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Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

This week we explore the complex terrain of social media administration and the ubiquitous problem of online harassment as we examine digital citizenship and conflict within digital groups. The talk begins by putting the topic in the larger context of activism, regulation, digital citizenship, and community dynamics. This helps to show how complex the conflicts that occur in digital spaces are. It is undeniable that most communities have had a significant impact on people's lives since the invention of social media. Conflicts on social media, however, are inevitable and occasionally result in fatal events. Conflicts frequently arise from arguments between members of the same community, and the majority of these disputes center on individual rights.

The laws and rules governing the use of social media in communities and society as a whole are known as social media governance. It entails creating guidelines and procedures that control how individuals and institutions behave on social media. Three notable instances of conduct norms across several platforms are the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, YouTube's Content Moderation, and Facebook Community Standards. Other governance models that are used in smaller groups include Redditquette, Subreddit-Specific Rules on numerous Subreddits, and Server-Specific Rules on numerous Discord servers.

The emergence of cyberbullying is mainly attributed to the rapid increase and pervasive presence of ‘information and communication technologies’ (ICT) that permeate the lives of children and youth. Prensky (2001) calls this generation ‘digital natives’ and their parents and educators ‘digital immigrants’ due to the gap in under-standing between the age groups. Hatred speech and bullying has cause losts and suicidal cases, which still happen in nowadays society. One of the common and new case is Pranshu, a 16-year-old aspiring makeup artist living in India. Pranshu was outspoken about their queer identity on social media, especially Instagram, where they displayed their makeup artistry and accumulated 14,000 followers. Pranshu unfortunately endured constant cyberbullying. The article cites a particular incident in which Pranshu shared a photo of herself wearing a saree and received over 4,000 responses.  Numerous remarks were homophobic in character, emphasizing the discrimination Pranshu encountered on the internet.

Reference

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon,9(5), 1–6, doi:10.1108/10748120110424816.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6, doi: 10.1108/10748120110424816.

Billson, C. (2023) Queer Teen dies by suicide after relentless online attacks, PinkNews. Available at: https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/11/24/pranshu-social-media-bulying-suicide-india/ (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

Federal Laws & Online Harassment (2024) Online Harassment Field Manual. Available at: https://onlineharassmentfieldmanual.pen.org/federal-laws-online-harassment/. (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

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Week 9: Gaming Communities, Social Gaming and Live Streaming

From casual weekend warriors to dedicated professionals, gaming has exploded in popularity, transforming from a solitary pastime to a global phenomenon. At the forefront of this evolution lies esports, the competitive side of gaming where skilled players vie for glory and massive prize pools on a digital battlefield. This dynamic duo, gaming and esports, are rapidly reshaping entertainment, creating new communities, and captivating audiences worldwide.

The term "videogames" refers to a complex cultural, technological, and economic area in addition to a source of entertainment. A video game is a rule-governed, interactive experience delivered through an audiovisual apparatus that can incorporate narrative elements. Video games tend to be fictional, unpredictable, rule-governed, with defined time and space limitations, and separate from "real" life (Caillois, R. 1962). This definition captures the core aspects of video games, encompassing the established rules, player interactivity, and the use of sights and sounds to create the experience.  While some video games incorporate narratives, they are not essential for the core gameplay loop. Gaming leads to the success of live-streaming industry and esports, which both aspects and categories of them are based on video games itself

Gaming esport has tons of memorable moments and characteristic players that the whole world mentioned about. SK Telecom is a perfect example of king of esport in their most talented games League of Legend. After winning the World Championship three times in a row, T1, a professional gaming team based in Korea, emerged as the current IEM winners in May of 2016. League of Legends is the most popular game in the world, and its fans are so passionate that many of them are willing to spend money on live streaming anytime they play on the World Championship stage. Following the event, it is confirmed that they have the most loyal fans in the esports sector during the course of their nearly ten-year existence. The 2023 League of Legends Worlds Championship has amassed 6,400,000 fans worldwide, making it the most watched esports event ever.

Live streaming video games has become a significant force in modern society, shaping entertainment, fostering communities, and even creating new career paths and it changes the way gaming works in nowadays society. Previously, gaming was primarily a solitary activity. Live streaming introduces a social element, allowing viewers to watch skilled gamers play, discuss strategies in chat, and cheer on their favorites. This creates a more interactive experience and a sense of community around shared gaming interests (Krystal Ruiz, 2020). Strong online communities centered around particular games and broadcasters have been encouraged by the growth of live broadcasting.  Viewers can form relationships, communicate with each other and the streamer, and share their love of gaming through chat tools and interactive features (Fouad El Afi, Ouiddad Smail, 2021).

IShowSpeed is one of many streamers that succeed in gaming and live-streaming industy by his variety of game and humorous characteristic. Although he mostly plays computer games like Roblox, Fortnite, and FIFA, people are drawn to his exaggerated reactions, humorous outbursts, and occasionally provocative activities.  His fame grows even more as a result of the frequent sharing of these videos on social media sites like TikTok. He is describing himself right now i think...

Reference

Caillois, R. (1962). Man, Play and Games. Translated by Meyer, M. (2001). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

(No date) T1. Available at: https://www.t1.gg/ (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

El Afi, F. and Smail, O. (2021) The Rise of Video-Game Live Streaming: Motivations and Forms of Viewer Engagement, ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352936240_The_Rise_of_Video-Game_Live_Streaming_Motivations_and_Forms_of_Viewer_Engagement (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

Ruiz, K. (2020) How live streaming and Twitch have changed the gaming industy, SJSU ScholarWorks. Available at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=art108 (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

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Week 8: Digital Citizenship and Software literacy: Instagram Filters

Face filters and editing programs that only hide or accentuate imperfections have become so commonplace in today's culture that people have forgotten how their bodies and features genuinely look. As a result, people may compare themselves to unrealistic standards set by social media, which could lead to an inaccurate sense of attractiveness and self-worth. Around 2010, Instagram introduced basic photo filters that altered the color and style of images. These weren't interactive or real-time filters, but they marked the beginning of social media image manipulation (YordStudio, 2020). During 2011, Instagram launched "live filters" which allowed users to see the filter effect while taking a picture and in late 2015, most people agree that this was the pivotal moment for social media filters. Snapchat debuted "lenses," interactive augmented reality (AR) filters that instantly added effects and animations to selfies using facial recognition technology. Similar to flower crowns or dog ears, these filters gained immense popularity.

Filters are a key tool for manipulating photos, smoothing imperfections, and altering appearances ans being able to understand how filters contribute to image manipulation is relevant to the book's themes. (Katz, Louise, 2021). Studies suggest a high prevalence of filter use. One study found over 90% of Bumble participants (women and non-binary people aged 18-30) used beauty filters or edited their photos on social media. A Dove Self-Esteem Project study revealed that 90% of women reported using a filter on photos before posting them online

Of course misused filter are also a controversial topic to debate, especially using Deepfakes to imitate the voice, the movement of characters, to fake out or to initiate hatred or being bashful and disrespectful to individual. Deepfakes are a subset of synthetic media in which photos or videos are altered to look authentic using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). They might be employed to give the impression that someone is talking or doing something they are not. People using Deepfakes for laughters, for fun without thinking any consequences, and it is really easy to use since AI has been developing nonstop. Donald Trump is one of the many celebrities that becomes a victim to the fake motion AI, as people consistently faked his speech or his camera movement by just a single click! Here is a footage of someone adjusting his speech into a clown.

For picture modification and self-expression, social media filters can be an imaginative and entertaining tool. They let users experiment with various aesthetics, edit images, and post a well-curated version of themselves online. But, it's critical to consider any possible drawbacks. Overuse of filters can impede real communication, contribute to unattainable beauty standards, and even cause mental health issues. The secret is to use it responsibly. Through a harmonious equilibrium between relishing filters and upholding a positive self-concept, individuals can adeptly traverse the virtual realm with assurance and genuineness.

Reference

YordStudio (2020) Yordstudio, Filterious Instagram Facebook Filters AR Filter Agency. Available at: https://filterious.com/short-history-of-social-media-filters/ (Accessed: 30 March 2024).                              

Katz, Louise. (2021). The Age of Instagram: How Influencers and Everyday People Are Shaping the World. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Law, V. (2023) 90% of young women use photo editing to improve appearance on Instagram, Breakthrough. Available at: https://breakthrough.neliti.com/women-photo-editing-instagram/#:~:text=The%20study%20found%20that%2090,skin%2C%20or%20whiten%20their%20teeth. (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

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Week 7: Digital Citizenship and Health Education: Body Modification on Visual Social Media

Body modification practices encompass a vast spectrum of alterations, ranging from widely accepted practices like ear piercings to more extreme procedures like scarification. Body modification refers to the intentional permanent or semipermanent alterations of the living human body for reasons such as ritual, folk medicine, aesthetics, or corporal punishment (Bradley University). These modifications can be driven by various motivations, such as cultural identity markers signifying a rite of passage or tribal affiliation. From an aesthetic perspective, body art like tattoos allows for self-expression and personalization of the body.  Some modifications even hold religious significance, with scarification or body cutting serving as rituals of devotion in specific belief systems.

People adjusting their own body for beauty and aesthetics purpose, some might considered tattoos, piercings as art. In contrast to impulsive scrawls on a notepad, physical changes are usually carefully thought out decisions. To achieve the intended aesthetic, positioning, design components, and symbolism are all important. Modifying your body can be crucial for personal branding online. People usually arrange their online presence on social media to represent a specific aesthetic, which includes their physical look, especially on well-known platforms like Instagram. This could be sharing images or videos that highlight particular physical attributes, such as their attractiveness, fashion sense, or level of fitness, for both genders.

A piercing or a single tattoo might be fine and society can accept the fact that body modification doesn’t violate and making others absurd, but there is one case that shock the entire community. Anthony Loffredo AKA The Black Alien is completely covered in tattoos, even the eyeballs, and has weird physical alterations, like a split tongue that gives the appearance of being forked. To further emphasize his extraterrestrial appearance, he even cut off his fingers and a portion of his nose. Extreme bodily modifications are the term for these kinds of interventions: they are voluntary, non-traditional changes that have limited societal acceptance. They could be irreversible and frequently call for certain surgical techniques. Their dramatic nature—scarifications, subdermal implants, amputations, or eye tattoos—sets them apart from other, less extreme alterations, such typical piercings or tattoos (Daniel Soufi, 2023). Because of the ridiculous transformation, he gets treated differently from others. If he calls an Uber, the driver does not stop. He is not allowed in restaurants. He also had trouble verifying his identity to open an OnlyFans account, because the app was unable to recognize his face (Daniel Soufi, 2023).

In 2024 and the upcoming years, body modification is considered normal to the society due to the open-minded of people, but there are still some individuals take that advantages and make an absurd changes, which the community started to lose their respect to body modification.

Reference

Body modification & body image (no date) Bradley University. Available at: https://www.bradley.edu/sites/bodyproject/disability/modification/ (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

Lodder, M. (2010) Body art: Body modification as artistic practice. University of Reading.

Singh, R. (2023) Old Photo showing how ‘black alien’ looked like before extreme body modifications goes viral, NDTV.com. Available at: https://www.ndtv.com/feature/old-photo-showing-how-black-alien-looked-like-before-extreme-body-modifications-goes-viral-3655378 (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

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Week 6: Digital Citizenship Case Study: Social Media Influencers and the Slow Fashion Movement

In today's world of fleeting trends and overflowing closets, a countermovement is gaining momentum: slow fashion (Hudders, 2017; Sanders, 2017). This ethical and sustainable approach prioritizes quality over quantity, valuing well-made garments designed to last (Hudders, 2017). Slow fashion also emphasizes ethical production practices that ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for garment workers (Hudders, 2017). Furthermore, it seeks to minimize environmental impact throughout the clothing lifecycle, from material sourcing to disposal (Sanders, 2017). By prioritizing quality, ethics, and sustainability, slow fashion strives to transform the fashion industry into a more responsible and environmentally conscious force. Slow fashion tends to focuses on the ethical implications of fast fashion production, highlighting issues like unfair labor practices and environmental damage and they might explore the ethical obligations of consumers and businesses within the fashion industry.

Slow fashion trend also affects on consumers behavior and thinking process. They prioritize quality, ethics, and environmental sustainability over fast fashion trends and low prices and their purchasing decisions are influenced by factors like a desire to reduce their environmental impact, support fair labor practices, and own unique, well-made pieces (Astro-López, Iglesias, and Puente, 2020). Everlane is one of the most common clothing brands that targets the consumers behavior in critical ways and their sales and numbers are based on target customers choice and decision-making. Everlane caters to customers who value honesty, ethics, and sustainability in their apparel.  They value Everlane's dedication to ethical labor standards, the use of recycled materials, and radical openness with regard to manufacturing sites and costs of production. Everlane is also famous for its aim, branding and environmentally friendly outfits, which targets a huge amount of customers. Everlane serves customers who care about the environment and society. They value the company's initiatives to lessen its impact on the environment and to promote ethical labor standards across its supplier chain.

Reference

Hudders, Kathleen. 2017. The Ethics of Slow Fashion.

Sanders, Amanda. 2017. Slow Fashion: An Exploration of Consumer Motivations, Drivers, and Barriers.

Castro-López, A., Iglesias, O., & Puente, S. (2020). Slow fashion consumer behavior: A literature review. Sustainability, 12(24), 10393.

Pookulangara, S., & Shephard, K. (2013). Fashion and sustainability: Increasing knowledge about slow fashion through an educational module.

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Week 5: What is Digital Citizenship? Hashtag Publics, Political Engagement and Activism

In today's world, where technology permeates nearly every aspect of our lives, the concept of digital citizenship has become increasingly important. It's more than just knowing how to use a computer or navigate social media. Digital citizenship encompasses a wide range of skills and behaviors that allow us to participate responsibly, ethically, and safely in the online world. Digital citizenship pertains to the standards of suitable and conscientious conduct toward the utilization of technology. It includes a variety of abilities and behaviors that enable people to contribute productively to the digital world. Digital citizenship is defined as a combination of abilities, thinking, and action related to internet use, which is emphasized by four elements: media and information literacy, participation and engagement, critical resistance, and ethics (Choi, 2016). The increasing prevalence of social media platforms and digital communication technology has made it possible for people to participate in public discourse, voice their opinions, and advocate for various causes.

Hashtags, symbolized by the “#” sign, are like keywords on steroids in the social media world. By attaching a hashtag to your post, you categorize it and make it discoverable by anyone searching for that specific term. It's like adding labels to your online content, allowing people with similar interests to find your posts and join the conversation. One of the most controversial and popular hashtag out there is the #MeToo which is a social media movement and awareness campaign that went viral in 2017. It provided a platform for survivors of sexual assault and harassment to share their experiences. The #MeToo movement sparked a global conversation about sexual harassment and assault, with both positive and ongoing challenges. 59% of women believe the #MeToo movement made their workplaces safer (CBS News, 2018) and Data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) showed a 13.6% increase in reports of sexual harassment in 2018, following the #MeToo movement (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, n.d.).In conclusion, hashtag can be a powerful tool to lead users into topics and posts that they are looking for and fighting for.

Reference

Choi, M. (2016). Digital Citizenship: A Review of the Academic Literature.

CBS News. (2018, October 25). Nearly six in ten women say #MeToo has made their workplace safer. https://www.cbsnews.com/.

Gitlin, M. (n.d.). Must-know Me Too Movement statistics [Latest Report]. GitNux.org. https://metoomvmt.org/learn-more/statistics/

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Week 4: Digital Community and Fandom: Reality TV Case Study.

Reality television is a genre of television programming that features supposedly unscripted situations involving ordinary people rather than professional actors. Instead of having actors play roles, reality TV features real people. The shows are advertised as capturing spontaneous events and emotions, while editing and production control may be evident.

The term “reality TV” isn't a straightforward presentation of reality. It mixes elements of documentary and entertainment, creating a constructed version of "reality” through editing, camera angles, and casting choices (John Fiske, 1991). The “Television Cultural” suggests a set of codes to comprehend the meaning-construction process used by television.  This also holds true for reality TV.  To communicate certain themes, "reality" is first presented through social codes (behavior, attire), which are next encoded by technical codes (camera work, editing), and lastly altered by ideological codes (individualism, competitiveness). Reality show emphasize the active role of audience – the minimum requirement of reality television. Instead of being passive consumers, viewers analyze and negotiate the created reality in light of their individual experiences and social contexts. According to Fiske, reality TV perpetuates particular social and cultural norms.  There may be a lot of rivalry, individuality, and materialism themes.  He challenges viewers to exercise critical thinking and consider the messages ingrained in the shows.

Reality television can’t always have positive outcomes when launching the show. Producers have the ability to manipulate scenes, retouch film to tell stories, and even cast characters that are likely to cause conflict.  This may misrepresent the truth and give viewers irrational expectations. Another negative aspect of reality TV is some particular shows may raise a severely bad impact on both audience and participants mental health. The constant exposure to conflict, competition, and often superficial values can be stressful and anxiety-provoking for viewers. For example, The Maury Povich Show or the community can recognize as “You are not the father!” reality show are one of the most rejected and controversial show due to the content being hurtful and exploiting guests’ personal issues. Critics contend that the program sensationalizes intimate issues such as infidelity, paternity issues, and romantic conflict.  It is possible to view the emphasis on confrontation and public humiliation as exploitative, especially when low-income families are involved.

Reference

Fiske, John. (1991). Living Room Culture: Exploring the Rise of Reality TV. Routledge.

An, T. (2021) LÝ do 2 chương Trình Truyền Hình MỸ đình đám BỊ phản đối nhiều nhất, BÁO LAO ĐỘNG. Available at: https://laodong.vn/giai-tri/ly-do-2-chuong-trinh-truyen-hinh-my-dinh-dam-bi-phan-doi-nhieu-nhat-890090.ldo (Accessed: 24 March 2024).

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Week 3: How does Tumblr function as a digital community?

We can envision a “digital community" for scholars or transportation experts that is dedicated to the problems and solutions associated with pandemics. In order to increase the security and effectiveness of transportation during pandemics, this network might exchange best practices, research findings, and resources. The community platform could be designed to foster interaction and knowledge sharing through forums, discussion boards, and collaborative document editing (Preece, 2000). Online forums, social media groups, virtual networks, and other websites and platforms can all host digital communities.

On the social networking and microblogging platform Tumblr, users can share multimedia material including images, videos, GIFs, quotations, and links. Instead of writing the long articles that are seen on typical blogs, users can create short blog postings and develop a social network centered on common interests by following other individuals and their blogs. Tumblr features reblog and repost a variety of interesting material and posts to help it get more exposure on the platform. According to Jin, H., & Jin, Y. (2017), Tumblr, compared to Facebook, allows for a richer visual experience. Fans can share images, GIFs, and other visuals to express their love for a particular show, movie and books. Tumblr works together to tell stories about their own fandoms. Fanfiction authoring, head canon creation, and the sharing of fan art are some examples of this (unofficial beliefs about the characters or universe). Tumblr's visual format makes storytelling more lively and imaginative.

On the other aspect, Tumblr allows users to curate their online identity through the content they post and how they design their blog pages (Huang, Y., Ellison, N. B., & Lin, J., 2016). Freely expressing opinion about users’ interests, hobbies, aesthetics, or even political views makes Tumblr being a better digital community than others social media platform. Tumblr works together to tell stories about their own fandoms. Fanfiction authoring and the sharing of fan art are some examples of this (unofficial beliefs about the characters or universe). Tumblr's visual format makes storytelling more lively and imaginative. In comparision with Sina Weibo, Tumblr focus more on visuals and faster spreading contents, which is a huge plus aspects in forming a digital community, while Sina Weibo might be more suited for discussions and organized groups.

Reference

Preece, J. (2000). Online Communities: Design, Theory, and Practice. Oxford University Press.

Jin, H., & Jin, Y. (2017). Visual fandom and narrative construction on social network sites: A comparative analysis of Tumblr and Facebook. Information, Communication & Society, 20(11), 1580-1599.

Huang, Y., Ellison, N. B., & Lin, J. (2016). Self-presentation and social connection on microblogging sites: A comparison of Sina Weibo and Tumblr. Social Science Computer Review, 34(2), 229-244.