thoughts & reflections

UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT MDA20009

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Thank you!

Thank you for reading my weekly posts that reflect on interesting topics relating to the digital community in the world today. I hope that I put forward some more points to think about!

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Week 10: Digital citizenship and conflict: social media governance

Social media needs to be moderated in order to make it a safe place, free from bullying and harassment. Currently, in Australia, The Online Safety Bill, which aims to make it illegal to post harmful content on the internet such as death threats and intentionally offensive comments, may be put into action soon. (Goodall, 2020). The Online Safety Bill is currently before senate in parliament and was agreed to a third reading on the 16th of March 2021. (Parliament of Australia, 2021).

Troll, bully or OFFEND anyone online and you could cop a $110K fine under TOUGH new laws

The ground-breaking laws will force social media companies to hand over the personal details of those doing the wrong thing.

Online harassment can take multiple forms, for example, gaslighting is a common behaviour that can be seen on social media, particularly done by abusers to deflect from their behaviour and onto the targeted individual. “Although it can cover various behaviours, the central tenet of gaslighting is the psychological manipulation of a person in order to erode their sense of self and sanity.” (Gleeson, 2018). Someone may attempt to gaslight an individual into making them feel that they shouldn’t have been offended by their online comments because they were just a joke, for instance. Unfortunately, women are more likely to be victims of online harassment, and online harassment is particularly common for women in professions like journalism or politics. (Marwick and Caplan, 2018).

In her TedxWomen talk, Anita Sarkeesian tells the shocking story of how she was abused online by thousands of men in response to a fundraiser that she created in order to help her produce videos in which she would explore the representation of women in video games. These men believed that what they were doing by harassing her was playing a game. (Sarkeesian, 2012). She explains that this was an act of online hate and misogyny, regardless of what the men claimed that they were doing.

A screen may separate the user from the individual that they are harassing, and therefore may make the user feel like they are just playing a ‘game’ and that there is no real live person on the other end, but it does not mean that what happens on the internet is not real life and that the targeted individual is not harmed. Therefore, it is important to moderate the digital community and keep the public sphere safe.

References

Alice E. Marwick & Robyn Caplan. (2018). Drinking male tears: language, the manosphere, and networked harassment. Feminist Media Studies. Volume 18. Issue 4: Pages 543-559

Gleeson, J. (2018). What does Gaslighting Mean?. The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-gaslighting-mean-107888

Goodall, H. (2020). Troll, bully or OFFEND anyone online and you could cop a $110K fine under Federal Government's proposed laws. 7 News. Available at: https://7news.com.au/sunrise/on-the-show/online-bullies-and-trolls-to-be-slapped-with-huge-fines-under-government-crackdown-c-1820589

Parliament of Australia. (2021). Online Safety Bill 2021. Australian Government. Available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6680

Sarkeesian, A. (2012). Anita Sarkeesian at TEDxWomen 2012. TEDx Talks. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZAxwsg9J9Q

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Week 9: Digital citizenship case study: social media influencers and the slow fashion movement

When considering the concept of digital citizenship, internet users are permitted to discuss many important worldly topics and can influence each other on certain viewpoints. An important topic that has been discussed often on social media in recent times is the dangers and unethical nature of fast fashion, and the benefits of shopping in a manner that supports the slow fashion movement instead. Although the topic of sustainable fashion has been discussed as early as the 1980s, (Lai et al, 2017), social media has provided a platform in which the topic can reach a larger number of people. Some influences on social media are making content that aims to inform their fans on the fast fashion issues, and how to start shopping for slow fashion clothing.

Fast fashion refers to clothes that are made to be cheap, worn a few times just to embody current fashion trends seen on celebrities or the catwalk, and then discarded once the items are no longer in fashion or are no longer wanted. The current trends are put out quickly so that buyers can jump onto what is popular, and are also cycled through quickly, as new items are continuously being made to represent what is in fashion. Fast fashion essentially embodies overproduction and overconsumption of products in response to shopping culture, as shopping became a hobby, and is available for a low price so that many buyers can fit in with current trends, regardless of their income. “Clothes shopping used to be an occasional event—something that happened a few times a year when the seasons changed or when we outgrew what we had. But about 20 years ago, something changed. Clothes became cheaper, trend cycles sped up, and shopping became a hobby.” (Rauturier, 2020). Fast fashion is known to cause high amounts of pollution and waste, employ workers to work in poor conditions, and exploit women as they are 80% of their workers. (Battered Women’s Support Services, 2019).

Slow fashion refers to clothing made in slower production schedules, small-batch collections and zero waste designs. Its purpose it to produce items that last and are wearable for a lifetime, often in classic and versatile styles. (Stanton, 2020). Many influencers, particularly on Instagram and YouTube, are supporting the slow fashion movement in ways such as promoting upcycling, which is altering old clothes in order to give them a fresh look, or thrifting, which is shopping at second-hand clothing stores. Ethical brands that sell sustainably made clothes, shoes and bags also use Instagram to put content out there that can reach their target audience. Some examples of popular thrift stores in Victoria are The Salvation Army and Savers, and some examples of sustainable brands are Matt and Nat and Etiko.

An example of an influencer that encourages her fans to participate in slow fashion is Nayna Florence, who often makes sustainable fashion clothing haul videos on YouTube. Here is just one that she made recently where she shows thrifted items that she bought and shares some websites where her fans can find similar items.

References

Battered Women’s Support Services. (2019). The Problem with Fast Fashion. Battered Women’s Support Services. Available at: https://www.bwss.org/fastfashion/

Florence, N. (2021). A winter try on hall + sustainable brands that you need to know. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A47emKoGmI

Lai, Z., Henninger, C.E., Alevizou, P.J. (2017). An Exploration of Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Sustainable Fashion – A Qualitative Study in the UK. Sustainability in Fashion A Cradle to Upcycle Approach. Palgrave.

Rauturier, S. (2020). What is Fast Fashion?. Good On You. Made Together. Available at: https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/

Stanton, A. (2020). What Does Slow Fashion Actually Mean?. The Good Trade. Available at: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-slow-fashion

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Week 8: Gaming communities, social gaming and live streaming

Gaming has a long history in society, beginning as early as the 1940s with the first example of a game machine at a fair in New York, followed by arcade gaming, and then at home gaming in the 1970s as personal computers and gaming consoles were invented. Online gaming was made possible in the early 2000s with the release of the Sega Dreamcast, and the creation of the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) game RuneScape in 2001 made online multiplayer popular. Online multiplayer games such as Call of Duty and Halo available on gaming consoles such as the XBOX then became popular in the 2000s. Social gaming saw the move to mobile in the form of applications when smartphones became available in 2007. (Chikhani, 2015).

Live streaming is another dimension of gaming, and it has revolutionised gaming communities around the world. Live streaming allows gamers to broadcast their game and to watch other gamers in action. There is usually a chat window provided so that viewers can communicate, and on certain platforms viewers can send streamers money. “Live streaming is appealing to children and young people, particularly primary aged children. It gives them a chance to be a creator, a presenter and to be seen and heard by an audience and connect to their favourite celebrities. Many live streamers love the sense of being ‘in the moment’ and interacting with family, friends, or even a global audience.” (Thinkuknow, 2021).

An interesting point to consider when looking at social gaming is that it is in fact a social activity. A study in 2008 found that there was stigma towards gamers, as gamers were generally labelled as nerds or loners in society. However, particularly during the lockdowns in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, people were playing social online games in order to feel less isolated and more connected to their friends and family. (Erlandsson, 2020). A study conducted in 2014 found that gamers were generally social people, and that often gamers would engage in other social activities such as chatting online while playing games. (Stampler, 2014).

Computer game tournaments have also become popular and are often available to watch in an online broadcast. Game tournaments have become large events and winners can win large amounts of money. Like online multiplayer games, game tournaments can also be recognised as a social activity. “What caught my attention was not only the spectatorship; it was also the forms of communication and presence among broadcasters and audience, both on-site at the venue and distributed throughout the network. I was intrigued by the experience as a media event.” (Taylor, 2018). It is interesting to see gaming evolve, become mainstream, and begin to become recognised as a social activity.

References

Chikhani, R. (2015). The history of gaming: an evolving community. TechCrunch. Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2015/10/31/the-history-of-gaming-an-evolving-community/

Erlandsson, A. (2020). How the social stigma against gamers is changing. Ericsson. Ericsson Group. Available at: https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/2020/4/social-stigmas-of-gaming

Stampler, L. (2014). Study finds gamers social, not loners. Time. Available at: https://time.com/41931/study-gamers-not-loners-social/

Taylor, T.L. (2018). Broadcasting ourselves. Watch Me Play: Twitch and the Rise of Game Live Streaming. Princeton University Press. Chapter 1, pp.1-23.

Thinkuknow. (2021). A short guide to live streaming. Thinkuknow. Available at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/what-is-live-streaming/

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Week 7: Digital citizenship and software literacy: Instagram filters

Camera filters on social media began on Snapchat, with famous filters like the dog ears option becoming popular. However, even in the beginning of the use of filters, the purpose was to ‘beautify’ the users face. “…the filter wasn’t really used in order to look like a puppy. It was used because the filter would slim your face, smooth your skin, and elongate your jaw; making anyone who used it look like a FaceTuned version of themselves.” (Manavis, 2019).

As filters gained popularity in use and more types began to be created, such as filters that allow users to change their hair colour, Instagram decided to compete with snapchat by implementing filters into the Instagram story camera feature.

Filters that are now commonly used are those that augment users’ faces to the point in which they are barely recognisable, altering their facial structure to fit unrealistic beauty standards or as mentioned in my previous post, to fit the beauty template.

It has posed issues and questions of concern throughout social media, as the filters have become so widely used that even celebrities who have already had plastic surgery in order to fit beauty ideals are using them, to change the way they appear even further. “…for some celebs, it’s now rare to see them post a selfie on their Instagram Story without a plastic surgery filter on – meaning the filter becomes an inextricable part of the way that their Instagram audiences see their face.” (Manavis, 2019).

Various smartphone applications have also become available that allow users to modify their photos, including change the size of their hips, buttocks and lips. The term “digitized dysmorphia” is described by Isabelle Coy-Dibley as body dysmorphia that has collectively taken place online in the form of digitally editing one’s photos in order to reflect beauty ideals. “Digitized dysmorphia manifests through the digital image, as the altering of supposedly undesirable parts of the self through modifying and fixing the visual and virtual appearance of an individual’s self through various apps.” (Coy-Dibley, 2016). Digitized dysmorphia can be reflected in these kinds of filters that have gained popularity as well.

Recently, in response to a ‘filter vs. reality filter’ going viral, in which the filter compares the users normal face with the filtered face, celebrities have spoken out against plastic-looking filter use. Actress and activist Jameela Jamil posted a video of her using the filter and voiced her disgust. She stated that teenagers are now bringing pictures of themselves in filter form to plastic surgeons and asking to be made to look like them. (Prance, 2021). The filter has since been used by many in order to illustrate how ridiculous filters have become. Many influencers are now speaking out and encouraging their fans to stop using these types of filters.

References

Coy-Dibley, I. (2016). Digitised Dysmorphia of the Female Body: The Re/Disfigurement of the Image. Palgrave Communications. 2:16040 doi: 10.1057/palcomms.2016.40

Manavis, S. (2019). How Instagram’s plastic surgery filters are warping the way we see our faces. New Statesman. NS Media Group. Available at: https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/social-media/2019/10/how-instagram-plastic-surgery-filter-ban-are-destroying-how-we-see-our-faces

Prance, S. (2021). Filter vs Reality filter goes viral on Instagram for exposing unrealistic beauty standards. PopBuzz. Available at: https://www.popbuzz.com/internet/social-media/filter-vs-reality-filter-instagram-how/

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Week 6: Digital citizenship and health education: body modification on visual social media

Body image has become an important topic in today’s society, with image-based platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest being a notable source of influence on the public. In particular, body modification methods such as plastic surgery have become popular content that can be seen often on social media platforms.

Modern day social media has created a space where anyone can be ‘famous’, and anyone can participate in culture that forms ideals in society, such as creating aesthetic templates. Currently, the popular aesthetic template seems to consist of large lips and large buttocks, a small waist and defined cheekbones, and seems to be targeted more towards women. Micro-celebrities can ‘self-brand’, (Khamis et al, 2017), which means that they can build an iconic image for themselves online, and some can be seen self-branding as these beauty ideals that have been pushed forward online and beauty ideals that are often only achievable through plastic surgery.

The endorsement of a certain aesthetic template has a domino effect on its users, as it then can influence them to do the same in order to fit in with current aesthetic trends. “According to 2017 statistics from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 42% of surgeons report that their patients are seeking aesthetic surgery to improve their appearance on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and other social media channels.” (Dorfman et al, 2018).

This poses an ethical question of whether this should be allowed to happen on social media, and whether some platforms should introduce rules and regulations against it. “…self-branding has been criticised by some on theoretical, practical and ethical grounds, while others have endorsed and propelled the idea.” (Khamis et al, 2017). The endorsement of attaining beauty ideals by undergoing plastic surgery has been shown to have a negative effect on body image for individuals who are exposed to content of this nature. “Constant exposure to altered images can lead to an unhealthy pressure to achieve unrealistic body types, which can result in body dysmorphic behaviors. Social media has become increasingly dangerous, especially for teens, who are most susceptible to suffering from insecurity and depression. At this age, girls and boys are still learning about their own anatomy while dealing with hormones, pressures from school, and other home life distractions.” (Adkins, 2018).

References

Adkins, A. (2018). How Social Media Contributes to Body Dysmorphic Behavior. The Lexington Line. Available at: https://www.thelexingtonline.com/blog/2018/5/7/how-social-media-contributes-to-body-dysmorphic-behaviors

Dorfman, R.G., Vaca, E.E., Mahmood, E., Fine, N.A., Schierle, C.F. (2018). Plastic Surgery-Related Hashtag Utilization on Instagram: Implications for Education and Marketing. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 38, Issue 3, March 2018, pp 332–338

Khamis, S., Lawrence, A., Welling, R. (2017). Self-branding, ‘micro-celebrity’ and the rise of Social Media Influencers. Celebrity Studies, 8:2, 191-208. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19392397.2016.1218292

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Week 5: What is digital citizenship? Hashtag publics, political engagement and activism

Digital citizenship refers to the online participation of society. “Digital citizens are those who use technology frequently, who use technology for political information to fulfill their civic duty, and who use technology at work for economic gain.” (Mossberger et al. 2008).

In recent times, the way that citizens engage in political discussion has changed, with a decrease in membership within traditional organisations like political parties and trade unions, and an increase in participation in online social movements and other organisations. (Vromen, 2017). This reflects a rise in political discussion and activism in digital communities.

Hashtag publics are an example of a way that online groups can be organised and brought together. Some specific examples that have gained traction are #metoo, #auspol and #blacklivesmatter. In particular, hashtags like #metoo and #blacklivesmatter have acted as online activism on various platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and here on Tumblr.

The hashtag #blacklivesmatter actually began in 2013 when a 17-year-old boy was killed in Florida, by a man who was acquitted on all charges. Digital citizen Alicia Garza felt deeply moved and hurt by the situation, and decided to write a post on Facebook, in which she stated that she was surprised at how little black lives mattered. The phrase black lives matter then stood out to her friend, Patrisse Cullors, and inspired her to make it into a hashtag in order to spread awareness on the issue. This then created a movement, and the organisation Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation was formed. Fast forward some years to 2020 and the hashtag became a global movement followed by the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a police officer. (Asmelash, 2020).

The hashtag went viral and can be seen all over social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, as citizens were outraged at the injustice of the situation and that racism is so prevalent within law enforcement. Riots and protests occurred around the world, in order for citizens to stand up against racism and the injustice that it causes. Derek Chauvin, the policeman who killed George Floyd, ended up being convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. This reflects how much power digital citizens can have, particularly when creating hashtag publics that involve political engagement and activism.

References

Asmelash, L. (2020). How Black Lives Matter went from a hashtag to a global rallying cry. CNN Cable News Network. Warner Media. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/26/us/black-lives-matter-explainer-trnd/index.html

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, Volume 13, Number 2 - 4 February 2008. Available at: https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2131/1942

Vromen, A. (2017). Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement: The Challenge from Online Campaigning and Advocacy Organisations. Palgrave Macmillan.

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Week 4: Digital Community and Fandom: Reality TV Case Study

Reality TV is extremely popular in Australia, the category coming second to the News as the most watched programs in the country, seen by about 41% of Australians per week in 2018. (Roy Morgan, 2019). In 2020, MasterChef was named the most popular reality TV show by audience demand, overtaking other well-loved shows such as The Amazing Race Australia, The Real Dirty Dancing and The Block. (B&T Magazine, 2020). New reality shows are constantly being introduced in Australia due to the popularity of existing shows as well, such as The Masked Singer in 2019 and the return of Big Brother in 2020.

Viewers or fans of reality TV shows can now come together in the public sphere online to share opinions or views of events and participants of the shows by using hashtags, which then creates a particular labelled space for those with similar views to connect with one another. This can be referred to as an imagined community. “the live tweeting of reality television allows the creation of an imagined community, bounded by national borders.” (Stewart, 2019). Some of the talking points that are generated on these digital communities can extend to creating political conversations online, which is important not to overlook as these online conversations can be as valuable as discussions that are generated at particularly politically community-oriented spaces. (Graham and Hajru, 2011).

For example, the hashtag #MAFS for the show Married at First Sight has gained popularity since the show first aired in 2015 and has created a space for many online debates on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Check out the hashtag on Twitter #MAFSau and you can see topics such as contestants’ scandals like cheating being discussed, whether it be in comedic meme form or a heated comment.

Most recently, as a response to the 2021 season of the show, the hashtag has been used to discuss the behaviour of a contestant, questioning whether or not his behaviour towards his wife in the show should be considered emotional abuse. On Twitter, tweets can be seen such as “MAFS producers have gone to broadcasting mental abuse on Melissa,” and “#Bryce has done it – he has totally isolated Melissa!” Like Graham and Hajru mentioned, this discussion has a political dimension to it, as it is discussing matters that can relate to laws of violence against women and bullying. The most important factor to note here is that reality TV communities and fandoms on social media can hold producers and contestants of reality TV shows accountable for what they are broadcasting, and this can hold a lot of power and put pressure on those involved to behave ethically and responsibly.

References B&T Magazine. (2020). 2020 MasterChef Australia named the most popular reality series in the world. Bandt. Available at: https://www.bandt.com.au/masterchef-australia-is-the-most-in-demand-reality-series-of-2020/

Graham, T. and Hajru, A. (2011). Reality TV as a trigger of everyday political talk in the net-based public sphere. European Journal of Communication. 26(1) 18–32.

Roy Morgan. (2019). News and Reality TV are the most popular TV genres. Roy Morgan Research. Available at: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7969-top-tv-genres-december-2018-201905060240

Stewart, M. (2019). Live tweeting, reality TV and the nation. International Journal of Cultural Studies. Vol 23, Issue 3, 2020. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1367877919887757

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How does Tumblr function as a digital community?

Tumblr has provided a platform that allows users to share images, texts, videos, audio posts and more on topics that they are passionate about. The interactive features such as the reblog, like and ask a question options help to form a digital community in which global users can come together and debate or bond over certain interests.  Multiple digital communities are present on tumblr, such as art communities in which users primarily use Tumblr to reblog and share art for inspiration or discussion, and trans and non-binary communities in which users can come together for support. In 2019, it was noted that 45.5% of participants in a survey exploring Tumblr use within the LGBTQI+ community used Tumblr for at least one hour per day, and 13.4% used the platform for at least four hours per day. Tumblr use was particularly high within the trans and non-binary community. (Byron et al, 2019).  A digital community can potentially support Jürgen Habermas’s idea of the public sphere, first described in 1962, a place in which individuals can come together to discuss topics such as current events and form public opinions. A key theme of this concept is equality - the sphere implies that all individuals have access, and are free to express opinions. In 2016, Bruns and Highfield argued that modern media has changed the way in which the public is able to come together to have discussions, and therefore certain elements of the concept have become outdated and need to be re-evaluated to reflect a more complex model of public interaction. (Bruns and Highfield, 2016). However, with Tumblr’s option for anonymity, I personally argue that Tumblr as a digital community is the closest form of social media that reflects Habermas’s original idea of the public sphere, as allowing anonymity on a platform can make individuals feel more comfortable sharing personal thoughts without being personally judged. The findings in the previous article mentioned (Byron et al, 2019) supports this idea, as it suggests that communities that tend to be considered a minority in society are using Tumblr as a means to come together.  References  Bruns, A & Highfield, T 2016 Is Habermas on Twitter? Social media and the public sphere. A Bruns, G Enli, E Skogerbø, AO Larsson, & Christensen, C (Eds.) The Routledge Companion to Social Media and Politics. Routledge, New York, pp. 56-73 Byron, P., Brady Robards, B. Hanckel, S. Vivienne and B. Churchill. “"Hey, i'm having these experiences": Tumblr use and young people's queer (dis)connections.” International Journal of Communication 13 (2019): 2239-2259.