wengyan

[wengyan]

Week 12: Crowdsourcing

Hello! It’s me again >< This is going to be my last blog post as the semester is coming to an end. So for the last topic, I will be talking about Crowdsourcing.

What is Crowdsourcing? Crowdsourcing is a technique for gathering information, ideas, services, or content by asking for contributions from a large number of individuals, usually from an online community, rather than traditional employees or suppliers. This strategy uses a varied group's combined intelligence, skills, and resources to complete specified tasks or solve problems. 

Crowdsourcing during a crisis can be an effective method for mobilising resources, acquiring information, and coordinating responses. It uses the combined capacities of a large number of people to meet urgent needs and challenges that arise during an emergency. In times of crisis, crowdsourcing is able to collect real-time data regarding affected areas through online and social media in a short amount of time. This is often done to spread awareness and to collect more new information. (Crowdsourcing Toolkit for Emergency Management - Integrating Crowdsourcing n.d.) 

During a crisis, donations and funds platforms such as GoFundMe are crucial to help affected people and areas. Through crowdsourcing, fundraising can quickly collect funds and hit its target amount to be used for disaster relief. Moreover, crowdsourcing helps to organise and manage essential supplies and food in terms of donations. It can also search for volunteers to give a helping hand in times of crisis. 

The most important factor is to raise awareness and seek global support. Not only that, they can also use data from previous incidents and know what needs improvement so they can fully utilise new data and move more efficiently with the information. 

Crowdsourcing is particularly useful in crisis for mobilising resources, acquiring real-time information, and coordinating emergency responses. This strategy uses the strength of a large group to satisfy urgent requirements, giving timely and essential data that improves situational awareness and allows for improved decision-making. At last, the collaborative power of crowdsourcing is important in crisis management, providing a diverse and flexible way to deal with the ever-changing issues of catastrophes. It bridges gaps, links resources and needs, and uses collective action to save lives and lessen disastrous consequences.

Hence, we should always try our best to help out in crowdsourcing and do what we can to spread awareness. We have come to the end of my blog, thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts (if you did). May you have a good day, good week, a good month and good year ahead <3

References 

Crowdsourcing Toolkit for Emergency Management - Integrating Crowdsourcing n.d., Crowdsourcing Toolkit for Emergency Management, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://www.crowdsourceem.org/integrating-crowdsourcing>. 

[wengyan]

Week 11: Social Media Governance

Hello~ As for this blog, I will be touching on Social Media Governance.

What is social media governance? Social media governance is understanding the risks that may be associated with social media and making sure you are complying with the policy of it. As we all know, cyberbullying has become more and more common on social media throughout recent years. In a lot of cases, online harassment does not result in heavy punishments for the bully or sometimes, no consequences at all. Hence, they continue to float around social media being an online troll. 

Online harassment can take many forms, including being called insulting names, being ridiculed, being physically or sexually harassed, and the list goes on. Cyberbullying typically has severe consequences for the victim, including depression, anxiety, and self-harm (Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it n.d.). Furthermore, it causes long-term psychological harm to a person even after the bullying stops. This may cause the individual to develop trauma against the use of social media, which may have a long-term psychological impact. 

Cyberbullying is not the same as real-life bullying. Bullying at school occurs only during school hours and might stop after classes end. However, cyberbullying and online harassment are not the same thing. There is no end, and it is unclear when it will stop. Even after we block a troll, they will sometimes find a method to contact you and begin bullying again. At least in real-world bullying, we can seek support from others, such as friends or family members. Nonetheless, it is often difficult to seek aid in cyberbullying since some individuals assume that cyberbullying does not exist as long as you stop using the Internet (What are the effects of cyberbullying? n.d.).

Therefore, I believe we should all learn to defend ourselves on the Internet. Report and block online trolls whenever we see one. Addressing cyberbullying involves complete social media governance, including strong policies, education, and support services. Individuals, families, schools, and communities must all work together to create safer online environments and offer victims the help they require. Understanding and managing the risks will help us create a more respectful and secure digital society. 

We as social media users should do our best to keep the digital world a clean and safe space for everyone. Bullying does not help us gain anything and it only turns a person into a more hateful and unhappy person. Why bully when we can be nice to others? That way, people would appreciate our kindness rather than fear us. Remember, the next time you see an Internet troll, report and block! Alright, let’s meet again in my next blog :D

References

Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it n.d., UNICEF, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://www.unicef.org/end-violence/how-to-stop-cyberbullying>.

What are the effects of cyberbullying? n.d., www.kaspersky.com, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/cyberbullying-effects>. 

[wengyan]

Week 10: Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming: Twitch 

Hi ^_^ In this blog, I would like to share about the gaming community~

Alright, if you’re currently reading this, are you a gamer? No? It’s okay because I, myself is not a gamer too. I used to play Valorant with my friends for a short period of time but I stopped playing after a while because I think I’m just not a gamer girl and am not consistent at it. 

There are tons of gaming communities out there and it is categorised by the title of the games. Being part of the gaming community does not require professional skills. A community is formed by shared interests. A gaming community is a collection of people who gather together to share their passion for playing video games. It could contain players from all over the world or just those close to you. The goal of a gaming community is to provide support and companionship among players, as well as tips on how to get better at specific games. (What is a Gaming Community and How to Build One n.d.) 

In recent decades, technology has advanced drastically and gamers are now able to livestream their games, allowing other people in the community to watch them play. ‘Twitch’ is a leading live streaming platform, specifically for gaming. Keeping up with the most recent video games may be expensive and time-consuming. As a result, many gamers may watch a Twitch stream to determine whether a game is a good fit for them. Sometimes reading or viewing a review is insufficient; it's preferable to witness the game in action (Yaden 2022). 

Streamers frequently create tight-knit communities around their channels. These communities can provide as supportive areas for viewers and streamers to engage, discuss, and share a common interest in gaming. (E-Sports 2023) Gaming communities on Twitch are built through loyal viewers of a specific gamer, always tuning into their gaming live streams and interacting with them. Viewers can interact with streamers and engage in the gaming experience, resulting in a lively and engaging atmosphere. Twitch is a platform that allows users and viewers to socialise with each other through topics of games.

Live streaming on Twitch has also become a content creation platform for streamers where they can gain revenue through subscriptions, donations and sponsorships. The influence of Twitch has increased over the years as it easily popularises games. Moreover, beginners can learn gaming through the help of advice from fellow gamers in the gaming community and watch how to execute certain game skills by watching live streamers on Twitch. 

Gaming communities are vibrant communities in which people get together to share their passion for video games, regardless of their skill level. Twitch not only provides an environment for entertainment but also encourages the development of intimate networks around individual streamers. These communities provide a supportive environment for viewers and streamers to interact, discuss, and share their passion for gaming. In short, Twitch has become an essential aspect of the gaming community, allowing players to connect, learn, and prosper in a dynamic and interactive setting. Twitch's effect on gaming communities and culture is expected to grow, strengthening its position as a primary hub for social gaming and live streaming.

References 

E-Sports, O 2023, Streaming Culture: How Platforms Like Twitch Are Changing Gaming, Medium, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://medium.com/@OVI_E-SPORTS/streaming-culture-how-platforms-like-twitch-are-changing-gaming-667e6f4fdea8>. 

What is a Gaming Community and How to Build One n.d., MetaEngine Build bigger, together, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://www.metaengine.gg/blog/what-is-a-gaming-community-and-how-to-build-one>.

Yaden, J 2022, What is Twitch? | Digital Trends, Digital Trends, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/what-is-twitch/>.

[wengyan]

Week 9: Instagram Filters

Hello, another day another blog~ As for today’s blog I would like to talk about Instagram filters.

When Instagram originally introduced its 24-hour story feature, the majority of our Instagram feed was occupied by friends' stories and playing with facial filters. But why was everyone so keen on using those filters even today? Well, I’m going to be talking about it in this blog. 

There are different types of filters such as face filters, colour filters, effects filters and interactive filters but I will mainly be focusing on face filters. The filters that we frequently use on Instagram are called “Augmented Reality” (AR). AR Filters overlay effects on our faces, using facial recognition technology. During its release, the filters were mostly cute and ‘aesthetic’ filters that consisted of doodles, hearts and animal filters (Hall 2023). However, in recent years it started to switch into a more ‘surgical’ look that changes the features of our faces. 

The filters would change the texture of our skin, the size of our noses, the shape of our faces, and the plumpness of our lips. Social media beauty standards are so unrealistic that people have created these AR filters to change our appearances to fit into the standards, causing us to be more insecure. Some people could not even upload a photo of themselves without using the alternation of filters.

According to studies, digitally changing one's look can cause anxiety, body dysmorphia, and, in some cases, inspire people to pursue cosmetic surgery. Studies have found that AR filters are more directed towards people with lower self-esteem because, through the usage of filters, they can temporarily change their looks and boost their confidence (Javornik et al. 2021).

Unrealistic social media beauty standards have yet again, impacted a lot of individuals’ lives, especially teenagers. It affects the way they perceive themselves and negatively impacts their mental well-being. In conclusion, Instagram filters, particularly AR face filters, have had an immense effect on how we interact with social media and perceive ourselves. Initially popular for their fun and entertaining characteristics, these filters have evolved into tools capable of drastically modifying our looks and promoting false beauty expectations. As we continue to navigate the digital world, it is critical to understand the negative effects of these filters and strive for a healthier, more authentic self-image. 

As mentioned in my previous blog, I think it is important to embrace our natural beauty because it makes us unique. We wouldn’t find anyone who looks exactly like us and that’s what makes us special, there is only one edition of us and it’s limited. Thank you for spending time to read my blog, I appreciate it a lot! See you again in my next blog :>

References 

Hall, J 2023, The Evolution of Instagram Filters, Medium, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://medium.com/@junehall/the-evolution-of-instagram-filters-5850ae04a087#:~:text=When%20Instagram%20launched%20its%20story,of%20filters%20to%20choose%20from>.

Javornik, A, Marder, B, Pizzetti, M & Warlop, L 2021, Research: How AR Filters Impact People’s Self-Image, Harvard Business Review, viewed 15 June 2024, <https://hbr.org/2021/12/research-how-ar-filters-impact-peoples-self-image>.

[wengyan]

Week 8: Body Modification on Visual Social Media

Hello! It’s been a while, I hope everyone is doing well. Welcome back to my blog~  

Before I start, has anyone ever experienced comparing our looks with influencers/celebrities on the Internet? Well, I’m sure the majority of us have gone through this stage, especially during puberty. Sad to say that I, myself have gone through it too. However, I walked out of that stage! With this being said, I would like to dive into body modification on visual social media in this blog.

As we all know, social media users like to present their best side and will go to any length to appear as the most flawless version of themselves in order to meet social media standards (Linton 2023). Body changes have been increasingly severe throughout time, and they may now be affecting younger generations. It all began with influencers and celebrities undergoing cosmetic surgeries such as the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and rhinoplasty. 'What is BBL?' you might wonder. It is a surgical treatment in which fat is extracted from the stomach or back and injected into a woman's buttocks to achieve a larger, more shapely behind and a smaller waist (Greenwood 2021).

BBL is more commonly found and done in the West because Westerners’ body standards lean towards the wider aspects. As for Asians, they focus more on facial surgeries rather than body surgeries. For example, South Korea has been famous for getting rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) for almost a decade and people would travel all the way there just to undergo the procedure (Peterson 2023). 

However, other than plastic surgery, there are various ways to showcase your good qualities on the Internet. There have been an increasing number of editing tools that allow people to transform their appearance into a completely different person. Individuals who solely care about how they appear on social media might choose to edit because it is free and takes only a few minutes. Meanwhile, people with a strong desire to modify their appearance in real life and in the long run will choose cosmetic surgery to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

The widespread acceptance of body modification has made people so insecure about their natural appearances that they strive to transform themselves into what is deemed as 'perfection' on social media. Despite this, I feel that as social media users, we must remember and be mindful that nearly anything posted online is false and never represents reality. What we see on social media reflects only a fraction of a person's life. We should never compare ourselves to others, especially strangers, because we do not know their entire story. In contrast, we should begin to prioritise our well-being and seek out things that bring us happiness and positivity rather than pessimism (How to Cope if Social Media Affects Your Body Image 2023). 

As the saying goes, “Everyone has imperfections and insecurities, that is what makes us humans!”. With this blog, I hope people will start to appreciate their natural beauty and accept themselves for who they are. If you are still reading, thank you for scrolling all the way here. I will see you in my next blog, byebye!

References

Greenwood, D 2021, The BBL Bubble: How Social Media Fuels Body Modification, Psychology Today, viewed 14 June 2024, <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mirror-mirror/202108/the-bbl-bubble-how-social-media-fuels-body-modification>.

How to Cope if Social Media Affects Your Body Image 2023b, YoungMinds, viewed 14 June 2024, <https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/how-to-cope-if-social-media-affects-your-body-image/>.

Linton, LB 2023, Digital Modification on Social Media: How Does the Content You Engage with Affect Your Body Image? – PIT Journal, PIT Journal – The People, Ideas, and Things Journal, viewed 14 June 2024, <https://pitjournal.unc.edu/2023/06/20/digital-modification-on-social-media-how-does-the-content-you-engage-with-affect-your-body-image/>.

Peterson, J 2023, Beauty Across Borders: Exploring the Most Popular Plastic Surgeries Around the Globe! - Jack Peterson MD, Jack Peterson MD, viewed 14 June 2024, <https://drjackpeterson.com/blog/most-popular-plastic-surgeries-around-the-globe/#:~:text=In%20South%20Korea,%20the%20most,and%20blepharoplasty%20(eyelid%20surgery)>.

[wengyan]

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i hope you enjoy my blog’s content! ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ

[wengyan]

Week 7: The Slow Fashion Movement

Hi, welcome back to yet another blog post of mine! In this blog, I’ll be discussing the slow fashion movement.

Fashion plays an important role in our lives because it not only makes us more presentable but also a way to express ourselves. Fashion has always been sustainable and clothes are made to be worn as long as possible. However, in recent years, the fashion industry has appeared to be more fast. What does it mean to be fast in this context? Well, fast fashion, is a segment of the fashion industry producing trendy clothes at a low cost in high volumes. This may sound like a positive thing because of the low cost and all but that is not the case. It is causing an environmental impact that may bring harm in the long run. “It dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams, while 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year. Even washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibres into the ocean each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.” (Maiti 2024)

The main purpose of this blog post is to encourage slow fashion to achieve a more sustainable fashion industry and to do our part in being more environmentally friendly. So, what is slow fashion? Slow fashion is the exact opposite of fast fashion. According to Hill (2023), slow fashion involves an understanding of and attitude towards fashion that gives considerable thought to the methods and materials needed to produce clothes. It promotes the purchase of longer-lasting, higher-quality clothing and maintains the principle of treating people, animals, and the environment fairly at every turn. 

There are plenty of advantages in slow fashion but the biggest factor is to save and improve the environment before it’s too late. The impact of fast fashion may not seem huge at the moment, but it surely is slowly contributing to global warming. Slow fashion should be encouraged because it is beneficial in the long run. Slow fashion clothings are produced at a higher quality which is made to be more durable. When our clothes have better durability, naturally we purchase fewer clothes and help reduce consumption. (Kulczycki 2021) 

Shopping and purchasing from sustainable brands are way more ideal. One recommended brand would be Nudie Jeans. Nude Jeans’ denim is 100% organic and crafted by one of the finest denim mills in the world, which has produced high-quality fabrics for over 70 years.

In summary, the fashion business has significance to our lives since it serves as a means of self-expression and presentability This blog post promotes slow fashion as a more environmentally friendly option. We can lessen the negative effects of fast fashion, contribute less to global warming, and encourage well-made, long-lasting apparel by opting for slow fashion. A useful step towards achieving this aim is to support eco-friendly companies like Nudie Jeans, which is well-known for their premium, organic denim. Ultimately, adopting slow fashion techniques helps the environment and promotes a more environmentally friendly fashion industry.

References

Hill, M 2023, What Is Slow Fashion? - Good On You, Good On You, viewed 17 May 2024, <https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/>.

Kulczycki, P 2022, 10 Slow Fashion Benefits & Fast Fashion Disadvantages | Infographic, SANVT, viewed 18 May 2024, <https://sanvt.com/blogs/journal/advantages-of-slow-fashion?country=MY>.

Maiti, R 2024, Fast Fashion: Its Detrimental Effect on the Environment, Earth.Org, viewed 17 May 2024, <https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/#:~:text=It%20dries%20up%20water%20sources,of%2050%20billion%20plastic%20bottles>.

[wengyan]

Week 6: What is Digital Citizenship? Hashtag Publics, Political Engagement and Activism

Hello, welcome back to another blog of mine! For this blog’s topic, I’ll be touching on digital citizenship. 

I’m pretty sure the majority of us use social media and surf the internet on a daily basis and spend almost all of our time on it. However, are we abiding by digital citizenship? Wait, what is digital citizenship? According to Hummel (2024), the term ‘digital citizenship’ describes how people who use computers, the internet, and other digital devices to interact with society at any level should use technology responsibly. Good digital citizenship is practising online etiquette, knowing what to share and what not to share, setting boundaries for themselves and keeping the internet a safe place. Bad digital citizenship, on the other hand, encourages cyberbullying and oversharing of personal information that may risk one’s privacy. 

In our digital world, hashtag is a powerful tool often used to gain attention and categorise content, making it easier for users to search for information regarding the hashtag. In recent years, hashtags have been used not solely for aesthetic purposes but more to spread awareness, campaigns, movements, and activism.

During the sudden outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many locals were struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table, especially with the movement control order (MCO). A Malaysian author, Hanna Alkaf, initiated a movement #KitaJagaKita to gather organisations and individuals to assist those badly affected by the movement control order. (Savitha 2020) The hashtag quickly trended on X (formerly Twitter) where organisations would offer help to citizens in need and individuals would also do their part following their capabilities.

In our increasingly interconnected world, digital citizenship is essential, requiring the ethical and responsible use of technology to maintain a polite and safe online community. Understanding and executing ethical digital citizenship entails appropriate behaviour on the internet and making positive contributions to virtual communities. Hashtags can be used to mobilise support and create community togetherness, as demonstrated by the #KitaJagaKita movement during the COVID-19 pandemic. This highlights the positive influence of ethical digital involvement.

References

Hummel, B 2024, What Is Digital Citizenship & How Do You Teach It?, A Comprehensive CTE Solution, viewed 17 May 2024, <https://www.icevonline.com/blog/what-is-digital-citizenship>.

Savitha, AG 2020, #KitaJagaKita: Here's how Malaysians can take care of each other amid movement control order, Malay Mail, viewed 16 May 2024, <https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2020/03/19/malaysian-author-hanna-alkaf-launches-initiative-to-assist-needy-communitie/1848141>.

[wengyan]

Week 5: Digital Community and Fandom

Hi, welcome to my blog! In this blog, I’ll be talking about the Digital Community, specifically Fandom. 

As we all know in today’s society, being in a fandom is like having an ‘identity’ in a specific community. One of the biggest fandoms we know is from K-pop. Each K-pop boy/girl groups are known to have its fandom with a name and specially made lightstick merchandise for fans to use as a form of support during music shows and concerts. This ‘identity’ gives people a sense of belonging within the community. I am also part of the K-pop fandom of boy groups like NCT and Seventeen. 

Social media plays an important and huge role in fandoms. According to Celenza (2022), popular social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok allow fandoms to come together, interact, communicate, and exchange information with one another to keep everyone informed about events and updates related to their particular fandom community on these various platforms. Moreover, it is also essential for idols to engage with their fans through social media because this is one of the ways for them to interact with their fans and maintain parasocial relationships. For example, the K-pop group NCT used to do ‘Menpa’ (which stands for ‘mention party’) where they would tweet something and reply to fans’ comments. This is one way to keep fans attached and engaged so that they would not feel like their support is one-sided or unreciprocated. 

With fans’ loyalty, companies use this as an opportunity to boost their revenue and sales. K-pop album comes with CDs, photobooks, photocards and other inclusions. Over the years, photocards have become a huge sensation. Now, ‘What exactly is a photocard?’ you may ask. It is a selfie of the idol printed on a card and fans can carry it with them anywhere, everywhere.

Photocard comes randomly in the album so we would not know which members are given until the album is unboxed. Mainly because of this, fans no longer purchase music albums for the CD but rather the photocard itself and they would purchase plenty of albums to try their luck in pulling their desired photocard. Fans would also trade photocards with other fans online or physically in order to obtain their desired photocard. In addition, fans would create trends with photocards where they showcase their photocard collections. 

Overall, the essential structure and changes that have been evolving within society have resulted in the dramatic and expressive change in fan behavior. Fans have gained more power and rights in regards to the culture within this digital media age evolution. (Fiorella 2023) According to Liao (2021), fans now have more influence, as seen by two factors: first, they are actively creating and sharing their own original content online, and second, they have more channels for interaction with the entertainment industry.

References

Celenza, P 2022, How fandom communities on social media can create positive change. - Debating Communities and Networks XIII, Debating Communities and Networks XIII - This is the official conference site for the Debating Communities and Networks 13 Conference 2022, viewed 15 May 2024, <https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2022/csm/256/how-fandom-communities-on-social-media-can-create-positive-change/>.

Fiorella, G 2023, The Social and Technological Evolution of Fandoms Through New Media and Mass Communication, TwoTwoOne.NYC, viewed 15 May 2024, <https://twotwoone.nyc/the-social-and-technological-evolution-of-fandoms-through-new-media-and-mass-communication/>.

Liao, Z 2021, Fan Culture under the Influence of Media Development, SCIRP, viewed 15 May 2024, <https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=113688>.