Yuka Mizuta

Hi there, this account for MDA20009 Tumblr Assignment

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Post Scriptum

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Week 12: Crowd sourcing in times of crisis

Have you ever experienced a natural disaster or emergency situation and faced serious damage to your communication systems? Of course, I experienced it on 2011 March 11, the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Social media can dramatically change how people communicate during emergencies and disasters and can be utilized in innovative ways. Social media is deeply rooted in our daily lives, serving as an essential tool for meeting various needs and spreading vast amounts of information daily (Wang et al., 2025). One of these important concepts is crowdsourcing.

Crowdsourcing is a system that invites a large number of people online to participate in a task and do the work for you (Schimak et al., 2015). Participants are free to join, but the parties requesting work are usually clearly defined entities such as companies or organizations. Therefore, crowdsourcing helps gather information from the general public at every stage of a crisis and understand what is happening. Due to disasters, the roles of information technology, communication systems, and digital tools are increasingly recognized (Nielsen et al., 2024).

Case Study: the Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami 2011

On March 11, 2011, the Tohoku region was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, a major tsunami, and a nuclear disaster, resulting in 19,729 deaths (Reconstruction Agency, 2023) and over 300,000 people affected (Teraguchi et al., 2012). In disasters of this scale, government information and media coverage alone were insufficient, and access to important information was cut off in many regions.

Amidst this, Google and Picasa (Google Photos) made a surprising move. Google immediately launched Person Finder, integrating it with Picasa to allow volunteers to upload photos of handwritten evacuee lists brought back from shelters (Teraguchi et al., 2012). This allowed many people to digitize their name data and register it in databases, enabling families to find missing relatives. Within weeks of the tsunami, this initiative saw about 5,000 anonymous volunteers from around the world transcribe over 10,000 photos, adding more than 140,000 pieces of information to the main registry (Tabuchi, 2011). Reports on the locations of evacuation shelters, water supply points, and areas where gas supply had been cut off were collected via Twitter and email, helping convey on-the-ground voices that government agencies and major media outlets could not fully capture. Such citizen-provided information greatly contributed to the rapid planning of rescue and relief efforts.

Moreover, during this earthquake, when conventional communication systems stopped functioning, Twitter and Facebook became important alternative means. The platforms were used to share real-time information from disaster areas, confirm the safety of family and friends, request assistance and supplies, coordinate volunteer and relief activities, and disseminate information when official channels were unavailable (Hashimoto & Ohama, 2014). Some local governments effectively used social media to provide emergency information. For example, when administrative systems stopped functioning, Iwate Prefecture used personal mobile phones to disseminate information via Twitter and Facebook (Hashimoto & Ohama, 2014). Tsukuba City also used Twitter to quickly disseminate disaster information and receive citizen reports (Hashimoto & Ohama, 2014). Social media played a role in connecting victims and supporters, enabling volunteers to organize relief activities more efficiently.

Therefore, the earthquake and tsunami are powerful examples of how crowdsourcing can support disaster response, especially after experiencing how quickly official communication systems can break down during emergencies. I felt that social media and tools like Google’s Person Finder were extremely helpful in sharing urgent information and reconnecting people. However, I am also concerned that relying too much on crowdsourced data can be risky, as information is not always verified and can spread confusion during critical moments. This makes me question whether disaster management systems might become overly dependent on publicly generated information rather than strengthening official communication infrastructure.

To sum up, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami demonstrate how crowdsourcing and social media can become critical tools in disaster response when traditional communication systems fail. The rapid spread of user-generated information through platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google’s Person Finder showed how collective intelligence can support emergency rescue, locate missing people, and coordinate relief efforts more efficiently than official channels alone. However, this case also raises important concerns about information reliability, misinformation, and unequal access to digital technologies during crises. This raises a critical question: while crowdsourcing can significantly improve disaster response, how can authorities ensure that information collected from the public is accurate, trustworthy, and effectively integrated into official decision-making systems?

References

Hashimoto, Y., & Ohama, A. (2014). The role of social media in emergency response: The case of the Great East Japan Earthquake. NIDS journal of defense and security, 15, 99-126.

Nielsen, A. B., Landwehr, D., Nicolaï, J., Patil, T., & Raju, E. (2024). Social media and crowdsourcing in disaster risk management: Trends, gaps, and insights from the current state of research. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1002/rhc3.12297

Reconstruction Agency. (2023). Great East Japan Earthquake. https://www.reconstruction.go.jp/english/topics/GEJE/　

Schimak, G., Havlik, D., & Pielorz, J. (2015). Crowdsourcing in Crisis and Disaster Management – Challenges and Considerations. In R. Denzer, R. M. Argent, G. Schimak, & J. Hřebíček (Eds.), Environmental Software Systems. Infrastructures, Services and Applications: AICT-448 (pp. 56–70). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15994-2_5

Tabuchi, H. (2011, July 11). Quick Action Helps Google Win Friends in Japan. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/technology/quick-action-helps-google-win-friends-in-japan.html

Teraguchi, M., Saito, S., Lau, T., Ohno, M., Cerruti, J. A., & Takagi, H. (2012). Crowdsourcing in crisis informatics for disaster relief. International Reports on Socio-Informatics (IRSI), 9(2), 60-66.

Wang, J., Zhai, Y., & Shahzad, F. (2025). Mapping the terrain of social media misinformation: A scientometric exploration of global research. Acta Psychologica, 252, 104691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104691

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Week 11: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

Do you remember what a good digital citizen is?

A good digital citizen represents someone who protects personal information online, exercises sound judgment, interacts with others respectfully, and avoids spreading harmful content (University of Michigan, 2010). However, in the digital age, technology has become widespread, and many digital citizens use the internet daily. On the other hand, there are malicious users who use social media to disrupt or engage in online harassment and aggression.

Online harassment has become common among social media users (Nur Afiqah & Che, 2023). Online harassment refers to individuals spreading malicious rumors, sending direct messages containing abusive language, and sharing personal information, including sexual images, without the individual's consent (Haslop et al., 2021). People engage in online harassment for their own enjoyment. Online harassment has existed since the 1980s through email, chat relays, forums, and similar activities (Ortiz, 2020). Furthermore, while online harassment is often seen as a problem of abhorrent acts by individuals, harassment acts are often planned and networked within groups (Marwick & Caplan, 2018). Examples of online harassment include trolling and framing. Trolling is perceived as an online activity aimed at eliciting reactions from other users or causing conflict or confusion. Trolls use various means, such as humor, provocation, deception, and aggressive remarks, to stimulate others and enjoy their reactions and the commotion (Ortiz, 2020). On the other hand, framing refers to the use of offensive language, such as insults and hateful comments, through online media, and through these negative acts, the perpetrator finds self-satisfaction (Lingam & Aripin, 2017).

Furthermore, acts of online harassment have shifted from the fringes of the web to the forefront of academic and media discussions on freedom of speech, harassment, racism, and politics (Ortiz, 2020). It is easy to see how trolling in gaming forums can escalate from a single provocative comment into widespread hostility, underscoring how fragile online civility is and how much responsibility platforms carry in shaping the tone of digital spaces.

Case study: GamerGate incident

The GamerGate case in 2014 is an important case for examining gender issues and the structure of online harassment in gaming culture. This incident began with a personal blog post about game developer Zoe Quinn, drawing international attention to issues of sexism and misogyny within the gaming community (Ferguson & Glasgow, 2021). The incident began at a time when the presence of female developers and critics in the gaming industry was gaining attention. While advocating journalistic ethics, it has rapidly evolved into broader discussions about social media platforms' responsibilities to address misogyny, freedom of expression, digital citizenship, and harmful online behavior. In this case, Zoe's personal information was exposed on online forums such as Twitter, Reddit, and 4chan, involving rape, murder threats, and fabricated false conspiracies (Rott, 2019). For example, Zoe slept on her way to the top with game journalists for promotional purposes (Ferguson & Glasgow, 2021). According to research by Ferguson & Glasgow (2021), heterosexual white men were the largest number of GamerGate supporters. Therefore, Gamergate highlights that online harassment is a structural issue rather than an individual one, and that weak platform governance can turn social media into a space that limits rather than supports free expression.

To address these challenges, one possible solution is to introduce a governance and regulatory framework for social media. Social media governance refers to the rules and policies that guide online communication, often intersecting with areas such as corporate law, copyright law, and freedom of expression (Flew, 2015). Scholars identify four main approaches to governance: normative, algorithmic, decentralized, and retaliatory. Normative governance relies on community participation, where users help enforce standards through guidelines and moderation. Algorithmic governance uses technologies like machine learning to automatically detect and remove content that violates platform rules (Schoenebeck & Blackwell, 2021). Decentralized governance depends on user ratings to determine visibility, allowing highly rated posts to spread while limiting poorly rated ones. Retaliatory governance, on the other hand, involves direct actions between users, such as public shaming, accusations, or cancellation campaigns (Schoenebeck & Blackwell, 2021).

In conclusion, online harassment is not a marginal issue but a central challenge in digital citizenship and social media governance. The Gamergate case illustrates how coordinated online abuse can reflect deeper structural problems within digital platforms, rather than being understood as isolated individual behavior. While social media governance mechanisms such as algorithmic moderation and community guidelines aim to reduce harmful content, they are often inconsistent and can be influenced by political or commercial interests. While many assume algorithmic moderation is a neutral solution, it often reflects political or commercial biases, meaning that governance itself can reproduce the very inequalities it seeks to resolve. This raises concerns that current regulatory approaches may be insufficient to address complex forms of online harassment. Therefore, stronger accountability from platforms is necessary, but it is also important to critically consider whether excessive regulation could unintentionally limit freedom of expression and open public discourse. Ultimately, the future of digital citizenship depends on striking a delicate balance — regulating harmful online behavior effectively, while preserving the freedom of expression that makes digital spaces vibrant and democratic.

References

BBC News. [@BBCNews]. (2014, October 31). GamerGate Zoe Quinn: “I have a folder called those who left.” [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4nVDjIX7hzw?si=57tjrQLabt57Uz3D

Ferguson, C. J., & Glasgow, B. (2021). Who Are GamerGate? A Descriptive Study of Individuals Involved in the GamerGate Controversy. Psychology of Popular Media, 10(2), 243–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000280　

Flew, T. (2015). Social Media Governance. Social Media + Society, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305115578136

Haslop, C., O’Rourke, F., & Southern, R. (2021). NoSnowflakes: The toleration of harassment and an emergent gender-related digital divide, in a UK student online culture. Convergence (London, England), 27(5), 1418–1438. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856521989270

Lingam, R. A., & Aripin, N. (2017). Comments on Fire! Classifying Flaming Comments on YouTube Videos in Malaysia. Jurnal Komunikasi, Malaysian Journal of Communication, 33(4), 104–118. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkmjc-2017-3304-07　

Marwick, A. E., & Caplan, R. (2018). Drinking male tears: language, the manosphere, and networked harassment. Feminist Media Studies, 18(4), 543–559. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2018.1450568

Nur Afiqah Ab. Latif, & Che Nooryohana Zulkifli. (2023). The normalisation of trolling on social media. Voice of Academia.

Ortiz, S. M. (2020). Trolling as a Collective Form of Harassment: An Inductive Study of How Online Users Understand Trolling. Social Media + Society, 6(2), 205630512092851. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120928512

Rott, N. (2019). NPR Choice page. Npr.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/09/24/349835297/-gamergate-controversy-fuels-debate-on-women-and-video-games

Schoenebeck, S., & Blackwell, L. (2021). Reimagining Social Media Governance: Harm, Accountability, and Repair. SSRN Electronic Journal, 23. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3895779

University of Michigan. (2010). Are You a Good Digital Citizen? | Social Integrity. Umich.edu. https://socialintegrity.umich.edu/a-good-digital-citizen/ 

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Week 10: Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming: Twitch

Do you like playing games? Or do you enjoy watching game commentaries? Have you ever found yourself watching someone play a video game for hours, feeling just as engaged as if you were playing it yourself? These experiences are becoming increasingly common in today’s digital entertainment culture, where gaming is no longer only about playing but also about watching, sharing, and belonging.

Everyone loves to play, and over the past few decades, the video game industry has expanded dramatically into one of the most influential sectors of global entertainment. Players engage with games not only for fun, but also to connect with others, relax, and use gaming as a form of escape or social interaction (Vasiuk, 2024). This post explores the development of gaming culture, with a particular focus on why people watch game streams and how gaming communities are shaped in the digital age.

Games are now a highly profitable and rapidly evolving segment of the entertainment industry. The world's first video game, “Spacewar!”, was developed in 1962 at MIT (EBSCO, 2024). From that early innovation, gaming has transformed into a global industry powered by constant technological advancement. As development tools and hardware have progressed, the systems and platforms used for gaming—such as cartridges, consoles, PCs, mobile phones, and even virtual reality—have also evolved significantly (Vasiuk & Dubrovskyi, 2025). With these technological advancements, video games today are not only more accessible but also more immersive, featuring highly realistic graphics, sound design, and interactive storytelling (Vasiuk, 2024). I still remember the first time I played on a Nintendo Switch. Its portability and smooth gameplay kept me completely absorbed, showing how gaming had evolved into a more personal and immersive experience.

But gaming isn’t just about playing anymore. People increasingly enjoy watching live streams, where players broadcast their gameplay for others to view and interact with (Tammy Lin et al., 2019). Twitch, the most popular platform, allows users to stream gameplay, music, art, and more, while engaging with viewers in real time (Speed et al., 2023). While I haven’t personally watched Twitch streams, research shows that viewers are drawn to them for entertainment, learning, and a sense of community. This suggests that Twitch has become more than a platform — it’s a cultural space where digital crowds gather.

One of the key reasons people are drawn to live game streaming on Twitch is the opportunity for social connection through parasocial interaction (Speed et al., 2023). Parasocial relationships occur when media users develop a one-sided but emotionally meaningful sense of connection with a media figure (Leith, 2021). Even though viewers do not have a reciprocal relationship with streamers, repeated exposure through live chats, ongoing streams, and interactive communication can create a strong feeling of familiarity and friendship. Over time, viewers may feel as if they “know” the streamer personally, even without direct mutual interaction. These emotional bonds can become powerful motivators, encouraging viewers to return regularly, support streamers financially, and remain engaged within the community.

In addition to parasocial connection, people watch live game streams for entertainment, relaxation, and learning. Research has shown that Twitch viewers are motivated by multiple factors, including entertainment, information-seeking, social interaction, and a sense of belonging to the community(Sjöblom & Hamari, 2017). This suggests that streaming platforms are not only sources of passive entertainment but also spaces where users actively engage with content and with one another. From my perspective, this reflects a shift in how digital audiences consume media: instead of simply watching content, viewers now participate in a shared social experience that feels interactive and communal. Hence, live game streaming on Twitch attracts audiences not only through emotional attachment to streamers, but also through enjoyment, knowledge sharing, and a strong sense of community that encourages long-term participation and loyalty.

Through gaming, people across the world develop shared interests and form online communities that extend beyond geographical boundaries (Saldanha et al., 2023). A gaming community is an online space where users interact based on a shared passion for games, where experienced players often guide beginners, and learners continuously improve through observation and participation. At the same time, these communities are not one-directional; they are dynamic environments where users both teach and learn from each other, creating a continuous cycle of knowledge exchange and collaboration. Furthermore, gaming communities often foster a strong sense of belonging and identity, enabling users to feel connected to others who share similar interests. In some cases, these online relationships can even extend into real-life friendships and meetups, showing how digital interaction can evolve into meaningful offline connections.

However, alongside these positive aspects, gaming communities also face challenges and risks that cannot be overlooked. Excessive involvement in the gaming environment can lead to unhealthy habits such as addiction, reduced offline social interaction, and negative impacts on mental health, and in severe cases, can cause gaming disorder (Gandolfi et al., 2023). Furthermore, competitive environments can foster harmful behavior, particularly from the frustration of losing games. This can lead to aggressive communication, harassment, or verbal abuse towards other players (Frommel et al., 2023). These negative behaviors highlight a significant paradox in gaming culture: while communities are designed to connect people, they can also become breeding grounds for conflict and hostility. This raises the crucial question of whether the current gaming environment is adequately regulated or socially guided to maintain healthy interaction among users. For example, a famous gaming YouTuber IShowSpeed ​​was permanently banned from Valorant during a live stream for using abusive language and making misogynistic and sexist remarks (Cheong, 2022).

I believe that such abusive language and negative behavior are significant issues facing the modern gaming community. While gaming communities promote interaction among players, they can also become breeding grounds for conflict and hostility. Therefore, I believe we need to further examine regulations and community management practices to maintain healthy communication.

In conclusion, gaming communities and live-streaming platforms such as Twitch have transformed gaming into a deeply social experience that extends far beyond individual play. They provide opportunities for entertainment, learning, and connection, yet they also expose players to risks such as toxicity, harassment, and unhealthy habits. The case of IShowSpeed’s ban from Valorant illustrates how unchecked behavior can undermine the very sense of community these platforms aim to foster. This paradox highlights a critical tension in modern gaming culture: while digital spaces can unite people across boundaries and create meaningful bonds, they can also blur the line between authentic connection and superficial interaction. Ultimately, we must ask whether these communities are truly strengthening human relationships or reshaping them into fragile digital constructs that demand closer regulation and reflection.

References

Cheong, C. (2022, April 8). YouTube streamer IShowSpeed apologizes for comments to female gamer. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/ishowspeed-valorant-darren-watkins-apologizes-comments-female-streamer-youtube-2022-4

ECSCO. (2024). History of Video Games. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/history-video-games

Frommel, J., Johnson, D., & Mandryk, R. L. (2023). How perceived toxicity of gaming communities is associated with social capital, satisfaction of relatedness, and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 10, Article 100302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100302

Gandolfi, E., Ferdig, R. E., Krause, K., Soyturk, I., Morris, G., & Delahanty, S. (2025). An exploration of why gaming communities may make younger and non-normative gamers vulnerable to Internet Gaming Disorder. New Media & Society, 27(5), 2807–2825. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231215348

Goated Gang Gaming. [@GoatedGang]. (2022, April 10). This Clip Got IShowSpeed PERMANENTLY Banned From Valorant. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/JHCNyVqICKA?si=HOiQuoB4gP-V2YI6

Leith, A. P. (2021). Parasocial cues: The ubiquity of parasocial relationships on Twitch. Communication Monographs, 88(1), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2020.1868544

Sergei Vasiuk, Vasiuk, S., Vlad Dubrovskyi, & Dubrovskyi, V. (2025). A Brief History of Video Games. In Running a Successful Live Service Game (1st ed., pp. 9–13). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003427056-3

Sjöblom, M., & Hamari, J. (2017). Why do people watch others play video games? An empirical study on the motivations of Twitch users. Computers in Human Behavior, 75, 985–996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.10.019

Speed, A., Burnett, A., & Robinson II, T. (2023). Beyond the Game: Understanding why people enjoy viewing Twitch. Entertainment Computing, 45, Article 100545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100545

Tammy Lin, J.-H., Bowman, N., Lin, S.-F., & Chen, Y.-S. (2019). Setting the digital stage: Defining game streaming as an entertainment experience. Entertainment Computing, 31, 100309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2019.100309

Vasiuk, S. (2024). Running a successful live service game : Live outside of game updates. Taylor & Francis Group.

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Week 9: Digital Citizenship and Software Literacy: Instagram Filters

Do you use filters when you post your face on Instagram stories or posts? Or any social media post?

This topic will discuss AR (augmented reality) filters, why people use them, and their effects. With the rise of the internet, everyone has become a digital citizen, glued to it every day. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have become extremely popular and frequently used. Among these apps, AR technology filters are used daily and improve application efficiency.

Loijens (2017) defined that “AR is a technology that adds an extra layer of virtual information on top of the perception of the real world, in real-time.” AR is a technology that overlays digital information onto the real world and is currently mainly used for visual expression. In many cases, 3D objects or virtual spaces are displayed in the real environment, and audio may be added (Loijens, 2017). Therefore, AR filters primarily utilize facial recognition technology to overlay digital images and effects onto the user's face. This makes it possible to enhance or alter one's appearance, transform into fictional characters, and apply entertaining visual effects (Javornik et al., 2022).

AR filters enhance users’ creativity by naturally overlaying virtual elements in real time, making it easier to create engaging social media content (Javornik et al., 2022). The reasons people use AR filters are that users express themselves to their online audience in a specific way (Javornik et al., 2022). AR beauty filters allow users to enhance their appearance, express their personality, and create a desired online identity.  Furthermore, the user can adjust their image or change their appearance (Ryan-Mosley, 2021). For example, according to Ryan-Mosley (2021), when you're not wearing makeup or don't think you look your best, using beauty filters can change specific parts of your appearance or fix areas that bother you.

Beyond self-presentation, AR filters are also widely used for entertainment. According to Ibáñez-Sánchez et al. (2022), many users engage with AR filters primarily for enjoyment rather than practical purposes such as shopping or marketing. Although AR filters were originally developed for corporate use, they are now more commonly used for fun and personal expression (Ibáñez-Sánchez et al., 2022). For example, users often apply filters that transform them into humorous characters such as animals or anime-style avatars. Platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok have made these filters highly accessible; Snapchat alone reports around 200 million daily users of AR features, and approximately 90% of young people in countries such as the United States, France, and the United Kingdom use them (Ryan-Mosley, 2021).

From my own perspective, I’ve noticed how common it is for peers to use filters before posting selfies. Even when the edits are subtle, the pressure to present a “perfect” version of oneself becomes clear. Observing this has made me reflect on how easily digital citizens can internalize unrealistic standards, even when they know the images are altered.

However, as filters become more widespread and used daily by many people, they also come with many drawbacks. The filter idealizes the face. This subtle beautification casts the real self as a problem in need of fixing (Leno, 2026). One such symptom is filter dysmorphia, where frequent use of AR beauty filters distorts one's body image and ultimately negatively affects mental health (Anani et al., 2024). Reliance on filters can increase behaviors that avoid mirrors, photos, and interactions with people, as well as interest in cosmetic surgery. Also, getting used to a processed ideal look can sometimes lead to dissatisfaction with your actual appearance. (Leno, 2026). While many argue AR filters are simply playful tools, they can normalize unrealistic standards that fuel body dissatisfaction and mental health struggles.

To sum up, the relationship between filters and users can lead to positive outcomes, such as enhanced facial beauty and enjoyment, or negative outcomes, such as dissatisfaction with one's body and self-objectification (Schroeder & Behm-Morawitz, 2025).

In conclusion, AR filters have become an integral part of digital citizenship, shaping how users express themselves and interact on social media platforms. While they offer clear benefits such as creative self-expression, entertainment, and enhanced visual communication, they also raise serious concerns about body image, self-esteem, and mental health. As filtered appearances become increasingly normalized, the boundary between reality and idealized identity may become blurred, particularly for younger users whose self-concepts are still developing. Therefore, it is important for digital citizens to engage with AR filters critically and consciously, recognizing both their creative potential and their psychological implications. As these technologies continue to evolve, a key question remains: how can we reconcile digital self-expression with acceptance of our unfiltered selves in an increasingly visual online culture?

References

Anani, P. W., Mintah, F. D., Danso, A. A. A., & Churcher, E. W. (2024). Filtered reality: exploring the motives and socio-demographic factors of smartphone beauty filter usage among university students in Ghana. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2024.2392381

Ibáñez‐Sánchez, S., Orús, C., & Flavián, C. (2022). Augmented reality filters on social media. Analyzing the drivers of playability based on uses and gratifications theory. Psychology & Marketing, 39(3), 559–578. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21639　

Javornik, A., Marder, B., Barhorst, J. B., McLean, G., Rogers, Y., Marshall, P., & Warlop, L. (2022). “What lies behind the filter?” Uncovering the motivations for using augmented reality (AR) face filters on social media and their effect on well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 128(107126), 107126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107126

Leno, M. (2026, January 23). What Is Filter Dysmorphia, and Why Is It Alarming? [Blog post].  Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-matters/202601/what-is-filter-dysmorphia-and-why-is-it-alarming

Loijens, L. W. S. (2017). What is augmented reality? In Augmented Reality for Food Marketers and Consumers. Wageningen Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-842-1_1

Ryan-Mosley, T. (2021). Beauty Filters Are Changing the Way Young Girls See Themselves. Mediastudies.press. https://doi.org/10.32376/3f8575cb.d4c8ee48 ‌Schroeder, M., & Behm-Morawitz, E. (2025). Digitally curated beauty: The impact of slimming beauty filters on body image, weight loss desire, self-objectification, and anti-fat attitudes. Computers in Human Behavior, 165, Article 108519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108519

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Week 8: Digital Citizenship and Health Education: Body Modification on Visual Social Media.  

Are you satisfied with your current appearance?

Today, social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are deeply embedded in our everyday lives. We scroll through countless photos and videos every day, often without realizing how much they influence the way we see ourselves. Have you ever compared your appearance to someone you saw online and suddenly felt less confident? Many people idealize unrealistic beauty standards on social media, which can negatively affect body image and self-perception (Tiggemann, 2022).

Body modification is defined as the use of filters or photo-editing software to digitally alter faces or bodies (Tiggemann, 2022). Unlike traditional media, social media has a unique impact on body image. It features not only models and celebrities but also ordinary users. They tend to post only attractive, edited, and retouched photos, presenting an idealized self-image (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016). For example, editing the eyes or lips to look bigger, or slimming the waist and enlarging the buttocks. However, comparisons with selfies and idealized images on social media have been suggested to increase body dissatisfaction, which in turn may make people more likely to consider cosmetic surgery (Li et al., 2025). According to Li et al. (2025), research shows that looking at selfies increases comparisons of one's appearance with others and, as such, deepens dissatisfaction with the body or face, thereby raising the likelihood of considering cosmetic surgery. In particular, comparing appearances is an important factor that has a greater impact than body dissatisfaction. Additionally, idealized images can cause BDD (Body dysmorphia). BDD is a mental disorder characterized by intense distress related to specific body parts that interfere with daily life (Bjornsson, 2010).

Case Study: Nemu BDD

A relevant example is the case of Nemu, a young Japanese woman who experienced symptoms associated with BDD. Nemu explained that she edited her selfies to make others perceive her as attractive and receive recognition from them (Abema Prime, 2024). She stated that she did not have a specific ideal appearance in mind; rather, she simply wanted to be considered “cute” by others. Over time, her need for approval increased, and the standards she set for herself became progressively higher (Abema Prime, 2024). As a result, she became increasingly dissatisfied with her unedited appearance and found it difficult to accept her real face. This case illustrates how frequent use of photo-editing and beauty filters can contribute to appearance-related anxiety, low self-esteem, and an unhealthy reliance on external validation.

From my own perspective, I’ve noticed how common it is for friends and peers to use filters before posting selfies. Even when the edits are subtle, the pressure to present a “perfect” version of oneself becomes clear. Observing this has made me reflect on how easily digital citizens can internalize unrealistic standards, even when they know the images are altered.

Furthermore, the development of social media has brought attention to the phenomenon called Pornification. Pornification can be described as content intended to arouse sexual excitement, and it often depicts unrealistic, idealized body images (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2024). Social media provides access to content emphasizing sexual appeal, and young people are frequently exposed to idealized body images. As a result, women are more likely to experience self-objectification, evaluating their bodies from others' perspectives, which can lead to body dissatisfaction and negative effects on mental health (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016). Similarly, men may find that the use of muscular and highly masculine pornography may be linked to increased levels of negative body images through social comparisons (Gewirtz-Meydan et al., 2024)

To sum up, social media significantly influences how individuals perceive and evaluate their own bodies. Through body modification, idealized selfies, and pornographic content, users are repeatedly exposed to unrealistic appearance standards, which can lead to social comparison, body insecurity, desires for cosmetic surgery, and even mental health issues such as BDD. These effects are not limited to women; men can also be affected through pressure to be muscular and masculine. Looking back at the question, “Are you satisfied with your current appearance?”, the answer may not be entirely personal—it may also be shaped by what we constantly see online.

While many argue filters are harmless fun, they actually normalize unrealistic standards that fuel body dissatisfaction and mental health struggles. As digital citizens, we need to develop media literacy and remember that many images on social media are edited, filtered, and carefully constructed. Perhaps learning to question what we see online is the first step toward appreciating ourselves more realistically and protecting our well-being.

References

Bjornsson, A. S., Didie, E. R., & Phillips, K. A. (2010). Body dysmorphic disorder. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 12(2), 221–232. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2010.12.2/abjornsson

Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social Media and Body Image Concerns: Current Research and Future Directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005

Gewirtz-Meydan, A., Bőthe, B., & Spivak-Lavi, Z. (2024). The Associations of Pornography Use and Body Image Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Men. Archives of sexual behavior, 53(9), 3379–3392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02887-5　

Li, Y., Chen, H., Zou, Y., Guo, Y., Gao, L., & Xu, X. (2025). Online selfie behavior and consideration of cosmetic surgery in teenage girls: The mediating roles of appearance comparisons and body dissatisfaction. PloS one, 20(2), e0318245. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318245

Tiggemann, M. (2022). Digital modification and body image on social media: Disclaimer labels, captions, hashtags, and comments. Body Image, 41, 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.02.012

ABEMA TIMES編集部. (2024, March 17). “醜形恐怖症”から行き過ぎた自撮り加工も…「自分でも“誰？”というところまで」 Z世代のトレンドは無加工に？. ABEMA TIMES. https://times.abema.tv/articles/-/10118578?page=1

[terethapanda]

Week 7: Digital Citizenship Case Study: Social Media Influencers and the Slow Fashion Movement

Are you all fashionable? Even if it's not fashionable, we humans buy clothes and wear them. Then we enjoy fashion in our daily lives.

There are many fashion concepts; one is slow fashion. The slow fashion movement is a way of thinking that slows production and consumption to break the fashion cycle and reduce resource waste. For consumers, it refers to a socially conscious initiative that encourages them to prioritize quality over quantity and to use good products for the long term (Jung & Jin, 2014). One factor that contributed to the growth of slow fashion is digital citizenship and social media influencers.

Digital citizenship is not only the ability to participate in an online society where users can gather and interact on social media platforms (Mossberger et al., 2008), but it also includes the question of how to leverage digital platforms to address social and environmental issues. Therefore, social media influencers can use social media platforms to educate consumers about ethical consumption, transparency, and sustainability, share personal experiences of embracing slow fashion, and cultivate a critical perspective on fast fashion through the hashtag #slowfashion (Papaioannou, 2024). The reason social media influencers are effective is that parasocial relationships with digital celebrities, based on the illusion of closeness between influencers and followers, play a significant role in prompting impulsive purchases among consumers (Zafar et al., 2020).

Kara Fabella is a BIPO content creator, sustainable lifestyle advocate, and ethical fashion stylist. She is an inspiration on social media feeds. She shares her slow-fashion styling tips and introduces her followers to carefully selected ethical brands (Ringbe, 2022). Furthermore, Kara thinks sustainable slow fashion is the opposite of fast fashion; it is clothing made with a focus on people and the environment. It is about emphasizing fair production without exploitation and transparent supply chains, devising and using the clothes we have for a long time, and respecting diverse body types, genders, and cultures (Mumtaz-Cassidy, 2021). Her style, with its elegant, vibrant use of color, perfectly captures the essence of slow fashion.

However, while influencers promote slow fashion, the contradiction is that their continued dissemination encourages consumption, and their role is limited. Their recommendations are highly reliable if their expertise in slow fashion is recognized, and can influence audience attitudes, perceptions, and purchasing decisions (Munaro et al., 2024). This highlights the need for digital citizens not only to be inspired by influencers but also to critically evaluate the information and consumption practices they promote.

Ultimately, digital citizenship in slow fashion is not just about what clothes we buy. While social media influencers play a crucial role in promoting slow fashion and raising awareness about sustainability, their influence can also drive continued consumption. Therefore, digital citizens must not only draw inspiration from such content but also critically examine their consumption habits and make responsible choices.

References

Jung, S., & Jin, B. (2014). Theoretical investigation of slow fashion: sustainable future of the apparel industry. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 38(5), 510–519. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12127

Mumtaz-Cassidy, M. (2021, April 7). Conscious Creators: Kara Fabella (@theflippside). Consciously. https://wearconsciously.co/blogs/articles/conscious-creators-kara-fabella-theflippside

Munaro, A. C., Barcelos, R. H., & Maffezzolli, E. C. F. (2024). The impact of influencers on sustainable consumption: A systematic literature review. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 52(2352-5509). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.10.024

Papaioannou, T. (2024). Articulating Sustainable Fashion through Digital Storytelling: Actualising Citizenship in Vlogging of H&M’s “Conscious” Collection. In M. F. A. K. Panni, H. R. Kaufmann, & D. Vrontis (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Consumerism Issues in the Apparel Industry (pp. 483–503). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-59952-1_23

Ringbe. (2022, July 20). 15 Sustainable Fashion Influencers to Follow in 2022. https://ringbe.com/blogs/news/15-sustainable-fashion-influencers-to-follow-in-2022

Zafar, A. U., Qiu, J., & Shahzad, M. (2020). Do digital celebrities’ relationships and social climate matter? Impulse buying in f-commerce. Internet Research, 30(6), 1731–1762. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-04-2019-0142

[terethapanda]

Week 6: What is Digital Citizenship? Hashtag Publics, Political Engagement, and Activism

In the digital age, with the spread of the Internet, opportunities for participation in civic, social, and political life have increased (Pangrazio & Sefton-Green, 2021). The definition of digital citizenship is the right to participate in society online (Mossberger et al., 2008). Of course, having digital citizenship comes with responsibility.  Appropriate and lawful ethical behavior must be conducted regarding the use of information technology in the civil and social life of individuals. Online copyright infringement refers to the unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted media and constitutes a serious violation of laws designed to protect creative works (Issitt, 2025). Furthermore, the digital space is rife with malicious activities, including content theft, hacking, spam, and the spread of viruses and malware. Because these actions infringe on others' rights, they are considered unethical and may be deemed illegal, or both.

 The advent of digital citizens has given rise to platforms where users can spend time online and to platformization. Phantomization is defined as a shift in perspective that analyzes a platform not as a static entity, but as a constantly evolving process (Poell et al., 2019). Moreover, platformization has transformed social networking sites into social media platforms, emerging as the dominant infrastructure and economic model on the web (Helmond, 2015). It is also open to external developers through software interfaces such as APIs, allowing third-party use and extension. For example, X is a social media platform that shares short, long, and photo and video posts, but it has now developed into a platform that integrates with various services by allowing external developers to build data analysis tools and post management apps through APIs.

When people post or discuss something on social media, they use hashtags public to promote connections. For example, #blacklivesmatter, #metoo, and #justiceforzara. They exist to collectively identify, articulate, and challenge racial injustices from the perspective of racialized groups (BONILLA & ROSA, 2015).

Case Study: #blacklivesmatter

One example of hashtag activism is #BlackLivesMatter. The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, which emerged in response to police violence and racial injustice against black people, enables users to connect on social media platforms. It not only challenges state-sanctioned racial violence and affirms the value of Black lives but also demonstrates how social media can serve as a space to re-evaluate Black identity and experiences (Bonilla & Rosa, 2015). This allowed individuals to form communities and fight racism together. Additionally, the hashtag-driven discussions extended to protests and policy debates, demonstrating a strong connection between digital engagement and real-world activism. Overall, the rise of digital citizenship has significantly expanded opportunities for individuals to participate in civic, social, and political life through online platforms. At the same time, as platformization has advanced, social media has transformed into a powerful infrastructure that influences communication, interaction, and economic activity. Within these platforms, the hashtag public has emerged as a vital tool for connecting people and facilitating collective expression.

References

BONILLA, Y., & ROSA, J. (2015). Ferguson: Digital protest, hashtag ethnography, and the racial politics of social media in the United States. American Ethnologist, 42(1), 4–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.12112　

Helmond, A. (2015). The Platformization of the Web: Making Web Data Platform Ready. Social Media + Society, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305115603080

Issitt, M. L. (2025). Digital Citizenship. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/technology/digital-citizenship

Mossberger, K., Tolbert, C. J., & McNeal, R. S. (2008). Excerpts from Digital Citizenship: The Internet, Society, and Participation (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2007). First Monday. https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v13i2.2131

Pangrazio, L., & Sefton-Green, J. (2021). Digital Rights, Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy: What's the Difference? Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 10(1), 15-27. https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2021.1.616

Poell, T., Nieborg, D., & van Dijck, J. (2019). Platformisation. Internet Policy Review, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.14763/2019.4.1425

[terethapanda]

Week 5 Digital Community and Fandoms: Reality Show Case Study

Nowadays, reality TV shows are a global entertainment force and a popular genre watched by many people around the world. Reality shows are a genre of programs that feature ordinary people participating in various competitions and observational scenarios without a script (Cooper, 2024). Due to the popularity of reality shows, people create a public sphere. The public sphere is a space where people exchange opinions, reflect on society, and shape public opinion, and social media has been identified as a new public sphere with the potential for rational deliberation (Sakariassen, 2020). Therefore, it creates a space for viewers to discuss the show, fostering various fandoms. On the other hand, fandom is defined as a social form that coexists with society (Fuschillo, 2020) and as a community of people united by a shared interest in reality TV shows. Moreover, reality shows blur the lines between real people in real-life situations and staged performances in worlds created specifically for the story (Gater & MacDonald, 2015). Hence, fans may perceive the performers as their true selves, unaware that these portrayals are being shaped by the production. This constructed reality can mislead audiences or fans into making moral judgments based on incomplete or manipulated information, a problem that becomes particularly problematic when spread through social media.

Case Study: Terrace House Tokyo Hana Kimura

A case study of the public sphere and fandom can be seen with the Terrance House Tokyo incident. Terrace House is a Japanese reality show in which six strangers 3 men and 3 women, live together in the same house in Tokyo as they search for love. However, during the season 2019-2020, one of the cast members, Hana Kimura (a former professional wrestler), committed suicide. As a cause of her suicide, public opinion turned against her after her roommate blamed her for ruining Hana’s costume. After that, she became the target of abusive tweets and cyberbullying from fans and critics every day (BBC, 2020). Furthermore, Hana’s mother argued that Hana was forced by the production team to engage in violent and aggressive behavior and that the costume incident episode was scripted (Tseng, 2020).

To sum up, the Terrace House incident demonstrates that reality TV is not just a form of entertainment but also a powerful influence shaping public perception and behavior. While social media provides a place for fandom to interact and form a community, it does not necessarily function as a rational public sphere. Rather, it can amplify emotional reactions, moral judgments, and collective hostility towards a particular person. The blurred line between reality and fabricated narrative can lead viewers to perceive the production as truth, potentially resulting in harmful consequences for online reactions.

Referencese

BBC. (2020, May 28). Terrace House: Reality show cancels season after Hana Kimura death. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52829186

Cooper, P. G. (2024). Reality television. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/communication-and-mass-media/reality-television#research-starte-title

Fuschillo, G. (2020). Fans, fandoms, or fanaticism? Journal of Consumer Culture, 20(3), 347–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540518773822

Gater, B., & MacDonald, J. B. (2015). Are actors really real in reality TV?: The changing face of performativity in Reality Television. Fusion Journal, (7), 1–18. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.226222922672258

Sakariassen, H. (2020). A digital public sphere: Just in theory or a perceived reality for users of social network sites? MedieKultur, 36(68), 126–146. https://doi.org/10.7146/MEDIEKULTUR.V36I68.118440

Tseng, D. (2020, July 4). Hana Kimura’s Mother Says Her Daughter Was Cyberbullied Over A Staged Confrontation In Terrace House. CNA Lifestyle. https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/8days/hana-kimuras-mother-says-her-daughter-was-cyberbullied-over-staged-confrontation-terrace-house-545561