#mda2000921

[mindfulmedia]

Slow Fashion & Social Media Influencers

Week 9

The world of digital citizenship and the ‘slow fashion’ movement are not considered new, but they have been gaining significant attention in recent years (Lai et al. 2017). The slow fashion movement has increased the awareness of sustainability and responsibility when it comes to fashion consumption. This rise has particularly been seen and felt through its social media traction.

The slow fashion movement first gained attention in the 1960s being linked to counter culture, then again in the 1980s in the form of anti-fur campaigns (Lai et al. 2017). It made another appearance in the 1990s and early 2000s through protests against unjust working conditions (Lai et al. 2017). Sustainable fashion includes services and goods that are relevant for basic needs, that decrease the use of toxic materials and waste emissions and pollutants over the life of the good or service (Lai et al. 2017). Sustainable fashion’s main aim is to not threaten the needs of future generations (Lai et al. 2017).

In today’s social media rich times, there are many influencers and corporations dedicated towards sustainable fashion. They make sustainable fashion their brand. This is a welcome change from the fast fashion hauls and overall saturation of it that we saw across the 2010s. We are seeing a lot more influencers favouring the slow fashion movement particularly through thrifting. Thrifting is going through a trending period now, where more people are open to upcycling other people’s clothes and through donating their own clothes. Another way to engage in the slow fashion movement is through fashion marketplace apps such as Depop or Carousell. There is the notion now in the slow fashion community that the gentrification of thrift stores or op shops is making access to affordable clothing more difficult for lower-income communities (Delgado 2020). As more middle-income and higher-income individuals shop there, causing prices to increase (Delgado 2020). It is therefore important to be aware of and assess your own needs when you’re looking to buy at thrift stores and not bulk buy when it is unnecessary. Thrifting is not bad by any means and should be encouraged, however but being exploitive with it through marked up resales or bulk buying is (Delgado 2020).

Good On You is a website and app that allows you to search for fashion brand ratings. These ratings are calculated in terms of brands’ ethical and sustainable practices, with their three main categories being planet, people and animals (Good On You 2021). Good On You is considered the benchmark for sustainable fashion (Good On You 2021).

Here is the link if anyone wants to check it out: https://goodonyou.eco/

Consider the things you buy.

~

References:

Delgado, V 2020, Thrift reselling is unethical, North Texas Daily, viewed 9 May 2021, <https://www.ntdaily.com/thrift-reselling-is-unethical/>.

Good On You, 2021, Wear the change you want to see, Good On You, viewed 9 May 2021, <https://goodonyou.eco/about/>.

Lai, Z, Henninger, C, Alevizou, P & Cham, J 2017, ‘An Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK’, Springer International Publishing Sustainability in Fashion, pp. 81-101.

[jaydenscommunication]

Week 10 - Digital Communities and Online Harassment

As the Internet and Social Media grew over the years, the World Wide Web turned into a Wild Wild West, as digital communities saw conflict and harassment rise. The Office of eSafety Commissioner, NSW Department of Justice said that “a good digital citizenship is a person with skills and knowledge to effectively use digital technologies in a positive way to participate in society, communicate with others, and create and consume digital content.” Sadly more often than not we see examples of a bad digital citizen instead of a good one. 

In an article by The Conversation they said that online harassment is a form of violence, and that it stems from having or wanting power. “All violence is about a person or person(s) having power and control over another. The uses and misuses of technology are part of this daily power struggle, especially for girls and women. The solutions aren’t easy.” (Ostini & Hopkins, 2015).

It makes sense that women and people of colour are the most targeted online, as the harassment comes down to the power to attack wants to have or keep. 

The Guardian looked at its own comments threads for instances of hate. After looking at 70 million comments left, they found the 10 regular writers who receives the most hate and abuse were eight women (four white and four non-white). The remaining two were black men. The ten writers who got the least abuse were all men (Gardiner et al., 2016)

The way forward will be education, so many people joined social media without understanding its impacts. Some people joined social media in their teens, others discovered it in their 50’s. The one thing in common would be all age groups contribute to online harassment.

Gardiner, B, Mansfield, M, Anderson, I, Holder, J, Louter, D and Ulmanu, M 2016, The dark side of Guardian comments, Guardian.com, viewed 24 May 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments

Ostini, J and Hopkins, S, 2015, Online harassment is a form of violence, theconversation.com, viewed 24 May 2021, https://theconversation.com/online-harassment-is-a-form-of-violence-38846

[maisie-mitchell]

Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

One of the cons of being able to share your opinions and life online is the conflict that comes with it. The power that social media has to create digital communities opens up areas for hate and negativity which is becoming increasingly more worrying with the number of young people on these platforms.

Gaslighting is a term that was defined in one of this week's readings as "psychological manipulation of a person in order to erode their sense of self and sanity" (Gleeson, 2018). The term came from the 1944 film, Gaslight, where a woman was deliberately and gradually manipulated by her husband into believing she is insane. You may have been gaslit by someone you know or witnessed it on social media. You may have even gaslight someone before and not have known. Common tactics can include manipulating your words, denying your feelings, insist things happened a certain way or making you feel inferior.

Governments and organisations have put in place social media codes of practice to protect users when online and may find themselves in a situation of conflict. This doesn't have to just be gaslighting, it can be in different forms of bullying, trolling or hating from anonymous accounts and hidden identities. The anonymity that social media creates is a big factor in why conflict arises when someone is hidden behind their keyboard.

Conflict ties together topics that we have discussed over the semester such as digital citizenship, activism, regulation, platforms, community and inclusion. The increased availability of internet services has grown the amount of conflict and activism that occurs online. Whether there is conflict in the comments of a Facebook post about depicting breastfeeding or a female has posted a bikini photo on Instagram and is now receiving hateful speech and threats in her direct messages.

Regulations for your social media use may be controlled by your school, your workplace or the specific app you may be using. These interests can sometimes have conflicting interests depending on the industry bodies who are developing these standards, however, they all play a part in protecting us online.

Although there is some form of social media governance already in place, Marwick and Caplan gave an example of a Youtube channel that posts video online that are blatantly portraying harassment of women. These videos have gained a lot of attention and views and yet nothing has been done to take these sorts of videos down. This example is one of many that prove we still have a long way to go in making the online public sphere a safer place.

References

Gleeson, J 2018, Explainer: what does ‘gaslighting’ mean?, The Conversation, viewed 14 May 2021, <https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-gaslighting-mean-107888 >.

Marwick, A & Caplan, R 2018, ‘Drinking male tears: language, the manosphere, and networked harassment’, Feminist Media Studies, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 543-559.

[janineblogs2]

Week 10: Digital Citizenship, Conflict and Social Media Governance – Gaslighting & Gamergate

It comes to no surprise that social media is a multifaceted tool. As discussed in previous weeks, social media has the power to create and maintain digital communities, and you reading this right now likely means that you are part of an online community yourself. However, where there are positives, there are often negatives; this is no different for social media. The online world often fosters conflict, with ‘gaslighting’ becoming a common practise. But what exactly is gaslighting?

Gaslighting got its name from the 1944 film Gaslight, where the wife is deliberately and gradually manipulated by her husband into believing that she is insane. He does this by sneaking off and causing the lights to flicker and dim, all whilst denying this knowledge and leading his wife to question her sanity (Gleeson 2018). Although, it is not always deliberate, gaslighting is often used as a method of power and control and is becoming a commonly used term in society, both online and offline. Although, the word carries negative connotations, “it signifies a deeper understanding of what abuse looks like and the many forms it can take” (Gleeson 2018).

Following the theme of social media conflict and governance is the protracted online controversy known as Gamergate. Referred to as an “internet culture war” (Dewey 2014), Gamergate sparked a heated debate. On one side were independent game creators and critics, many being women, who advocate for greater inclusion in gaming; with the other side consisting of misogynist, anti-feminist trolls who refuse to have their games changed (Dewey 2014). Many of the men’s rights activists and anti-feminists used “network harassment, such as doxing (publishing personal information online), revenge porn (spreading intimate photos beyond their origins), social shaming and intimidation” (Marwick and Caplan, 2018), with gamers including Zoe Quinn, Anita Sarkeesian and many others falling victim to this.

Today, the “justice system continues to be slow to understand the link between online harassment and real-life violence. There are more laws about online harassment now and more prosecutions, but police are often untrained and undereducated…[leaving people] unsatisfied with the [legal] response” (Romano 2021).

Although, there are laws in place such as the Criminal Code Act 1995 and the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015, more needs to be done about police officers and society becoming more familiar with the severity of violence and harassment online. If we don’t start becoming better digital citizens now, what will our future look like?

References:

Dewey, C 2014, “The only guide to Gamergate you will ever need to read,” Washington Post, The Washington Post, viewed 12 May, 2021, <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/>.

Gleeson, J 2018, “Explainer: what does ‘gaslighting’ mean?,” The Conversation, viewed 12 May, 2021, <https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-gaslighting-mean-107888>.

Marwick, A.E, & Caplan, R 2018, Drinking male tears: language, the manosphere, and networked harassment, Feminist Media Studies, 18:4, 543-559.

‌Romano, A 2021, “What was Gamergate? The lessons we still haven’t learned,” Vox, viewed 12 May, 2021, <https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/1/20/20808875/gamergate-lessons-cultural-impact-changes-harassment-laws>.

[digitaldiscussions]

Social Media: encouraging unsustainable and unethical fashion? (Week 9)

Social Media is known to establish trends; dances, food, photography. In particular, social media is a catalyst for new fashion trends. The ability for an influencer to post a photo in a particular outfit, and simultaneously compel their followers to buy similar outfits or clothing from that brand is a testament to the power of social media within modern society. However, with this power, comes great responsibility, and unfortunately, this responsibility has been lacking within recent years. Whilst influencers are great at setting trends and influencing the decisions, opinions and purchasing habits of consumers, regarding fashion and clothing, these influencers are less effective at ensuring the promotion of sustainable and ethical fashion. 

Sustainable fashion refers to those ‘goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life-cycle, so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 83). Generally, sustainable fashion rejects the unethical nature of fast fashion, denouncing the ‘throw away attitude’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) of ‘mass-produced’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82 ) and ‘cheap’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) clothing. Sustainable fashion promotes the use of ethically sourced materials and production of clothing in an effort to limit the amount of textile waste that the fashion industry produces. 

There have been huge efforts of recent years within the fashion industry to reform unethical and unsustainable productions and manufacturing. Brands such as H&M, Nike, Adidas and Levis are leading the charge in sourcing sustainable materials for their products and innovating new and ethical forms of production. Despite this, the benefits of sustainable fashion are still significantly threatened by social media and the relationship between influencers and fast-fashion. 

Lai identified that whilst consumers generally understand and agree that the fashion industry needs to ‘change’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) and ‘become more environmentally and socially responsible’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88), they have little ‘awareness’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) about the sustainable fashion movement. Moreover, whilst consumers generally associate sustainable fashion with ‘natural’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89), ‘simple’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89) and ‘locally made’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 89) clothing, the lack of ‘awareness’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) about what the movement is trying to achieve leads these consumers to develop negative ‘perceptions and attitudes’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) towards it. 

The lack of awareness surrounding the sustainable fashion movement can be correlated with the impact of influencers and fast fashion on social media. Many consumers buy clothing based on what their favourite influencers are wearing. Unfortunately, however, many influencers do not actively seek to post about sustainable fashion. As influencers can directly influence the purchasing habits of their followers, posting paid sponsorships with fast fashion companies also directly compels these followers to become consumers of fast fashion. 

Moreover, through influencers not actively getting involved in the sustainable fashion movement, negative ‘perceptions and attitudes’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 88) towards the movement are encouraged. These perceptions include that sustainable fashion is ‘less fashionable’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 92) than its ‘fast fashion counterparts’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 92), and that sustainable fashion is ‘too expensive’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 91). Through the proliferation of these perceptions, the sustainable fashion movement’s main objectives are forgotten, and it becomes more difficult to hold the fashion industry accountable for its large contributions to the environmental crisis. 

Despite this, there is still hope. Influencers can take responsibility on their platforms to inform and compel their audiences to choose sustainable fashion over fast fashion. Through doing so, the demand for fast fashion will slowly decrease, and so will the need for the unethical production of ‘mass-produced’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) and ‘cheap’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) clothing, that only purports a ‘throw away’ (Lai et al 2017, pg. 82) culture. 

References:

Zhen Lai, Claudia E. Henninger and Panayiota J. Alevizou ‘An Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK’, in Sustainability in Fashion A Cradle to Upcycle Approach, edited by Henninger, C.E., Alevizou, P., Goworek, H., Ryding, D. (Palgrave: 2017).

References:

[sarahsdigitalcommunity]

Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

For as long as there has been social media, there has been social media harassment and misconduct. It is important to discuss social media harassment as often social media is discussed as something wholly positive.

Social media harassment is an umbrella term which can refer to being called offensive names, being embarrassed online, being physically threatened online, being sexually harassed online, being harassed over a long time, being hurt online by a romantic partner, being impersonated, spreading damaging rumours online, encouraging others to harass you online, and attempting to hurt the victim in person after online harassment. (Lenhart, et al in Marwick & Caplan R 2018, pg. 544-545).

A prime example of subtle online harassment could be “gaslighting”. A term which has risen in prominence in recent years. The central tenet of gaslighting is the psychological manipulation of a person in order to erode their sense of self and sanity. (Gleeson 2018). Gaslighting’s re-emergence in our day-to-day vernacular is in part due to a wider societal focus on violence against women. (Gleeson 2018).

This week's lecture focused on the harassment women face online, and how many forms of social media harassment are heavily used against women. For example, planned and networked harassment such as doxing, revenge porn, social shaming and intimidation were used by mens rights activists and anti feminist gamers during a protected online controversy known as Gamergate (Marwick A & Caplan R 2018, pg. 544) As a result of social media harassment and misconduct, there is social media governance. Most social media platforms have systems in place to protect and censor users from harassment, in addition to keeping platforms safe and preventing harmful people from having a platform for their hate speech. These methods of governance are quite complex as they have to cover multiple and sometimes conflicting interests. These can include the commercial and public sector and different countries approaches with varying internet regulations.

In Australia there is no sadly single piece of legislation against bullying or online harassment. However there are a number of acts which offer some protection to victims. These include The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015. (Milne 2021). It is important to raise awareness on the dark side of social media and to encourage users to be as nice and positive as possible, to create a space that is safe and enjoyable for all users.

[cirving103060036]

Week 9: Fast Fashion

In a society where trends are constantly changing, the fashion industry attempts to keep up with the ever-evolving developments. Fast fashion is something I had very little knowledge about a few years ago. Most of the time, I shopped where the clothes were considered ‘trendy’ of the time, but I didn’t realise that these brands were part of the problem. After reading this weeks article about Fast fashion, I decided to look in my closet. I was shocked to realise that I didn’t have one item of clothing from a slow fashion brand. I did have several pieces purchased from second-hand stores, but I decided to make a more conscious effort to shop from sustainable brands.

While fast fashion brands are described as “mass-produced, cheap... and often associated with a ‘throw away’ attitude” (Lai, Henniger & Alevizou, 2021, p.82), slow fashion brands must reflect four main elements. To be considered sustainable development, they must include environmental, social, and economic factors. These refer to being free of child labour, utilising materials that are less harmful to the environment, or using recycled items. On paper, this seems great, however, the real issue comes within the actual clothing item itself. Most often, consumers are “seemingly unwilling” (Lai, Henniger & Alevizou, 2021, p.85) to pay for the high price tags which result in sacrificing their choice of clothing items.

Social media also has a significant impact on the Fashion industry alone. Micro-celebrities are seen sharing their most recent purchases in their ‘clothing hauls’, attempting to encourage their followers to support these brands. However, these brands are usually contributing to fast fashion. Social media is helpful, as it creates more “opportunities for dialogue between the public and brands“ (Chen, 2021, p.2) and allows customers to express their interest through comments, likes and shares. Brand communities are formed within “90% of the worlds leading brands” (Chen, 2021,p.1), creating stronger relationships with their followers. Due to these several communities constructed on social media, the constant representation from Fast Fashion brands is incredibly overwhelming. From micro-celebrities to the brands themselves, it is difficult to pull away from the unsustainable brands and move towards sustainable ones.

References:

Chen, Y. (2021). A Social Media Mining and Ensemble Learning Model: Application to Luxury and Fast Fashion Brands. Information, 12(4), 149. doi: 10.3390/info12040149

Lai, Z., Henninger, C., & Alevizou, P. (2021). An Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK. In Sustainability in Fashion A Cradle to Upcycle Approach.

[digibeak]

Week 8 Discussion: Gaming communities, social gaming and live-streaming

For many on the internet, gaming and live-streaming communities provide a place for connection and socialisation. In the past year, new games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Among Us, have amassed large communities of dedicated fans. On platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, some streamers attract audiences numbering in the thousands. Furthermore, on platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr and Reddit, people form fandom communities. These fandoms provide a place to discuss their favourite games and share their own original content, for example, fanart.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many sought gaming for lockdown entertainment, as a form of escapism or as a means of socialisation. This lead to a significant increase in the size of gaming communities, as well as the online discussion and sharing of content. In 2020, following the release of the game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a large and active community was formed. Multiple factors have influenced its popularity during the pandemic. Firstly, the cute and wholesome visuals of the game are attractive to a variety of people and give players a sense of escapism from reality.

It also serves a social function, allowing friends and family to interact and play with each other regardless of physical distance. As MacDonald (2020) observes, the game is "played in social groups" and has a wide variety of features that facilitate interaction with other players. For example, the custom designs feature allows players to create their own clothing and furniture patterns. These can then be shared between players on social media platforms such as Twitter and Reddit. The game also has a wide variety of items, which can be traded between players. These all culminate in a highly social gaming experience. In this way, New Horizons is an example of the positive potential of gaming communities to connect people.

Nevertheless, gaming communities are not without problematic aspects. While games can bring people together, they can also be divisive. For many, especially those who are not straight and/or male, gaming spaces can be exclusionary. The platform Twitch allows streamers to broadcast themselves (often playing games, but not always) to viewers. In many instances, this interaction between a streamer and their viewers in chat can be positive. Taylor (2018, p. 6) comments Twitch is a 'networked broadcast', allowing the audience to become integrated into the show via the synchronous chat window. This promotes a feeling of community between the viewers, who can discuss the stream content in real-time both with each other and with the streamer.

However, the anonymity of Twitch chat and the internet means that viewers are often able to direct vitriol with little to no consequence. As a result, many streamers (especially those who do not fit into the traditional view of a "gamer") are subject to sexist, racist, homophobic and transphobic abuse. This abuse can lead to many streaming communities being unwelcoming to outsiders. Over the years, Twitch has introduced new policies and guidelines in an attempt to curb harassment (Stephen 2020). But ultimately, these measures are only a bandaid solution to a complex, culturally ingrained problem of exclusion.

Overall, gaming and live-streaming communities have the potential to be either welcoming or exclusionary. As New Horizons proves, games can be a place to socialise and share an experience with others. In some instances, Twitch has the same capability, allowing streamers and viewers to form tight-knit communities. However, gaming and streaming communities can also be uninviting, with abuse and harassment shutting many out. The existence of these exclusionary communities suggests a need for change in gaming culture and for proactive solutions which address the issue rather than react to it.

Reference List:

MacDonald, K 2020, ''It's uniting people': why 11 million are playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons', The Guardian, 13 May, viewed 6 May 2021, <https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/may/13/animal-crossing-new-horizons-nintendo-game-coronavirus>.

Stephen, B 2020, 'Twitch overhauls its rules around harassment and hateful conduct', The Verge, 9 December, viewed 6 May 2021, <https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/9/22165342/twitch-hateful-conduct-harassment-policy-update>.

Taylor, T. L 2018, Watch Me Play: Twitch and the Rise of Game Live Streaming, Princeton University Press, Princeton