergent Conceptions

According to danah boyd (2014, p.130), the concerns about teenage online conflicts and perceived public shaming and harassment have resulted in a ‘national obsession’ with cyber-bullying - interactions that are largely misconstrued by adults.  Boyd’s perspective is based on a definition of bullying drawn from the work of Dan Olweus that identifies three components that are required to meet the threshold of bullying

agresssion

repitition

imbalance of power

Personal accounts obtained from teenagers by boyd do not support that most online conflict contains the element of ‘imbalance of power’: rather the interactions are entered into wilfully and knowingly and are often initiated for ‘drama’ - “perfomative, interpersonal conflict that takes place in front of an active, engaged audience, often on social media” (boyd, 2014, p.138).

Given the absence of an imbalance of power, many examples of perceived cyber-bullying are no more than a form of entertainment, or a means to alleviate boredom.

This perspective can be contested. “Social Norms Theory” (Perkins and Berkowtitz, 1986), proposes that an individuals’ interpretation of social norms, “those beliefs about the attitudes and behaviours that are normal, acceptable, and even expected, in a particular social context” and that influence behaviour, can be misinterpreted to conceive that an attitude or behaviour is more common (or less common) than they perceive it to be: thereby the person engages with ‘false norms’ (Anti-Defamation League). In the social media context, such false norms can lead to someone to engage in behaviour - online rumours, cruel taunts, deliberately embarrassing someone - thinking that it is acceptable to their peers, with the intention of conforming to expectations, driving behaviour in engaging in cyber-bullying.  The perception can be that non-participation may lead to being ostracised from the group - and potentially become a victim themselves (Berkowitz 2015).

As a parent of teenager who is in the cohort of being susceptible to both being bully or victim, the changes in legislation that has recently been implemented is of particular interest.  One only needs to become aware of one tragic example of how cruel online persecution can lead to the death of a young person to be persuaded that perceived violation of civil liberties (i.e. freedom of speech) measured against regulation to prevent such behaviours, supports that a regulatory framework is justified (Begg 2015).

Text messages, Facebook posts - and tragedy

On Easter Saturday 2014, 19-year-old Jessica Cleland suicided having been cyber-bullied by two teenage boys “she considered friends”: she had no history of mental illness.  The Coroner’s finding stated that “although it is not possible to identify, with any degree of certainty, the factors contributing to a person’s decision to take their own life, it is evident that messages received by Jessica online proximate to her death … were precipitating factors. I am satisfied that Faceboook and text messaging were problematic for Jessica: easy access to the Internet on her phone meant that she was exposed to potentially upsetting communications 24 hours a day: and she was able to return to, and re-read, the upsetting messages .. and ruminate about them” (The Drum 2015). Jessica’s Facebook account had been flooded with “horrible sentiments before she died” by the two boys, who had publicly stated that they hated her and that she was “a f**cking woos” and “useless” (Ford 2015: McNab 2015).

Under new legislation, the two boys in the Cleland case could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.  With the function of promoting online safety of children, The Office of the Children’s eSafety Commission provides education and resources for young people, parents, teachers, and anyone concerned about cyber-bullying stating the Commission’s vision “is to encourage behavioural change where Australian children and young people act responsibly online, just as they would offline to create an environment where cyberbullying behaviour is just unacceptable” (Office of the Children’s eSafety Commission 2015).

References

Begg, M 2015, ‘New cyber-bullying commissioner takes nanny state too far’, The Australian, freedomwatch.ipa.org.au/tag/childrens-e-safety-commissioner/

Berkowitz, A 2013, Social Norms Approach, Education Development Centre’s Higher Education Centre, www.ou.edu/judicial/pae/pdt/iv/b/IVBiiSocialNormingTheory.pdf

boyd, D 2014, ‘Bullying: is social media amplifying meanness and cruetly?’, It’s complicated: the social lives of networked teens, Yale University Press, New Haven

Blackboard 2015, Digital Communities, https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-5190912-dt-content-rid-26655217_2/courses/2015-SO3-MDA20009-210404/UnitLearningMaterials/week-07.html

Wilken, R and McCosker, R 2014, ‘Social Selves’, The media and communications in Australia, 4th edn., Allen and Unwin, Sydney

[yesdontyouknowit]

I really enjoyed this read. It’s interesting how even deleting people from your work off your Facebook can be considered to be bullying. Social media is redefining how people hurt and support each other. 

[melgallimore-blog]

Thank you for your blog I really enjoyed it. It is really great to hear from the perspective of a parent. 

Not having children myself and having already grown into my skin and personal confidence I am some what protected from cyber bullying, so thank you for sharing your views and concerns :)

[magicnumber23-blog]

Blog #5 – Digital Citizenship 3: Trolling and social media conflict

The dark side to the Internet and social media

As I’ve explored in my other blogs, the innovation of the Internet and the creation of social media brings many advantages and benefits to individuals’ and society as a whole.  However, where there is good, evil is lurking closely around the corner.  The evil I’m talking about is the trolling, bullying and stalking behaviour from anonymous keyboard warriors that hide behind their screens (Wilson et al 2013).

Urban Dictionary top definition for trolling:

“Being a prick on the internet because you can.  Typically unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent by-stander, because it’s the internet and, hey, you can” (Urban Dictionary 2016).

Not all conflict is seen as trolling or cyberbullying, but a matter of misunderstanding, wrong intent and misinterpretation.  However, it’s not something society can ignore because there are ‘pricks’ out there ruining lives for amusement, deception, manipulation or just seeking to justify their feelings (Bishop 2016).  It’s not just ruining lives; it’s ending lives (NoBullying.com 2015). In most of these tragic cases the victims have been children and teenagers, the statistics are frightening, I had no idea until reaching into this weeks topic. Australian research indicates cyberbullying is most common in 10-14 year olds, with 50% of the age group reported being bullied online at some stage (Kids Helpline 2014). Nobullying.com and kidshelpline.com.au are movements against cyberbullying, they provide further insight into identifying the signs, dealing with and seeking help (NoBullying.com 2015; Kids Helpline 2014).

What is being done?

The Australian Government started its crackdown on cyberbullying back in 2014 by appointing a Commissioner who had the task of enhancing the online safety of children in Australia.  One of the campaign objectives was to collaborate with industry leading companies, Google and Microsoft to implement improved safety measures in the fight against cyberbullying (Mamamia 2014; Lannin 2014).  

Check out the ‘Office of Children’s eSafety’ for more information.

What can you do!

So the wise Internet folk say ‘Do Not Feed them!’, don’t give them the satisfaction and material they’re looking for.  Unfortunately the digital world will always come up against it, however digital citizenship needs to continue the fight against them by creating awareness and prevention before its too late (Wilson et al 2013).

I say let the scum rot at the bottom of the Internet!

References

Bishop, R 2016, ‘Week 7’, Digital citizenship 3: Trolling and social media conflict, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 16 January 2016.

Kids Helpline 2014, ‘Cyberbullying’, Kids Helpline, July, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/grownups/news-research/hot-topics/cyber-bullying.php>.

Lannin, S 2014, ‘Cyber Bullying: Government crackdown to target social media sites’, ABC, 3 December, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-03/government-plans-cyber-bullying-crackdown/5935560>.

Mamamia 2014, ‘1 in 5 Australian kids have experienced this. And the consequences can be devastating’, Mamamia Team, 15 August, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://www.mamamia.com.au/cyberbullying-statistics-in-australia/>.

NoBullying.com 2015, ‘The Top Six Unforgettable CyberBullying Cases Ever’, NoBullying.com, 22 December, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://nobullying.com/six-unforgettable-cyber-bullying-cases/>.

Sturdivant, K 2014, ‘They see me Trollin’, [image], Fun Science Friday – “Trolls Just Wanna Have Fun”, Southern Fried Science, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=16818>.

Urban Dictionary 2016, Top Definition: trolling, Urban Dictionary, viewed 16 January, <http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=trolling>.

Wilson, J, Fuller, G & McCrea, C (eds) 2013, Trolls and the negative space of the internet, Fibreculture Journal, Issue 22, viewed 16 January 2016, <http://twentytwo.fibreculturejournal.org>.

[melgallimore-blog]

This is a great blog. You have explored all aspects of trolling. 

I agree with the don’t feed them, but also agree that it is difficult not to. My parents brought me up with the ‘if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything’, but there is still point to standing up for yourself and it’s sad that some people go out there and attack you for nothing more than amusement.

Nice work, can’t wait to read the next one.

[melgallimore-blog]

 REFERENCES

Boyd d, 2014, Bullying: is social media amplifying meanness and cruelty?, New Haven, viewed 7 January 2016,

<http://onlineres.swin.edu.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/99333103114.pdf>

 Carrick D, 2014, Can a cyber-bullying commissioner protect our kids?, ABC net, viewed 8 January 2016,

<http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lawreport/5286036>

 Ericksson C, 0215, New media, activism and racist internet trolls  [Image]¸ New Media Against Racism, viewed 7 January 2016,

<http://wpmu.mah.se/nmict151group2/2015/03/13/new-media-activism-and-racist-internet-trolls/>

 Kleinman A, 2014, 28 percent of Americans admit to being trolls, Huffington Post, viewed 7 January 2016,

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2014/10/20/internet-trolls-survey_n_6014826.html?ir=Australia>

 McCosker A, 2013, Trolling as provocation, Swinburne University Australia, viewed 7 January 2016,

<http://con.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/content/20/2/201.full>

 News.com.au, 2012, A special investigation into the dark world of trolling, News.com.au, viewed 8 January 2016,

<http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/it-just-makes-me-happy-when-i-can-make-someone-angry-a-special-investigation-into-the-dark-world-of-trolling/story-fndo4dzn-1226283852843 >

 NFBC, 2015, The internet as plain old substance abuse [Image], NFBC.org, viewed 8 January 2016,

<http://www.nfcb.org/blog/2015/9/23/the-internet-as-plain-old-substance-abuse >

 Xenophon N, 2013, Support social media ombudsman, nickxenophon.com.au, viewed 8 January 2016,

<http://www.nickxenophon.com.au/media/releases/show/support-social-media-ombudsman/ >

[melgallimore-blog]

Week SEVEN

With no universal clarity on what defines bullying we can examine our own lives to discover where we would have seen it (Boyd, 2014) - in the playground, in films and TV and now we see it on social media and in digital communities. From racism to school yard bullying, with the expanse of the internet bullying, trolling and flaming has become common place.

 With this in mind we need to once again examine the fidelity regarding social media. We cannot assume that everything we see on social media is the entire story (McCosker, 2013). In fact videos on YouTube are simply segments and posts on social media are individual opinions. In this respect the instability of social media and digital communities has spurred ideas that regulations should be places on usage (McCosker, 2013). As with all extreme cases, action has been prompted to set clauses that protect users from verbal assaults, a social media Ombudsman being the strongest push by government (Xenophon, 2013).

 It makes me query what in human behaviour makes someone feel they have the right to display such hatred when in disagreement. Anonymity is generally the driving force. Without consequence people have moved to hurting others through words, with little remorse.

Figure 1: Ericksson C, 2015, Internet trolling

  Take a look….This article details a psychological look into trolling.

 A special investigation into the dark world of trolling

 With a massive 28% of Americans admitting to trolling at one time or another and stories of how trolling has pushed people to the edge, it is clear that perhaps something has to be done (Kleinman, 2014).

 But what? How do we protect ourselves and our children?  

Figure 2: NFCB, 2015, Internet abuse

With many opting for regulations over how social media is run and used, it seems interesting that some may be ready to give up freedom in order to combat trolling. With the federal government proposing an “e-safety commissioner” to regulate the use of Facebook, concerns over how this new regulation will affect free speech have sparked (Carrick, 2014). Many use social media to express themselves, use their voice and communicate with like-minded people – do you think this will be affected if regulations are enforced on posts?

[narellemda20009-blog]

Activism, protest and social media

There is no doubt that the use of social media is widespread.  We live in a society that regards technology and science so highly that it is almost “worshipped” as religion.

But there are different sides to social media that we need to consider. On the one hand, it provides a democratic, emancipatory and participatory means through which citizens can say what they want, whenever they want. New media is used to become informed, to inform and to construct social and political ties with others. 2011, the “year of the protester” saw activists use social media (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube) in Cairo, Madrid, Barcelona and New York to create and exchange user-generated information using social networking sites, that led to the so-called “Twitter-” and “Facebook revolutions”.

On the other hand, the developers and owners of social media platforms are driven by commercial considerations – they want to make money, access new markets, increase users and avoiding negative publicity, which may be at odds with the way their sites are used. In short, these platforms are not designed for the activist - company policies limit users in terms of community policing practices, anonymity, offensive and violent content and intellectual property rights. Facebook, for example, doesn’t allow pseudonyms in accounts: anonymity, especially in socio-political actions, is vital for privacy, liberty and dignity. From a corporate point of view, real people are easier to target for online commerce and consumer data.

Activists utilise blogs, social media sites and mobile apps to promote their message, raise awareness and gain support.  How much of this, in reality, turns into action? It is a debate between true activism (changing the hearts and minds of the public to effect real change) and slacktivism (where people simply click a button and make only nominal supportive gestures rather than truly engaging in a cause). Gladwell maintains that social media activism relies on weak tie relationships – “followers” on Twitter or “friends” and “likes” on Facebook, and that these platforms are used mainly for entertainment purposes, whereas meaningful activism requires a strong robust organisational structure where people show up in person (McCafferty 2011).

Clay Shirky, a technological optimist says, “as the communication landscape gets denser, more complex and more participatory, the networked population is gaining greater access to information, more opportunities to engage in public speech and an enhanced ability to undertake collective action”.  Social media, them, is a tool of the activist, rather than being activism itself – it amplifies and enables people to gather together by eliciting an emotive response.

An interesting video clip on why social media isn’t good for charity (sorry, can’t figure out how to load it)

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/11/18/clicktivism-why-social-media-not-good-charity

References:

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

Iskander, E 2011, ‘Connecting the National and the Virtual:
Can Facebook Activism Remain Relevant After Egypt’s January 25 Uprising?’, International Journal of Communication 5 (2011), Feature 1225–1237.

Joseph, Sarah 2012, ‘Social Media, Political Change, and Human Rights’, Boston College International and Comparative Law Review 35(1), p145-188.

Kahn, Richard & Kellner, Douglas 2004, ‘New Media and Internet Activism: From the ‘Battle of Seattle’ to Blogging’, New Media Society 6; 87.

McCafferty, Dennis 2011, ‘Activism vs. Slacktivism’, Communications of the ACM 54(12), p17-19.

Valenzuela, S, Arrigada, A, & Scherman, A 2012, ‘The social media basis of youth protest behaviour: the case of Chile’, Journal of Communication 62: 299-314.

Valenzuela, Sebastián 2013, ‘Unpacking the Use of Social Media for Protest Behavior: The Roles of Information, Opinion Expression, and Activism’, American Behavioral Scientist 57(7) 920–942.

Youmans, W, & York, J 2012, Social Media and the Activist Toolkit: User Agreements, Corporate Interests, and the Information Infrastructure of Modern Social Movements’, Journal Of Communication, vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 315-329.

[adigitalcitizen]

Great blog post!

I like how you highlighted the commercial motivations behind social media platforms and their implications on the activist. I have read about growing concerns over how data is being collected by platforms, such as Facebook (though something as simple as the who use the rainbow filter on their profile page) and used for political insight.

Adding the definitions to both activism and slacktivism gave a clear indication to how though social media the latter has deviated from the former.

[melgallimore-blog]

You have made some thoughtful points. 

I really enjoyed you contrast between Activism vs Slaktivism. It really considers both sides and puts into perspective expectations of the general social media public. 

Great post!

[ljt245]

Week 6 - Civic participation and the internet.

Blog post 4

The events of the Arab Spring encouraged a new optimism, that social media could advance democracy to oppressed corners of the globe.  Regimes would be overturned, warlords apprehended and injustice confronted (Swinburne Online 2013).  Come 2015 and spring has passed, little has changed and Joseph Kony is still at large (Radcliffe 2015).  Optimism has given way as activism begins to look more like slacktivism and we realise we did not transcend the public sphere simply by moving it online (Gerbaudo 2012, pp. 7-8: Neal 2012).  

Slacktivism (Lanker 2014)

Activism is a form of democratic participation, however social media is fundamentally unsuited to the rounded establishment and strengthening of democracy that advocates hoped for.  Democracy requires deliberation, quality debate, between equal but diverse participants, to achieve rationally motivated consensus (Radcliffe 2015).  Social media however discourages this diversity of opinion, constraining and reinforcing the views of individuals (Siapera 2012, p. 198).  In activism it is used in adversarial contexts, to organise, fund raise, direct and disseminate (Gerbaudo 2012, p. 3).  It is a tactical weapon, favouring affinity, dogmatism and disdain over engagement, debate and respect (Radcliffe 2015).  Not deliberation, simply activation.

Habermas’ public sphere emerged from 18th century coffee houses where pennies accessed a world of real and complex discourse producing rapid political, business, and scientistic developments (Kosner 2013b).  However, he warned it did not sit well with modern industrialised economies, co-opted by the influence of organisations and institutions.  Our online sphere shares this problem. Activists, as they did in the Arab Spring, demonstrate that ideas can be introduced, but that these are mediated by the profit motives of platform owners and opposed by the state’s increasing desire to monitor and controlling discourse and participation (Youmans and York 2012, p. 315-318).

‘Social Media The New Coffe House’ (Kosner 2013a).

In hindsight, the optimism around social media as a democratising force is overstated. I see it, as an extension of our offline world, an effective creator of weak ties.  A fallible human creation, expressed through code, affordances and policy, but constrained by our imagination, motives and nature (van der Negal 2013, pp. 5-8).  We understand the imperfection of our political and civil systems in our real life constructs, we shouldn’t be surprised when they appear in our online ones either, as if activism isn’t subject to hegemony.  Social media is a useful tactical tool of activism, but not the overwhelming democratising force we hoped it would be.  

References

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

Kosner, AW 2013a, ‘Social media the new coffee house?’ [Image], in Why Social Media Isn’t Doing For Us What London’s Coffee Houses Did For 17th Century, Forbes, viewed 8 December 2015, <http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/06/24/why-social-media-isnt-doing-for-us-what-londons-coffee-houses-did-for-17th-century/>.

Kosner, AW 2013b, Why Social Media Isn’t Doing For Us What London’s Coffee Houses Did For 17th Century, Forbes, viewed 8 December 2015, <http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/06/24/why-social-media-isnt-doing-for-us-what-londons-coffee-houses-did-for-17th-century/>.

Lanker, C 2014, Ted Talk: Slacktivism, 1 May, viewed 8 December 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtjvAsppdLk>.

Neal, C 2012, The public sphere and the new media, Social Media Today, viewed 8 December 2015, <http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/public-sphere-and-new-media>.

Radcliffe, D 2015, ‘The Blog, Dashed Hopes: Why Aren’t Social Media Delivering Democracy?’, The Blog, 22 October, viewed 8 December 2015, < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-radcliffe/dashed-hopes-why-arent-so_b_8343082.html?ir=Australia>.

Siapera, E 2012, ‘Socialities and Social Media’, in Introduction to New Media, Sage, London, pp 191-208.

Swinburne Online 2015, ‘Week 6: Digital Citizenship 2: Activism and Protest’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Learning materials on Blackboard, Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 5 December 2015.

van der Negal 2013, ‘Faceless Bodies: Negotiating Technological and Cultural Codes on reddit gonewild’, Scan Journal of Media Arts Culture, vol. 10, no. 2, Macquarie University.

Youmans, W, & York, J 2012, ‘Social Media and the Activist Toolkit: User Agreements, Corporate Interests, and the Information Infrastructure of Modern Social Movements’, Journal Of Communication, vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 315-329.

[adigitalcitizen]

Enjoyed reading your blog post.

Great video clip. I found the presented history of origin and evolution of the public sphere and your observations insightful.

I wonder if the current wave of slacktivism will eventually make way for a renewed social activism, one in which social media has a more effective role?

[melgallimore-blog]

This is a great blog full of strong points.

The clip was informative and provided an alternate vision. 

I agree with your last statement; I think the public believes that social media holds more strength than it does. We have the ability to post world news in seconds, however the speed of change through social media and the expectations by users is inconsistent. 

Thanks for a great blog!