#mda200009

[usagiwusagi]

Week 5 ╰(・∇・╰)

Politics and Social Media

My opinions on politics are rather vague, it can be either a very serious thing that can affect the future of the people and their country or it can be watching a bunch of elder adults bickering at each other. Honestly, I am coming into the ‘age’ where I must know something about politics but I want to give my view on politics in these past few years because as a teenager in Malaysia as so far as I know, it is an adult thing and we shouldn’t join in or much less looked down upon because we lack knowledge of it. However, which social media more open and accessible to everyone, this is actually how I get to know more about politics not only in Malaysia but other countries as well without the hassle of asking the adults on their political view as it can so one sided.

Political voices in social media

In principle, political voice enables people to pursue the goals and aspirations that they value, and to seek redress when an injustice is perceived. As Amartya Sen has argued, the importance of participation in one’s development through open and non-discriminatory processes, to have a say without fear, and to speak up against perceived injustices and wrongs are fundamental freedoms that are integral to one’s wellbeing and quality of life, as how clean politics should be. In  my opinions, clean politics does not exist, as humans are manipulative, seek power and recognition as it makes them feel like they did something right and have followers with the same ideology.

However easier said than done, according to Kearney, we are not necessarily getting farther and farther apart, it is just the people in the middle are becoming quieter and more withdrawn. If you fail to consider all the people in the middle who do not care about politics as much, it seems like there is a clearer division when there is not, so social media might be artificially creating this sense that we are becoming more polarized.

Right or wrong of politics in social media?

 “Voters generally favor policies that enhance their own well-​being with little consideration for that of future generations or for long-​term outcomes. Politicians are rewarded for pandering to voters’ immediate demands and desires…” said by Dambisa Moyo in her book Dead Aid (2009).

In social media, the proliferation of personalized media diets increasingly means that voters cling to their own facts, assumptions, and beliefs. By “media diets”, people live in their own “bubble”, only listening to like-minded people.

So, in the end, is it right or wrong? There is no right or wrong, everyone is different, different ideology, different preference and many more different from each other. It is just the matter of fact who is capable and competent to lead a country and everyone just wants benefits from the government to survive in society.

However, the sad thing is what I believe, what if none of the politicians are good? Do u vote for the worse or the less bad? It limits the choice in a way that it either divides people or connects people. Are the people manipulated by politicians on social media? Are the people thinking for themselves or others? These are questions I ask myself and I still can’t answer them today.

[digital5arah-blog]

Is Tumblr a blog or a Social Network site?

It is arguably incorrect to label Tumblr a blog or a social network site as it is considerably dependent on the individuals intention and motivation for using the website. Tumblr gives the consumer the option of using it as a social network site, for blogging or used collectively.

But what really is Tumblrs actual purpose?

Our first step in exploring whether Tumblr is a blog or a social media is to find the characteristics and purpose of both:

The key purpose of a social network is ultimately to connect and network with a large group of individuals who are friends or followers. However, the content you share publicly on your social network may not exclusively be for your friends and followers. Your shared content will not always be in relation to them. A social network is a platform you share with a large group of individuals.

On the other hand, a blog is more specific in the content that is being shared. A blog is your own platform. Your hub. Ultimately you will create a following or collect visitors who specifically view your blog for unambiguous content relevant to them.

The answer? Tumblr is collectively a social networking site for micro-blogging.

Tumblr possesses the qualities similar to that of a social network through the idea that not all content you post to the ‘dashboard' may be exclusive for all your followers and friends. However, like a blog, you are able to create and identify with your own blog or website, where followers or visitors will come to view specifically your content - whether that be through tags, outside internet searches, regular viewers or just casually stumbled across. Tumblr is not as personalised as the likes of similar social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram due to the freedom and ability to create without having to ‘network’. Content posted on Tumblr however can be lost on the dashboard just as quickly as the content posted on the mentioned social sites.

[crisp-rat-iv]

Week 4: Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikToks and Instagram?

hahaha no who the hell actually blogs in 2021 Before we begin, let’s ask what even are blogs ? why ask this question ? well I don’t know and I want to fill up the blogpost with more text so it doesn't look empty, deal with it . According to the OG WordPress (2021) website, they define a blog as a and abbreviation of web log with a diary-like content scheme and topics that would vary immensely. I've only seen the blogs of my friends in high school and it was mostly gossip and girl drama.

Personally I’ve always found the blogpost sector of the internet a bit weird and unrelatable, even back in its hay day where every teen girl had a blog and swore that they were unique lol . I’ve always had a terrible procrastination monster so such endeavors like blogging felt nigh unapproachable which is why I’m doing all these weekly posts in one night hahaaha. 

In today’s instant gratification and short attention span fueled teenagers and adults simply don’t care and don't actively look out for blogs for either entertainment purposes of information. I’d flat out say that no, blogging is not relevant, but then I did some research and found out the opposite is true.

So after doing research I've found out that not only is blogging not dead but it's still thriving. I read a blog, yes I know wow very meta and relevant to the topic at hand, which compiled an insane amount statistical data about blogging. Todorov (2021) provided the data in a presentable manner, even though it still gave me an aneurysm trying read it. According to Todorov, there are over 30 million bloggers in the United states alone which is insane. I'm a simple monkey, I see huge numbers and I'm impressed, just like any corporate environment where profit only matters. Firstly seeing all the data compiled on the website showed how little I knew about blogging in general.

I didn't know that a lot websites you read on the internet for example like articles about tech or media most of the time end up being a type of blog. I've had a shrewd view of what blogging even was. You'd think that platforms like TikTok or Instagram would have completely phased out blogging but the data shows otherwise. Another thing I didn't know was that vlogging is essentially another form of a blog, and that format is literally everywhere. So I guess blogging is not dead!! yay :D

References Todorov, G., 2021. 81 of the Most Up-to-Date Blogging Statistics in 2021. [online] Semrush Blog. Available at: <https://www.semrush.com/blog/blogging-stats/> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. WordPress.org Forums. 2021. Introduction to Blogging. [online] Available at: <https://wordpress.org/support/article/introduction-to-blogging/> [Accessed 27 November 2021].

[the-digital-lens]

The Great Firewall of China

 China:  social media Hobbits?

Ruled by communism, China is a country which is tightly governed, prohibiting its citizens from engaging in many “Western” influenced activities- the most predominant being its dis-engagement from social media platforms. 

The Great Firewall of China, also known as the “Golden Shield Project” was implemented by Chinese government officials in December 2012, as a means of blocking undesired Western internet influencers launching into China’s digital sphere. 

Censored material has been blocked from entering the realms of China’s online world, the initiative working to combat politically sensitive information to neutralise online use and operations nation wide.

This censorship has acted to silence much of the population, impeding individuals from free speech and basic democratic privileges of the contemporary (Western) world. 

Prior to the firewall being put into place, “513 million Internet users” (Chiu, 2012, p.1) were recorded in December 2011. This leaves us with the big question mark- how does a country go from being one of the most proactive internet consumers to being one of the most highly constrained today? 

China’s government has employed approximately 50,000 people to monitor the nation’s internet usage, with over 300,000 communist parties (that we know of) comprising of the surveillance team. 

Blocking access from twenty five of the most global popular online sites, such as; Google, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, it seems that many of China’s citizens are somewhat hobbits to the concept of social media, unable to partake in the search engine freedom that many of us in other parts of the world frankly take for granted. 

Although much of the top used global sites has been blocked from China, the launch of several other social media platforms established and approved by China itself have been largely popular in the nation. 

“Weibo”, launched by Sina Corporation in 2009 is one of the most popular social media sites in China today, with over “500 million registered accounts and 50 million active accounts” (Wang, 2015, p.31) recorded in 2014. 

Weibo, officially known as “Sina Weibo” functions as a Twitter feed would, allowing individuals to post text of a total of 140 Chinese characters, and attach URLs, images and videos with features such as the like button. 

However speculation has rumoured this popular social media platform, with a study conducted by Hong Kong University in 2013 suggesting that the Chinese Government had in fact been “...utilising Weibo to develop more sophisticated mechanisms of online control” (Wang, 2015, p.32). 

This highlights that although specifically tailored social media sites have been approved and are highly profitable in China’s online realm, “the Chinese people [may be] individually free, but collectively [are] in chains’ on the internet (King et al., 2013: 339).

[jaydenscommunication]

Week 9 - Digital Communities and the Slow Fashion Movement

Fast fashion is bad fashion according to this week's lecture. The alternative, ‘Slow Fashion’, is not a new movement, it originated in the counter culture of the 1960’s, but has gained attention in the 1990s and 2000s, as we’ve become more aware of unethical working conditions. If you’re buying clothes at stores like H & M, Zara, Gap, Primark or Forever 21, that’s participating in Fast Fashion. The opposite would be thrifting, or buying clothes from brands that are child labor free and made by workers that gain a fair wage.

 In 2018 the brand Burberry admitted to destroying $36.8 million of its own merchandise, just so they could preserve its reputation of exclusivity. That doesn’t sit well with many when the global fashion industry accounts for 10% of the world's carbon emission. 

As explained by Mark K. Brewer (2019); “Fashion is among the world’s most polluting industries: it requires enormous quantities of raw materials, creates considerable levels of pollution, leaves a significant carbon footprint, and generates alarming levels of waste.” The materials used are causing havoc for the world, especially if you only wear an item of clothing a handful of times before being thrown out. 

One initiative that is finding ways to buck the trend of fast fashion is ‘Big Sister Swap’. The service runs so people can donate their clothes and receive the same amount of pre-loved clothes in return, based on sizing and style preferences. 

Personally I was aware of the problems in the clothing industry, but hadn’t been active in changing my shopping patterns. Companies like Big Sister Swap need more mainstream media exposure so more of the global population can be aware of what is happening and how we can change our ways. 

Brewer, Mark K. 2019, ‘Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility’, Laws 8(4), 24

Lieber, C 2018, Why fashion brands destroy billions’ worth of their own merchandise every year, vox.com, viewed 21 May 2021, https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/9/17/17852294/fashion-brands-burning-merchandise-burberry-nike-h-and-m

Milne, E 2021,  ‘Lecture 9. Digital citizenship case study: Social Media Influencers and the slow fashion movement’, MDA200009 Digital Communities, Learning materials via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 4 May, viewed 4 May 2021. 

[mindmymarketing-blog]

We won’t know the real negative effects of our online lives until it’s too late!

Digital communities are being built through social media and blog platforms. An astounding number of digital community users exist in Australia. Recent statistics show that the top 5 social media sites in Australia are; Facebook, YouTube, Wordpress, Instagram and Tumblr. It is argued that how we socialise and interact with others is increasingly mediated by the internet and social media. Has this development of new media damaged our way of communicating and socialising or has it ‘breathe(d) new life into a new form of community?’ (Siapera 2012).

Given our social networking lives (and I’m sure I speak for the majority of us) we tend to be living the ‘always on’ lifestyle. 

Tonnies argues that an obvious shift from our past traditional community; TO a society where we need to associate with strangers so we are not lonely. Today's digital communities allow us to; not only with connect with distant family/friends but also network to meet more people (Tonnies 1957).

Whereas, Turkle argues that we are becoming disconnected from our inner and outer lives VIDEO LINK and therefore becoming more alone in today’s digital networking society (Turkle 2012).

Boyd writes that the Internet has become like a community, where, individuals can share important information. He believes that technology has come to suit our lifestyles (Boyd 2014).

An interesting Huffington Post article discusses ways in which we are redefining how we communicate our desires and trust one another (Huffington Post 2014).

How we socialise and interact with others is increasingly mediated by the internet and social media. 

The introduction of and popularity of online social media sites, affects how we socialise and interact with others. My social life and work life can easily become blurred, but I'm aware of this and I take precautionary steps to keep my online business and private life separate in the digital world. Understanding the connections between capacity and use – what can we do with the platforms, and what people do with them is detrimental to controlling our virtual and online worlds.

Technology is redefining human connection. 

We’re; falling asleep with our smartphones, checking our emails as soon as we wake and managing most daily activities in front of screens. Our interpersonal interactions are minimised greatly through our building of digital communities. To manage a healthy balance between engaging with our virtual lives and digital lives, some self-discipline is required. 

‘No one today disputes that the Internet is likely to have a significant impact on social life; but there remains substantial disagreement as to the nature and value of this impact… on our wireless social world’ 

(Bargh & McKenna 2014).

We won’t know the real negative effects of our online lives until it’s too late. Please follow my blog to read future discussions on digital communities and I’d love to read your thoughts on this statement.

 References:

Bargh & McKenna. 2004. The Internet and Social Life. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.yale.edu/acmelab/articles/Internet_and_Social_Life.pdf. [Accessed 01 December 15].

boyd, d, 2014. it’s complicated. 1st ed. USA: Yale University Press Books.

Copeland, (2014), Future Internet [ONLINE]. Available at:http://www.mdpi.com/futureinternet/futureinternet-06-00359/article_deploy/html/images/futureinternet-06-00359-g003-1024.png [Accessed 01 December 15].

Fanner, (2015), Unknown [ONLINE]. Available at: https://rebekahfanner.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/unknown.jpeg?w=300&h=162 [Accessed 02 December 15].

Huffington Post. 2014. This Is How Technology Is Affecting Your Relationship. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/17/technology-changing-relationships_n_5884042.html?ir=Australia. [Accessed 01 December 15].

InfoWorld, (2014), Angry Mob [ONLINE]. Available at: http://core0.staticworld.net/images/article/2014/07/angry-mob2-100363219-primary.idge.jpg [Accessed 02 December 15].

Pinterest, (2015), No WiFi [ONLINE]. Available at: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4e/46/82/4e4682be9e8c09d71a3554fbfecc1c38.jpg [Accessed 02 December 15].

Siapera, E, 2012. Understanding New Media. 1st ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Social Media News. 2015. Social Media Statistics Australia – September 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-september-2015/. [Accessed 01 December 15].

Tonnies, F, 1957. Community and Society. 1st ed. East Lansing: The Michigan State University Press.

Turkle. (2012). Connected, but alone?. [Online Video]. 03 April. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4. [Accessed: 20 November 2015].