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Blog Post #2

Is social media actually toxic?

It isn’t necessarily the media that’s toxic, but the people using it. The easy accessibility that we have access to the internet has really created a change in the way that society functions and handles certain situations. Many people nowadays go straight to social media to voice their concerns rather than taking the issue up in person with said party involved; finding peace that way. Depending on the issue at hand, bringing it to social media can actually over-escalate a situation, blowing it to unprofound proportions. “Only by clearly grasping the main conflicts and choices that shape our current media system can ordinary citizens successfully unite with the concerned journalists and workers within the system to bring about meaningful reform.” (Gonzalez and Torres 2012) Social media has potential to be a good outlet to express certain things, but requires change, yet stability from the society using it.

Why isn’t there better moderation of our media?

There isn’t better moderation of our media because we cannot put a specific boundary on what is acceptable and what isn’t because of our freedom of speech and freedom to express ourselves. “If we want to conduct a critical analysis of social media, then we require a critical philosophy as a foundation.”(Fuchs 2014) Many people have different ideas of what they believe should be able to be released onto social media platforms and other areas, so it would be hard to implement fair rules unto everyone. 

Is social media today comparable to media back then?

The same way that we have issues within racial bias and gender roles, etc. they had the same problems in earlier forms of media. “...it is not just simply the right to speak, but the right to be heard by others.” (Gonzalez and Torres 2012) There were publications by the non-white community that weren’t being posted, the same way that certain non-black media gets shadowbanned, or underlooked.

Would society be less susceptible to racism/ racial bias without social media? 

Although its creation has brought a lot of people problems, it has also alleviated problems for many other people. “Sublation is a difficult concept that helps us to understand how change happens. For example, it can be used for explaining what is new and old about the contemporary form of social media.”(Fuchs 2014) It serves as an outlet for people to relate on certain things, or talk about topics that most people aren’t bold enough to bring up in a regular conversation setting. In addition, it allows for people from all different backgrounds and areas to display their cultures and what life means to them. 

FUCHS, C. (2014). Social Media: A critical introduction. SAGE PUBLICATIONS.

González, & Torres. (2012). News for all the people: The epic story of race and the American media.

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Blog Post #4

What role did telecommunications technologies have in African American rights & feminist movements?

Telecommunications technologies include devices like the telephone, radio, film, & TV, which elevated this movements through the communication opportunities. They provided new avenues to spread news in order to organize protests & campaigns within the movements (Everett 2002). The telephone & radio allowed for the explanation & dissemination of ideas, awareness of injustices occurring to reach broader & audiences in general (Everett 2002). This new technologies changed how people communicated, now social relationships reaching new levels of effectiveness, perfect for movements about challenging & changing old oppressive structures, in order to obtain their rights.

2. How did Afrocentric content in online spaces change the way African & African American communities interacted with the Internet.

Yahoo having a separate category for Afrocentric content in 1995 marked a moment in the online world, allowing the Internet to go from a predominantly elite & white masculine space to more diversity. Before this switch, not many people in the black community engaged with digital spaces, having a digital divide (Everett, 2002). This made it so that their voices could be heard creating activism in these forums. As well an opportunity for different cultures to interact & build community, closing the divide in the digital area.

3. What is the difference between double discrimination & intersectionality? 

Double discrimination is being discriminated against for two/double identities someone identifies with. While intersectionality is a frame analyzing how identities like race, class, & gender collectively influence how people are treated & the systemic structures that contributed to that marginalization. Crenshaw discussed in ‘What is Intersectionality’ for example, Emma D.'s case determined how she faced double discrimination as a black woman. She was discriminated against seeing as white women were only hired when it comes to secretary work, a place where they want the face of the company to be seen. Also for her race, where only black men got hired for factory work, seen as useful only for hard, cheap labor. 

4. How did the Internet play a role in shaping the Black public sphere, particularly in relation to events like the Million Woman March?

The Internet provided a platform where people could communicate & mobilize, such as for movements & events like the Million Woman March. The official website created for the march, from August 10, 1997, to October 25, 1997, received over a million hits (Everett, 2002). This showcases how online platforms were intricate in spreading information & rallying support among Black women & their allies nationally.

Crenshaw, K. [National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)]. (2018, June 22). Kimberlé Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc 

Everett, A. (2002). The revolution will be digitized. Social Text, 20(2), 125–146. https://doi.org/10.1215/01642472-20-2_71-125 

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Blog Post #9

Why twitter? 

Black people, like many other marginalized communities, have gravitated towards social media platforms, in this case specifically Twitter, as an outlet for activism for several reasons. Twitter offers several features that make it an effective outlet for organization, spreading ideas, and easily advocating for social change. Stated in an article, “...black Twitter’s power comes from its participatory democratic nature—the idea that users, through the creation of ironic, yet cutting-edge hashtags, create a space to address social issues of racial bias and discrimination.” Because of its nature, Twitter allows for the black community to freely speak their minds and have a huge sense of community that they can easily reach out to and relate to. Other platforms, like Instagram for example, hold more guidelines and restrictions that hinder people from saying or speaking up about certain things.  

What does long term activism look like, and why haven’t we reached it? 

Long-term activism is a concept that would create great, meaningful change over time, instead of lightly, or temporarily, addressing immediate problems in a reactive way. It would basically have an ongoing effort to challenge our systemic problems and empower communities in a way that creates lasting societal modifications. It would take all of us as a community to make this happen, and to actually work towards progress that changes how we function, and all the hindering problems that we have and have had in the past. We haven’t reached this long-term activism because of how stubborn we can be when it comes to ‘teamwork.’ “In a very simplistic, media-instigated view the last category covers online attacks committed by "hackers." Of course, this sentence in itself summarizes the problem with the popular understanding of this more proactive and aggressive use of the Internet to achieve a goal that can be both politically and financially motivated” (Vegh). There will always exist a group of people who will try their best to resist progress, ad will try to instead stunt it. This doesn’t indefinitely mean that it is impossible to work towards long term activism, but it definitely can discourage the majority, ending in the activism falling short. 

What are the pros and cons of using social media for activism? 

Social media is a powerful tool for activism; it helps spread messages quickly, connects people all around the world, and gives a platform to those that might otherwise be ignored. It's free and easy to use, making it possible for anyone to get involved, but also helps organize different opinions, and create communities for those who share similar concepts. But there are downsides too. Social media can oversimplify complex issues, and people often gravitate towards bias, only hearing from those who agree with them. There are also people who only like or share information to feel better about themselves not taking ‘real action.’ Misinformation can spread fast, and activists face the risk of being censored, trolled, or harassed online. While social media is a great tool, it works best when combined with real-world efforts and thoughtful engagement. 

Why do we as people create hostile environments on the cyberspace? 

The anonymity of the internet makes it easy for people to troll, bully, or spread hate without facing real consequences. Some do it for attention or to stir up drama, while others push political or ideological agendas by attacking people they disagree with. For some, it's just about entertainment or to gain attention from trolling. Social and cultural factors, like personal biases, also play a big part. Some people also disrupt things as a form of protest. There exists a mix of anonymity, personal gain, and societal influences all contribute to making the internet a hostile space. 

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Blog Post #10

Why are black women more targeted online than others? 

Black women get targeted more online because of a mix of racism and sexism. Stereotypes and being visible in spaces like gaming, where they're often seen as outsiders, make them easy targets. The internet's anonymity makes it worse, and this kind of abuse has deep roots in history. This abuse is also tied to long-standing racial and gender discrimination. “Many of these sites began as a place of healing and acceptance for Black women and their bodies. It is for this reason that healing remains at the core of these sites” (Virtual Homeplace). To make things better, we need better moderation, safer spaces, and a shift in how we treat marginalized people online. 

What has the contribution of women of color and their blogs made to the online community? 

Women of color have significantly shaped the online community by raising awareness of intersectionality, creating safe spaces, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Their blogs challenge stereotypes, offer alternative narratives, and provide crucial perspectives on issues like racial justice and gender equality. “Consequently, the blogs become the space where Black women can visit to find the hottest new hair product and the promises it has for them and their  hair. But it also becomes a place that assists in the economic exploitation of Black women for the purposes of beauty” (Virtual Homeplace). They've also influenced pop culture, politics, and digital activism, pushing for social change and making the internet a more inclusive space. 

What makes ethnic online communities so important? 

Ethnic online communities are key because they let people connect over shared culture, support each other, and talk about experiences that might not get heard elsewhere. These communities also help fight stereotypes by sharing real, personal stories and challenging the way certain cultures are portrayed in the media. “Some researchers believe that online communities are legitimate forms of community, either as extensions of real-life communities or a new breed of community altogether” (Mcclaine). Plus, they’re a powerful tool for organizing, whether it’s raising awareness for social causes or just offering support and advice. On top of that, they link people across the globe, creating a sense of unity and strength in numbers. 

How is gamergate a significant movement? 

Gamergate is significant because it exposed deep divisions within the gaming community over issues of sexism, harassment, and representation. It highlighted toxic masculinity in gaming, with women being targeted by online abuse and doxing. The movement sparked debates about diversity in games and the ethics of game journalism, though the harassment overshadowed the original concerns. Gamergate also demonstrated the power of social media to organize and amplify controversial movements, and it had a lasting impact on gaming, media, and online culture.  

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Blog Post #8

What makes problems in cyberspace so detrimental to us? 

The cyberspace is described as a virtual environment that is run electronically through computers, or any electronic/mobile device. It allows for us to easily access each other, and encompasses all of our online interactions, whether that be direct communication, posts we interact with, or just the data that we accumulate from using it. All of this sounds like good elements to contribute to our population because of how it can easily gather us in such an effortless way through our accounts, numbers, etc. but this can also be something that can become slightly dangerous to engage in. Digital footprint is also tied into this, and is defined as the data that you build up from using cyberspace. This can be any comment, chat, reaction, post, etc. that you have ever participated in. Deleting an account or wiping that data doesn’t just erase your footprint, it’s something that typically remains forever. With all this being said, some people’s lives can be ruined by a simple check of their digital footprint. “Because searches of victims’ names prominently display online abuse, many lose their jobs. Employers fire targeted individuals because they worry that damaging posts reflect badly on them and could distract their employees from their work” (D.K. Citron). The cyberspace is so widespread and used for so many different things; both public and private uses. "Schools have terminated teachers whose nude pictures appeared online without their permission.” Not everyone respects the boundaries of others, leading to damages of their digital footprint and reputations forever. 

What does it mean to be a troll? 

A troll is someone who purposely stirs up drama or causes conflict online by posting offensive, rude, or off-topic comments. Their main goal is usually to provoke reactions or disrupt conversations for attention or entertainment, and can sometimes even go as far as making completely inappropriate or disheartening remarks. Trolls often hide behind fake names to avoid consequences and aren't interested in having genuine discussions. “Some trolling is incredibly aggressive, and meets the legal threshold for harassment. Other forms of trolling-for example, rickrolling-are comparatively innocuous” (Phillips). Most trolls might spread misinformation, spam, or just annoy others for fun, while there are others who troll for ill intent, threatening the safety and livelihood of others.  

Does every type of comment fall under a category of trolling? 

Not every comment would be considered trolling, since not everyone is considered a troll. Some people aren’t aware of their actions, or see them as trolling, and are just instead ignorant of their actions/comments of being potentially offensive or harmful. This typically goes for younger or older audiences who are very literal with what they are saying, and are instead just genuinely attempting to give their opinions.  

Why has trolling become such a big problem? 

Trolling has become such a widespread issue because of the anonymity that it withholds. It is so easy for people to create false narratives, and then prolong that story into something that people can potentially believe to be true. This is especially present with fake accounts that spread false news, post rage bait, or even just comment under posts to create a sense of disarray for the audience. So why does this pose as such a huge issue? Because there are so many outlets that trolls can attack from, when it gets to a point of bullying/ targeting specific people, these trolls can create multiple accounts to make it seem like more people feel a certain way about something than actually is probable. Many suicides occur due to online bullying, and trolls are usually the ones responsible. The anonymity also makes it especially difficult to hold the right people accountable for their actions. 

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Blog Post #6

What makes anonymity a concern when it comes to online issues? 

When it comes time to confront an issue, the first step is usually determining who was involved, and how they contributed. Without being able to tie someone to these online statements, it becomes harder to identify where the issue stemmed from, and whether or not it was intentional. “The fact that this communication can be encrypted and anonymous is appealing for a portion of white supremacists...” (Daniels). Many white supremacists use anonymous accounts as an outlet to post their racist media because they know that it cannot be easily tied back onto them. This can go for many other groups that target people or controversial/sensitive topics as well, such as people leaving death threats, sexual remarks, threats, etc. Although in some cases it can be nice to have an anonymous outlet, in more cases it can be disruptive to society. 

How can the algorithm sometimes play into racism or classism?  

Our history is made up of many social and systemic inequalities such as; racism, sexism, prejudice, etc. which many people have differing views on. The internet is so easy for anyone to upload false or damaging information that can appear as a trusted source. This content can influence algorithms, leading to the promotion of unsuitable concepts in our online experiences. “But there is a slippery slope between effective marketing and efficient racism” (Benjamin, 2009). The overflow of media and people’s biased information can stray the algorithms to push out sensitive, controversial topics that aren’t morally acceptable.  

What is the line between a ‘harmless joke’ and racism when making online content? 

Over the years, our society as whole has been said to become more ‘sensitive’ over certain topics, but I disagree. I believe that we aren’t becoming more sensitive, just more aware of some of the things that have hindered and caused racial divides to us in the past. “The First race-related video was comedian Billy Sorrell's “Shit Black Girls Say,” featuring his “ghetto” character named Peaches...”(Hunsinger and Senft). Regarding online content that is meant to be harmless jokes, it’s important to consider how people that you are joking about would feel, or how one might feel if something offensive was said targeted towards their own race. There isn’t necessarily a line, just don’t make racist jokes.  

What is cyber racism, and how does that translate into real life?  

Cyber racism involves racist behaviors that take place online such as; hate speech, harassment, threats, etc. It can cause emotional distress for victims, normalize prejudice, deepen social divides, and influence political discourse amongst our society. This can cause distress that renders into someone’s real life, and affect their perceptions on what they bring or mean to society. It can become really discouraging and make those affected question why they are being attacked and whether or not people presenting themselves in real life have those same thoughts as the online attackers do. Overall, it just causes unwarranted trauma to personal and group settings or mindsets. 

Benjamin, R. (2019). Race After Technology.  

Hunsinger, J. & Senft, T. (2014). The Social Media Handbook. Routledge. 

White, D. White Supremacy in the Digital Era. 

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Blog Post #4 

What makes intersectionality so important to discuss? 

Intersectionality is so important to acknowledge because there are so many critical layers to it. There is not one struggle that tops another for a person affected by intersectionality because these ‘struggles' are happening simultaneously. If we disregard this, we can overlook many people’s inability to fit in or be accepted for certain things. Like shown in the example by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a black woman was not hired to work because she was a black woman, with emphasis on both black and woman. Because the company hired black workers and also female workers, their argument was that her race or gender had nothing to do with it, but they didn’t understand what she actually meant. She meant that the intersectionality of her being black and also a woman was why she wasn’t hired, as they had only black male employees and white women employees when in reference to her problem.  

What drives the digital divide to be so powerful? 

The digital divide is so powerful because it’s just our realities but online. The way technology isn’t available to all the people of our society forces them to be left out and in this sort of gap away from the rest of us. This leads to misunderstanding and failure to fully understand each other, or even drive us to judge others because they cannot relate to us. 

Is being racially coded considered racist? 

Being racially coded isn’t necessarily racist, but definitely prejudice. Hearing certain things like names or phrases can automatically defer you to connect a label to someone of what you’re expecting to see, hear, etc. For example, my name is Trinity A. Washington. Once you hear my full name, you can kind of associate me to being a black woman, as Trinity is most widely used within the black community. So why can this be a problem sometimes? When applying to certain positions or attending certain events, there is already some form of bias placed onto me because they can tie an impression and certain stereotypes onto me without ever even meeting me. 

How do algorithms play a role in how our views are shaped? 

Algorithms are specifically catered to their audience, and even more specific, catered from person to person. No two algorithms are the same, because they are an accumulation of things that we as people interact with, i.e., what we like, dislike, comment on, send, etc.  Because of this, we only see what we want to in a way and are fed information that usually supports our narratives. This keeps us as a society skewed in different truths and what we believe to be true. 

Benjamin, R. (2019). Race After Technology. 

Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression. 

National Association of Independent Schools (2018, June 22).  

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Blog Post #3

How is AI involved in racial stereotypes? 

We must remember that AI learns from human interaction, as well as prior sources and data that are already online. Because of this, AI is wrongfully bias on certain aspects and concepts that reflect our realities, including racism, sexism, etc. New York Times sourced, “He is the third person known to be falsely arrested based on a bad facial recognition match. In all three cases, the people mistakenly identified by the technology have been Black men.” (New York Times 2020) It is programmed to function the same ways that our justice systems and investigation departments are, resulting in unnecessary stereotypes and prejudice towards certain groups of people. 

Is AI dependable when it comes to solving crimes? 

As stated in my prior discussion question, AI is prone to being bias and not completely accurate when it comes to solving crimes and studying cases. There are certain ways that AI can be helpful within our justice system, but it should never just be used as a sole device to settle and solve crimes with. “Two other Black men — Robert Williams and Michael Oliver, who both live in the Detroit area — were also arrested for crimes they did not commit based on bad facial recognition matches.” (New York Times 2020) Non-bias human interaction and judgement should always be present in investigations, and nothing, like the reliance of AI, should ever over-power that judgement. 

How do we as a society hinder our own social media performance? 

As a society, we have proved time and time again that we are unable to have a media presence that doesn’t exist without judgement, or lacks the safety that makes someone feel comfortable enough to express themselves. There are people out there who bully and comment on some of the things that people go through, or even people that place unrealistic standards on people who identify with certain things. In Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment , it states that, “People actively seek out online spaces that affirm and solidify social identities along axes of race, gender, and sexuality.” (Daniels 2009) This causes us to not be able to function as a whole, but rather create subgroups and categories that we feel more connected to/relate with.  

Will technology ever get to a point where it doesn't need our help to advance? And what would that look like for us? 

Personally, I think we have kind of already surpassed this point, and that AI/technology is already advancing extremely fast without our direct interaction with it. We are usually not entitled to the privacy of our data, and are often unexpectedly sharing it with several sites without our permissions. 

Flawed Facial Recognition Leads to Arrest and Jail for New Jersey Man - The New York Times 

Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment  Jessie Daniels 

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Blog Post #7

Day to day persona: Me Elara

I named Me Elara since she is meant to be used for 'everyday' use. She generally wears a simple pink outfit, with a pink crown to show that she is the character currently selected. Although she is more on the feminine appearing spectrum, she is for generic use and can cater to anyone. I created her and all the rest of my avatars as black women because in the past, representation of poc in avatars wasn't seen very often.

Gaming persona: Super Nova

This is supernova, the secret superhero. She is used for gameplay and is a character amongst many others. I crated her to appear casually because it is supposed to be a surprise that she's a superhero. I created her as a woman because as a woman myself, I prefer playing with female characters. She is meant to be seen as your typical black woman, so her race and gender were made to be known and not assumed.

Dating Site Persona: Nia the GF

This is Nia, the GF. She was made to cater/ appeal to the male gaze for the online, ai generated program that she is available on. Her race and gender cater to the site's audience, as well as her sense of style and darker sultry features. She can be a GF to any gender who prefers her and wasn't made to appeal to only the male gaze, but the human eye.

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Blog Post #5

What influence does white supremacy have on other races? 

White supremacy is a concept where the white race is deemed as the most powerful, important race to exist, and dominates power any other race or ethnicity. “And, like the equally artificial classification system of race with which it is intertwined which categorizes human beings, at the broadest level, into the binary of "white" and "nonwhite" (Fickle). Because of this concept that is heavily constructed around the world, many other races/ people of color are often held to a lower standard, and in some ways try to cater to the white race. This is shown throughout different races between males and females. What I have studied and just naturally picked up over the years from observation, men of color are far more likely to try and appear as masculine as possible, often pushing toxic masculinity to prove that they are “man enough” to what they see as their white male superior. In addition to this, some of these men also will talk down on or bash women that fall into their own racial group to try and portray that they too think white women should be the standard. On the contrary, women of color will generally push themselves into a narrative that kind of comes off as misogynistic in attempts to prove that they are so womanly, and that the way some women in their racial group's act is unacceptable, so they fall into the “softer” categories people associate with white woman. Ultimately, white supremacy often hinders other races to display self-hatred that is reflected through colorism and toxic mindsets that just bash other people. 

How can someone be privileged within the cyberspace? 

Being privileged online sort of ties into play with the narrative of white supremacy, and what I stated above. These same groups of men and women who try to appeal to the white race will take these ideas online in attempts to please the white gaze and gain their approval in exchange for privilege. In other cases, people can be privileged on the internet based on how attractive they are. “Pretty privilege” is the coined term that refers to this idea and basically lets someone get away with many more things than your typical person just because of how beautiful they are. These concepts can be especially harmful within the cyberspace because if that is all that is flooded within our algorithms and our children’s algorithms, there will now exist some sort of belief and insecurity that society now holds as truths, and may even influence a majority of the population to try and join these emotionally taxing groups. 

Why is it important to research topics outside of what you see on social media? 

We are often fed propaganda and false narratives online because of how easy it is to sway people into believing what you’re saying, and with the creation of AI this has become even more of an issue. People have the ability to generate pictures, videos, audios, etc. at their fingertips using AI sites to create whatever storyline they choose. Because of this, we must be careful of what youth, elders, and just our society in general are being shown, and to remind them that everything online must be properly researched and fact checked. We are honestly entering a period in time where even verified sites are hard to trust because of how easy it has become to hack into their systems. 

Why is it hard for people to recognize when something is racially offensive? And why are people so quick to invalidate the people who feel offended? 

It actually isn’t hard or people to understand that something may be offensive, they just don’t acknowledge it because it doesn’t personally affect them. Or if people do choose to acknowledge somethings offensive, it’s usually in a sense that downplays and disregards the group of people who actually are triggered/offended just to protect it from being changed. "...the personal is the political," insofar as they involve the reduction of pressing political issues of race and racism to purely personal arguments and ad hominem attacks” (Kolko). This is seen in many different scenarios, and is something that is often hard to decipher how to handle because we all individually have different limitations on how things offend us, whether it be something “small” or things considered “big.” 

Kolko, Beth E. Nakamura, Lisa. Rodman, Gilbert B. Race in Cyberspace: An Introduction. 

Fickle, Tara. “Ludo-Orientalism and the Gamification of Race”. 

Ow, Jeffrey A. “The Revenge of the Yellowfaced Cyborg Terminator”.