generalhideoutchaos

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Together from a distance: Connectivity during Lockdown

In March 2020 the United Kingdom was faced with an unprecedented challenge: a national lockdown. Whilst being advised to remain apart physically, digital media enabled many people to feel connected. Ofcom (2020) reported that lockdown caused a surge in internet usage, with adults spending an average of four hours on the internet per day. Adult usage of entertainment applications have increased greatly, for example the amount of adults using Tik Tok more than doubled from January to April 2020. 

Lindgren (2017) argued that in recent years, the internet has formed a global society of a range of communities that can easily interact with one another. We are able to message, call, stream content and game together, even when being physically apart. It could be argued that these technologies eased the feeling of loneliness during lockdown for many people as technology allowed people to stay in regular contact with one another.

[Image source: we are social]

Through this pandemic, modern technology has not only enabled us to remain social but has also allowed many people to work from home. As the government furloughed many people, many of us were very lucky to have the resources to work from home. Video call apps grew in popularity, such as zoom which had almost a 2000% rise in users (Ofcom, 2020). This has assisted meetings, training and general communication regarding work with the help of visually seeing colleagues. We must now question if mobile working will become part of the norm in the near post- COVID future.

[Image source: Evening Standard]

Turkle (2017) implied that society shares a media bubble, this can include  people who are well known. Many individuals have formed new online communities during this time to make others feel included. Many celebrities, such as singers have collaborated with one another to provide entertainment to the public online in order for households to feel less isolated. This increase in online communities can have a positive impact on mental well being and general happiness (Smith and Kollock, 1999). 

[Video source: BBC Radio]

Communication through modern technology has become a substitution for  intimacy in-person (Rheingold, 1995). With social interaction, work and special events all becoming virtual, one could wonder if this lockdown has given us a glimse into the future of our society. Subsequently, we must ponder the question: can digital connectivity ever fully replace physical closeness?

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Exposed to the trolls: Fame, Cyberbullying and consequences

In todays society, celebrities are expected to maintain an online presence. This can allow a direct line of communication between celebrity and fans. However, many social media users abuse this power and communicate negativity and hate towards these celebrities. Cheng et al (2017) highlight that the barrier of the computer screen allows people to become more aggressive and spiteful than they would be likely to behave face-to-face. Often, if someone is unhappy in their own life, their frustration can be displaced through trolling and effectively taking it out on others. They argued that anyone has the potential to become an internet troll if someone is in a negative headspace and is often exposed to trolling behaviour. 

[Gif source: Cosmopolitan]

With social networking being such a prevalent part of everyday life, many regular people have developed fame on platforms, such as Youtube and Instagram. Dodgeson (2020) reported that British youtuber, Imogen Horton, had posted multiple videos to her youtube channel vividly depicting the extent to which online abuse affects her everyday life. She describes how her mental health has deteriorated as a result of negative comments and personal attacks across her social networking platforms. Brailovskaia, Teismann and Margraf (2018) highlighted that trolling and cyberbullying is associated with poor mental wellbeing and suicidal thoughts. Going as far to record her panic attacks, Horton has attempted to push the message onto trolls that online bullying must be stopped. These videos are intended to make online trolls face up to the consequences of their actions and hopefully make them realise that celebrities and influencers can be deeply affected by their comments. 

[Video source: Imogenation onYoutube]

In early 2020 the death of television presenter, Caroline Flack, took many people by surprise and acted as a wake up call to many about the devastating impact that trolling can have on mental health (Youngs, 2020). Flack was under public scrutiny for many years, which was amplified when she was arrested for an alleged attack on her boyfriend. As her reputation began to be destroyed my mainstream news media, thousands of social media users joked about her situation and bombarded her with online hate. Gunnell and Biddle (2020) argued that negative media can have a direct impact on mental health and is likely to have contributed to Flack’s suicidal thoughts. 

[Image source: The Guardian]

Youngs (2020) pondered the question of whether Caroline Flack’s death will have a lasting impact. Will people think twice about what they say on social media and be kinder to each other? Unfortunately, Caroline is not the first celebrity to take their own life due to receiving hatred and she is unlikely to be the last. One can only hope that trolls will realise the consequences of their actions and cyberbullying can one day be put behind us.  

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COVIDiots: Celebrity reputations on Social Media during Lockdown

Maintaining an online presence can be difficult. Famous people are often expected to consistently update their social media to engage the interest of their fans (Giles, 2018). In order to maintain a likeable reputation, celebrities must convey their best self online and perform in a manner to maintain a following (Colapinto and Benecchi, 2014). Despite this, many celebrities often misjudge the content they put out, causing offence, outrage or unintended laughs. Many examples of the misuse of social media could be seen in the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. As stars were restricted to their homes, many shared their views on the situation or attempted to entertain followers, sometimes with backfiring results. 

[Video source: bgcyclops on Youtube]

Lankes (2008) argued that a key aspect of online fame is maintaining a sense of being a relatable person. If followers are made to feel inferior or alienated, it can cause them to become disheartened. Many people felt that famous actress Gal Gadot’s cover of ‘Imagine’ with multiple celebrities was in poor taste. Whilst the majority of the population were dealing with financial issues due to lockdowns, these celebrities posted videos singing in their expensive houses which irritated some viewers. Some others thought that these rich celebrities should have contributed money towards the coronavirus cause in order to actually help. Whereas, some simply found the video cringey to watch. Overall, the post was not as well received as intended. Gadot was at least trying to uplift her viewers, whereas other celebrities, such as Elon Musk encouraged fake news and downplayed the extent of the virus. 

[Source: Twitter]

Vanessa Hudgens upset many social media users when she uploaded multiple videos to Snapchat, talking about the virus. Many people saw her words as entitled and selfish, as she complained about a music festival being cancelled, whilst implying that people dying is inevitable and unimportant. This led to a large backlash toward Hudgens as she did not portray herself in a good manner. Her words were perhaps misinterpreted, but the main issue was that she spoke as if she was only speaking to friends, when in reality she was speaking publicly. Bullingham and Vasconcelos (2013) argued that Goffman’s presentation of the self can be applied to social media use. Hudgens should have presented herself in a way that was suitable for a public stage and not allowed her private opinions to be taken out of context. 

[Video source: Entertainment Tonight on Youtube]

The coronavirus pandemic was an unprecedented time and many celebrities misspoke online. One could argue that they should not be ‘cancelled’ for a simple mistakes as maintaining an online persona in public is challenging, especially during a pandemic.

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Trump and Twitter: the influence of Social Media on US Politics

Unlike in the past, politicians do not need to rely or traditional news to convey their thoughts, instead they can directly express them on social media (Stromer- Galley, 2014). Using platforms such as Twitter, they can build up a strong following and influence voters decisions before an election. 

[Image source: Marketwatch]

The most social media- reliant election to date was the 2016 US presidential election that saw Donald Trump beat out Hilary Clinton. Twitter allowed Trump to build a strong persona, amusing supporters with his flippant remarks (Chadwick, 2017). The back and forth Twitter feud between Trump and Clinton was often entertainingly unprofessional. Trump was new to the political world, previously acting as a businessman and television personality. 

Gross and Johnson (2016) highlighted the negative approaches to campaigning that manifested in the 2016 presidential election. Twitter was used as a platform for character assassination against ones opponent. Often, they would throw accusations of misconduct at each other, even using petty nicknames such as “Crooked Hilary”. Gross and Johnson (2016) argued that Twitter is an effective form of competitive communication as it allows a level playing field for both parties to express their views , as well as supporters. 

[Source: Twitter]

Social Media also acted as a platform for voters to express political opinions, support and distaste. As Twitter served as a platform for a battle of words, users were able to choose a side based on the content they consume (Stromer-Galley, 2014). The 2016 Trump election also saw a rise in political memes as a result of his appearance and unusual campaign strategy. The humour and entertainment factors in the build up to this election helped to gain the interest of young people and encouraged many more to vote. 

[Source: Instagram]

Gainous and Wagner (2013) has argued that the use of social media has become a substantial part of political campaigning. This is likely to continue in the future, as politics is becoming increasingly online. In some ways, this is a positive as it allows politicians to be directly challenged and citizens to receive regular updates. However, one must argue that social media can compromise the professionalism and integrity of politicians.  

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Online support for the NHS - have we done enough?

Whilst the majority of us were simply asked to stay safe at home, doctors and nurses across the UK faced the biggest challenge of their careers. Expected to place themselves directly in harms way, NHS staff carried the weight of this pandemic on their shoulders. 

#Clapforourcarers circulated the internet during lockdown and much of the population joined in with this display of unity and thankfulness (McLaughlin, 2020). The message was shared widely online for every UK citizen to express their thanks to the NHS though clapping at 8pm on Thursdays. Many enjoyed this collected effort, but others demanded for a more significant thank you. Many people have began signing petitions online for a permanent pay rise for NHS staff, especially after facing such a challenging year.

[Video source: ITV]

[Image source: Jobted]

Posts from NHS staff have given insights into the realities of the frontline. As many nurses and doctors shared selfies of their bruised faces after wearing Person protective equipment during long shifts. Mano (2014) argued that social media has helped to give medical workers a louder voice and can help the public understand their struggles. This can be seen during lockdown as many NHS staff expressed issues to the public. For example, many nurses and doctors struggled to conduct weekly food shops as a result of stockpiling. Speaking of this problem on social media allowed individuals to be heard by many supermarkets that dedicated specific times in the morning for NHS staff to be able to shop.

[Image source: Daily mail]

Social media platforms such as Facebook have incorporated phrases such as “Thank you NHS” to profile pictures so users can show their support. This allowed many people to show their appreciation for their continued work. However, Lintern (2020) reported that there have been hundreds of staff deaths in the NHS as a result of COVID-19. It must be argued that much of the online support is very optimistic and often ignores how dangerous this time has really been for medical workers. Many brave lives have been lost prematurely, which should not be forgotten or downplayed.

[Source: Independent]

Antheunis et al (2013) implied that support on social media can be empowering to doctors and nurses, helping them to feel appreciated. This is all well and good but at some point the government should do more to financially support medical professionals. This year has been a wake up call for many people who now realise just how selfless and essential our NHS truly is.

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