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Blog 8: Global social media: case study China

Image Source: Edelman Digital via mobilisationlab.org

If there has been one recurring feature of this series of blogs it has been that of social media. Social media plays a major role of how we interact with each other in the developed world. What the creators of MySpace and MSN Messenger started (in the most significant way, and yes, MySpace does still exist) the creators of Facebook and LinkedIn have continued.

Here is a list of the most used social networking sites in Australia from June last year. A communications student will recognise the majority of those names on the list and so will a lot of other people due to how social media is used in contemporary society. They all have their uses; some are more generalised than others (Facebook) while sites like LinkedIn have a general purpose for the professional job market.

Image source: Social Media Today

China on the other hand is famous for have such strict control over how the internet and specifically social media is used it can be perceived that they are not actually wide users of social media at all. While it is true that China's population is largely restricted on which internet sites it can visit, they are still avid users of social media. In fact this article by Simon Kemp from socialmedatoday.com gives great details of social media usage in China's different regions and which sites are the most popular.

Image Source: China RealTime

However, Chinese citizens are becoming more and more disenchanted with social media usage in China. This disenchantment can be attributed to the governments tightening control of social networking platforms and the mass blocking of internet sites but there are other contributing factors such as the realisation social media use can be time consuming.

Social media has penetrated into the lives of Chinese people and they now realize they are spending too much time on it - Sophie Shen

This seems in direct contrast to how we use social networking sites in 'Western' culturalised countries where social media usage is both widespread and used so much that it seems normal to use it on a daily basis. This might be because of different cultural norms but the freedom allowed by governments outside of China may also play a big part in the content and the variety of sites available to their citizens.

Further Reading:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2015/02/06/if-linkedin-were-a-venture-firm-it-would-be-batting-1-000/

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/06/tories-pumping-facebook-advertising-email-ukip

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/magazine/content/11_27/b4235053917570.htm

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/msn-messenger-shuts-down-in-china-2014-8

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/understanding-social-media-china-2014

http://www.chinainternetwatch.com/tag/social-network/

http://thetechportal.in/2015/01/14/china-blocks-50-websites-social-media-accounts-grounds-policy-violation/

Blog 7: Social gaming: playing the crowd

Image Source: NY Times

Like Digital Photography Communities, online gaming is another area of the digital environment that has exploded with the evolution of online and digital media. Although it has played it's part over the past few years, this does not necessarily mean social media is a major element of online gaming. Gaming networks are usually formed by the creators of games that can be played online such as organisations like Sony and online digital games stores like Steam as good examples.

Image Source: Gamespot.com

One of the most well known online games would have to be World of Warcraft, an online multiplayer role playing game much like the old boardgame Dungeons and Dragons. World of Warcraft gave players of the game a new way to interact with other people without being realistic. It's a way of online escapism that allows people to forget about their busy day-to-day lives and share in a common interest with like minded people.

Now almost every newly developed game has the ability to be played online against real people without us really having the realisation that someone halfway across the planet is sitting in their lounge; on a bus; or at work doing the very same thing we are doing. Multiplayer gaming online has become so common that we are all online gamers in one way or another.

Image Source: Google Play

More recently online games have also included avenues of interaction through social media. Games such as Candy Crush (King) encourage players to actively seek assistance from 'friends' on their social media pages. If you get stuck on a level or run out of lives you can ask people to help you out. However, this can tend to create annoyances when people keep sending requests for these types of games to people who aren't interested. I'm sure you, or someone you know will have that same feeling.

However, like many businesses and organisations involved with the transitioning and constant need to upgrade with digital technology, online gaming has also suffered well documented blows. One organisation in particular seems to keep making headlines for negative reasons, Sony. This is mainly through Sony's Playstation Network an online channel for consumers that own Sony's Playstation. Constant hacking and network outages have become so frequent that the major element of trust has come into question. This will always be a problem for large organisations such as Sony being a target, but at the same time, that should have the resources to ensure stability.

Nevertheless, online and social gaming will always be a popular way for people to not only interact with each other further into the future, they will continue to be popular purely for the fact that it is a way for us to escape the normality of everyday life. As long as they are not enjoyed for too long.

Further Reading:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/technology/05wow.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://store.steampowered.com

http://steamcommunity.com

http://au.playstation.com/psn/#select-tab-psnfeatures

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/

http://dnd.wizards.com

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/sony-hacked-again-this-time-the-playstation-store/

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/man-dies-after-playing-online-4996564

Blog 6: Visual communities and social imaging

Image source: Alan Cleaver via BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-30550998)

If there is one digital community that has evolved the most in recent years it is arguably the area community of photography. Not only has technology changed the efficiency of photography but also the devices we use to take photos on a day-to-day basis. Just think, not so long ago, we used to have to take our rolls of film to the camera shop so that those films could be developed into physical photographs. We did not use our computers and smartphones to store our photos, we used photo albums (I still have one, my Mum still has dozens).

Image source: https://www.jbhifi.com.au/cameras/dslr/canon/canon-eos-600dkis-18mp-digital-slr-camera-is-lens-kit/67203/

Even the devices we use to take photographs have changed. Take the photo above. It looks just like any single-lens reflex camera from the past 20 years but rather than being a plain 'SLR' we've added a 'D' to make it a 'DSLR' camera. That single 'D' means that pictures taken from the device now by-pass the camera guy and go straight onto our computers. Improvements in image quality have changed to, the only problem is that unless you know what you are talking about, all the technical details are hard to understand (this blogger is hoping to improve his knowledge by immersing himself in the world of digital photography one day soon).

Image Source: Broken Lance Media

But devices have to just kept their original form and become digitalised. The majority of people in our current society are effectively walking around with a camera in their pocket/handbag/manbag and so forth. Yes, once was a simple device to make phone calls on is now also a camera, and it does not stop there in terms of photo editing and photo manipulation. The collage above shows two original pictures and how those pictures can be edited using mobile phone applications that have come to prominence with the evolution of smartphone technology.

Image source: http://www.skyscanner.com.au/news/top-10-travel-gadgets-2014

Social media also plays a massive part in how digital photo communities allow the ability for individual photographers to not only promote their work but also share their images in their own specific online communities. However, social media can also have controversial connotations with how we take our photos. If you aren't aware of the object in the image above (I'm sure you are), that is the 'selfie stick'. This tool allows people to take images of themselves with much more diversity of background and has found itself in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. The 'selfie stick' is much more important then we give it credit though.

Social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat have shown that people are much more willing to share their personal lives with a public audience through digital photo and video technology. In fact, one former Australian Prime Minister became synonymous with the rise of the selfie. This rise of personal online presence is now an accepted way of how people interact with each other. But, questions still need to be answered on how this online interaction may or may not affect more personal interaction on a daily basis.

Further Reading:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crowdsourcing

http://theconversation.com/crowdsourced-crisis-mapping-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters-7014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-11/how-twitter-covered-the-queensland-floods/3767166

http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/268581/crowdsourcing-during-a-crisis-has-its-drawbacks/

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/crowds.html

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usip.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FSR252%2520-%2520Crowdsourcing%2520Crisis%2520Information%2520in%2520Disaster-Affected%2520Haiti.pdf&ei=ROPSVPiaEo7h8AXHvIIo&usg=AFQjCNGUhZZNKlKclR-ybJqvGwlCTDWPoQ&bvm=bv.85464276,d.dGc

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCoQFjAAOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstar-tides.net%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2Ffiles%2FHarnessing-the-Crowdsourcins-Power-of-Social-Media-for-Disaster-Relief.pdf&ei=sePSVMfLOoT-8QWLjoCoDA&usg=AFQjCNHAPcJP0qqjUec71rNrID9ZokSMZA&bvm=bv.85464276,d.dGc

Blog 4: Online 'trolls' and social media conflict

Picture source: http://www.blogworld.com/2012/10/02/online-trolls-toxic-disinhibition-and-how-we-can-change-the-internet/

Continuing on with a similar theme as #Activism and Protest in digital communities is how these types of events can be effected online and the conflict that can be caused from their comments. Whenever someone posts publicly in social media, it would increases the chance of nameless people causing conflict by writing upsetting and sometimes abhorrent comments on sensitive issues. These 'trolls', as they have been come to be known, often do this intentionally for their own miscued joy.

The results of constant online trolling (particularly when it is targeted at a certain individual) can be completely inextricable. A very sad example of this is the recent death of former model and television host Charlotte Dawson. While there maybe other factors involved with this sad situation, the constant effort of Dawson to combat online trolls could be seen to take a tremendous toll on her personal well being.

This example also shows how easily people can fall in to interact with online trolls and become involved the in social media conflict. Unfortunately, due to the reduced physical and personal contact of online/social media interaction, people can say what they might not normally say to a complete stranger. In this regard it is far from aside to say cruel and insulting things to complete strangers as there is no consequence in doing so.

What makes matters worse in regards to internet trolling and online conflict is when ‘celebrities’ and other well known public figures set low examples of how to interact with others online. Celebritites who engage in feuds and conflict by using the same media channels as everyday people it make their fans feel that this behaviour is acceptable. No longer do people confront each other in person or by telephone, in contemporary society they do it on tools such as Twitter.

Making it harder to combat trolls and conflict is that is very difficult to erase social media sites like Facebook and Twitter of trolls is the size and widespread use of these sites. It would be basically impossible for administrators to delete each offensive and purposely harmful cooment from all the pages of Facebook. What is the best way to be unaffected by social media trolls? The same as any bully, ignore them. By engaging them in conversation and further comment making it only fuels their behaviour as misson accomplished.

Further Reading:

http://www.blogworld.com/2012/10/02/online-trolls-toxic-disinhibition-and-how-we-can-change-the-internet/

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/charlotte-dawson-how-the-cyber-trolls-beat-me/story-fnbk7kwa-1226463900647

http://mashable.com/2009/02/22/social-media-conflict/

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/katy-perry-disses-taylor-swift-in-billboard-ahead-of-super-bowl-half-time-show/story-fn907478-1227203780167

http://elitedaily.com/entertainment/celebrity/top-ten-celebrity-twitter-feuds/

http://www.cnet.com/news/five-types-of-facebook-trolls-and-what-to-do-with-them/

Blog 3: #Activism & Online Protest

Picture source: http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/09/20/5-months-after-the-bringbackourgirls-campaign-nothing-has-been-done/

Digital technologies have had a significant impact on the way people protest for or against different situations in modern society. This is mainly because of the attention that can be gained on a global scale throughmedia channels such as online and social media. However, these methods, while gaining worldwide attention from well known individuals, do not always guarantee success for the cause.

Over the past few years we have seen both good and bad examples of how digital activism and protest is used. Even when a cause may not be a success in terms of the final outcome, the ability to draw attention to situations and occurrences in less developed areas of the world. This in itself is one of the benefits of online activism and protest and one of the major roles social media can play in contemporary society.

The ease in which people can participate in online protest can also be one of the downfalls of digital or '#activism' (hashtag activism). Social media is obviously a very popular tool for a number of uses in the digital age and #activism is becoming a very common element of how people participate with social media.

The problem with this is that it leaves less people actively participating in objective protests. In line with this, the concept of #slacktivism has emerged. This means that people can easily participate through Twitter with a popular hashtag concept or idea and then feel like they have contributed to the cause.

A recent example of this has been the #BringBackOurGirls phenomenon. This element of #activism arose when Islamic militant group Boko Haram kidnapped approximately 200 girls in Nigeria. The movement gained much traction on the Internet and through social media attracting many a celebrity to post from their own 'handles' (even the United States' First Lady Michelle Obama posted a picture of herself getting involved).

While this attracts attention to the cause, the social media movement does nothing to stop the movements of Boko Haram who continues to terrorise a large area of central Africa.

Picture source: http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/09/20/5-months-after-the-bringbackourgirls-campaign-nothing-has-been-done/

This does not mean that #activism and online protest is always unsuccessful though. An excellent example of how social/digital media can be used for the purpose of protest was during the 'Arab Spring' of 2011. Those channels were used effectively to not only organise rallies and demonstrations but to draw attention to dictatorship and oppression in the region.

References:

http://thehigherlearning.com/2014/09/20/5-months-after-the-bringbackourgirls-campaign-nothing-has-been-done/

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-01-10/what-ever-happened-to-bringbackourgirls

http://rightnow.org.au/writing-cat/article/slacktivism-just-one-click-to-save-the-world/

Blog 2: Politics and Civic Cultures

I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life. That’s number one. - Barack Obama

Social media and politics have emerged as an extremely strong partnership over the past 7 or 8 years in Australia; even longer in other countries. With the eventual popularity and growth of social media use by mass audiences, these media platforms became a guaranteed way for political parties and individual politicians to reach a large number of people. Individual use of social media by politicians is far more interesting than how political parties use these platforms; mainly due to the personality they wish to sell to the public.

Of course, we only have to look at past campaigns and how the use of social media delivered popular slogans which were then shared from person-to-person to generate a behemoth. A specific example was the Kevin07 campaign which saw Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party elected into government for the first time in over a decade. While some might have seen the length of time then serving Prime Minister John Howard had negative effects on the Liberal campaign, technology and social media definitely had an impact for Rudd.

It was the use of a cross-media campaign that enabled voters to identify with Rudd and saw him as a younger more in touch option over the very familiar Howard.

Of course, with the pros always come the cons and social/digital media use for politicians will always provide anxious moments, some more damaging then others.

Particularly damaging for Peter Watson who was forced to quit his candidacy for the 2012 Queensland Election, after homophobic comments from an old blog were found online from when he was 15 (Jericho, 2012). An excellent example in relation to the Barack Obama quote given at the top of the page.

Negative comments will always be part of a politicians' life though, and platforms such as Twitter allow for any member of the public to follow a certain politician and comment on posts accordingly (provided they aren't 'blocked' in the process). This creates a much higher level of scrutiny on anything a person of high office might put into the digital world, as the higher the office, the greater the amount of eyes.

While I'm sure the pros can outweigh the cons (depending on the individual and their social media use), I'm sure we will be certain to see another missed typed Twitter post in the not too distant future. Whether we see another Kevin07 I'm not so sure.

References:

Australian Associated Press. (2007). 'Rudd takes Kevin07 online' from there.com.au http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/rudd-takes-kevin07-online/2007/08/07/1186252674988.html

Jericho, G. (2012), 'How many votes are there on Twitter?', in The Rise of the Fifth Estate, Scribe, Victoria, Australia.

Blog1: Digital Community and Digital Divide

Social media plays a very large part of our everyday lives. If we aren't checking Facebook we are checking some other social media platform such as; Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr and the list goes on. The level of use has grown so much that Journalists often use Twitter posts or YouTube videos as serious news information as part of written and broadcast news stories.

While social media and contemporary social theory based around social media use by mass audiences is relevant, the idea of digital community is something of a little more concern. Here, the user creates their own online communities based on their online presence. Roger Malina discusses this by saying, "One can meaningfully talk about 'electronic monasteries,' walled digital communities that promote internal connectivity and discourage most attempts at external permeability" (Malina, 2006). It is this point where we also have problems in relation to concepts such as the digital divide.

Disabled users are clearly one part of modern society that accessibility affects more then most but it seems that this is due to not asking the people who would know best when technologies are being developed. Cynthia Waddel speaking at the Internet Governance Forum in 2009 points out that, "One of the fundamental problems has been not consulting persons with disabilities when designing technologies" (Waddel, 2009). This makes a lot of sense but how often are the disabled members of society generally thought of in regards to most things? A good example is the Paralympics games, which never receives the same amount of attention as the Olympic games. This is not a downfall in regards to digital technology or digital media but human society in regards to minority groups. The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission lists some benefits such as captioning for deaf people or the ease in which some disabled may find using a computer rather then hold or read paper pages (Cover, 2010) but there are still shortfalls. Are people who find it hard to read words on paper going to find it that much easier to read words on a computer screen?

It is not just the disabled who are affected by digital accessibility. People living in rural areas around Australia may be facing a bit of a wait before Internet connections are improved throughout the country. This is of course pending the upcoming federal election with the National Broadband Network becoming a key policy for both sides of parliament. Senator Kate Lundy argues that the scrapping of the NBN will fail to bridge the digital divide in Australia (Clarke, 2010). This would affect many students who depend on the Internet in rural areas in regards to education, as the Internet is a tool for rural students who are physically unable to attend classrooms due to distance between home and school.

However, with increased access to online media platforms, members of regional areas can use these tools for positive outcomes with a greater amount of communication channels.

References:

Agence France Presse. (2009). Technology failing disabled net surfers: forum. November 18, 2009. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/technology-failing-disabled-net-surfers-forum-20091118-ikmn.html

Clarke, Trevor. (2010). Opposition NBN stance is ‘absolutely appalling’: Lundy http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/347109/opposition_nbn_stance_absolutely_appalling_lundy/

Cover, Rob Dr. (2010) Fact Sheet 12: Digital Accessibility. MDIA 1002 Digital Revolutions. Adelaide University.

Marina, Roger F. (2006) 'Network Theory: Art, Science and Technology in Cultural Context' in Leonardo, Vol. 39, No. 4, Pacific Rim New Media Summit Companion (2006), pp. 287- 288. The MIT Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20206256

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