#TCL2025

[user20052005]

WEEK 11

What is Black twitter? 

Before class, I was not aware of black twitter. I do not use twitter because I am mostly on instagram and tiktok. Learning about black twitter changed my mind about social media because I usually view social media as a lie and a waste of time. Although I use it, I still feel negative about it because I am used to it and I am trying to change that. Social media is not the best source of information because it can contain misinformation. In the article by L. Lee, they mention social media being used to create prideness in blackness. I think this is moving because it can put creativity out there and inspire other cultures. I remember many memes and later I learned that it was from black twitter. According to the article, black twitter brought out redefinition,enforced counter-narratives testimonials and built communities. 

Article: "Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media" by L. LEE

What are forms of online activism? 

According to the article by S.Vegh the three internet activism categories are awareness/advocacy, organization/mobilization, and action/reaction. We see awareness/advocacy on issues in the world all over social media when a big issue is happening. Social media also raises awareness on issues of domestic abuse and violence. It is something that many people are not aware they are going through. Social media gives signs of abuse and how to identify it. This helps people all over the world who have access to social media. Next, organizations are made through social media. People take actions by donating money on issues as a way to help. Others take on the streets and protest. Many people find out about protests taking place on social media. Lastly, what actions are people taking to go up against issues. People can gather in a community and voice their opinions on the issue. 

Article: "Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The case of Cyber-Protests against the World Bank" by S. Vegh

[janetlogs]

Blog Post #3

Why do some people think white names are “normal” while other names stand out?

Many white people don’t think much about their names because whiteness is often seen as the “default” in society. Some white students might say, “My name is just normal,” while others with unique or ethnic names might constantly have to explain or correct people. This idea that white names are “regular” and others are “different” is a form of privilege. It allows white people to move through life without their names being questioned or judged. Meanwhile, people with names that sound foreign or unfamiliar may face discrimination or be seen as outsiders. Recognizing that all names have meaning and history helps us see how race and privilege shape everyday life.

How do new technologies, like algorithms, continue racial bias instead of fixing it?

Even though we might think technology is fair and unbiased, studies show that it often repeats the same racial discrimination seen in society. For example, researchers found that job applicants with white sounding names were much more likely to get callbacks than those with black sounding names, even when everything else about their applications was the same. Algorithms, which are supposed to be neutral, also show bias. One study found that a popular algorithm linked white names with positive words and black names with negative words. This happens because these systems learn from human data, which already has bias in it. Instead of removing discrimination, technology often reinforces unfair stereotypes, making it even harder for marginalized groups to get jobs, loans, or avoid unfair surveillance.

How do search engine algorithms contribute to racism and sexism?

Search engine algorithms contribute to racism and sexism by reinforcing harmful stereotypes and biases present in society. For example, Google’s search results in the past showed pornographic content when searching for terms like "Black girls," while similar searches for white girls did not produce the same results. These biases are built into the algorithms because they are trained on human-generated data, which already contains racist and sexist assumptions. Since these algorithms are controlled by private companies, they often prioritize profit over fairness, allowing discrimination to continue unless public pressure forces change.

Why does the author compare black participation in cyberspace to futurism, and what does this suggest about the role of black people in digital culture?

The author compares black engagement in cyberspace to futurism, particularly referencing Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s pro-technology enthusiasm, to emphasize that black people have actively shaped the digital landscape rather than simply reacting to it. This comparison suggests that black communities see technology as a powerful tool for progress, innovation, and cultural expression, challenging mainstream narratives that often overlook their contributions.

Articles:

Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim Code. Polity.

Everett, A. (2002). The revolution will be digitized: Afrocentricity and the digital public sphere. Social Text, 71(20.2), 125-146.

Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. NYU Press.

[user20052005]

BLOG POST #6

How does Haraway use the figure of a cyborg? - 

Haraway uses the concept of the cyborg, a hybrid of machine and organism; she uses it to describe both concepts to signify a new way of thinking about identity that goes beyond traditional categories like gender, race, and class. According to Haraway’s essay, the cyborg was constructed with no gender, making it an offer for a scoailist-feminist future, meaning women's liberation from economic and liberal issues. The cyborg, a representation of hybridity, a fusion of the biological and the technical challenges the strict boundaries that have historically set forth human identity. The cyborg becomes a metaphor to create inclusivity in the future. 

Reference: Donna Haraway, "A cyborg manifesto. (n.d.). https://www.sfu.ca/~decaste/OISE/page2/files/HarawayCyborg.pdf 

Why is white supremacy on the internet still around and how? 

White supremacy was an issue during the print-only era by showing white masculinity. They took dominance during that era because they were publishers of newsletters. Now in the digital era, white supremacy is still around because not everyone is accounted for what they do and it is easy for most people to hide behind digital screens. There are communities on the internet that white supremacists can join to share their opinions and beliefs making the issue bigger on the internet. An example is the facebook platform. It allows people to search for groups to join and add their opinion. Personally, I know about the groups because when I was looking for roommates I joined a group, but I am aware that there are groups that spread hatred. On social media platforms as I mentioned, not everyone is accounted for, so it is easier for white supremacists to spread their hatred to communities; such as the LGBTQ community which are targeted the most. 

How are women portrayed in online spaces? 

According to K. O’Riordan there are three common themes that are used to describe women's femininity in online spaces. The first one being a female/feminine face and portraying having a “friendly” demeanor. Second reinforcing heteronormative and binary sex and gender relations. Meaning that they tend to reinforce that there are only two genders, female/male. Third, body implication for example, giving a woman hugging clothing, small wait, and odd sounds made in a video game. In my opinion, this is not good for people because it is a stereotype adding on to the negative women standards. This all has to do with white males creating these stereotypes for their own male gaze. 

Reference: O’Riordan, K. (2006, January 1). Gender Technology and visual cyberculture: Virtually women. Critical Cyberculture Studies. https://www.academia.edu/22438820/Gender_Technology_and_Visual_Cyberculture_Virtually_Women 

[user20052005]

Blog Post #3

What is the digital divide and what are some examples of it in modern day? 

Digital divide is common in many of our daily lives. There are people that have different access to technology. As mentioned in the article by Everett,“The fleeting nature or short shelf life of most individual, grassroots, and private non-profit Websites necessitates the immediate downloading of those sites that might be considered worthy of study because, as I have learned the hard way, to attempt a second page or site view may not be possible.” What the author explains is that there are selective websites due to their necessities. An example of digital division would be whether a person has cable or not. Growing up, I never had cable in my house but I would always hear children speak on tv shows that were streamed only with cable. This created a digital divide as a child because I did not have the same access or knowledge of the media as other children did. As talked about in class, there is a digital divide that has been ongoing for years and it is the access to high speed internet. There are some people that struggle with getting connected to the high speed internet because it can be much more expensive. These are a few examples of digital division. 

What is the new jim code and how does it impact people? 

The “new Jim Code” is the occupation of technologies that are new inventions and it creates an inequality and systems with discrimination. Individuals are affected because people of color face discrimination and are denied equal opportunities because of their ethnicity. There are biased opinions on the opportunities they are granted. As mentioned in class the red lining, where certain groups of people were not granted loans because of their race. 

Why is Benjamin skeptical about the promises of technology? 

Benjamin is skeptical about the promises of technology because he doesn't believe technology is fair to people. Especially with the “new Jim Code” the programmers of the technology are not being set in a correct manner. They are biased, racist, and sexist. The programmers secretly make it this way to express their judgments upon people of color. I find this interesting because technology is programmed by people and it made me realize that there are unfair production around the technology world. 

Who are the people in charge of creating algorithms? 

In “Algorithms of Oppression” Noble expresses how our computer codes are input through inequalities in race and sex. By default favoring a specific group this all comes back to the root problem of prejudice in programming. Although there aren't specific people to point out with names, there are humans that exist creating the algorithms that we see in our feed on the internet.

[user20052005]

Blog post #4 

What is the representation of race in cyberspace? 

In the chapter of “Race in Cyberspace” by Kolko it touches on the importance of representation. Minorities are not well represented or enough. The chapter mentions that, “inequities in those patterns serve to keep the Internet a predominantly white environment.” Meaning that there are networks around the world that want to keep the white race dominant in the internet cyberspace world. It can be a place where minorities have space to provide their culture to the world but it is still dominated by white middle class men. Cyberspace and race are a questionable combination because it always comes back to whether minorities are represented or not in the virtual space. 

How do games represent the world? 

As we talked in class about video games and the representation of minorities, I also came to apply my life experiences. Our professor mentioned GTA, and when people from other cities come to visit Los Angeles, they always mention GTA and how they feel as they are experiencing the game. I for one have never played that game more than once and was never shocked so I never put much attention to it. In the game there are people stealing cars and jumping people in the streets. To me, it's just a video game but there are people that are out of touch with reality that might get intrusive thoughts. In the “Revenge of the Yellow Faced Cyborg terminator” by J.Ow it speaks on a video game that is vulgar and there are genocides involved and the gamer plays a role of colonizer, which gives unnecessary power to white people which the game was intended for. Representation in video games needs to be put more attention to.

Kolko, B., Nakamura, L., & Rodman, G. (2000, January 11). Race in cyberspace. Routledge & CRC Press.

Sharon. (2010, July 3). Annotation: Jeffrey A. Ow’s “The revenge of the yellowfaced cyborg terminator” (2003). Sharon Tran.