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Week 11- Digital Communities and Trolls

If you’ve been on the Internet for a substantial amount of time, chances are you’ve most likely run into a troll. Defined as someone who makes intentionally inflammatory, rude, or upsetting statements online, trolls are usually looking to elicit strong emotional responses in people or steer conversation off-topic. Usually for their own amusement, some forms of trolling are done to push a specific agenda. 

Trolling is distinct from other forms of cyberbullying or harassment as it is usually not targeted towards any one person rather than relying on other people paying attention and becoming provoked. Trolling exists on many online platforms, places which you’ll most likely see them include anonymous online forums, Twitter and comment sections. 

Research tells us that online abuse, harassment and cyber trolling costs Australians an estimated $3.7 billion annually in terms of medical bills and loss of income. According to Pew research, 41% of Americans have been personally subjected to harassing behaviour online, with an even higher percentage (66%) claiming to have witnessed harassment directed at others (Pew, 2017). Popular discourse often segregates online harassment as an issue of individuals that are engaged in abhorrent behaviour, however harassing behaviour is often networked in that it is coordinated and organised (Marwick & Caplan 2018). Please watch the following video of Anita Sarkeesian as she talks about online misogyny and her experience with harassment because of her work.

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Week 10- Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming

Since its initial commerce birth in the 1950s as a ‘technological oddity’ at a science fair, gaming has blossomed into one of the most profitable entertainment industries in the world (Chikhani, 2015). From being considered as counterproductive and a waste of time, the evolution of gaming has now turned into an industry with a range of career opportunities. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/01/29/top-earning-video-gamers-the-ten-highest-paid-players-pocketed-more-than-120-million-in-2019/#5387adc34880 click this link to read about the 10 highest earning gamers in the world. 

Games have evolved from arcade games to multiplayer and to now online streaming platforms in which the typical ‘gamer’ is generally considered to be white or East Asian, young, middle-class, and a male. A segregation has become apparent as those who are considered ‘gamers’ are more so welcome to participate in gaming communities rather than those who are not which is what has led to a masculine-dominated games culture. 

YouTube star and online gamer, PewDiePie, shown above was the first person to have 10 billion views across his videos on the site. He is one of YouTube’s most successful personality, having just surpassed 100 million subscribers to his online channel in conjunction with a net worth of $40 million (WealthyGorilla, 2020).

Although the industry continues to battle negative perceptions, gaming really should be seen as something positive. Each day we are confronted with a range of critical issues in our domestic and work lives amongst friends, colleagues and family and so we come home and try to tune out the ‘real world’ through various forms of leisure in which gaming has now become one of those places (Taylor, T 2018).

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Los Angeles June 7, 2020

Over 20,000 protesters

[adriana-damore]

it's easy to say what happened to George Floyd and the consequences of it as just "oh another disaster for 2020". it's easy to brush it off as 2020 rearing its head again.

but this isn't just 2020. this is last year. and the year before. it's the last century. and next year. next month. don't become complacent and brush it off. don't let this become just another horrible thing that happened in 2020. it shouldn't be forgotten. because this is every day for black people. every year.

let this radicalize you. let this be the final year this kind of thing happens. don't let it become another 2020 disaster. don't let things go back to how it was. we must stop treating this as another thing that happened in 2020. do not let this become the forgotten year and don't allow George Floyd and his voice and countless black voices behind this to be forgotten - just another terrible thing. this isn't just 2020. this is something that happens all the time. don't let this go away.

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Week 9- Digital Communities, political engagement and activism

Over the past few weeks there has been an abundance of political engagement and activism participation following the Black Lives Matter Movement. After the tragic death of George Floyd which was recorded and uploaded to the digital community, it was the power of millions of online users that shared the content and voiced their anger to create the start of change 

A campaign is a defined project, of linked actions organised towards achieving a particular goal. BLM’s #WhatMatters2020 is a campaign aimed to maximize the impact of the BLM movement by galvanizing BLM supporters and allies to the polls in the 2020 US Presidential election. In an interview recorded in Butler & Athanasiou 2013, Micah White discussed as well as being imperative to adapt and outwit, social movements must also be willing to engage the various arms of the state and use protests to win elections, which we can currently witness in the #WhatMatters2020 campaign. 

The influence of digital communities in political campaigning and activist movements has become extremely apparent within the BLM movement. With social media platforms, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook all changing their profiles to black and white solid colouring in support of equality and supporting black lives matter, the support for the movement has become heavily apparent. 

”#ShareBlackStories.⁣ We hear you, we see you and we are with you. We stand against racism. We stand with our Black community — and all those working toward justice in honour of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others whose names will not be forgotten.⁣” (Instagram, 2020)

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Week 8- Body Image and Social Media Influence

It’s no secret that social media is shaping today’s concept of beauty, whether we like to admit or not, the way we perceive our own physical appearance has been heavily influenced by the constant consumption of images posted online. Social media influences how we look at ourselves both positively and negatively, so it is important to understand these effects in order to limit their impact on our mental health. A study conducted by the healthcare institution, Florida House Experience, uncovered that 87% of women and 65% of men compared their bodies to images they consumer on social media, with a staggering combined 87% of both genders comparing their bodies unfavourably. As well as this, 42% of surgeons reported that their patients were seeking surgery to improve their appearance on Instagram, Snapchat and other social sites (Dorfman et al. 2017). Although this evidence supports the notion of social medias influence on negative self-perception, I believe the platforms are not to blame, rather the over-exposure of content from users who are setting unrealistic body expectations with the help of airbrushing and photoshop. Although there are mostly negative connotations to Instagram’s contribution of causing lowered self-esteem, some positive attributes can be found through health, wellness and fitness accounts that can be used as inspirational models for some users. Social media users can maintain a healthier and more positive outlook on their body image through these frameworks. Take a look at Alex Light’s account (https://www.instagram.com/alexlight_ldn/?hl=en) where you can view an abundance of body positive posts.

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Week 7 Digital Citizenship- Instagram, Influencers and the slow fashion movement

Digital citizenship relates to the ideas of ‘citizenship’ which can be defined as the state of having rights due to being born in a particular country, as well as carrying out the duties, responsibilities and values of a member of a particular society, group or organisation. Digital citizenship captures a wide range of practices and processes and can be described as the legal, ethical, and safe behaviour related to technology use. 

 Platform infrastructures are integrated with a growing number of devices, from smartphones and smartwatches to household appliances and self-driving cars. Instagram currently has over one billion active users every month with over 500 million active users each day (Omnicore, 2020). 73% of teenagers interviewed in the U.S claimed Instagram is the best way for brands to reach them about new products or promotions. This can be seen through fashion brands such as Fashion Nova, Meshki and Boohoo which all currently obtain over a million followers on Instagram. Contrary to slow fashion which refers to those goods and services that respond to basic needs while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants, these brands pride themselves on their fast speed in delivering garments to consumers. Fashion Nova in particular, release 600-900 new styles every week (Business of Fashion 2020). According to the report ‘An exploration of consumers’ perceptions towards sustainable fashion’, opinions on sustainable fashion have been twofold, with some consumers agreeing that the industry in itself needs to become more environmentally and socially responsible, however others seemed to have low levels of awareness of the movement and believe its dated (Lai et al, 2017). So even if brands such as Fashion Nova moved to Slow Fashion, would they still see the same success? Influencers are Instagram users who have an established credibility and audience; who can persuade others by virtue of their trustworthiness and authenticity.

 Influencers are vital for brands wishing to increase their awareness and success, with 86% of women using social media influencers for purchasing advice (DMI, 2020) the potential for success using influencers is high.  Popular Instagram Influencers include Kylie Jenner -@kylieJenner, Cristiano Ronaldo- @cristiano and Selena Gomez -@selenagomez. The reach of these influencers is vast, and it has been proven that they really do impact peoples purchasing habits. If brands following Slow Fashion movement, incorporated influencers who choose to only promote ethically made and environmentally sustainable clothing, this could force companies such as Boohoo and Fashion Nova to reduce their waste and rate of production which would ultimately reduce the amounts of textile waste that is produced each year.

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Amazing insight to Tumblr as a digital community Breck! Great use of references too!

How does Tumblr function as a digital community?

Like other parts of the internet and social media sites such as Twitter, Tumblr fosters a digital community. Originally created to allow anyone to blog about anything they wanted, Tumblr is similar to YouTube and Flickr which began as community initiatives based off wanting to share creativity online (van Dijck 2013, p.12). As a platform that aims to enhance communities, Tumblr has a range of features such as private messaging and tags that allow people from all over the world with access to the internet to come together find alike people.

Despite not having a personal profile or friendship network, the anonymity and control users have on Tumblr creates a space for communities who may not have a voice anywhere else to flower, which Keller explores in her research. “Indeed, one girl described Tumblr feminism as “quite controversial” for its acknowledgment and challenging of patriarchy through discussions of personal experiences with sexism, as well as topics like lesbian, gay, bisexual, transfer and queer (LGBTQ) rights and the prevalence of rape culture”  (2019, p.8 ). Keller discovers a sense of comfort to freely voice ones’ thoughts and true, deep feelings on Tumblr about sensitive issues like feminism, which continues to develop and make the platform known as a place where people can talk and feel supported and heard, regardless of who they are.

Equally, Kruse, Norris and Flinchum note how “niche communities form” on platforms such as Tumblr (2018, p.65). There are spaces of Tumblr whereby people who value the same things in society group together and bond through that connection. This strong sense of belonging however can create a space where certain views dominate. Kruse, Norris and Flinchum cite Jenkins (2006:207) when demonstrating how there is little tolerance for different point of view and that spaces such as Tumblr make it easy to exclude other’s opinions. This can happen even to the point that negative things may be promoted instead. YouTube account ‘Savantics’  makes videos highlighting the poor habits that some digital communities favour, including depression, anorexia, obesity, drugs, school shootings and stealing. Though Tumblr can function as a positive community, it is worth noting that there are negative impacts of digital communities as people with poor intentions can come together and act as bad influences on others without restriction.

References:

Keller, J 2019, ‘”Oh, She’s a Tumblr Feminist”: Exploring the Platform Vernacular of Girls’ Social Media Feminisms’, Social Media + Society, vol. 5 no. 3, pp. 1-11.

Kruse, L.M Norris, D.R & Flinchum, J.R 2018, ‘Social Media as a Public Sphere? Politics on Social Media’, The Sociological Quarterly, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 62-84.

Van Dijck, J 2013, The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media, Oxford University Press, USA, pp. 2-23.

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How does Tumblr Function as a Digital Community?

Amongst other social media platforms, Tumblr differs as a digital community by offering a greater sense of community with more open, self-governing exchanges of ideas and opinions (Watercutter A, 2019). For several years Tumblr has been central to fannish passions and creative production among youth, in particular girls, people of colour, and the LGBTQ community, who have found a home on the platform (McCracken A, 2017).

Tumblr can also be referred to as a public sphere whereby ‘a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed’ (Haberman, Lennox & Lennox 1974). The platform allows for different opinions to be expressed, problems of general concern to be discussed, and collective solutions to be developed communicatively (Wesler, 2018). Tumblr’s main goal is to enhance communities in which they have included a range of features such as tags, that allow users to follow and share things that they have in common with others.

I believe Tumblr functions more positively as a digital community compared to other platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Users on the platform don’t feel as much pressure in what they are positing in comparison to perhaps Instagram. The platform allows for individuals to remain anonymous which I believe minimises any self-consciousness users may feel when sharing their thoughts/ideas/feelings. Tumblr provides a space for all users to have a voice and be heard. In comparison, platforms such as Instagram that focus on users’ personal lives, has been known to cause mental health issues such as depression as the community easily allows for individuals to compare themselves to others.

In conclusion, Tumblr can be understood as a platform that prioritizes aesthetics, amplified through allowing users to share unique short-form blogs and reflecting its original positioning as a creative community (Keller, 2019).

References

Habermas, J, Lennox, S & Lennox, F (1974), ‘The Public Sphere: An Encyclopedia Article (1964)’, New German Critique, no. 3, p. 49

Keller, J 2019, ‘”Oh, She’s a Tumblr Feminist”: Exploring the Platform Vernacular of Girls’ Social Media Feminisms’, Social Media + Society, vol. 5 no. 3, pp. 1-11

McCracken, A 2017, ‘Tumblr Youth Subcultures and Media Engagement’, Gale Academic OneFile, vol.57, no. 1, pp. 151

Watercutter A 2019, ‘The Internet Needs Tumblr More Than Ever’, Wired, 14 July, viewed 1 May, < https://www.wired.com/story/tumblr-reinvigorated/>