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Digital Communities and Trolls: understanding social media conflict (week eleven)

Social media was never designed with the intent of raising figures around trolling and online harassment however it has. Trolling and online harassment are done with the intent of upsetting another using hurtful words. Social media can be used for both good and bad, depending on the individual. Those who demonstrate digital citizenship, are using it for good, whereas those who use social media to troll, harass and make others feel bad online are not using for the correct reasons. With the rise of social media users, the figures around trolling and online harassment have dramatically increased. The figures around this issue are seriously frightening, with 40% of internet users experiencing online harassment themselves and a further 73% of adult internet users having seen someone else being harassed (Pew Research Centre 2014). As well as this “It’s estimated that online abuse, harassment and cyber trolling costs Australians $3.7 billion annually in terms of medical bills and loss of income” (Milne 2020).

Some distressing examples of what this sounds like have been demonstrated by Milne (2020) in the week 11 lecture. These examples include:

‘I would love to put a bullet in your bitch ass’

‘You fat, ugly, bitch. You wouldn't be raped in a men's prison on a Saturday night’

‘U are an ugly tranny’

All extremely horrible things to say to another people and in fact, a breach of guidelines. Whilst each social media platform is not just standing by whilst these actions occur, it is extremely hard for them to monitor all posts that are being done. However, this is not the only problem, within Australia there is no single piece of legistlation against bullying (Mline 2020). Whilst there are acts such as Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Criminal Code Act 1995 there is more that Australia can do to help support having this sort of online behaviour to be legally enforced.

Milne, E 2020, ‘Lecture 11. Digital communities and trolls – understanding social media conflict’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Modules via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 27 May, viewed 27 May 2020.

Duggan, M 2014, ‘Online Harassment’, Pew Research Centre, 22 October, viewed 22 April, < https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/10/22/online-harassment/>.

Hanson, J 2018, Trolls and Their Impact on Social media, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, viewed 22 April 2020, < https://unlcms.unl.edu/engineering/james-hanson/trolls-and-their-impact-social-media>.

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Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming (week ten)

A game is an extremely broad term. In Hardwick’s (2020) lecture she provides the definition of a game to be this:

“To play a game is to attempt to achieve a specific state of affairs, using only means permitted by rules, where the rules prohibit use of more efficient in favour of less efficient means, and where the rules are accepted just because they make possible such activity. I also offer the following simpler, and, so to speak, more portable version of the to overcome unnecessary obstacles.”

Games are so widely used that there are so many different categories for its use. Games are more often than not, played and enjoyed by gamers, who are people that regularly play games, sometimes competitively. However, games can also be played from time to time to. Gaming culture has become so increasingly popular that it’s not just your average PlayStation two in your living room, it is a series of different types of gaming you can take on. There are arcade games, local multiplayer games, online multiplayer games, social media and mobile games and online streaming platforms. It’s safe to say this is a huge and extremely profitable industry. Statista (2019) estimates that by 2021 there will be over 2.7 billion gamers worldwide.

Using such games is now available through individual online platforms as well, they do not need to be accessed through a console or a social media app, which again really shows just how big gaming is becoming in this modern age.

Gaming has become so increasingly popular that it has its own communities where likeminded people can discuss their own ventures. These types of communities are more so for gamers than anyone else. Hardwick (2020) states “The typical ‘gamer’ is generally considered to be white or East Asian, young, middle-class, and a man”. Which is interesting to consider as when I think of a gamer, I don’t have any specific image of what that person looks like.

The more digitalised this world becomes; the more increasingly popular gaming becomes.

References

Hardwick, T 2020, ‘Lecture 10. Gaming Communities, social gaming and live streaming’, MDA20009 Digital communities, Modules via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 20 May, viewed 20 May 2020.

Statista 2020, Number of active videogamers worldwide from 2014 to 2021, viewed 21 May 2020, <https://www.statista.com/statistics/748044/number-video-gamers-world/>.

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Digital communities, political engagement and activism (week nine)

Online campaigns are a great way to engage with audience and help create more awareness around a movement. A campaign can be defined as, “A defined project, of linked actions organised towards achieving a particular goal, (political, social, business, marketing)” (Stickels 2020). However, it’s also important to recognise which platform you are using to promote certain campaigns as whilst they are all for public use, their functions do have some differences. In Stickels lecture (2020), he demonstrates that these platforms not only have different purposes, but their users can vary as well, so when planning and organizing a campaign it is important to choose the correct platform.

Success of a campaign is to not only generate interest online but to see whether any real life differences have been made. Creating a campaign and understanding whether or not is successful is by following a particular process as Stickels (2020) demonstrates. This process includes the idea (what? How? Why?), the plan (the strategy, platforms, the media, design, research), the execution (launch, talk, share, build your community, bloggers), collation (collect all the content, collate in a fun way, create your campaign ‘storybook) and then the evaluation (did it work? How did it work? What we did well? What we could do better?). A great example of using online campaigns for activism of current times is the #BLM movement which stands for black lives matter. Campaigns that started online have created so much awareness around the issues surrounding this that there is now protests happening around the world, petitions being signed, and political engagement has just become involved in this movement as well. 

In conclusion, whilst online campaigns are a great we to advocate for change, the online actions are not enough, actual change offline needs to occur, and if it does that’s where we can recognise that those campaigns have been effective.

References

Stickels, L 2020, ‘Lecture 9. Political engagement and activism’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Modules via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 13 May, viewed 13 May 2020.

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This link is a great way to find accurate information to compare to your social media sites

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Just how much influence does social media have in public health campaigns? (week eight)

Social media has changed the way public health campaigns are now promoted and has a great deal of ability in how we view and accept these campaigns. According to Public health research & practice (2015) public health social marketing campaigns conducted through mainstream media can have a direct and positive effect on behaviour. Especially when we look at the number of users across different social media streams, it makes sense that public health campaigns are moving towards being advertised on social media. As of 2019, there were 2271 million people use Facebook, 326 million Twitter, 1000 million Instagram and 287 million use Snapchat (Butteriss, Bradley 2019). So before even looking at the opportunity to influence, the number of people they have the opportunity to reach is large in itself. A couple great examples of a public health campaigns that took off through social media was the #Loveyourcervix campaign and the Sehat Ka Batua campaign, which last time it was checked had over 750,000 views on Youtube alone.

So, whilst it is obvious social media has a huge influence on public health campaigns, is it all being used for good or are people taking advantage of the platforms to advertise their products as public health campaigns and if these products are not completely good for an individual. In Mavroudis’ lecture (2020), he discusses further how aesthetic labour and pornification are used to promote specific products that will help you, which then present themselves as public health promotion. However, Mavroudis’ findings show that these promotions are more so for the influencer themselves, rather that the health side of it. So, whilst yes, social media does have a great deal of influence, it really needs to be discussed which of these campaigns are for the public health promotion or is the influencers are doing it more so for themselves. Are we only interested in the public health campaigns we see promoted across social media because of the people and influencers that are promoting it, or is it the products themselves we see interest in?

References

Bang The Table 2019, The World’s Best Public Health Social Media Campaigns, viewed 9 May 2020, https://www.bangthetable.com/blog/public-health-social-media-campaigns/

Freeman, B, Potente, S Rock, V, McIver J 2015, ‘Social media campaigns that make a difference: what can public health learn from the corporate sector and other social change marketers?’, Public Health Research & Practice, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 1-8.

Whelan, J 2020, ‘Theories of Change’, The Change Agency, 21 April, Viewed 9 May, <https://www.thechangeagency.org/theories-of-change/>.

Mavroudis, J 2020 ‘Public Health Campaigns and Social Media Influence’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, modules via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 6 May, viewed 9 May 2020.

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A quote I enjoyed

Haven’t posted in a while now, I have been working on an essay about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. It’s prettig shocking, so please of you read this; educate yourself, buy less and if you buy, buy better.

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An amazing movement for slow fashion! Check out the link for more on how you can acquire new clothes in a more sustainable manner!

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Slow Fashion Versus Fast Fashion (week seven)

It is no surprise that the fashion industry is hugely profitable and plays a role in all of our lives. I mean, we have to put clothes on our backs… right?

According to Statista (2020), the global apparel market is said to reach about 1.5 trillion US dollars in 2020. These are huge numbers but at what cost? What we need to ask ourselves is when does the necessity to put clothes on our back turn into careless consumer behaviour?

That is where understanding the difference between fast and flow fashion comes in.

Merriam-Webster (2020) describe fast fashion as “An approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers”.

Whilst the clothes are more often than not affordable, the footprint that is left on the environment is far too great to see past.

The global fashion industry accounts for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions” (Milner 2020). These numbers are even larger than the combined carbon footprint of international flights and maritime shipping Milner (2020) shows.

If the fast fashion industry doesn’t slow down and take on an eco-friendlier approach these numbers will only continue to increase even higher than what they already are.

In contrast to this is the slow fashion industry. Hill (2018) describes this as “An awareness and approach to fashion, which considers the processes and resources required to make clothing, particularly focusing on sustainability.”

The slow fashion industry gives consumers an opportunity to purchase better-quality garments that have taken a more sustainable approach, treating people, animals and our planet earth fairly.

A great example of a slow fashion movement that has taken off is Big Sister swap who enable consumers to swap their own preowned and loved clothing, for others.Some other great examples of flow fashion companies include Asket, Encircled, Kowtow and Vetta. These are the sort of initiatives that are helping to slow down the great impacts of the fast fashion industry.

So what can be taken from this is just simply understanding where your clothes are coming from, knowing the impacts of which the fast fashion industry has and recognising that there are more sustainable options when considering what your next purchase may be.

References

Big Sister Swap 2020, About us, viewed 7 May 2020, <https://bigsisterswap.co.uk/pages/about-us>.

Mcfall-Johnsen, M 2019, ‘The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet’, Business Insider, 18 October, viewed 7 May, <https://www.businessinsider.com.au/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10?r=US&IR=T>.

Merriam-Webster, 2020, Fast fashion,viewed 7 May 2020, <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast%20fashion>.

Milner, E 2020, ‘Week 7: Digital citizenship case study: Instagram, influencers and the slow fashion movement’, MDA20009 Digital Communities, Modules via Canvas, Swinburne University of Technology, 6 May, viewed 7 May 2020.

O’Connell, L 2020, Global Apparel Market – Statistics & Facts, viewed 7 May 2020, <https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market-worldwide/>.

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Going through life as a digital citizen (week six)

Would I consider myself a digital citizen? Absolutely.

It is, however, important to recognise that each and every one of us experience and take on our own journey at digital citizens. As we navigate our way through our own lives online, we experience platforms and life online differently to the next digital citizen.

Digital citizenship refers to “An acceptance and upholding of the norms of appropriate, responsible behaviour with regard to the use of digital technologies” (Digital Citizenship 2020).

Recognising the importance of a positive digital footprint, internet safety and understanding cyberbullying are all great examples of knowing what it means to be a digital citizen.

Better put, a good digital citizen will use their knowledge and skills to “effectively use digital technologies to communicate with others, participate in society and create and consume digital content” (Digital Citizenship 2020).

As mentioned, we all have our own personal digital experiences. However, as individuals, we play a large role in another person’s digital consumption and how they might reflect on their digital experiences.

Something we continue to see, time and time again on social media is ‘Trolling’. Hanson (2018) describes a troll as someone who deliberately posts provocative and attacking comments on another’s post, to purposely get a rise out of them.

The figures are frightening, with 40% of internet users experiencing online harassment themselves and a further 73% of adult internet users having seen someone else being harassed (Pew Research Centre 2014). This type of harassment/trolling is a form of cyberbullying and its actions will more than likely, negatively impact another’s online experience.

Trolling is a direct representation what it means to NOT uphold and possess the qualities that a good citizen should.

So, as a digital citizen myself, I ask that anyone who sees this behaviour, recognise and report it. You may just change and positively impact that next personal online experience.

Life is better as a digital citizen.

References:

About Digital Citizenship 2020, The attitude, skills, knowledge and behaviours in a digital society, NSW Department of Education, viewed 22 April 2020, < https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/about>.

Cheng, J, Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil, C, Leskovec, J, Bernstein, M 2017, ‘Our experiments taught us why people troll’, The Conversation, 2 March, viewed 22 April, < https://theconversation.com/our-experiments-taught-us-why-people-troll-72798>.

Digital Citizenship 2020, What is it?,Digital communities Hub, viewed 22 April 2020, < https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/teachers/topics/digital-citizenship>.

Duggan, M 2014, ‘Online Harassment’, Pew Research Centre, 22 October, viewed 22 April, < https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/10/22/online-harassment/>.

Hanson, J 2018, Trolls and Their Impact on Social media, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, viewed 22 April 2020, < https://unlcms.unl.edu/engineering/james-hanson/trolls-and-their-impact-social-media>.

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Digital Citizenship

Endless information on all things regarding Digital citizenship. A great source to educate yourself further.

https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au

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An interesting way to look at and break down the elements of Digital Citizenship

The Socially Savvy Digital Citizen 

Source: sociallysavvy.com

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How does Tumblr function as a digital community?

Tumblr operates as a digital community through its ability to bring individuals together online, a place where “your interests connect you with your people” (Tumblr 2020). It allows these individuals to share their identities with the rest of the world through the use of blogging. To break it down further, it functions digitally as it accessed online through electronic hand-held and computer devices and it operates as a community by uniting people from one side of the globe to the other.

A digital community, also known as an online brand community, can be described by Mousavi, Roper & Keeling (2017, p. 377) as a place where individuals are presented with the opportunity to develop their identities through participating in these communities, therefore allowing them to adopt their norms and values. Tumblr (2020) values state that using their website will allow you to express yourself, be yourself and connect with your people. The link between an online brand community’s definition and Tumblr’s values align so closely in their overall meaning that it is obvious to see just how Tumblr functions as a digital community.

To be anonymous or named is a unique aspect of this online forum and one that separates Tumblr from many other online forums such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Giving someone the ability to not be seen but to be heard and connect with others judgement free creates a sense of comfortability and a sense of freedom each time they jump online to access the online community.

Walker (2013, p.28) describes blogs as welcoming and states that through the creation of a blog, comes countless avenues for one to express their passions. The functions of Tumblr that allows you to comment, re-blog and generally be involved sharing a common interest and passion for a topic is where people connect most and come together as a community.

About 2020, “Tumblr is where your interests connect you with your people”, Tumblr, viewed 26 April 2020, <https://www.tumblr.com/about>.

Mousavi S, Roper, S & Keeling KA 2017 Psychology and Marketing, ‘Social Identity in Online Brand Communities’, vol. 34, no. 4, Wiley Periodicals, Hoboken, p. 377.

Rettberg Walker J 2013, Blogging, 2nd edn, Polity Press, Oxford.