#Publicsphere

[rejectedreligion1]

RR Pod E27 Dell Rose - Cultural Receptions of Emanuel Swedenborg: Connecting the Spiritual with the Material This month's topic centers around Emanuel Swedenborg, who was, and still is, an extremely influential figure within the currents of esotericism. Dell Rose begins by giving a short introduction about Swedenborg, and then moves to discuss other aspects of Swedenborg's life and beliefs that led to his eventual 'revelations' about the nature of the spiritual world and free will.  Dell is particularly concerned with the cultural reception of Swedenborg, and he notes that Swedenborg's influence is varied, but overwhelming. This influence is seen in all forms of cultural life from the 19th century onward, in areas such as art, literature, poetry, and music; but also in the political sphere, including public planning, cooperative societies, and women's rights. Dell shares his own research into Charles Augustus Tulk, who was keen to implement Swedenborg's ideas onto social issues, as well as other figures who were also inspired by Swedenborgian thought.

[ger-canshowyoutheworld]

Can social media be considered a public sphere?

What is the public sphere? The "public sphere" is typically seen as the social setting where various viewpoints are voiced, issues of public concern are addressed, and communication solutions are found (Wessler & Freudenthaler 2018). German philosopher Jürgen Habermas initially introduced the idea of the public sphere in the 1960s. Habermas contends that the public sphere is essential to democratic societies because it gives people a forum to express their ideas, form opinions, and hold those in positions of authority responsible. However, does social media considered a public sphere? 

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are eliminating all the temporal and spatial obstacles to distant contact, whereas formerly the public space was located in physical venues like cafés (Khan, Gilani, & Nawaz, 2012). Therefore, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram allow people to share information, express opinions and have conversations with a global audience. Therefore, there are some requirements to discuss whether social media is a public sphere. A public sphere must be free exchanges of ideas, free speech, and free debate (CommGAP, n.d). An equal and protected involvement must be allowed, access to knowledge must be unfettered and limitless, and institutional surveillance must not exist.

So, could everyone in the world have access to knowledge limitlessly on the internet? People from underdeveloped countries, they are lack affordable access to the Internet. As a result, they may receive inaccurate or incomplete information. This can be defined that there is no guarantee that everyone can access the same knowledge from social media. Hence, this is one of the proofs that social media might not consider a public sphere. Besides that, the content that people are looking at on social media is mostly controlled by algorithms. Social media algorithms are a means to order posts in a user's feed based on relevance rather than when they were published (Barnhart 2021). Therefore, it can be considered institutional surveillance, where the algorithms only show the content that the user might like to see, which caused that every user might receive different information. Not only that, although there is freedom of speech for everyone, there is still some unequal situation happening on social media. Celebrities, micro-celebrity, or people who have many followers on social media called it influencer, tend to get more blindly supports from their followers whenever they give out their opinion towards some issues. These can be proof that social media did not meet the requirement of the public sphere.

In conclusion, social media cannot be considered the public sphere due to the reason that social media did not meet the 3 requirements which are access to information limitlessly, equal involvement, and institutional monitoring should not exist.

References:

Barnhart, B 2021, ‘Everything you need to know about social media’, Sprout Blog, viewed 11 May 2023, <https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-algorithms/>. 

CommGAP, n.d, The public sphere, CommGAP, viewed 11 May 2023, &lt;https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08b45e5274a27b2000a69/PubSphereweb.pdf>. 

Khan, M, Z, Gilani, I, S, & Nawaz, A 2012, ‘From Habermas Model to New Public Sphere: A Paradigm Shift’, Global Journal of Human Social Science.

Wessler, H, Freudenthaler, R 2018, Public sphere, Oxford Bibliographies, viewed 11 May 2023, &lt;https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199756841/obo-9780199756841-0030.xml>.

[nyahdigitalcommunities]

Social Media Platforms as Ideal Public Spheres

Three traits cornerstone Habermas' notion of an ideal public sphere; "unlimited access to information, equal and protected participation, and the absence of institutional influence” (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018). There is debate on whether social media platforms align with these requirements.

Arguments For:

Social media is an interactive space which empowers communication amongst active participants. Social media has democratised media content production, enabling equal participation by providing users with the tools necessary to independently broadcast their voice. This redistribution of power has established a media space where communication is on a peer-to-peer level rather than one-to-many (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018). This has empowered individuals to engage in discourse publicly.

The reliance on traditional media gatekeepers has been removed by social media platforms. The equal contribution of the public to the media landscape has decreased the influence of institutions (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018). Moreover, unlike traditional media, there are no gatekeepers on social media platforms which permit or deny the posting of content. This fulfils the requirement of a space absent of institutional influence.

Users also have unlimited access to all information available on social media platforms (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018).

Whilst social media fundamentally meets the requirements of a public sphere, its ideality is inhibited by multiple factors.

Arguments Against:

Unlimited access to information

Users are segregated into niche online communities and are not exposed to the unlimited information available on social media. Algorithms analyse user data to predict and present content which aligns with an individual’s interests. Users are repeatedly exposed to media which affirms pre-existing viewpoints, forming a filter bubble (Belavadi et. al 2020). The online community is separated into smaller ideologically homophilic circles, constructing echo chambers of opinion (Belavadi et. al 2020). Automated content personalisation ultimately limits information access by sheltering users from exposure to opposing viewpoints.

Equal and protected participation 

The exclusion of individuals from social media often arises as a consequence of the digital divide, which refers to the discrepancies which prevent certain groups' equal use of online spaces. Primary factors are the lack of access to the required technology, such as a stable internet connection and personal devices, and one's degree of competence with these technologies (James 2021). As individuals have varying access and competence which limits them in different ways, social media is not a space in which all individuals can equally participate.

Users are not protected when participating in discourse on social media. As mentioned in the Flinchum, Kruse & Norris reading; surveillance on social media can result in online activity impacting users’ life offline. This is reflected by the offline consequences faced by NBA player Kyrie Irving’s career after posting a link to an antisemetic film on Twitter in 2022 (Ganguli & Sopan 2022). Irving received an eight-game suspension by the Brooklyn Nets, and Nike terminated his contract 11 months prior to its official expiration (Doston & Vera 2022; Ganguli & Sopan 2022). Exemplified by Irving’s financial and reputational damage; users are held accountable offline for content shared on social media. Users may alter or limit their online presence to not reflect their views and reduce the risk of offline consequences.

The following video discusses the incident further and highlights the damage to Irving's reputation.

Source: Good Morning America 2022

Government surveillance is also an issue for protected participation on social media. This is exemplified by Douyin, the predecessor of TikTok launched for the Chinese market. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) monitors online activity and enforces strict internet censorship restrictions (Gamso 2021). Government surveillance prevents protected participation as Douyin users must limit their online expression, particularly on political issues, to avoid legal prosecution. 

The following video briefly explains the CCP's internet censorship practices.

Source: South China Morning Post 2020

Absence of institutional influence 

The commodification of user information breaches the requirement of a space free from institutional influence. Data is collected by platform owners and offered as targeted marketing to external organisations. Meta Inc., parent company of Facebook and Instagram, generated $116.6b USD in revenue in 2022 primarily from promotion (Meta Inc. 2022). Platforms themselves benefit economically from their existence, profiting from the data generated by users’ self expression. Thus, social media is not free from economic institutional influence.

Attainability of the Ideal Public Sphere

The reading acknowledges doubts on the attainability of the public sphere outside of theory (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018). Equal participation of all individuals requires the removal of all barriers which often stem from prominent sociocultural and economic issues in society (Flinchum, Kruse & Norris 2018). Thus, the ideal public sphere theorised by Habermas may be unattainable in both the digital and physical space.

Reference List

Belavadi, P, Burbach, L, Calero Valdez, A, Nakayama, J, Plettenberg, N & Ziefle, M 2020, 'User Behavior and Awareness of Filter Bubbles in Social Media', in V G Duffy (ed), Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management. Human Communication, Organization and Work, Springer International Publishing, SpringerLink, pp. 81-92.

Dotson, K & Vera, A 2022, Kyrie Irving returns to the Brooklyn Nets after serving 8-game suspension, CNN, viewed 2 March 2023, &lt;https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/20/us/kyrie-irving-return-brooklyn-nets/index.html >.

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

Gamso, J 2021, 'Is China exporting media censorship? China’s rise, media freedoms, and democracy', European journal of international relations, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 858-883.

Ganguli, T & Sopan, D 2022, What to Know About Irving’s Antisemitic Movie Post and the Fallout, New York Times, viewed 2 March 2023, &lt;https://www.nytimes.com/article/kyrie-irving-antisemitic.html>.

Good Morning America, 2022, Kyrie Irving causes controversy by sharing anti-Semitic film, viewed 10 March 2023, &lt;Kyrie Irving causes controversy by sharing anti-Semitic film>.

James, J 2021, New perspectives on current development policy : COVID-19, the digital divide, and state internet regulation, Springer International Publishing AG, p.23-35.

Meta Inc., 2022, Meta Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Results, Meta Investor Relations, viewed 10 March 2023, &lt;https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2022/q4/Meta-12.31.2022-Exhibit-99.1-FINAL.pdf>.South China Morning Post 2020, How China censors the internet, viewed 11 March 2023, <How China censors the internet>

[pimpkinpieee]

Week 5 – Digital Community and Fandom: Reality TV Case Study

Week 5 is all about Reality TV! I am not that big of a fan of reality TV shows but I do have a few that I enjoy watching. To begin with, let’s see what reality TV shows are all about and how it connects to public sphere.

According to Miss. EL (2023), reality TV has recently evolved into a ‘dominant form of television programming’ in the past few years due to its rising popularity. Reality TV also serves as a catalyst for political discussions to occur and this creates a forum for people to engage with the public in deliberation by connecting information, identities, and experiences to society (Graham 2011). Thus, the existence of reality TV has somehow expanded the public sphere by providing a wider spectrum of people access to reality TV.

An example of a famous reality TV show that I personally watch, and that left a significant impact on both the entertainment industry and the public sphere is “Hell’s Kitchen” (2005-2023).The show, hosted by renowned chef Gordon Ramsay, brings aspiring chefs together in a competitive environment to showcase their culinary skills. Beyond its entertainment value, "Hell's Kitchen" has expanded the public sphere by fostering discussions about food, cooking, and the restaurant industry, and even touching on political issues.

One way in which "Hell's Kitchen" has expanded the public sphere is by popularizing the art of cooking and making it accessible to a broader audience. The show's format allows viewers to witness the challenges and intricacies of the culinary world, exposing them to new techniques, expert skills, flavours and the transformation of ingredients into gourmet dishes (Sinewe 2017). As a result, it has sparked interest and curiosity about food among viewers who may not have been previously engaged in cooking-related discussions.

Moreover, "Hell's Kitchen" has stimulated conversations about the restaurant industry and its inner workings. The high-pressure environment, the intense competition, and the quest for perfection depicted on the show have shed light on the demanding nature of the culinary profession. Viewers have been exposed to the realities faced by chefs, ranging from the long hours to the creative pressures and the complex dynamics of restaurant kitchens. These discussions have led to a greater appreciation for the work that goes into delivering exceptional dining experiences.

Additionally, "Hell's Kitchen" has not shied away from addressing political issues within the culinary world. The show has explored topics such as workplace dynamics, leadership styles, and the effects of intense competition on individuals' mental and emotional well-being. It has sparked debates about effective management, gender dynamics in professional kitchens, and the importance of fair treatment and respect within the workplace. By raising these discussions, "Hell's Kitchen" has played a role in shaping public perceptions and challenging societal norms within the food and restaurant industry.

To conclude, "Hell's Kitchen" has expanded the public sphere by creating a space for discussions about cooking, the restaurant industry, and political issues within the culinary world. The same concept applies to other existing reality TV shows out there. Although reality TV can be depicted as unrealistic, it has the ability to generate political talk in the public sphere as it focuses on 'cultivating a public sphere where free, equal, and open communication, deliberation, and exchange of information among citizens can flourish' (Graham & Hajru 2011).

References

Graham, T. & Hajru, A 2011, ‘Reality TV as a trigger of everyday political talk in the net-based public sphere’, European journal of communication (London), vol. 26, no. 1, SAGE Publications, London, England, pp. 18–32.

Miss.EL, 2023, Week 5: Digital Community and Fandom: Reality TV Case Study (Powerpoint Slides) Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 9 May 2023.

Sinewe, R., Baron, C. & Lockford, A, 2017, COMPLIMENTS TO THE ONSCREEN CHEF: COOKING AS SOCIAL AND ARTFUL PERFORMANCES, viewed 9 May 2023, &lt;https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=bgsu1491165097470373&disposition=inline>.

[anyone-can-read]

Tumblr: Digital Community

People can now connect with others who share their interests to form groups and digital communities with the help of social media. An online community known as a digital community is one in which members can join various groups that share similar interests.

Tumblr is a social networking website that enables users to publish their blog articles. A blog, video, quote from someone else, or link can all be posted by individuals. The site's emphasis on freedom of expression and users' ability to precisely customise their own sites make Tumblr stand out from other social media platforms. This constitutes an exception to the rule since the vast majority of informal communities still in existence have normalised profile pages with constrained plan adaptability. Although Tumblr seems to be less popular than other platforms, it has some features that Tumblr can absolutely be a digital community.

While Tumblr can be a positive community, it is worth noting that there can also be negative impacts or even negative communities that can cause harm to individuals and communities.

Kruse (2018 pp.76) Tumblr has eventually made it possible for people to connect with like-minded people all across the world and to establish a space where digital communities may be authentic, despite the possibility of negative effects.

This is evident as “platform vernaculars that allow antifeminism to circulate, such as those that shape misogynist spaces like Reddit and 4Chan” (Keller 2019 pp. 9).

The idea of "The Public Sphere," which German philosopher Habermas established in the 1990s to define social and technical changes in society, is another name for digital communities. The key argument of "The Public Sphere" is that it creates a space for discussion among the general public. Media researchers disagree on whether "The Public Sphere" genuinely exists or whether it is just an ideal that society should try to realise in the future.

The increasing of popularity and growth of these virtual communities can arguably “contribute to the reinvigoration of the ‘Public Sphere’ and the development of an electronic democracy” (Siapera 2012, p. 194). 

[katzemda20009]

WEEK 4: DIGITAL COMMUNITY & FANDOM: REALITY TV CASE STUDY

What is Digital Publics & Public Sphere?

Digital publics are communities of people that connect online to debate and participate in public problems. The term "public sphere" describes the area where people congregate to engage in public speech and discussion about topics of interest to all. A new type of public sphere made possible by digital technology is known as the "digital public sphere," which enables anyone to participate in public discourse and influence public opinion via online forums.

Examples of digital publics:

Facebook groups for fans of a certain TV programme or Twitter debates on politics are two examples of social media communities that focus on certain subjects or interests.

Blogging communities allow bloggers to interact with readers through comments and feedback while also sharing their views and ideas on a variety of topics.

What is Focus Reility Show?

Due to its popularity and cultural influence, a focus on reality TV is frequently of interest.

Reality TV is a kind of television programming that uses actual people rather than professional actors and unscripted circumstances.

Reality TV has also drawn criticism and controversy because of its tendency to reinforce harmful stereotypes and encourage harmful conduct.

Personal opinion: I have reason to assume that the majority of reality programmes are prepared with simple scripts based on my experience viewing Relity Show in several countries, including the US, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. On the positive side, planning a scenario in advance guarantees that you reduce the likelihood of undesirable circumstances. Nevertheless, by doing this, the reality programme has unintentionally lost its originality and authenticity.

Image 1: Posters of reality TV shows from Korea, USA, Vietnam, China and Thailand.

Some of the purposes of reality TV shows

The reality show aims to exploit all aspects of the participants' lives.

Support for artists, idols, actors and celebrities to strengthen their recognition and popularity.

Support propaganda and promotion of local tourism.

Reality TV creates Digital Publics

Reality television fosters digital publics by providing a shared experience and a common topic for people to debate and interact with online.

Several reality television series feature online communities and social media groups where viewers may contribute their ideas, opinions, and responses to the show.

Consequently, reality television acts as a stimulant for the establishment of digital publics by providing a shared area for individuals to gather and debate similar interests.

Image 2: Examples of hashtags and comments from reality show viewers.

The social networking platforms used to promote reality TV programmes will change depending on the culture and unique qualities of each nation.

The common thread is that reality programmes will generate hashtags, titles, and events that viewers can readily debate with others who share their interests.

References:

  Fader, A & Gottlieb, O 2015, ‘Occupy Judaism: Religion, Digital Media, and the Public Sphere’, Anthropological quarterly, vol. 88, no. 3, George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research, Washington, pp. 759–793.

  Mattila, H & Nummi, P 2022, ‘The Challenge of the Digital Public Sphere: Finnish Experiences of the Role of Social Media in Participatory Planning’, Planning theory & practice, vol. 23, no. 3, Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 406–422.

[imadethisforuni]

Reality TV; More Talked About Than Watched?

“Reality TV is often more talked about than watched” (Hill, A., 2015). Ultimately this can be considered accurate, as upon searching up ‘Reality TV’ on Google’s search page, just under two billion searches pop up, and although there isn’t an official list of how many reality tv shows there are, it is guaranteed there aren’t two billion. Plus, the two billion searches aren’t taking social media into account either, including Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook etc, which is where a majority of the gossip occurs. 94% of people turn to Twitter (Twitter News, 2022) to talk about current events, and contemporary current events seem to include the latest scandal in reality TV. Daily Mail has a section on its website dedicated to ‘TV&Showbiz’, full of the latest trending news and scandals (Daily Mail, 2023), which proves how relevant and current reality TV is in the news. Through these Twitter chats, posts and replies about Reality TV and a particular show, it “privileges ‘liveness’” (Dellar, R.A., 2019), which creates a space of unity and connection between viewers of the shows.

Viewers of reality TV are a part of the ‘public sphere’, a space where communities co-exist, intersect and overlap in multiple forms across media platforms” (Bruns & Highfield), and this is an example on Twitter, where viewers follow hashtags, or on Facebook, where people create group chats about particular reality TV shows. The liveness of reality TV creates a space “[where viewers are] engaging with the same television content at the same time” (Stewart, M., 2020). As mentioned previously, this creates a unified community, who enjoy the same content, however, reality TV can also be described as “’water-cooler television’” (Stewart, M., 2020). Ultimately, this establishes Reality TV has content that the vast majority of people (in particular, colleagues, peers, family members and friends) have all seen, which creates micro-communities and groups who can all come together and share their opinions, thoughts and hashtags.

References

Bruns, Axel & Highfield, Tim (2016) Is Habermas on Twitter? Social media and the public sphere.

Daily Mail (Accessed: March 20, 2023) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/reality-tv/index.html

Deller, Ruth A, (2019) Extract:  'Chapter Six: Reality Television in an Age of Social Media' Download 'Chapter Six: Reality Television in an Age of Social Media'in Reality Television: The TV Phenomenon That Changed the World (Emerald Publishing). 

Stewart, Mark (2020) ‘Live Tweeting, Reality TV and the Nation’ ‘Live Tweeting, Reality TV and the Nation’23(3) International journal of cultural studies 352.

Twitter News, (Sept 12, 2022), How many people come to Twitter for news? As it turns out, a LOT. https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/insights/2022/how-many-people-come-twitter-for-news

[biglisbonnews]

TikTok faces a ban in the US if it retains Chinese-based ownership TikTok said the Biden administration was threatening to ban the app unless it sheds its Chinese ownership.Read more... https://qz.com/tiktok-us-ban-china-owners-bytedance-sale-1850231740

[lgambino]

Week 3 - The public sphere is an area, usually on a social media platform where individuals can come together to discuss and identify problems, or topics without being restricted by class positions or connections. A thriving public sphere creates a space for conversation, debate, and learning, which can lead to better citizens and more democratic society. The concept of the public sphere was first explored by Jurgen Habermas, which he stated clearly that it was important for democracy.

Jürgen Habermas was a German social theorist and he explored the concept of the public sphere, in his studies, the Public Sphere emerged in the 18th century and originally was coextensive with public authority", while "the private sphere comprised civil society in the narrower sense, that is to say, the realm of commodity exchange and of social labour. However, Habermas's idea of the concept was intended from the beginning to be controversial.

Twitter is a public sphere that has been debated by individuals as some studies have supported Twitter as a public sphere by using metrics such as equality, diversity, reciprocity, and quality. Meanwhile, other researchers have concluded that Twitter should not be considered a public sphere for civil discourse because users seem to prefer it more as an echo chamber than a space for open discussion

Reference

F. (2017, May 5). Twitter as a Public Sphere | Alyssa’s Site. https://journeys.dartmouth.edu/alyssamehra/2017/05/05/twitter-as-a-public-sphere/

Jürgen Habermas’s Public Sphere explained (summary). (2011, September 19). https://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com/2011/09/jurgen-habermass-public-sphere.html

Liu, Z., & Weber, I. (2014, November 11). Is Twitter a Public Sphere for Online Conflicts? A Cross-Ideological and Cross-Hierarchical Look. Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13734-6_25

Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere Social Structures of the Public Sphere Summary & Analysis | SparkNotes. (n.d.). SparkNotes. https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/public/section2/

[v1821anna]

Exploring the impact of Tumblr in shaping digital communities Hey there, Tumblr newbies! 👋 Join me as we explore the captivating realm of digital communities and the significant impact that Tumblr has in shaping them. 🌟 Let's dive into the fascinating world of the public sphere, the ever-changing landscape of blogging, the awesome features of Tumblr, and how it has shaped user experiences and activism. Alright, let's get started! ✨

Sooo, what is public sphere? The public sphere is a concept that describes social and technological changes in society. It seeks to comprehend the role of mass media in democracy and social relationships (McKee, 2005). It is a place where private individuals can come together as a public, using reason to foster critical knowledge and effect political change. While its existence is still debated, media scholars argue that the traditional public sphere has given way to micro-publics, or digital communities (Bruns et al., 2012). Hmm, what about blogging 🤔? Since its inception in the middle of the 1990s, blogging has been instrumental in promoting self-expression and expanding the public domain. The term "weblog" was first used on Justin Hall's personal homepage, and it was eventually abbreviated to "blog" (Holbrook et al., 2006). Blogs are now a potent tool for exchanging thoughts, viewpoints, and experiences. Here's a short video talking about the history of blogging:

Now, let's talk about Tumblr! Tumblr was established in 2007 and has undergone several ownership changes. Verizon's acquisition of Yahoo in 2017 led to controversies and ultimately resulted in Automattic (owner of WordPress) acquiring Tumblr in 2019 (Pilipets and Paasonen, 2022). Tumblr's anonimity provides a secure environment for marginalised communities, including LGBTQI communities 🏳️‍🌈, to freely express themselves. An additional potent tool on Tumblr, hashtagging facilitates the discovery of content and community development. In contrast to alternative social media platforms, Tumblr enables users to peruse content without the requirement of following one another (Keller, 2019).

With regard to user experiences, Tumblr has been instrumental in promoting feminist activism and critique. Specifically, adolescent females have utilised Tumblr as a platform to participate in various forms of activism, wherein they voice apprehensions and bring attention to social issues (Keller, 2019). By employing social media platforms strategically, these young individuals have showcased their initiative, discernment, and expertise (Keller, 2019).

To summarise, Tumblr has become a dynamic medium that influences virtual communities and empowers individuals to express themselves. Its distinctive characteristics, including hashtagging and anonymity, contribute to the emergence of a variety of communication genres. #MDA20009 #digitalcommunities #publicsphere #blogging #Tumblr #activism #swinburne References Bruns, A., Highfield, T., & Lind, R. A. (2012). Blogs, Twitter, and breaking news: The produsage of citizen journalism. Produsing theory in a digital world: The intersection of audiences and production in contemporary theory, 80(2012), 15-32. Holbrook, D., Bird, R., & Enfield, J. (2006). Theorizing the Diary Weblog. http://www.ourboldhero.com/research/theorizing.pdf

Keller, J. (2019). “Oh, She’s a Tumblr Feminist”: Exploring the Platform Vernacular of Girls’ Social Media Feminisms. Social Media + Society, 5(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119867442

McKee, A. (2005). The Public Sphere. Cambridge University Press.

Pilipets, E., & Paasonen, S. (2022). 'Nipples, memes, and algorithmic failure: NSFW critique of Tumblr censorship'. New Media & Society, 24(6), 1459–1480. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820979280 #MDA20009 #digitalcommunities #publicsphere #blogging #Tumblr #activism

[janahjean]

#disagreement #opposition #publicsphere #polarisation #democracy #openminded #implicitbias

[gabsfabblog]

How digital citizenship and political engagement spark discussions (w5)

In the digital age, we live in now almost anyone can be classed as a ‘digital citizen.’ Digital citizens have a strong influence within the public sphere, shaping their skills and knowledge surrounding digital technology in a positive way to participate with the rest of society, whilst creating, consuming and sharing digital content. There are three main areas of participation in society which are to do with economical opportunities, democratic participation and inclusion in prevailing forms of communication. (Mossberger, 2008)

As mentioned in this week’s reading, it’s important to understand the mainstream influence Australian politics has on its audiences. (Vromen, 2017) Understanding these effects and tactics through digital technology/media is what helps a wide audience of Australians become familiar with “major changes in citizen-based politics in the digital age,” (vromen, 2017) this is especially prominent in advanced democracies. 

Nowadays most citizens engage with politics in “individualised” ways this can be done through online or offline forums such as “online petitioning, donating money, ad hoc volunteering of time, and boycotting…” (Vromen, 2017) Many citizens also used “digitally-based mechanisms” (Vromen, 2017) to engage audiences in politics, enabling them to have the ability to express their point of view through the public sphere. 

The use of hashtags has had a huge part in shaping the public through the use of social channels relating to politics and pressing social justice issues. Hashtags such as;

#Auspol

#MeToo

#ClimateChange

#ImWithHer

#ecofashion

#March4Justice

#BlackLivesMatter

#FreeBritney

These all demonstrate a call to action, engaging citizens and making them more aware of the effects these topics have. Platformization can also be considered a result of the transformation of social networks into social media platforms. Which is relevant to the ways digital citizens engage with content online or offline sparking discussions surrounding these issues.

Bibliography:

Mossberger, 2008, ‘Institution, Policy Innovation, and E-Government in the American states’, Wiley online library, URL: 

Vromen, 2017, 'Intro  Download Intro', 'Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement The Challenge from Online Campaigning and Advocacy Organisations' London : Palgrave Macmillan

[digitaldiscussions]

Social Media: A cause for political engagement? (Week 5)

Social media is known to foster communication between people. Considered as a forum to post interesting photos of yourself/others or what you are doing/interested in, social media is not often associated with the world of politics and activism. However, with the increased use of social media and recent “advances” (Law et al 2018) in “digital communication platforms” (Law et al 2018), social media has transformed into a digital infrastructure aiding political engagement. Social media allows for the “distribution of ideas” (Law et al 2018) and “public deliberation” (Law et al 2018). Through this, social media inherently promotes the sharing of political ideas and political discussion

The unique feature of hashtags, or specifically hashtag publics further helps social media facilitate political engagement. Hashtags use specific words or abbreviations to connect or “affiliate” (Zappavigna) different posts together. Through different themes and keywords, ideas and discussions can instantly be connected. Additionally, whilst hashtags generate “ambient affiliation” (Zappavigna) between those who use them within a post, other users who merely wish to engage with the content of a specific hashtag public can search for that hashtag whereby all posts that have used it are coordinated. Hence, hashtags can help to coordinate political ideas, events and experiences and allow those interested in those ideas to engage with them. Ultimately, hashtags “aid the formation and coordination of ‘ad hoc issue publics’” (Bruns & Burgess; Rambukkana). Users of social media who wish to express a political opinion, idea or experience can use a specific hashtag whereby any experiences similar to can also be coordinated. 

Ultimately social media, whilst often considered a mundane digital infrastructure, has become a forum to promote and engage issues of politics and activism. Political engagement within “advanced democracies” (Vromen 2017, p.2) has “changed” (Vromen 2017, p.2) within the last few years. No longer do citizens solely align with “traditional, dutiful allegiances” (Vromen 2017, p.2) of politics, such as political parties and trade unions, to engage with political issues. More often, citizens are now engaging with politics in a more “individualised” (Vromen 2017, p.3) way, specifically using “everyday digitally based mechanisms” (Vromen 2017, p.3) to “engage in politics” (Vromen 2017, p.3) and “express points of view” (Vromen 2017, p.3). This is due to the connectivity and availability social media affords its users. 

Moreover, within the modern era, many people are digitally literate. They can understand how internet applications work, and can communicate effectively using different social media platforms. Hence, many generations today represent ‘digital citizens’. The concept of a digital citizen can be used to articulate how social media can be used to foster political engagement. A digital citizen is a person who has the “skills and knowledge” (Office of the eSaftey Commissioner, NSW Department of Education) to “effectively use digital technologies” (Office of the eSaftey Commissioner, NSW Department of Education). Moreover, a digital citizen uses these skills to “positively participate in society and communicate with others”  (Office of the eSaftey Commissioner, NSW Department of Education). Through using social media applications, people can effectively share their political opinions/ideas/experiences within one another. Additionally, social media can be used as a forum for political discussion, whereby different people can discuss different political events or efforts that require more attention from the public. 

Ultimately, the advances of social media coupled with its increased use and literacy means that everyday citizens can use social media to engage in politics, outside the constraints of traditional and formal political engagement. 

References:

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

[nyahdigitalcommunities]

Tumblr as a Space for Online Communities

Social media enables people to congregate and discuss topics in a digital space. Digital communities or micro-publics form on social media, and different platforms have features that can create a more suitable space for certain micro-publics. Tumblr exemplifies this as it has a reputation for accepting marginalised communities (Miller, Reif & Taddicken 2022).

This week's set reading discussed selfie taking, the body positivity movement on social media, and the community formed under the 'body positivity' hashtag on Tumblr (Miller, Reif & Taddicken 2022). Miller, Reif & Taddicken contend that those who take selfies, young women in particular, may feel pressured to present themselves in a way to adhere to beauty ideals (2022). Social media communities that revolve around the rejection and redefinition of beauty ideals have been formed in response to this pressure. The reading focuses on the community around the 'body positivity' hashtag on Tumblr, which shares an interest in rejecting beauty standards and celebrating non-conventional bodies online (Miller, Reif & Taddicken 2022). Whilst Miller, Reif & Taddicken's study focuses on women members of Tumblr's body positivity community in 2017; current posts under the hashtag are inclusive of men, non-binary, and trans individuals (2022).

Tumblr's user base is often supportive in comparison to other social media platforms, which establishes a space that is safe for self-disclosure (Bianchi, Cash & Fabbricatore 2022). Tumblr's openness to nudity prior to the 2018 NSFW ban also differentiated itself from other platforms (Miller, Reif & Taddicken 2022). The acceptance of this content enabled the body positivity community to share selfies and engage in discussion without breaching platform policies. However, the implementation of the ban impacted the suitability of Tumblr and the community has adopted other platforms since (Miller, Reif & Taddicken 2022).

Tumblr's anonymity and non-personal profile format increases the inclusivity of the platform (Bianchi, Cash & Fabbricatore 2022). Anonymity provides freedom from surveillance, which allows for protected participation due to users' fear of offline consequences (Flinchum, Kruse, & Norris 2018). This element of Tumblr makes it a safer space to participate in online, particularly when discussing sensitive topics such as activism (Keller 2019, Calhoun 2020). Micro-publics of feminist and social justice activists are prominent on Tumblr and coexist within a larger community of users interested in activism.

Linked below are two posts from the activism community. The first is an expression of opinion opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the second is encouraging other users to protest the erasure of segregation from the public school curriculum in Florida, USA.

It can be argued that these users are comfortable sharing personal experience and political opinion on Tumblr due to anonymity (Flinchum, Kruse, & Norris 2018). Feminist activism, in particular, is popular on Tumblr due to the supportive community and level of privacy the platform affords (Keller 2019). Similarly, black activists and allies often utilise Tumblr to engage in everyday political discourse in a more intimate setting (Calhoun 2020).

Tumblr's unique properties and user base establish the platform as a protective space for marginalised micro-publics. The decline in the body positivity community's use of Tumblr exemplifies how users will adopt the platforms that are most suitable for their desired discourse.

References

Bianci, M, Caso, D & Fabbricatore, R 2022, 'Tumblr Facts : Antecedents of Self-Disclosure across Different Social Networking Sites', European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education, vol. 12, no. 9, pp. 1257-1271.

Calhoun, K 2020, 'CHAPTER 4 Blackout, Black Excellence, Black Power: Strategies of Everyday Online Activism on Black Tumblr', in A Cho, I N Hoch, A McCracken & L Stein (eds), a tumblr book: platform and cultures, University of Michigan Press, pp. 48-62.

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

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. 205630511986744.

Miller, I, Reif, A & Taddicken, M 2022, '"Love the Skin You're In": An Analysis of Women's Self-Presentation and User Reactions to Selfies Using the Tumblr Hashtag #bodypositive', Mass communication & society, vol. ahead-of-print,, no. ahead-of-print, pp. 1-24.

[anuratalksmedia]

So... what is Tumblr?

When you think about Tumblr as a platform, most people will cast their mind back to when they first discovered the Internet as a 13-year-old highschooler. Tumblr became a safe haven for young people to share their thoughts, loves, hates and interests. Were you a fan of anime, or Supernatural? There’d be a set of Tumblr blogs dedicated to sharing and discussing that one thing you loved.

Reposting, commenting, sharing and posting something again for the fifth time are all ways that allow Tumblr to function like an online community. It doesn’t seem like it - but it’s those little things like giving someone a ‘like’ for that one gif they made about The Good Place and then sharing it to your friends that really defines this idea of a digital community. The community that you build on Tumblr makes you feel like you’re having a conversation with 25 people without having to leave your phone.

But let’s get down to specifics here, so bear with me… if you’re familiar with media theory, you’ll know about Habermas’ public sphere theory. He says that individuals who are usually private come together as a public for the purpose of furthering critical knowledge. 

Now why is this relevant? That kinda makes no sense.

But in actuality, Tumblr is more connected to this theory than any of us realise.

We, as part of the Tumblr community, are a part of something called an issue publics, which is an offshoot of the public sphere. It’s a weird name,yes, but issue publics, AKA issue communities, are best described as groups that gather in online platforms, like Tumblr. In your daily life on Tumblr, you will most likely interact with people that are your online friends, as well as complete strangers. You’re likely to have a private chat with your friends, and will only comment on a post from a stranger. Very different interactions. But it’s this sudden shift in interactions, the movement between interpersonal and public conversations, that really highlights how both in theory and in practice Tumblr is a highly functioning digital community. 

Who knew Tumblr was so complicated? 

[realjohnmda]

How Does Tumblr Function as a Digital Community?

Many of us have ingratiated social media platforms into our daily lives. It seems, other than when washing, working, or sleeping, we engage in some way with the digital communities that we are a part of. Participation in these networks is not simply a matter of being in or out; on or off (Boyd 2012). Social media has transformed the traditional public sphere into a complex system of publics which intersect, overlap, and co-exist at various levels and for different lifespans within society (Bruns & Highfield 2015). 

Networking and sharing information with others are assumed parts of participation in the modern world (Boyd 2012). Thus, our engagement with social media platforms becomes less a question of whether we are part of these digital communities. Rather, of how individuals choose to brand, curate, and display themselves, and determining which best highlight and express these marketable elements by leveraging each platform’s affordances (McCosker 2017; Scolere, Pruchniewska & Duffy 2018). 

Tumblr affords its users commensurably greater creative freedom than other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is achieved through the level of customization, personalization, and richness of content it provides. With this creative freedom, comes the attraction of individuals who not only seek to express themselves, but to develop their own identity through the assumed norms and values of the Tumblr community, and by producing content which strengthens the community as a whole (Mousavi, Roper & Keeling 2017). 

Perhaps Tumblr’s biggest strength lies in its hybrid characteristics of social networking, traditional blogosphere, and social media (Chang et al. 2014). Furthermore, Tumblr is particularly popular among teens and young adults interested in self-expression, while density and connectedness among these users is much higher than traditional blogs (average distance of 4.7 users between every 2) (Smith 2013; Chang et al. 2014). 

In relation to social and political engagement, Tumblr provides individuals a degree of privacy in tandem with mutual connectedness to drive movements and collective responses to social concerns. For example, Tumblr has gained a reputation as a feminist-friendly space where in-depth dialogue can be cultivated in relation to issues such as intersectionality, patriarchy, and protest (Keller 2019). 

This is another aspect which makes Tumblr unique amidst other social platforms. Individuals are free to display aspects of themselves and engage with a range of interests and issues which may not be revealed among close friends and family. While this seems positive for public discourse, Tumblr has also attracted criticism for promotion of self-harm, pornographic, and white supremacist material forcing the social network to impose content bans to make it more difficult to access such content (Eveleth 2013; Rosenberg 2018). 

With its popularity and attributes as a digital community, comes many of the same threats which all social networks must face in this novel digital age. As, these platforms have emerged from within a broader culture and are inescapably subject to the societal and cultural influences which drive them. 

References

Boyd, D 2012, ‘Participating in the Always-On Lifestyle’, The Social Media Reader, in M Mandiberg (ed.), NYU Press, New York; London, pp. 71-76.

Bruns, A & Highfield, T 2015, The Routledge Companion to Social Media and Politics, in A Bruns, G Enli, A Larsson, E Skogerbo & C Christensen (ed.), Routledge, New York, pp. 56-73.

Chang, Y, Tang, L, Inagaki, Y & Liu, Y 2014, ‘What is Tumblr: A Statistical Overview and Comparison’, ACM SIGKDD Explorations Newsletter, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 21-29.

Eveleth, R 2013, What Happened to ‘Self-Harm Blogs’ After Tumblr Banned Them?, viewed 24 April 2020, <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-happened-to-self-harm-blogs-after-tumblr-banned-them-15883320/>.

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, p. 205630511986744.

McCosker, A 2017, ‘Data Literacies for the Postdemographic Social Media Self’, First Monday, vol. 22, no. 10.

Mousavi, S, Roper, S & Keeling, K 2017, ‘Interpreting Social Identity in Online Brand Communities: Considering Posters and Lurkers’, Psychology & Marketing, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 376-393.

Rosenberg, E 2018, Tumblr’s nudity ban removes one of the last major refuges for pornography on social media, viewed 24 April 2020, <https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/12/04/tumblrs-nudity-crackdown-means-pornography-will-be-harder-find-its-platform-than-nazi-propaganda/>.

Scolere, L, Pruchniewska, U & Duffy, B 2018, ‘Constructing the Platform-Specific Self-Brand: The Labor of Social Media Promotion’, Social Media + Society, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 205630511878476.

Smith, C 2013, Tumblr Offers Advertisers A Major Advantage: Young Users, Who Spend Tons of Time on The Site, viewed 24 April 2020, <https://www.businessinsider.com.au/tumblr-and-social-media-demographics-2013-12?r=US&IR=T>.