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12/7

1. Is it possible to create successful non-profit internet platforms?

Yes, it is possible, as seen with Diaspora. It’s advertising-free, has free access, and makes money through donations. Though it’s possible, it also has problems. Non-capitalist media platforms face a lack of funds and donations are unstable.

2. What does Fuchs mean when he says that social media has limited sociality?

Social media is the place for social interaction and allows for cognition, communication, and co-operation. But it is on corporate terms and works for corporate gain. Corporate social media is owned and controlled so that users are limited by capitalist structures of ownership.

3. What was the problem with the Terrorism Information and Prevention System (TIPS) program?

This program caused people to snitch on anyone who looked remotely Arab. It was a surveillance idea which was supposed to get UPS drivers and other workers who go inside homes to report any suspicious activity they saw while in the homes. The issue is that race influenced who was considered suspicious. There was a woman who called the police when she heard Middle Eastern-looking medical students talking and joking about dates in September. She assumed they were joking about the terrorist attacks. These students turned out to be innocent.

4. Now that all of the alternatives to social media are laid out in Fuch’s conclusion, which one has made the most sense?

Personally, I liked the idea of alternative internet platforms. It really got me to think about the ways in which my data and other user data is used for profit and how capitalistic these social media platforms truly are. I didn’t realize the ways social media platforms operate and it’s all for profit. Fuchs explains that it’s possible to have other platforms where there is no data collection and digital labor. With Diaspora, it is funded by donations and not advertisements. I like the idea of these alternative platforms because they are not capitalist social media.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. 

Parenti, C. 2003. Fear as institution: 9/11 and surveillance triumphant. Soft Cage. New York: Basic Books.

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11/30

1. What is it about the internet that makes it so people like Zeke Spier can be radicalized?

The internet is different than mass media in the sense that it provides so much more information. Mass media platforms have limited coverage of news where the internet has a wide range of news. The internet contains several websites and so much news and information is shared in those spaces. Where Spier didn’t have access to certain news through mass media outlets, the internet became this space where he could gain different knowledge and it was easy to participate in protests because of the internet. He got information he wasn’t getting through mass media within establishment. 

2. What are three pros of the internet?

The Zeke Spier article talked about information, communication, and networking being an important part of the internet and especially for Zeke Spier. It has the power of delivering unique information to the audience, people communicate with one another on the platforms and talk about certain issues, and networking allows information to be shared such as when and where a protest will be held. In the case of Spier, other media informed him as well, but the internet allowed him to find similar beliefs to his. It provided education for him and then motivation to take action.

3. What does the statement, “The internet is a medium of conspiracy, a medium of people not heard…it asks you to talk back” mean?

In comparison to other mass media where you simply obtain information, the internet allows for participatory democracy. The user is able to give their input on anything, whereas say one is watching the news-they obviously don’t talk back, they just listen.

 4. With regards to internet activism, what is the awareness aspect of it?

If we used to Zeke Spier to answer this question, he took a Civil Rights course where he developed connections with people who had similar thoughts as him. This is how he got on email lists which brought activists together. Through these platforms he got information about everything, including meetings and discussions to take action on social issues. The internet facilitated made Spier aware of those activist meetings and discussions.

 Elin, L. “The Radicalization of Zeke Spier: How the Internet Contributes to Civic Engagement    and New Forms of Social Capital.”

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11/16

1. What is the relationship between the government and Wikileaks?

The government sees Wikileaks as causing problems in society and that it compromises the state by releasing information. The issue too is that the government hides things from us because there are things they don’t want us knowing. What doesn’t make sense is who are they to decide what we shouldn’t know? The ironic thing with Wikileaks is that while we are being watched by the government, Wikileaks is watching them back.

2. With regards to the Gamergate movement, what went wrong with it? It was started because of Quinn apparently cheating on her boyfriend with a reviewer, who then gave her a good review on her game. Due to her sex life being posted, she started to get harassed. Her address and phone number were made public and she got such intense threats that she left her house and hasn’t been back since. I understand the idea of keeping online gaming reviews ethical, but is it that serious? I don’t think it was necessary to have received so much harassment and so many threats because of it all. In addition, obviously this was such an outrage because she’s a female gamer and was basically being slut shamed.

3. We talked about men feeling marginalized in relation to the Gamergate movement, why is that?

I didn’t really understand this. Was it because they wanted to make it known that it was not ethical to sleep with a reviewer in order to get a good review, and that their voices weren’t being heard regarding this issue? What made men feel this way? They were the ones being completely misogynistic and the article even says the movement was specifically targeting women.  

4. How has the U.S. reinforced the standards required to be considered ‘beautiful’ in relation to institutional racism?

One woman was told she would lose her job if she didn’t cut her hair. A 7-year-old girl was sent home from school because her hair was considered unacceptable. A 12-year-old girl was told her hair is a distraction to other students, which violated the school’s policy. They were threatened with harsh punishment all because of their hairstyle, which projects that Black woman’s bodies are viewed as unacceptable in the U.S. These instances also reinforce what is viewed as acceptable in the country, and the standards we have in place that determine beauty. 

Hathaway, Jay. 2014. “What is Gamergate, and Why? An Explainer for Non-Geeks.” Gawker. October 10. Retrieved November 16, 2018.

Lee, L. (2015). Virtual homeplace: (Re)Constructing the body through social media. In Keisha Edwards Tassie & Sonja M. Brown Givens (Eds.), Women  of Color and Social Media Multitasking: Blogs, Timelines, Feeds and Community (pp. 91-112). New York: Lexington Books.

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11/9

1. Would Wikipedia be considered an alternative to Facebook?

Yes; it is operated by a non-profit organization and is advertising-free. Its expenses are mainly funded by donations made by users. The author explains that the “commons of society” should be available free to everybody, and this includes the communist internet. The communist internet is an alternative to Facebook because it is surveillance-free, there is no profit, and no advertising. Wikipedia is considered a communist element.

2. What makes Wikipedia non-capitalist?

Capitalism is based on making profit, where Wikipedia has articles available for free and is non-profit. Their purpose is giving every person in the world free access to all human knowledge. Instead of trying to make money, they instead are based on voluntary work and making encyclopedic knowledge available to anyone without having to pay.

3. What is the argument claiming that Wikipedia is a better platform?

Wikipedia is for everyone to use and its purpose is for public good. It’s similar to communism, where no one is making profit off it and everyone can add to it. There is no domination or exploitation going on. Wikipedia is this space where anyone can contribute, and where anyone can have a voice and it is all about access to all.

4. Regarding our conversation about dressing up for certain people, what is your take?

I do understand the reasoning, but at the same time I don’t think it’s necessary sometimes. It goes along with how we talked about tattoos becoming more accepting. I think it’s crazy to think about the changes in generations, where older generations hate tattoos but we see them as fashionable and cool. As was also mentioned in class, if Professor Lee walked in on the first day of class with tattoos, I would have so much respect for her.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. 

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10/26

My algorithm would be similar to Instagram where it would have a “for you” page. It would measure what kinds of things one likes and what kind of people they like to see as well. Based on what those things are, that’s what would typically show up on the “for you” page. For example, if a user frequently likes pictures of a particular celebrity, pictures of that celebrity would be on the page. This would not just include pictures posted by that celebrity, it would also have pictures the celebrity is tagged in. I will weigh these factors by how frequently the user is liking the posts. The more they “like” a post that contains a certain celebrity, the more likely those posts will show up on their feed. I don’t like the capitalist part of algorithms so I will not measure user data that gets sold. I want this to be a non-capitalist algorithm. The model would adapt to new information based on similar posts being liked, and would incorporate it into the “for you” page. The biases in the model are that it limits what the user sees to mainly the things they like, but the user will still be able to see other posts on their main feed. My algorithm focuses specifically on the “for you” page. My model will live out the unethical practices we have discussed by having it not be based on capitalist ways. It won’t be about making money and will just be about giving the user something they actually care to see.

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10/12

1. What is the problem with targeted advertising?

Targeted advertising is personalized advertisements based on the cites you have used. Personally, I think this concept is creepy. For example, I was looking at Nike sweatshirts and then I went on tumblr and there they were! Taking my data and using it somewhere else is kind of an invasion of privacy. It’s all done with the hopes of making money, but is it okay?

2. What is a form of racism in digital media?

Kolko talked about race-related videos made and posted online. There is a video called “Sh*t Black Girls Say” where a person uses stereotypes of black girls to mock them. There is another video called “Sh*t White Girls Say to Black Girls” and the girl is using racist phrases that white girls say. In the video, one of the phrases was “that kind of looks like you” and it was a painting of a black girl. This video shares all of the stupid things white people say and don’t even think what they’re saying is racist.

3. Why does race matter online?

 It influences how one gets treated. Players can wear headsets so that other players can hear them while playing a game online, and voice profiling occurs. You can choose an avatar photo and others may be treat the player differently because of their race. There’s also those players who may take on identities that aren’t theirs, which reinforce racist stereotypes. Vasalou explained that in a study, a participant was choosing a hairstyle for an avatar and wanted to use something “funny” so they chose an afro.  The problem with this is obviously thinking it was “funny” to choose an afro.

4. What does your avatar / profile picture say about you?

My bitmoji is me in Nike clothing, indicating that I love to wear Nike and to dress comfortably. For any avatar or photo I would try to have it resemble my true self, but I think my bitmoji resembles my true self more than my social media profile pictures (I’m not wearing Nike in my profile pictures). I always use my full name for my social media handles so people know who I am. My twitter name used to be sweatpants Jordy because I love sweatpants but then I changed it to my first and last name so my followers know who I am.

Kolko, B., Nakamura, L. and Rodman, G. (n.d.). Race in Cyberspace.

Vasalou, A., Joinson, A., Ba¨nziger, T., Goldie, P. and Pitt, J. (n.d.). Avatars in social media: Balancing accuracy, playfulness and embodied messages.

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Blog 4

1. What is the argument concerning politics and social media?

With youtube, facebook, and twitter the most attention is on entertainment and not politics. In 2015, 9 out of 10 twitter accounts with the most followers were entertainment oriented. Barack Obama was the only exception. Advertising is one thing that dominates most attention and Habermas is concerned that it has the potential to depoliticize the public (pg. 127).

2. Why isn’t contemporary social media truly participatory?

Large companies dominate social media. In 2015, the top 10 most viewed youtube videos were owned by large transnational multimedia companies. Fuchs argues that marketing strategies focus on the democratic aspect of social media but neglect the fact that it is a form of capitalism, and they are using digital labor to make profit in the digital media industry.

3. What is Dallas Smythe’s position on online advertising and digital capitalism and what does Fuchs think?

Smythe argues that media companies sell the users as a commodity to advertisers, because users are doing the unpaid work. Fuchs explains that “corporate social media sells the users’ data commodity to advertising” and since the users aren’t getting paid, they are being exploited (Fuchs, p. 135).

4. What would the idea of social ranking do for a society?

It could make people better citizens because of the fear of a lower social ranking so they may be less likely to do bad things. I feel like since a society like this one is no longer about money, and solely about social ranking, there may be less crime. It may push people to do good things because they know if their ranking goes up, they will have access to more. On the other hand, it seems to consume one’s whole life trying to get a higher ranking so it may make people angry at the system or lash out. It could also have the potential to cause higher rates of depression because so many people would be constantly worrying about the opinions of others. Another way social ranking would impact society is it would cause more addiction to these devices. I think we already are addicted to our smart phones and social media, and when your life literally depends on a device with this social ranking society, it’s going to make people be even more consumed by that device.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

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Blog post 3

1. What is meant by participatory culture?

Users have the option to share content and to circulate posts on social media. Media can make users a huge part in deciding whether a product will be a success. If it doesn’t spread then it’s not going to get very far. The interesting point Fuchs makes is that participatory culture gives us the opportunity to be a part of deciding what spreads and what doesn’t, and to have control over it.

2. What makes Jenkins’s argument controversial?

Jenkins makes the argument that the exploitation of user labor doesn’t exist. He believes that if users have social benefits from the platforms they are using, then digital labor isn’t a problem. He thinks that if social media users feel appreciated by others then them being exploited is also not a problem. Even though exploitation may not feel like exploitation, it doesn’t mean that it’s not.

3. How does Jenkins speak of corporations?

Jenkins’s take on corporations is that they should try harder to pay attention to what the customers are saying. He refers to a term called “brand-damage” and gives advice on how to prevent it. He says that brands should aim to have the way they communicate with consumers matching up with the values they’re promoting. They should keep the consumer involved and not shut them out, and should communicate in such a way that prevents harming profitability. As Jenkins points out, “if it doesn’t spread, it’s dead” (Fuchs, p. 79). Users clearly play a huge role in deciding whether content or a certain brand is going to be a success. Therefore, brand managers would be smart to keep them included in the process.

4. How do Jenkins’s beliefs differ from the critical political economy approach?

The critical political economy approach is more concerned with the exploitation that goes on and the inequalities that exist within culture. Jenkins isn’t too concerned that users are being exploited, because he thinks it may be rewarding for them.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

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Question 4 is interesting because there are people who post very little about themselves and their lives and then there are others who seem to post a lot about themselves. This brings up the question how much is too much? Should some people be more careful on social media so they don’t reveal too much of their identity? 

Blog Post 2

1. Which approach to understanding what social media is from the text do you believe is the most accurate?

I believe Meikle’s approach is the most accurate. He stated that social media is an internet-based, communication platform that allows one to have personal communication and/or communication with the media. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, etc (Meikle, 2016).

2. What social media platform do you believe is the most useful for yourself?

The one that is most useful and beneficial for myself would most likely be Facebook. Facebook has an array of different communication and information sharing techniques. They are easy to use and you can do quite a bit with their options. The information and ideas you see on Facebook has a very wide range. For example, you can find information on cooking and then you could scroll down more on the page and end up finding a very important news feed. I believe this platform provides you with the most information and opportunities to share your ideas and interests. 

3. Do you agree with Durkheim’s theory that all computers, the internet, and all WWW platforms are social because they effect human cognition. 

I do not agree with his theory. I believe that there needs to be both human cognition and communication. That would therefore be a combination of Weber’s and Durkheim’s work.

4. Do you think your profiles on social media platforms are too revealing of your identity and characteristics?

In the text, Fuchs states that when on Facebook, we act in different roles all the time. However, all of the roles that we play are all combined into our one single profile (Fuchs, 2017). This is then available for many different people to see that may have different roles and may disagree with you. Which can then cause conflict or problems for yourself.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction. 2nd Edition. Los              Angeles: Sage Publications.

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Blog 2

How would all media and software be considered social?

This goes along with Durkheim’s social as social facts. They are social because of the social structures enacted in them. Even if you are just sitting in front of a screen looking at the Web, Durkheim argues that the structures are still there.

What makes Web 2.0 better than Web 1.0?

A lot more goes on and is able to happen because of this advanced technology. There is so much communication going on with one another and so many ways to do it as well. It encourages that communication and connections with others, and it’s easy to use. Anyone can contribute to discussion and use social media as their platform to voice their unique opinion. The user has freedom to really do whatever they want with their form of media.

What does 9/11 have to do with big data?

9/11 has “advanced a culture of control, surveillance, fear-mongering, scapegoating and suspicion…” (Fuchs, pg. 53). Fuchs explained that we now live in a culture where those things are basically seen as a solution to terrorism. Big data is used as a method for controlling and targeting individuals as potential terrorists or criminals. One problem with it is social inequality. It may have advantages for people that have power, but also disadvantages for people that don’t.

What is social media like in today’s society?

A big feature of social media today is that one’s social roles are integrated into a single profile. We all have several roles we partake in, and one’s social media profile brings them all together for different people to see. It’s also very social, where posts have the potential to be shared or commented on and more communication between users is likely to occur.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

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Blog 1

Question 1: We talked about what forms of media can be considered social and defined social media to be media that involves communication/interaction with others. So my first question is would you consider Amazon social? Fuchs explains that Amazon’s main purpose is to provide consumers with information about the products on there and that it is a tool of information, not communication. It has a customer questions and answers section for each product, and there is some interaction going on there since previous customers are giving future ones feedback on the product. Even though there is no back and forth interaction, it gives information-which is one concept of social. Therefore, I would consider Amazon to be social.

Question 2: What does critical ethics deal with? The way I understand it is that it’s about creating and maintaining a society where everyone is satisfied, and where there is no injustice. A good society is everyone having basic human rights and no one being short of anything they deserve. Anyone should be able to voice their opinion and stand up for what they believe in when they think something is unjust. A good example is Colin Kaepernick protesting police brutality and racism. What is happening to people because of the color of their skin is unethical and it makes an unjust society.

Question 3: What exactly does thinking critically about media mean? It means looking at the ways that media culture reinforces a society of domination, understanding contradictions and both sides of the story, knowing what every human deserves, and so on. Marx’s approach looks at capitalism in the media industry and the power that corporations hold (Fuchs). 

Question 4: What role does social media play with capitalism? Going along with my example from question two, the new Nike ad is a good example of this corporation using activism as a way of making money. The ad is blowing up all over social media and it’s getting various reactions, but the people who support Kaepernick are probably also going to support Nike.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.