legenwaitforitdarythoughts

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

I’m like you, I had a very narrow opinion of gaming. I also thought it was a waste of time and money and that it encouraged anti-social behaviours. However, like you I was surprised to learn that there are some benefits to gaming for building social capital in online communities. I think you summed it up when you said, “Online gaming facilitates digital communities because it brings people together through the value of shared experience.” 

An insightful post @adigitalworldstudent, you covered both sides of the topic very well.

Online games in facilitating digital communities

Before I researched this topic, I knew very little about gaming. I always thought it was anti-social time-wasting behaviour of those who engaged in online games. However, research suggests that 55 percent of gamers play with others and that gaming is now recognised as a social activity (Crawford & Rutter 2007, p. 4). I can see that there are many benefits to social gaming including its capacity to bring people together.

Social computing is the social and interactive behaviour between computer users, includes social networking sites (e.g., Facebook) and multiplayer online games (e.g., fortnight). Although fairly new, fortnight is one of the most popular multi-player games at present and allows users to come together to fight off evil and fight off each other. Ertan & Medeni (as seen in EC JRC 2009) defines social computing as a “set of open, web-based and user-friendly applications that enable users to network, share data, collaborate and co-produce content”.

Some online games use the collaborative natures of gaming to structure the culture, norms and rules around how games are facilitated among users. EVE Online, a space-themed hugely multiplayer web-based amusement (MMOG), affords players a channel of correspondence with game managers and developers by effectively empowering player participation in game management (Zwart & Humphreys 2014, p. 77).

Online gaming facilitates digital communities because it brings people together through the value of shared experience. To form friendship and share interests with other users is what online gaming affords. Social media has enabled these connections to take place and grow through the now larger audience reach it provides. Social gaming is developing an important component in today’s social media sites with social networking sites offering a place for online games to progress in the virtual medium. (Aburahmah et al. 2016, p. 72). Now with the facilitation of social media sites, online gaming is continuing to grow as an opportunity to engage with others through communication and discussions.

According to Crawford & Rutter (2007, p. 1), 

“though the origins of digital gaming can be traced back to the 1950s, it was not until the late 1970s and 1980s that digital gaming began to develop as a leisure activity”. 

But with the benefits of online gamily producing digital communities, there are always going to be risks. Some say that people become addicted to the games and it changes the behaviour in adolescents, making them angry and at times lashing out in violence. Research Internet gamers reported 40% of massively multiplayer online role-playing games users categorized themselves as “addicted to the game’ with one in six reporting frequent problems in life due to “Facebook” use (Geisel et al. 2015, p. 2).

References

Aburahmah, L, AlRawi, H, Izz, Y & Syed, L 2016, ‘Online Social Gaming and Social Networking Sites’, Procedia Computer Science, vol. 82, pp. 72-79, viewed 30 January 2019, <https://ac-els-cdn-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/S1877050916300254/1-s2.0-S1877050916300254-main.pdf?_tid=e7680ead-c2a4-46e3-abb4-c7fecd7e5b4d&acdnat=1548820467_1fe91c293688c1d370fce69689da3908>.

Crawford, G. & Rutter, J., 2007, ‘Playing the Game: performance in digital game audiences’ in Gray, J., Sandvoss, C., and Harrington, C.L. (eds), Fandom: Identities and Communities in a Mediated World, New York: New York University Press, pp. 271-281.

de Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014,‘The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online’, Cultural Studies Review, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 77-99.

Ertan, A & Medeni, T 2011, ‘A LITERATURE REVIEW ON TRUST, PRIVACY CONCERN AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES & ONLINE FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAMES’, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF eBUSINESS AND eGOVERNMENT STUDIES, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 21-29, viewed 30 January 2019, <http://www.sobiad.org/eJOURNALS/journal_IJEBEG/arhieves/2011_2/03asli_ertan.pdf>.

Geisel, O, Panneck, P, Stickel, A, Schneider, M & Müller, C 2015, “Characteristics of Social Network Gamers: Results of an Online Survey”, Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 6, no. 69, pp. 1-5, viewed 30 January 2019, <https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00069/full>.

Online Gaming [IMAGE], in GIPHY 2019, Sassy Star Wars Gif, viewed 30 January 2019, <https://giphy.com/search/online-gaming>.

Person gaming [IMAGE], in Tripwire 2019, The State of Security, viewed 30 January 2019, <https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/vert/checklist-online-gaming-privacy/>.

Team Game Fortnight [IMAGE], in Fortnite 2019, Epic Games Fortnight, viewed 30 January 2019, <https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/home>.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Another interesting post @unclewez. You have summarized the positives and negatives of online gaming very well. 

I like your point that “people don’t just play the game, they team up make plans, and execute them as if they were in the real world.” As someone who only saw negatives associated with gaming, I was actually surprised to find scholarly articles that supported the argument that games can be healthy for developing strong friendships and helping people to feel part of something when they may not in the real world.

Again, you writing style was engaging.

Game On!

Ass. 1b. Week 10.  Social Gaming: Playing the Crowd.

Social gaming. What is it? Social gaming is how we describe games that are predominantly made for playing on social media sites (O’Neil 2008). Though that may be the case, it would become clear that it has long since outgrown that description. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) have grown to the point that within themselves they have created a social network or social group. People do not just play the game, they team up, make plans, and execute them as if they were in the real world. Sure, going alone is an option, but enduring success is unlikely (Williams 2016 p.665).

Understanding the overall picture of the gaming world takes a lot more attention than a surface glance. When we mention online gaming, people automatically seem to think of violence or gambling. However, there are games out there that carry a far more positive aspect. Yes, games like Fortnite, War Thunder, Call of duty, and World of WarCraft call us to arms, to kill or be killed. However, it appears the hype of negative media forget the likes of Farmville, Words with Friends, and Pop Quiz entirely. All of these are social, and all stimulate our capacity to learn. Add Pokémon Go, that got people of their seats and out into the streets, and the benefits of online games become apparent.  

Okay, so we can justify the personal social side of gaming, but what about the issues? Like anything that involves human beings, there is always an issue. For example, online games usually involve an in-game currency. Fortnite had a case where it was accused of being used to launder money (Gershgorn 2019). Likewise, Eve Online has had a couple of scandals that saw players lose $300,000 worth of purchases over a simple in-game deal that went wrong (Thornhill 2014). Eve also encountered an issue when one player from the in-game council (the Council of Stellar Management), failed to step out of his game role and into reality during an online video post. The player, known as ‘The Mittani’, and for his violent and ruthless actions, made statements and threats that are not acceptable in the real world (De Zwart & Humphreys 2014 p.93). While the Mittani apologised, the damage was already done. 

Of course, this poses the question, are people able to distinguish between the virtual world and the real world? That will need to be thrown over to the psychologists and anthropologists of the world, while I go back to my game to fight an air battle over Great Britain.

References

De Zwart, M & Humphreys, S 2014, “The Lawless Frontier of Deep Space: Code as Law in EVE Online”, Cultural Studies Review, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 77-99, viewed 17 January, 2019, <https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=225934593111540;res=IELLCC>.

Forbes 2019, Mew, [image], viewed 29 January, 2019, <https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2018/06/15/you-wont-be-able-to-transfer-mew-from-pokemon-go-to-pokemon-lets-go/#48c8044f22e6>.

Fortnite 2017, Fortnite Battle Royale - Gameplay Trailer, viewed 29 January, 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gUtfBmw86Y>.

Game On 2019, GameOn, [image], viewed 29 January, 2019, <http://www.gameonlu.com/>.

GameSpot 2014, This is Eve Online - Gameplay Trailer, viewed 29 January, 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqoxRcP5kbo>.

Gershgorn, D 2019, The “Fortnite” economy now has its own black market, viewed 28 January, 2019, <https://qz.com/1528941/fortnite-is-reportedly-a-money-laundering-hotbed/>.

O’Neil, N 2008, What Exactly are social Games?, viewed 13 January, 2019, https://www.adweek.com/digital/social-games/

Thornhill, T 2014, EVE Online sees biggest ever battle involving more than 4,000 players, viewed 28 January, 2019, <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html>.

Williams, D 2009, “Groups and goblins: The Social and civic Impact of an Online Game”. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 50, no. 4, pp 651-670.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Social gaming, what is the appeal?

World of Warcraft, RuneScape, Texas Hold’Em Poker, League of Legends, Words with friends, Fortnite, EVE Online, the list goes on and on. Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the 2000s, you've no doubt heard of one of these online social games.

Now I’m NOT a gamer. I've never seen the appeal myself. But, over the years I have observed both my brother in law (BiL) and husband, playing online games and there must be a reason why they love it.

My BiL’s game of choice is League of Legends aka LOL a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that is played with a group of friends. He told me last year, quite proudly in fact, that he has clocked 8,000 hours and spent a few thousand dollars on this game. Now let’s put that into perspective, that is almost one whole year that he has invested in this game. That blows my mind.

But, he is not alone, globally 2.3 billion people are spending on average six hours per week gaming, and it's a multi-billion-dollar industry with online social gaming expected to reach $25 billion by 2022 (Statista 2019; The Drop 2017; Wijman 2018).

What is it about online social gaming that appeals to so many? In my research, I identified two factors.

1.    Social Interaction

Ricchetti (2012), says, “a single player game is a game, but a social game is a community, with all the fascinating human relationships.” Yes, studies suggest that social gaming provides an environment that fosters increased bonding social capital with high percentages of gamers forming lasting friendships and relationships (Cole & Griffiths 2007; Domahidi, Festl & Quandt 2014). Further, Simpson (TEDc Talks 2014) argues that online games “are a basic form of human connection, from an early age, we use ‘play’ to build relationships that can last a lifetime.”

I agree with this theory having observed my husband who recently began playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds aka PUBG. He enjoys chatting with his friends in other locations while they work together as a team to win the game. I can see that he is maintaining his friendships through this game as he likely wouldn’t communicate with these people as regularly outside of the game.

2.    An alternate, virtual existence

Reid (2018), argues that in a world where there are so many bad things happening, people turn to online gaming as an escape. As the EVE online game describes itself as a ‘living, breathing, virtual world’ these games provide users with an alternate reality (Thornhill 2014). Yes, games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life allow players to be and do anything, without the pressures or social expectations of real-life (Schreier 2011). Additionally, research indicates that virtual gaming can allow players to overcome social barriers and self-consciousness faced in real-life and “offers a place where teamwork, encouragement, and fun can be experienced” (Cole & Griffiths 2007, p. 575). Whilst this need for escape may not be the case for all gamers, it makes sense that a virtual existence where people feel accepted, and a part of something bigger would have a strong appeal.

References

Cole, H., & Griffiths, M. D. 2007, ‘Social Interactions in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Gamers’, CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 575–583.

Domahidi, E, Festl, R, Quandt, T 2014, ‘To dwell among gamers: Investigating the relationship between social online game use and gaming-related friendships’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 35, pp. 107 – 115.

Reid, J 2018, ‘Fortnite gamers are motivated, not addicted’, The Conversation, 25 June, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://theconversation.com/fortnite-gamers-are-motivated-not-addicted-98718>.

Ricchetti, M 2012, ‘What Makes Social Games Social?’, Gamasutra, 17 February, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/135102/what_makes_social_games_social.php>.

Schreier, J 2011, ‘5 Top Social Games and Why They're So Successful’, Mashable Australia, 15 February, viewed 2 February 2019,<https://mashable.com/2011/02/15/top-social-games/#nvXb_sLmdkqs>.

Statista 2019, ‘Average weekly hours spent playing video games in selected countries worldwide as of January 2018’, Statista, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.statista.com/statistics/273829/average-game-hours-per-day-of-video-gamers-in-selected-countries/>.

TEDx Talks 2014, The power of truly social games: James Simpson at TEDxOU, 19 February, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO7uaoMX60o>.

The Drop 2017, ‘Social Gaming: It’s Bigger Than You Think’, The Drop, 6 November, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.the-drop.com.au/social-gaming-its-bigger-than-you-think/>.

Thornhill, T 2014, ‘The online videogame battle that cost $300,000: Gamers see hundreds of costly spaceships destroyed after user forgot to pay bill to defend their base’, Daily Mail, 29 January, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547908/EVE-online-sees-biggest-battle.html>.

Wijman, T 2018, ‘Mobile Revenues Account for More Than 50% of the Global Games Market as It Reaches $137.9 Billion in 2018’, New Zoo, 30 April, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/global-games-market-reaches-137-9-billion-in-2018-mobile-games-take-half/>.

Images

CNBC n.d., ‘Gamers’ [image], in Twitch gamers are making six-figure salaries thanks to this man's work behind the scenes, CNBC, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/29/twitch-amazon-opg-omeed-dariani-streamers-gaming.html>. 

‘VIdeo Game Gamers Gif’ [Gif], in Video Games Gamer Gif, GIPHY, viewed 2 February 2019, <https://giphy.com/gifs/videogames-y0NFayaBeiWEU>.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

I really enjoy your style of writing @unclewez. This was a great post.

You made me smile talking about going through photo albums or watching home videos. We all love to share moments with our friends and family and realistically, social media is just the photo album/VCR on steroids. For most people, that’s what social media is to them, a way to stay in touch with their kids, grand-kids, parents, cousins, friends etc. – especially when they are far away and it’s impossible to be physically near them. I think we also love to live vicariously through people, that’s why we follow celebrities and social media famous people. We can experience what they do through visual media. So yes, I agree with you that visual media will always be an essential aspect of communication online as it allows us to develop and maintain relationships with our friends and family.

Finally, a great point about the fact that we embarrass ourselves all the time in real life. There is one HUGE difference though - the audience is much smaller in real-life. I’m sure the people whose photos are now famous memes didn’t expect to have their embarrassing photos shared with billions of people. But now they will forever be the butt of a joke.

Quick Pic.

Ass. 1b. Week 9.  Visual Communities and Social Imaging.

Okay, I get it. Visual social media has taken the place of face-to-face relations and communications. Good, bad, who knows? Only time will tell. This past week I have read some stuff on visual media. Funnily enough, the material was not very visual which I found quite amusing. It is like reading a poorly written book on professional communication. Nonetheless, the following is what I have learnt. Pictures and video have always been a part of our lives. I recall a multitude of times when I have had to endure the family album or a video of my grandparents’ holiday. Blah! The boredom. However, times have changed, technology has changed, and people have changed. I enjoy seeing pictures of friends away on holiday. I enjoy the 5-minute video blogs my son posted while travelling around Europe.

 I guess if we cannot be there and share the experience, the next best thing is to watch a video of the experience. It adds to our sense of relationship with that person.  We usually gain a feeling of affinity with someone when we eat, drink and socialize together (Snickars 2009 p.78). Today, videos are an expression of the same sort, attempting to fill the gap (Snickars 2009 p.77). Of course, technology has made that a lot easier with the ability to drop a video link on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, or a picture on Snapchat and Instagram, and then a hashtag to bring them all together.

There is a range of pros and cons associated with visual social media. In some cases, people can feel a level of anxiety as the imagery that is posted may be used and abused, taken out of context, and shared without consent. If we cast back a few weeks, I blogged about trolling and bullying. It is often in the realm of visual social media that this trolling and bullying takes place. Yes, there are means to protect yourself. However, you need to read a nasty comment before it is a nasty comment, by then the damage is done.

On the upside, you can build a genuine relationship with anyone anywhere, and you can stay close to those that are physically far away. You can also choose whom you wish to befriend. There is no need to befriend those that leave nasty and negative comments. So what if your picture is permanent. So what if your video is embarrassing. It is not like that does not happen in face-to-face communications, is it?

References

Getty Images 2015, Internet Troll Using Computer, [image], viewed 19 January, 2019, <https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/ginger-gorman/virtual-trolls-do-real-damage_b_8186848.html>.

Mak-a-meme.org 2018, That’s embarrassing, [image], viewed 20 January, 2019, <https://makeameme.org/meme/well-thats-embarrassing>.

Quick Meme 2019, Joker Kid, [image], viewed 20 January, 2019, <http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3r43h5>.

Snickars, P 2009, The Youtube reader, National Library of Sweden, Stockholm, pp. 70-88.

Wesley, C 2019, Day 29, Amsterdam, [video], viewed 16 January, 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgULPbSH0aE&feature=youtu.be>.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Another excellent blog @adigitalworldstudent. You write well and covered this topic very thoroughly.

I like that you drew attention to how ephemeral messaging allows users to “communicate with close friends” as opposed to our acquaintances on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. As I mentioned in my own blog, there is a very distinct difference in the way people interact with each social platform which is quite interesting. People definitely have a stronger relationship with the people they communicate with on Snapchat than they do on Facebook or Instagram. 

It’s great that you also pointed out the negative side and risks associated with this type of “self-destructing” communication. I read a few articles recently that discuss the effect that Snapchat is having on mental health and body image along with other safety concerns. Whilst there are risks associated with all social media, I think it’s up to the user as to how they choose to use this medium.

Great read!  

Affordances of Ephemeral Communication

Our lives both on and offline have meshed together as people sharing photos of themselves ‘on the go’ allows others to see how we live our lives moment by moment. As Lobinger (2015, p. 475) points out ‘Networked photography’ is photo sharing practices that share photos through mobile visual communication instantly following real-time photo capture that has become a pervasive communication routine for many.

Ephemeral Communication is “Communications that are deleted or otherwise not made available after a certain, relatively-short time period”. Social media tools that allow people to create cartoons of themselves, filters, lenses and send messages that self-destruct appear to be popping up everywhere. 

“The growing interest in platforms that are designed to erase communication artefacts after a short period are distinct from those associated with more permanent platforms” (Bayer et al. 2015, p. 957). 

Indeed, the ephemeral nature, enabled by these platforms such as those of Snapchat has gained traction for the possibilities of controlling the content one share with the audience. This “self-destructive” messaging approach affords users the capacity to communicate with close friends rather than an extensive network of more formal acquaintances, such as Facebook (Piwek & Joinson 2016, p. 365).

Facebooks highly publicised failure to acquire Snapchat twice has made it obvious that the key players in this industry are keen to progress into this field (Ganzenmuller 2014, p. 1242). However, with these affordances, there are also risks.  As Ganzenmuller (2014, p. 1241) points out this self-districting communication has enabled people to make poor choices as messages disappear users are left feeling immune to repercussions. Despite the risks, the affordance of ephemeral communication will continue to grow, and people will continue to enjoy sharing the ‘moments’ of their lives with whom they choose. 

References

Barack Obama Taking Selfie [IMAGE], in GIPHY 2019, Barack Obama Selfie GIF, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://giphy.com/gifs/m2J5d72A5xRXq>.

Bayer, J, Ellison, N, Schoenebeck, S & Falk, E 2015, ‘Sharing the small moments: ephemeral social interaction on Snapchat’, Information, Communication & Society, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 956-977, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1084349>.

Ganzenmuller, R. G. 2014, ‘Snap and destroy: Preservation issues for ephemeral communications’, Buffalo Law Review, vol. 62, no. 5, pp. 1239-1288, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://heinonline-org.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/HOL/Page?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/buflr62&id=1281&men_tab=srchresults#>.

IGI Global 2019, Communications, IGI Global, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/virtual-hoarding/60277>.

Lobinger, K 2015, ‘Photographs as things – photographs of things. A texto-material perspective on photo-sharing practices’, Information, Communication & Society, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 475-488, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1077262?needAccess=true>.

Piwek, L & Joinson, A 2016, ‘What do they snapchat about? Patterns of use in time-limited instant messaging service’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 54, pp. 358-367, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0747563215301023>.

Snapchat app [IMAGE], in Getty Images 2019, Yahoo Set To Invest $20 Million In Snapchat, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www.gettyimages.ie/photos/snapchat?family=editorial&mediatype=photography&phrase=snapchat&sort=mostpopular>.

Stock Photo [IMAGE], in GIPHY  2019, Stock Photo GIF, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://giphy.com/gifs/xWfCVTBxb5FYBOD4Wp>. 

Vermeulen, A, Vandebosch, H & Heirman, W 2017, ‘Shall I call, text, post it online or just tell it face-to-face? How and why Flemish adolescents choose to share their emotions on- or offline’, Journal of Children and Media, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 81-97, viewed 27 January 2019, <https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1080/17482798.2017.1386580>.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Snap, send, erase - the Snapchat phenomenon

Since the dawn of time, humans have used visual imagery in one form or another (paintings, drawings, photographs) to document events and memories. In the 21st century, with the ability to capture a photo on a mobile device and share it with a global audience instantaneously personal photography has “transformed as part of the social web, with its convergence of personal expression, interpersonal communication, and online social networks” (Vivienne & Burgess 2013).

With the birth of social platforms like Facebook and Instagram, a new age of ‘networked visuality’ emerged, and imagery became the centrepiece of communication and self-expression online (Swinburne 2018). As Jurgenson (2013) highlights, the documenting of one’s life through a series of photographs and sharing this with a global audience in a permanent way holds a sense of nostalgia and sentiment.

However, the release Snapchat in 2011 changed the game. With the ‘life’s more fun when you live in the moment’ philosophy and ephemeral, moments are temporary, anti-nostalgia logic, Snapchat introduced a new way of communicating through visual imagery (Jurgenson 2013; Veynerchuk 2015; Snap Inc. 2019).

So, is Snapchat the future of social networking?

Arguing that traditional, profile-based social media is dying, Snapchat founder Evan Speigel said that the selfie culture of Snapchat marks the transition from “digital media as self-expression” to “digital media as communication” (Herrman 2014). In support of this, Jurgenson suggests that the absence of a function for liking or commenting on an image, the ephemeral nature of Snapchat means that “communication is done through photos, rather than around them” (Herrman 2014).

According to Seth (2016), millennials are migrating to Snapchat as a way to share moments with close friends without the “warped virtual validation” that comes with other social media. Research further suggests that Snapchat user’s behaviours and relationships are different to those they express/have on other social media platforms (Phua, Jin & Kim 2017).

To see if these findings had any truth, I decided to observe how my friends used each social media platform. I was surprised to notice a marked difference in the role that each platform played in facilitating self-expression and communication. Facebook and Instagram were primarily used to share past events for self-image purposes. Whereas, Snapchat was used to have a conversation back and forth with a very select group of close friends. I also noticed that my friends often made comments like, “Don’t post that photo on Facebook, I don’t look good in it, just send it to our group on Snapchat” - demonstrating their privacy and personal image concerns. Additionally, there was a drawn-out selection process for which photos were ‘worthy’ of Facebook/Instagram – only the best were ever selected.

In my opinion, each social platform will continue to have its place in the ecological system of the online community. However, I do feel that with growing concerns around privacy, the snap, send, erase culture of Snapchat will continue to grow in popularity and overtake the other platforms.

References

Herrman, J 2014, ‘Meet the Man Who Got Inside Snapchat’s Head’, BuzzFeed, 28 January, viewed 26 September 2018, <http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/meet-the-unlikely-academic-behind-snapchats-new-pitch#3dlvjg2>.

Jurgenson, N 2013, ‘Temporary Social Media’, Snap Inc, 19 July, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://www.snap.com/en-US/news/post/temporary-social-media/>.

Phua, J, Jin, S.V & Kim, J 2017, ‘Uses and gratifications of social networking sites for bridging and bonding social capital: A comparison of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat’, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 72, pp. 115-122.

Recode 2018, Evan Spiegel says the one thing Instagram can't copy is Snapchat's philosophy | Code 2018, 29 May, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZUjym-Q6cI>.

Seth, S 2016, ‘Why Snapchat is better than Facebook’, CNBC, 17 February, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/05/why-snapchat-is-better-than-facebook-commentary.html>.

Snap Inc. 2019, ‘Snapchat’, Google Play Store, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snapchat.android&hl=en>.

Swinburne Online 2018, ‘9.3 Networked Visuality’, MDA2009 Digital Communities, Learning Materials in Online Classroom, Swinburne University of Technology, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://swinburneonline.instructure.com/courses/704/pages/9-dot-3-networked-visuality?module_item_id=60109>.

Vaynerchuk, G 2018, ‘THE SNAP GENERATION: A GUIDE TO SNAPCHAT’S HISTORY’, Gary Vaynerchuk, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/thesnap-generation-a-guide-to-snapchats-history/>.

Vivienne, S & Burgess, J 2013, ‘The Remediation of the Personal Photograph’, Journal of Material Culture, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 279-98.

Images

Funny 2017, ‘Mona Lisa in the beginning’ [image], in The beningging..the bening..beni..beniggin bengiging..the beningging..beningging of Mona Lisa, 9GaG, 20 December, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://9gag.com/gag/aRjnGy7/the-beninggingthe-beningbenibeniggin-bengigingthe-beninggingbeningging-of-mona-lisa>.

Idka, N 2017, ‘Snapchat filters’ [Gif], in Here's How Snapchat Filters Are Helping Survivors Of Sexual Assault, Pop Buzz, 8 May, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://www.popbuzz.com/internet/social-media/snapchat-sexual-assault/>.

Stout, D n.d., ‘Snapchat Statistics’ [image], in Social Media Statistics 2019: Top Networks By the Numbers, Dustin.Tv, viewed 28 January 2019, <https://dustn.tv/social-media-statistics/>.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Another well-written post @captainhannahuniverse. Good use of the QLD floods as an example to demonstrate the power of social media. 

To answer your question – yes, I think that social media is instrumental in times of crisis. Social media allows users to tailor the information they want to see, when they want to see it, whereas, traditional media is more restricted. The radio only broadcasts alerts every hour, the television follows certain parts of the story and shows them on repeat and the newspaper shares news after it has happened. So, social media and the internet is becoming the timeliest source of information during times of crisis. 

Crowdsourcing spreads awareness, but is it effective enough in times of crisis?

Week 8- Crowdsourcing in times of crisis

Before talking about the topic of crowdsourcing, it must be defined first, well what is crowdsourcing? 

Crowdsourcing focuses on work, opinions and information being obtained from a group of people who sometime work as freelanced or through a voluntary basis. They submit data through the big wide world of the internet including, smartphone applications and social media platforms. It is believed that social media is seen as one of the most effective components of crowdsourcing because it reaches a bigger audience, resulting in a more efficient and fast way of crowdsourcing. However, in times of a crisis, is crowdsourcing still as effective? i refer this to Bruns article about the 2011 Queensland floods as he makes valid points about the effectiveness of social media platforms, in this case, Twitter and how it allowed the community to help. 

In 2011, South East Queensland was hit with floods. The floods crisis went on from the 10th to the 16th of January. Through the time of the flood crisis, social media platforms were seen as effective ways of communication as updates and information were being shared with the public and locals. 

Crowdsourcing through twitter was a very effective role that was played during the time of the crisis. For example, many users of Twitter tweeted a hashtag “qldfloods” to mark a message that was relating to the topic to further the awareness of the crisis towards the users of Twitter. From the 10th to the 16th of January, 35,000 tweets were hashtagged, resulting in 50 to 60% of users retweeting the hashtag and around 40% of them users containing further information about the floods (Brun et, al, 2012, pp. 7-10). 

In my opinion, i believe that crowdsourcing through the use of the internet, especially through social media platforms is one of the most effective ways to get information across to the community. I even think it is more beneficial than the news providing this information through televisions as it is important to understand that many individuals may be at work and do not have access to a television at their worksite, however, the use of smartphones throughout the twenty first century gives crowdsourcing an effective element to raising awareness as it is a faster way to communicate to the audience of social media and can also result in raising donations to help the community that is affected much quicker. 

What do you all think about crowdsourcing being an effective element in times of a crisis? 

For further information, please refer to these links below. 

https://www.redcross.org.au/news-and-media/news/support-in-north-qld-floods 

https://goldcoastpets.com.au/2011/01/13/queensland-floods-ways-to-help-qldfloods/ 

References

Bruns, A , Burgers, J , Crawford, K & Shaw, F 2012, ‘Crisis communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland Floods’, viewed 14 January 2019, <https://eprints.qut.edu.au/48241/1/floodsreport.pdf> 

Salvation Army, ‘2011 Queensland Floods- update 30/1/2011′, [image], in Google, viewed 14 January 2019, <https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=932&bih=519&ei=EWQ8XJjxI5f3rQGDk6qIBg&q=2011+queensland+floods&oq=2011+queensland&gs_l=img.1.0.0j0i8i30j0i24l8.576.3529..4956…0.0..0.159.2336.0j16……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0..0i5i30.aVTEYaydH_k#imgrc=hxEOJc8AQ4YEsM:> 

Twitter, ‘Twitter (@Twitter) | Twitter’, [image] in Google, viewed 14 January 2019, <https://www.google.com/search?biw=932&bih=470&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=3mQ8XL-GFMeH9QOg2KWgBQ&q=twitter+&oq=twitter+&gs_l=img.3..0i67j0l9.11323.11323..11707…0.0..0.152.152.0j1……0….1..gws-wiz-img.II_JhAlhHMg#imgrc=gUUd1zMCwaxvPM:> 

Youtube, ‘The Best Smartphones to Buy’, [image] in Google, viewed 14 January 2019, <https://www.google.com/search?biw=932&bih=470&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=xGU8XNacAonfrQG1-ojQDw&q=smartphones&oq=smartphones&gs_l=img.3..0i67j0j0i67j0j0i67l2j0j0i67l2j0.5342.7980..8070…0.0..0.238.1841.0j10j1……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0.M5k-NVRRmvI#imgrc=hYszvUXes6JBSM:> 

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

I enjoyed your post @memoirsofaunistudent. You made some good points about the power of social media in times of crisis. I think many people can relate to what you said about turning to social media as your main source of news. Half of what traditional media show nowadays has been sourced from social media anyway.

Yes, we live in an interesting world! The fact that someone can get funding from complete strangers for absolutely anything now just blows my mind. I had a friend who needed money to travel to a concert, so he set up a GoFundMe page, and raised over 600 dollars, enough for the tickets and the trip to the location. I was shocked that people actually gave him their own money so that he could go to a concert. But the sky is the limit now, you can crowdfund a house, a business

Crowdsourcing and Crowdfunding

Crowdsourcing in times of crisis, but what is crowdsourcing. The Cambridge Dictionary defines, crowdsourcing as the activity of giving tasks to a large group of people or to the general public, for example, by asking for help on the internet (Cambridge English Dictionary 2019). When I think of crowdsourcing, I often think of all the crazy events where I found out about it because Facebook starts a let people know you are safe program. I feel like I learn about natural disasters on Facebook faster then I learn about it from the news. I work a 9-5 job and in my moment of procrastination I often check Facebook and that’s how most of the time I find out that something terrible happened. People often look to social media including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for all the latest updates and details on the events both good and bad. I know I do.

(Crowdsourcingweek 2019)

Social media has the ability to connect the whole world with a touch of your finger especially in time of a disaster. It also has the amazing has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives and help get assistances to the neediest survivors of a disaster (Wiederhold, 2013, p. 781).

These days you can’t go past something tragic event happening without a GoFundMe page popping up. You can find any cause you are passionate about and donate a little or a lot depending on what you are feeling. People can even go fund a complete stranger’s wedding. A quick search on GoFundMe for the word wedding comes up with 43470 results found (GoFundMe 2019). Now crowdfunding isn‘t always for personal gain. The Cambridge Dictionary defines, crowdfunding as a practice of getting people to each give a small amount of money to provide the necessary finance for a project, usually through the internet or social media (Cambridge English Dictionary 2019). Other sites crowdfundning platforms include Kickstarter, which is the world’s largest funding platform non-personal agendas. Kickstarter funds creative projects such as film, music, art and designs (Kickstarter 2019). Another site for crowdfunding is Indiegogo. Indiegogo is like Kickstarter but also allows personal funding as well as funding for human rights (Indiegogo 2019). Using social media to promote your crowdfunding project you can depending on the purpose of your project or cause, find the appropriate site to use as a medium to begin to promote and beginning funding your campaign. What a world we live it in today.

References

Cambridge English Dictionary 2019, CROWDFUNDING | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/crowdfunding>.

Cambridge English Dictionary 2019, CROWDSOURCING | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/crowdsourcing>.

Crowdsourcingweek 2019, 14-Parts-of-the-Crowd-Economy, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://crowdsourcingweek.com/14-parts-of-the-crowd-economy-landscape/>.

GoFundMe 2019, GoFundMe: #1 In Fundraising & Crowdfunding Online, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://au.gofundme.com/mvc.php?route=homepage_norma/search&term=wedding>. Indiegogo 2019, Indiegogo: Crowdfund Innovations & Buy Unique Products, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://www.indiegogo.com>.

Kickstarter 2019, Kickstarter, viewed 27 January, 2019, <https://www.kickstarter.com/>. Wiederhold, BK 2013, ‘In a Disaster, Social Media Has the Power to Save Lives’, Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 16, 11, pp. 781-782, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 May 2014

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

I enjoyed reading this @digital-danish. I like that you referenced that not all trolling is malicious whilst also stating that what one person finds funny another person could take offence to. I’ve often seen comments on celebrity’s posts that are intended to be funny, but to the person on the receiving end, they are nasty, humiliating and hurtful. I think it’s a good thing to bring attention to, troll or not, to think before you post something that could be interpreted as nasty, or hurtful.

The combat tips are great. I think number 2 is an important one especially the point you made about being more ‘self-aware of what we post online’. It’s absolutely true if you actively prevent situations where Trolls could attack, you are more likely to avoid them altogether. I have been on social media for 11 years, and never experienced bullying or trolling and I think that is because I am very strict with my privacy settings on Facebook and am careful about what I post, comment on and share not just for my own sake but also my friends.

Great post!

A Realistic Approach to Combat Online Trolls.

[1B Blog Post 3: Week 7]

‘Trolling’ refers to the act of comments or posts online, especially within social media networks, which are aimed to disrupt normal discussion for the purposes of their own amusement. The term is often associated with negative connotations such as misleading or pointless conversation or to incite conflict (Klyueva, 2013). 

However, though initiates provocation, trolling should be considered ever-changing with its multiple and highly contextualised forms (McCosker, 2014). What this implies is that not all trolling is within the realms of necessarily having malcontent. Examples of this are as seen below:

[ via Omegle (Giphy, 2013) ]

[ via being Rickroll’d - a meme which consisted of clickbait to mislead a user into instead being directed to ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley (Dubs, 2009) ]

[ (Wendy’s Tweet’s 2017) often engaged in banter especially towards their competition ]

Did you have a chuckle at any of these? If so, you’ve just experienced the same sense of amusement trolls feel when trolling. While it mightn’t be on the same spectrum as what’s typically considered tasteful, remember that humour itself is subjective. Not everyone finds ‘Bridesmaids’ or ‘Seinfeld’ funny or even relatable after all. Granted, without question, a lot of trolling can and has lead to some severe cases of both online and offline harassment. 

Combat Tip #1: If it’s malicious, be judicious. Your safest bet is to not respond. The reaction is what they want from you - so don’t give it to them!

The general wisdom from the populace of the Internet would advise as such. This remedy stems from the belief that acknowledgement and interaction are what provides a sense of accomplishment when the intention is simply to gain attention. Potentially, this may also influence third-parties to become involved hence igniting the contestation (Wilson, Fuller & McCrea 2013). 

Viewer discretion is advised for the hyperlinked video attached [here], depicting a cautionary tale of the result of suffering this young girl, referred to as ‘Jessi Slaughter’, endured after having responded to online trolls (Zebrah, 2011).

Combat Tip #2: The ‘Key’ in Security. Removing yourself from harmful situations and better online account management. 

Boyd (2014) described the events in which a girl would threaten to put information online with the attempt to humiliate her sister. This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, provided the presence of the Internet’s influence. Statistics show that 83% of Australian students, aged 9-15, who partake in online bullying also bully others in person (Bullying No Way, 2019). What can be taken from this is that from adolescence and even through adulthood, our sense of ‘digital citizenship’ needs to be moderated and held accountable for. We need to be more self-aware of what we post online and understand the functionality of online privacy. The purposes of blocking, muting and so forth are supposed to be here when encountering online harassment. Despite often being misused to maintain our biases and restrict constructive information or criticism, as further discussed in my posts Redefining Human Connection & Communities & Heart React for ReLOVEution ♡… but is it Really that Easy?

P.S: As an admin or moderator of various online forums, groups and servers I can also attest to this generally being the better courses of action. 

I hope you enjoyed your food for thought, with a serving of chocolate danish. Please come again!

[Please see /references for all sources]

Keep reading

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

I really like your tips for handling trolls. I especially like steps 4 and 5. So many Trolls get away with hurting people because no one reports or blocks them – so encouraging people to unmask the trolls and build a community that is free from negativity is very sage advice.

A well written and thoughtful blog @captainhannahuniverse.

Trolls and Technology- How to handle trolls on social media platforms

Week 7 - Trolling and Social Media Conflict. 

After reading Danah Boyd’s article of whether social media is amplifying bullying, i believe that it is important to understand that the use of technology and platforms is not the blame for the use of drama that arises between peers, however, to understand and focus on the use of media platforms and technology, that have enhanced personal conflicts and made dynamics of bullying visible. (Boyd 2014) 

Anyone who uses social media platforms throughout their life has most probably either experienced trolling, trolled another individual or witnessed trolling of others. Trolls are full of negativity. So, how do we handle trolls on social media platforms? 

Well first, what is a troll? 

Trolls are individuals who try and put people down. This is seen as a form of bullying as they get pleasure of seeing how many feelings they can hurt by writing negative information towards people or about people to get a response. To keep a reputation online and thrive with positivity. Follow these 5 steps to accomplish just that. 

Step 1 - Establish a Policy 

Establishing a policy will help detail what comments will be allowed on your media platforms. This helps trolls disappear and create a more friendly and engaging environment in the social media world. 

Step 2- Kill them with Kindness

With the use of humour, lightness and kindness, turn the tables around and respond to the troll with a positive comment. This can be seen as a great way to bring in positive attention as well kill the troll with kindness!

Step 3- Choose a path that is positive

It is important to learn to laugh at many trolls. Ignore their nasty comments and do not let them get to you, because the troll will then think they have won. It is important to remember you are the better person as you do not bring people down. 

Step 4- Unmask them 

Many trolls thrive on being anonyms, if you take away that power, it can result in that troll to think twice about what they may post on your platform. 

Step 5- Create your own community

My last and most favourite step is to create your own community. This means deleting negative people, blocking them and having no contact with them at all. By doing this, you are creating a positive community within your social media platforms and you will also see less of trolling of others and even yourself as the use of negative people on your media platforms have now disappeared. 

remember, “ Sometimes you just have to take a step back and realise what’s important in your life, what you can live with, but more importantly what you can’t live without” - Lauren Conrad 

References

arabiangazette.com, ‘ Is Online Identity To The Youth In A Contemporary Society? [image] in Google, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&biw=932&bih=470&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=DlItXNOVIIOA8wXooYP4Cw&q=media+platforms+friendly&oq=media+platforms+friendly&gs_l=img.3…3225.9524..9835…0.0..0.305.4808.0j17j6j1……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0..0j0i67j0i30j0i5i30j0i24.Gg6hzh6_mG8#imgdii=jftdv6fYFjBgrM:&imgrc=5Ei2kLGnorBAzM:> 

Boyd, D 2014, It’s complicated: the social lives of networked teens

Daily Mail, ‘Cheerleaders sassy expression’ [image] in Google, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://www.google.com/search?q=sassy+face&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=0NLLvkLkKfNxeM%253A%252C2wa-1A9ec1cY2M%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTadicelHOXA37h8BOqNHvwebpoYg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixgquKqtDfAhXBgLwKHUNKCgkQ9QEwA3oECAUQCg#imgrc=0NLLvkLkKfNxeM:> 

MIT Sloan School of Management, ‘ Probing the origins of happiness [image] in Google, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=cFQtXMK7E8GE8wWtubW4Ag&q=happiness&oq=happiness&gs_l=img.3..0j0i67l4j0l3j0i67j0.1596.3012..3096…0.0..0.295.1833.0j4j4……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0.HuaICj7lN0E#imgrc=g8qq0_6z8bInGM:> 

Tara Leesher, ‘ 6 Ways Photographers Can Deal With Online Trolls’ [image], in Google, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=932&bih=519&ei=flEtXNTZG8f28QWx5K1w&q=online+trolls&oq=online+trolls&gs_l=img.3..0l6j0i30j0i8i30l3.487.2994..3226…2.0..0.257.2428.0j7j5……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0.CHtaHh0yEpU#imgrc=6_rBpqEbXhvUXM:> 

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

An interesting post  @astiffblog. You included some really useful resources. I know in doing my research on this topic that I was shocked at the statistics for bullying and trolling, and even more so the impact it is having on victims. I agree that stronger penalties need to be put in place for cyber-bullies and trolls. Additionally, young people need to know that they can connect with support and they don’t have to suffer in silence.  

Trolling and Social Media Conflict

The world of trolling and social media conflict, examining norms, potential abuses and new forms of conflict can all cause potential harm for on individuals.

Bullying has been in society for hundreds of years, however, technological bullying, known as cyberbullying has endorsed the expansion of the problem. Online publication of personal information put teens in a position of defenselessness where they were victims of online bullying or contributing in online bullying (Nilan, 2015).BullyingStatistics.com(2017) released some stats on cyberbullying. Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online and the same number involved in cyber bullying. The results are mental effects. Suicidal thoughts and violent actions (Bullying Statistics, 2017).

http://upworthy.tumblr.com/post/120210821694/remember-the-man-who-was-bullied-for-dancing-a-few

A social media troll, by definition, is someone who creates conflict on sites like Twitter, Facebook and Reddit by posting messages that are particularly controversial or inflammatory with the sole intent of provoking an emotional (read: angry) response from other users (The Huffington Post, 2017)

Digital citizenship is usually concerned with ethical behavior in online environments and takes aim at problematic or aberrant forms of participation. Troll histories and sites, trolling events and behaviors have caught the attention of mainstream media and have begun to feature in ethnographic scholarship. Burgess and Green state that the use of YouTube by young people is often associated with the relative lack of constraints placed on posting videos or commenting (McCosker , 2014). The Internet’s folk wisdom for trolls says: ‘Do not feed them!’ This remedy rests on a belief that response and interaction are the barest matters of subsistence in an attention economy. To call out a troll is thus to recognise who ought or ought not to speak or be listened to. The way that we talk about trolls and trolling as a spectacle of post-Internet culture places us in a wider, longer fight over the ethos, the history, and the politics of the digital (Bergstrom K,2011).

In 2013, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon called for a social media ombudsman. It was argued that schools have programs intact and that Facebook is responsive in answering information to Police.The article can be read here http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/cyber-bullying-latest-election-battleground-20130905-2t6z3.html

(http://65.media.tumblr.com/dd90a07c1c6a9e18e45d0ec53e112c6a/tumblr_inline_nhzyvzLU4e1t4mj65.jpg

The ombudsman site NSW has a fact sheet that provides guidance on monitoring, assessing and responding to the anti-social use of social media and the internet. Unfortunately, this fact sheet has not stopped the amount of cyberbullying occurring and the suicides and cases we do not even hear of from happening. In my opinion, stricter rules and a social media ombudsman would be a deterrent to offenders and may save some lives. The office of the Children’s safety commissioner is the government’s safety website for children. Numerous focus is given to trolling within the school environment. It seems to be forgotten how many celebrities and adults are affected by this too. The question we need to ask ourselves and think about is whether the benefits of social media outweigh the hurt and problems caused by trolling. In my opinion and from stories that I have read, the approach to governing online behavior and social media practice is a work in process.

References:

Bergstrom, K 2011, ‘“Don’t Feed the Troll”: Shutting down the debate about community expectations on Reddit.com’, First Monday vol. 16, no. 8, viewed 5 January 2017  <http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3498/3029>.

Bullying Statistics. (2017). Bullying Statistics - Bullying Statistics. [online] Available at: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-statistics.html [Accessed 6 Jan. 2017].

eSafety 2015, viewed 6 January 2016, <https://www.esafety.gov.au/>.

 McCosker, A 2014, YouTrolling as provocation: Tube’s agonistics publics, Convergence, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 201-217.

 Nilan, P 2015, ‘Youth, Social Media and Cyberbullying among Australia youth, SAGE Journals, vol 1, issue no.2, pp1-6.

 The Huffington Post. (2017). Answering a Social Troll - What You Need to Know. [online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andre-bourque/answering-a-social-troll_b_6625654.html [Accessed 6 Jan. 2017].

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Firstly, I hope the house move went well and you are settling in. I feel your pain, at the end of last TP, I was packing up my house whilst trying to study for exams and finish assignments, not fun.

Nice blog post. You certainly made some strong arguments highlighting the pitfalls of online activism whilst also drawing attention to the fact that social media and digital technology can be a very powerful tool when used “thoughtfully and insightfully”.  I also like your reference to the ‘social justice warrior’, changing the world with a like or share. Although I completely agree with you, I did reflect on this and how the “old fashioned” way of signing a petition is kind of the same. Minimal effort on our part, we go away feeling like we did something good, but did we? What difference did that signature really make? Do we ever follow up to find out? Likely, no. So, I guess a ‘like or share’ these days is the digital version of the signature.

Week 6 - Activism & Protest

Before we get started I would like to offer a word of advice to my fellow students. No matter how good of an idea it may seem at the time, never try and move house in the middle of a teaching period and expect it to go smoothly - because, naturally, it won’t. Fumigation, lack of internet connection, and electricity disruptions later here we are ready to kick the final 6 posts of this term over the bar, or into the net or wherever you like to see it go in your preferred sporting code.

In week 6 we looked at the role social media and digital communities play in aiding activism & protesting. With the sheer enormity of the online world it is impossible not to see the benefits of this medium - one which has exploded in recent times. An early example of this digital activism renaissance can be seen in the infamous Kony 2012 documentary which brought the medium of digital activism to the forefront.

While the digital community is the ideal way to spread a message to a mass audience it would be foolish to think that it can in anyway make a real difference without substantially backing from;

Accredited not for profit bodies

Government assistance

Substantial funding from independent backers

What it can do, however, is create the spark which could ignite any of these three powder kegs into beginning significant action. 

Perhaps the biggest downfall of promoting activism in this way is the ‘social justice warrior’. A casual observing, nonchalant member of the digital community (or slacktivist) who feels that by ‘liking’ and ‘sharing’ superfluous articles to their friends they are making a difference to society as a whole - when really they are doing nothing more than justifying their own social beliefs to themselves in a thinly veiled attempt to appear up to date on current affairs. This is not to discredit their intentions but the manner in which they are conveyed is often irrational and this can be detrimental to the cause that they are trying to promote. An example of this can be seen in the irony of Anti-Trump supporters protesting, and promoting violence against their opposition, for fear of said opposition acting in the way that they are themselves. An irony which seems to be lost on many of these individuals. 

Using the digital community as a means to promote change for activists is a wonderful tool that, when used effectively can encourage change, however this needs to be done thoughtfully and insightfully to avoid damaging the causes in the process.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

A very strong post @adigitalworldstudent. Interesting and engaging. 

I really like the point “when I ask people if they knew that clicking the like button on a movement on social media they had become an activist; they all said no.” It’s so true. I think we have this romanticised idea that activism is protesting in the street, chaining yourself to a tree, or participating in sit-ins – we don’t recognise that we are activists by supporting an online cause. We get swept up the hype around movements like the ice bucket challenge and Kony, but we don’t really take the time to understand what exactly it is that we are supporting – half the people who participated in the ice bucket challenge did it for social media promotion. No longer is activism recognised as a powerful social or political movement; it’s become so commonplace that the word itself is losing its potency. 

Your comment that clicktivism has ‘brought to activism a sense of passivity’ was well said. I think we are becoming so sceptical of causes because we are cautious of being scammed and afraid that our money will just line the pockets of the organisation instead of going towards the cause. I know myself, I am extremely wary, even when I feel strongly about an issue, I choose not to participate in online causes simply because I don’t trust it is legitimate. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I prefer to see results for my efforts or at least know that my efforts are not in vain.

'Clicktivism' or ‘Slacktivism’

Activism 

“The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change” (Oxford Dictionaries 2019).

How activists communicate has expanded to an uprising of new media activism ‘Clicktivism’ - a way for activists to use the internet to support a political or social cause. While some believe that this has brought more opportunities to spread a message and support a movement. It has also brought to activism a sense of passivity - “acceptance of what happens, without active response or resistance” (Oxford Dictionaries 2019).

A real-world example of this passivity is the campaign of warlord Joseph Kony ‘Kony 2012’. Kony was a movement by non-profit organization Invisible Children was created to raise awareness about Joseph Kony and stop Kony and his violent militant army. The video became a huge viral sensation with over 100 million views and 1.3 million likes. 

You can view the Kony 2012 video below, warning video contains upsetting images.

So, what happened to this campaign? In the end, the viral sensation died to be replaced by the newest craze in social media. Invisible Children did not achieve their objective with Uganda’s military ending its pursuit of Joseph Kony in 2017. 

But really what was their objective?

According to Invisible Children, “KONY 2012 was an experiment” (Invisible Children 2014). To the people who suffered at the hands of Kony and the people who got on board the movement, many believed there was a much more profound sense in what they were trying to achieve. However, if you go on to the Invisible Children website to try access the video it says the film “no longer exists”. Between an experiment and a video that no longer exists, it becomes apparent why there is so much criticism around clicktivism. 

Some argue that the current disparaging utilisation of word clicktivism does not do justice to the concurrent advancement of creating innovation and modern-day methods of participation (Halupka 2014, P.116). Furthermore, Invisible Children (2014) argue that the Kony campaign still served its purpose which was to make him famous enough to get world leaders to act against the Lord’s Resistance Army (Invisible Children 2014). 

So, what of the well-known form of activism culture jamming. The aim of culture jamming is for society to see their messages and adopt a social movement towards change. This is done through sabotage advertising and consumerism by introducing noise into transmitters to a receiver, invest ads, newscasts, billboards and other media artefacts with subversive meanings (Dery, M 2010). Why is there more criticism towards clicktivism when graffiti, a form of culture jamming, cost the Australian government 1.5 billion of dollars annually for its removal?

Culture Jamming is getting people consciously involved, ego’s aside.

When I ask people if they knew that clicking the like button on a movement on social media meant they had become an activist; they all said no!

For an interesting view into Clicktivism read Activism or ‘Slacktivism’? Can the #IceBucketChallenge really change the world? 

References

Dery, M 2010, Culture Jamming: Hacking, Slashing, and Sniping in the Empire of Signs, Shovelware, viewed 3 January 2018, <http://markdery.com/?page_id=154>.

Halupka, M 2014, “Clicktivism: A Systematic Heuristic”, Policy & Internet, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 115-132, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/doi/full/10.1002/1944-2866.POI355>.

Kony 2012, Invisible Children, 5 March, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc>.

Kony Meme 2019 [IMAGE], Clicktivism/Slacktivism, viewed 6 January 2019, <https://reflectionsoncampaigning.wordpress.com/2014/11/20/clicktivismslacktivism/>. 

Oxford Dictionaries 2019, activism | Definition of passivity in English by Oxford Dictionaries, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/activism>

Oxford Dictionaries 2019, passivity | Definition of passivity in English by Oxford Dictionaries, viewed 3 January 2019, <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/passivity>.

Slacktivism Meme 2019 [IMAGE], Slacktivism: Image Gallery, viewed 6 January 2019, <https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/slacktivism/photos>.

Youmans, W, & York, J 2012, ‘Social Media and the Activist Toolkit: User Agreements, Corporate Interests, and the Information Infrastructure of Modern Social Movements’, Journal Of Communication, vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 315-329.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

An insightful post @jltwllmsn really well written with some excellent points. 

I like your point about how politicians still lack the foresight to see that they will be ridiculed on social media when they do something controversial. I think most of them do it on purpose. It’s all a publicity stunt. After all, what gets attention more than controversy. As you mentioned, Clive Palmer’s website got flooded post his text message and whilst that might have worked against him, it also might have won over a small population of voters, and if he managed to do that, then I guess it was successful. The only reason Trump is where he is today is that he voices the controversial topics that no one else would and clearly, people bought into his ideology. If he didn’t do that, he would likely be a distant memory as 'that billionaire on the show The Apprentice'. Now, he will make history as the most outspoken, bigoted, and controversial president of the US. I feel sorry for his PR team, they must just bang their heads on their desks daily trying to keep up with the fires that he starts. I think I would just give up haha. 

Politics and Civic Culture

This week’s ideas around politics and civil culture showed a broad insight into how politics, more closely politicians, have adapted and utilised sites like Facebook and Twitter to broaden their scope and connection with audiences.   Social media has proven to be both useful and detrimental to their campaigns and public image.   Our week 6 group presentation brought some extremely important points to note regarding politics and how their campaigns have shifted from using traditional media to reach a more fragmented online audience;  

Access to voters & potential voters

Enables direct contact

Engages young voters

The presentation also highlighted the ever-impending downfall of politicians using social media

Amateur political comments and criticism

Failure to listen and respond appropriately

On January 16, 2019 Clive Palmer received a huge backlash online after his party sent out unsolicited text messages to voters urging them to vote for the United Australia party.  

Unimpressed recipients took to Facebook and Twitter, using screen shots with their own commentary to display their dismay, most commenting about a breach of privacy. They used the #auspol and #ClivePalmer to follow the uproar. 

However, the text messages worked somewhat in favour of Palmer’s United Australia party as their website received over 160,000 visits since the messages were sent out (Truu, 2019).   This is just one of many examples where politicians can find themselves confronting an online onslaught due to their campaigns, comments or personal lives. It’s like social media plays devil’s advocate for the Australian audience that was once not able to share their thoughts. Social media has opened a two-way communication which can make or break a person in the limelight.  

It’s important to note that online audiences are far more fragmented than the audiences of traditional media over 20 years ago. The audience now makes up of general users who come from many diverse, educated and geographically located backgrounds. This includes the media, amateur blog users, everyday users, academics, intellectuals and passionate political followers. This is something that Young (2010) points out in the 2004 elections the internet leveraged not only electoral updates but online polls, satire sites, university lead commentaries and independent political blogs. Not only was the internet used to promote campaigns yet it also had an uprising of platforms that were used to critique the candidates.  

I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that politicians lack the foresight to see, when they do something somewhat silly in the public eye, they will be ridiculed on social media. I guess I have to remember that are usually from a generation that was not brought up around the internet and social media from an early age. I guess they will have to hire a better PR team. 😏

References

Licht, M, [image] ‘We Can Blog It’, in #iwd2013: 50 female innovators in digital journalism, journalism.co.uk  <https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/50-female-innovators-in-digital-journalism/s2/a552338/>

Truu, M, 2019, ‘'Unsolicited election trash’: Clive Palmer’s texts prompt outrage’, SBSNEWS, 16 Jan,   <https://www.sbs.com.au/news/unsolicited-election-trash-clive-palmer-s-texts-prompt-outrage>

Young, S 2010, How Australia Decides : Election Reporting and the Media, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [15 January 2019].

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

You’ve highlighted some excellent points in this post @captainhannahuniverse particularly that whilst social media has allowed politicians to converse with the public directly, followers, likes, comments and shares don’t necessarily translate into votes.

Great use of media in your blog as well. The SNL live videos during the last American election were just fantastic.

The Politics Of Social Media

Week 5 - Politics and Civic Culture

Throughout the 20th century, many social media platforms were introduced to us, but it was not until the 21st century did we see the enhancement of growth within social media platforms and how each of them impacted our daily lives. The addictiveness of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can affect the way one may behave, react and even think of themselves or one another. However, how does the use of social media platforms impact the political realm and raise important issues and messages? 

Many Australian Politicians have become a part of the social media world. Twitter and Facebook are platforms that many politicians use to broadcast from and raise important issues to the world. Moreover, are politicians always going to try to control their message or listen to their audience and go to where the people are? (Jericho 2013) 

In my opinion, i always thought the use of social media supported the political realm. It was a great way of advertisement and raising important issues because a voice could be heard. For example, the 2008 Barack Obama election is just one example that stood out for voters. During the year of 2007, following the lead up to the presidential election. Barley Political’s video “Obama’s Girl” got uploaded onto Youtube. Although it was not a benefit of political communication or democracy, it attracted millions of viewers, especially the under 30s demographic (Barley Political 2007). 

 Another example is the attention that Tina Fey’s Saturday Night Live impersonation of Sarah Palin received. Many media commentators believed that Palin had no chance of winning after the impersonation was uploaded on to Youtube as it gained more viewers than any of Plain’s youtube videos ever did. 

10 years on, to the year we are living in at this moment, 2018. Tina Fey takes on the role of Sarah Palin once again, this time focuses on headline-makers such as Stormi Daniels reminiscing about the regret for what they did for President Donald Trump. 

I’d like to refer these examples to our Australian Politicians, has the use of social media affected them the same way it did through the platforms used by celebrities during the lead up to the 2008 presidential election? Although social media is an essential way for issues to get raised and messages to be sent across one another the number of followers, viewers and likes do not translate directly into voted all the time, which is an import key concept to remember. We see this through the example of Fairfax’s use of social media platforms photograph “Social Media Stakes: Rudd vs. Abott” (The Sydney Morning Herald 2013) 

References

LexisNexis,’The Politics of Social Media’ [image], in Google, viewed 12 December 2018, <https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=657&ei=AoARXMTaKo7orQH7rrKIBQ&q=politics+and+social+media&oq=politics+and+social+media&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l5.314.3486..3621…0.0..0.227.3757.0j20j4……0….1..gws-wiz-img…..0..0i5i30.Ldr-0PZHDzI#imgrc=6Tz7oBzN-wf0VM:> 

Saturday Night Live 2008, Gov. Sarah Palin’s Press Conference- SNL, September 23, viewed 13 December 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0vVKZL-Z7I> 

SBS, ‘Recap: The last five years in Australian Politics [image], in Google, viewed 12 December 2018, <https://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=608&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=5YARXKG2GpuoyAONmYWoCA&q=australian+politicians&oq=australian+politicians&gs_l=img.3..0i7i30l5.6859.8115..8228…0.0..0.175.1480.0j10……0….1..gws-wiz-img…….0i8i7i30.UN5ShgHkt5k#imgrc=k74U-2BVITHHIM:> 

The Key of Awesome 2007, Crush on Obama, 13 June, viewed 13 December 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU> 

The Sydney Morning Heral 2013, ‘Social Media War’, Fairfax Media, <http://images.smh.com.au/file/2013/08/07/4640158/Web_ElectionSocial/> 

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

Great blog @megatam2012! I like your point that it sometimes feels that social media is a promotional platform as opposed to one where people participate in political debate or conversation. I also agree that it does give the public the ability to connect with their leaders and this is something that no other generation of politicians had which has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, they can bypass traditional media and talk directly to the public, but on the other hand, the public eye is on them watching and analysing their every decision and move (Muller 2018). But hey, spinning the narrative their way is what politicians do best – it’s in their job description after all. 

Muller, D 2018, ‘Why social media is in the doghouse for both politicians and the public’, ABC News, 15 February, viewed 2 January 2019, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-14/social-media-is-in-the-doghouse-for-politicians-and-public/9446894>.

Politics & Civic Cultures

Week 5 focuses on politics and civic cultures and how social media is changing the landscape. 2008 US elections has been a prime example and case study which have been analysed and re-read many times as it was also known as the “Facebook election”. 24 year old, Chris Hughes left Facebook and joined the Obama campaign as chief digital strategist. Through use of blogs, social media, SMS and mass user database generated during the campaign, Obama could communicate with voters directly and get his message across. The social media platform allowed a two-way communication which meant it was not just about the leader but about the voice of individual voters and their individual concerns. #Yes We Can and #Change were the hashtags used during the campaign to garner support and gain momentum for the campaign which they eventually won.

Today, social media is part of every political campaign. We saw this once again in the recent US elections and Donald Trump’s prolific use of twitter to keep in touch with voters and get his opinions out there. In a recent interview, Donald Trump expressed that it was his use of twitter that kept him in the forefront of voters’ mind and eventually led him to victory. “Frankly it’s a modern day form of communication,” Trump said about Twitter (Little 2016). Regardless of some of the comments he made on twitter or how he used it to get ahead and win the race, it clearly shows how people in society connect today and how ideas are spread.

Lately it seems social media is the platform of choice for us to receive up to the minute details on any election campaign (Young 2010). As seen in Australian politics, it sometimes feels more of a promotional platform than a platform to participate and engage with every day people (Jericho 2012). However, it can be said that it is a large public platform where people can express their views and opinions and weigh in on the topic. It empowers the voters and allows them to connect with the leader directly, hear their views and express their concerns through multitude of social media channels.

References

Jericho, G 2012, ‘How many votes are there on Twitter?’, in The Rise of the Fifth Estate, Scribe, Victoria, Australia.

Young, S 2010, ‘News, political reporting and the internet’, in How Australia Decides, Cambridge University Press, Victoria, Australia.

[legenwaitforitdarythoughts]

The power of crowdsourcing and social media in times of crisis

Social media and crowdsourcing have played a critical role during times of natural disaster or crisis acting as a two-way street for the dissemination of information by emergency services to the public and for members of the public alerting emergency services to unfolding events as they happen (Anikeeva, Steenkamp & Arbon 2015; Gao, Barbier & Goolsby 2011). A perfect example was the recent fires in Queensland. The QFES were actively providing updates and warnings on social media. 

Another example was the 2011 Queensland floods when over 35,000 tweets with the #qldfloods hashtag were posted in six days (Bruns et al. 2012).

Living in North Queensland for most of my life, I’ve experienced numerous cyclones, bushfires and floods. Before social media, we only had the television and radio for information. Nowadays, I find that I turn to social media as I can access up to date information and alerts straight from the emergency services/bureau of meteorology faster than through television or radio. I’ve also followed sites such a Higgins Storm Chasing, run by enthusiasts who keep the community updated with weather events as they unfold and are a reliable source of information. According to Anikeeva, Steenkamp & Arbon (2015), people are moving away from traditional media towards social media networks and are seeking “eyewitness accounts, and reports from other users”.  As Adam Lisberg says in the video ‘Covering Our Own Crisis: Superstorm Sandy, Social Media, and the MTA’, it’s the immediacy of communication that makes social media so valuable in times of crisis (mtainfo 2014).

It was boyd (2012) who said that humans are curious by nature and we have an inherent desire to be kept informed. This is especially true in times of crisis. We want to be aware of what is happening, even when we are not directly impacted, we like to know how we can help. That is another area in which crowdsourcing is helpful in times of crisis - relief, rescue and support. As Saleem (2015) says, social media helps to improve rescue and relief operations and provides a way for people all over the world to show support through kind messages and donations. During the recent drought in Australia, the power of crowdsourcing was used for the relief appeals. Organisations such as the RedCross used online sites shared via their social media to raise funds for farmers (McBey 2018).

Similarly, during the Queensland fires, the Red Cross had a page which allowed people to ensure their family and friends were safe (Australia Red Cross 2018).

Whilst there is still the risk that false, irrelevant or out of date information is shared via social media, in my opinion, when reliable sources are used to get information, social media is a very powerful tool during times of crisis.

References

Anikeeva, O, Steenkamp, M & Arbon, P 2015, ‘The future of social media use during emergencies in Australia: insights from the 2014 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference social media workshop’, Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 30, no. 1, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-30-01-08>.

Australian Red Cross 2018, Register. Find, Reunite, 26 November, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.facebook.com/AustralianRedCross/posts/10158050793177222>.

Boyd, D 2012, 'Participating in the always-on lifestyle', in M Mandiberg (ed) The Social Media Reader, NYU Press, pp. 71-76.

Bruns, A, Burgess, J, Crawford, K & Shaw, F 2012, #qldfloods and @QPSMedia: Crisis Communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland Floods, Arc Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, pp. 7-10, viewed 19 January 2019, <http://www.cci.edu.au/floodsreport.pdf>.

Gao, H, Barbier, G & Goolsby, R 2011, Harnessing the Crowdsourcing Power of Social Media for Disaster Relief, Cyber – Physical – Social Systems, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a581803.pdf>.

McBey, L 2018, ‘Red Cross online appeal for farmers in drought’, The Advocate, 9 August, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/5574950/red-cross-online-appeal-for-farmers-in-drought/>.

Mtainfo 2014, Covering our own crisis: Superstorm sandy, social media and the MTA, 17 June, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2VS5_aY0nM>.

Saleem, V 2015, ‘How people turn to social media during natural disasters’, DownToEarth, 7 June, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/how-people-turn-to-social-media-during-natural-disasters-49587>.

Images

Australian Red Cross 2018, ‘Farmer appeal donations’ [image], in Drought appeal, 14 August, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.facebook.com/AustralianRedCross/photos/a.10150382567607222/10157755431797222/?type=3&theater>.

Australian Red Cross 2018, ‘Registration Link’ [image], in Register. Find, Reunite, 26 November, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.facebook.com/AustralianRedCross/posts/10158050793177222>.

finglobal.com 2016, ‘Natural disasters of earths past and future’ [image], in Vesuvius day 2016: natural disasters of earth’s past and future, FinGlobal, 23 August, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.finglobal.com/2016/08/23/vesuvius-day-2016-natural-disasters-earths-past-future/>.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services 2018, ‘Facebook profile’ [image], in Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, 26 November, viewed 19 January 2019, <https://www.facebook.com/QldFireandRescueService/>.