https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL CULTURE en-us 2020-01-14 12:10:25 UTC 2026-03-16 20:42:12 UTC hello@padlet.com s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431240491 2020-01-14 12:19:36 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431240491 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431240733 2020-01-14 12:20:28 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431240733 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431241541 2020-01-14 12:23:08 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431241541 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431242512 2020-01-14 12:25:39 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/431242512 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435125262 This article offers an optimistic approach in its discussion of how the internet enables activism, taking a quote from David Babbs, who says 'Where is the evidence that [online activism] doesn't work? I don't see it.']]> 2020-01-23 14:49:29 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435125262 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435125596 All starting with a hashtag, this movement seeks to connect young people of colour and encourage them to share in their love of art and creativity. The movement demonstrates the emancipatory nature of online social networks, which empowers those in often marginalised groups, bolstering their sense of solidarity and community.]]> 2020-01-23 14:49:51 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435125596 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435144404 2020-01-23 15:11:44 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435144404 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435145936 The word 'still' says it all... will social media ever be a place free from racism and discrimination? Or will it always express, if not reflect, the state of society? This article explores the use of race data by Facebook's advertising algorithm. ]]> 2020-01-23 15:13:40 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435145936 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435151287 2020-01-23 15:20:36 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435151287 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435165594 The fact alone that young people are being exposed and taught about Fake News shows how integral social media is to modern societies across the world.]]> 2020-01-23 15:38:46 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435165594 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435967978 Similarly to the #ArtHoe movement, Black Twitter is an example of a space, which has developed online, where black people connect and share in their sense of culture and identity. It's interesting to compare this article to my friend Todun's thoughts (see above). ]]> 2020-01-25 11:51:25 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435967978 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435968559 2020-01-25 11:59:52 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435968559 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435969097 Describes itself as 'a space to feature inspiring and badass South Asian women around the world'. ]]> 2020-01-25 12:05:33 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/435969097 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/436158435 Being products of the 'digital age', my generation have been shaped many ways by social media. Here, my friends talk about their own experiences with this and conceptualise their Instagram accounts as the 'highlight reel' of their life, and 'like a visual CV'. This gives interesting insight in terms of updating Goffman's presentation of self theory to the digital age. ]]> 2020-01-26 18:27:27 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/436158435 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/436345646 Having filmed this before the news of Caroline Flack's death, I was interested to return to it after this news. My friends suggest that a lot of people do use social media platforms for news, and therefore confirm the potential harm of fake news and sensationalist news stories. They also touch on the prominence of filter bubbles with the suggestion that 'I craft my feed to mimic my own views and show exactly what I want to see'. ]]> 2020-01-27 12:20:42 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/436345646 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439271903 Following Boris Johnson's approval of 5G in the UK, it is interesting to look at the problems associated with such fast technological development, and the way it can leave people behind. This issue also unveils deeper ones about national security and the possibility of hacking, thereby showing intersectionality between two key dangers associated with the internet. ]]> 2020-02-02 10:54:45 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439271903 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439272370 I found this podcast really interesting in capturing an issue which often isn't covered by the mainstream media. It discusses a report which finds a widening gender gap, whereby women have lower access than men to the Internet, particularly in developing countries. This has significant wider implications for societal power structures across the world. ]]> 2020-02-02 10:59:23 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439272370 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439273123 2020-02-02 11:07:50 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439273123 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439693338 2020-02-03 15:26:00 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/439693338 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440156818 It's interesting how easy it is to produce content and put it online these days - mass audiences have become so accessible. Is this worrying or positive?]]> 2020-02-04 10:00:52 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440156818 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440158292 This is a group project which I took part in as part of a previous course. It uses surveys to look at how content such as memes are influencing political engagement among university students. I found it really interesting going back to this research in light of class discussions on 'prosumerism'. The central findings of my research, corroborated by a wealth of literature, suggested a correlation between the rise in unofficial media (e.g. memes) online, and the level of engagement with politics among young people. ]]> 2020-02-04 10:04:58 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440158292 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440835544 2020-02-05 11:05:30 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/440835544 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/442760028 As a committed user of Twitter, my friend Todun has some interesting thoughts about 'black Twitter' and how it impacts her identity. She says that the particular importance of the platform lies in its ability to give black British people a sense of community and solidarity regardless of where they are in the UK, and the way in which it enables them to start movements and discussions based on common experiences. ]]> 2020-02-09 21:00:09 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/442760028 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/446335261 2020-02-17 11:18:08 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/446335261 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/449700841 I think it's really important, in the wake of events such as Caroline Flack's tragic death, to think about how these events are shaped by social media and the Internet. I don't think this is an issue which necessarily fits under one theme, but I decided to put it under this one because I think what has been going on online in relation to Caroline Flack is something which highlights some of the worst aspects of modern societies. ]]> 2020-02-24 19:14:59 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/449700841 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/451310974 Following the tragic news of Caroline Flack's suicide, I decided to look further into how social media impacts celebrities, and the power of features such as click bait in shaping their experiences. My friend, who is a freelance journalist, gave his thoughts on this culture and it's place in the world today. Again, the idea that social media's impacts are paradoxical are evident: it is a huge enabler to celebrities, but simultaneously can be detrimental to their public and personal lives. In this video, Sam suggests that proper social media use - and the potential harms of 'trolling' - should be better taught in schools, enabling young people to understand these dangers better. ]]> 2020-02-27 12:37:09 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/451310974 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452384645 2020-02-29 13:33:39 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452384645 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452385479 Mental health is something I'm really passionate about, and I think something which continues to be really important in modern societies is understanding the ways in which social media can facilitate the good and the bad - it's all about how we use it. Perhaps there's something in this about whether social media replicates or creates inequalities. Reading this article has sparked an interest in this topic as something I may focus on in my final essay. ]]> 2020-02-29 13:41:02 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452385479 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452409725 Again, this taps in (pardon the pun) to a debate about how social media is impacting mental health. It seems almost paradoxical - social media has the capacity to harm as well as improve mental health, particularly in young people. This article focuses on universities' promotion of mental health apps in seeking to enhance services for young people, but I found it interesting to consider this in light of my own experiences of social media - captured in my Digital Detox assignment - as sometimes being harmful to my mental health. ]]> 2020-02-29 16:23:04 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452409725 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452410157 2020-02-29 16:25:52 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452410157 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452410334 "Tabloids always hounded celebrities but online, anyone can be a public figure – and everyone can join a mob"]]> 2020-02-29 16:27:05 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452410334 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452411174 Something which is so interesting to me when studying digital culture is the way that things change so frequently with events. This article looks at the spread of false information about Coronavirus through WhatsApp, demonstrating that the issue of 'fake news' is not confined to politics, or indeed to developed countries. ]]> 2020-02-29 16:31:46 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452411174 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452411646 2020-02-29 16:35:22 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/452411646 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453683023 Kerry Katona has been posting a lot about the media and the way it treats celebrities - with a complete lack of respect for their privacy. In this post, she angrily confronts the fact that online media outlets often post false stories in an attempt to gain as much attention as possible. Again, this demonstrates the lack of privacy in today's digital society, and illustrates the impact which this has on those who are in the public eye and their identity formation processes. ]]> 2020-03-03 15:13:18 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453683023 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453683721 The fact in itself that Philip Schofield felt obliged to post an instagram story to announce that he is gay is telling in itself - and demonstrates the way that celebrities' experience new, digitally mediated intersections between privacy and publicity. ]]> 2020-03-03 15:14:03 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453683721 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453696736 A wealth of literature proposes that online activism is nothing more than meaningless 'clicktivism', but I disagree. This is an example of social media platforms - predominantly Twitter - being mobilised in order to draw attention to particular issues which would likely not have received such attention before the digital age. ]]> 2020-03-03 15:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/453696736 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/456307441 2020-03-07 20:28:08 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/456307441 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457190163 2020-03-09 21:10:34 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457190163 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457197579 One theme which boyd discusses is the boundaries, complicated by social media, between privacy and publicity. She cites a quote from a 17 year old girl which I think captures a key issue within this, it says "My mom always uses the excuse about the internet being 'public'. It's not like I do anything to be ashamed of, but a girl needs her privacy". boyd comments that "it's about having agency to assert that social control'. This led me to think about celebrities and their experience of privacy, how they differ from the 'ordinary' individual, and how they perhaps lack this social control. ]]> 2020-03-09 21:28:25 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457197579 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457199157 2020-03-09 21:32:05 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457199157 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457378285 The literature on the concept of 'micro celebrity' explores the power of the internet to grant fame to 'ordinary' people. This is a good recent example of this, whereby almost overnight social media has turned this 'ordinary' boy into a national hero. ]]> 2020-03-10 08:05:50 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/457378285 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472731457 The current pandemic has once again illustrated the importance of social media in the spread of information and support. But it can also enable the spread of false information, as it has done in the case of the coronavirus. ]]> 2020-03-24 13:39:40 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472731457 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472733816 2020-03-24 13:40:49 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472733816 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472745141 2020-03-24 13:45:47 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472745141 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472763201 I had a look through my friend Todun's (see top for video) Twitter likes and screenshotted some of the tweets which caught my eye. ]]> 2020-03-24 13:54:17 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472763201 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472766199 2020-03-24 13:55:46 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472766199 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472767986 2020-03-24 13:56:39 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472767986 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472768785 2020-03-24 13:57:04 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472768785 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472769864 The main themes which I found prominent were: 
- Celebrating black beauty in a world which sometimes forgets to. 
- Tweets about Nigerian / African parents, which others related to. 
- African culture in terms of recent events e.g. coronavirus. 
Ultimately, a number of the points I'd previously discussed with friends were evident: 'Black Twitter' appeared to provide a safe space for black communities to laugh, cry, share and discuss. ]]> 2020-03-24 13:57:36 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472769864 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472785950 A number of my friends, alongside several celebrities, have used Instagram in particular to promote veganism. Their approaches differ - from the more militant approach whereby they direct anger at meat-eaters, to less confrontation approaches such as posting vegan recipes. Instagram has provided a platform for the spread of this content, showing the power of social media to enable activism. Indeed, the strength of these approaches has been demonstrated in my own life: I decided to become vegetarian after watching a video of cows getting slaughtered on a friends' instagram account... ]]> 2020-03-24 14:05:19 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/472785950 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/484143457 One of my favourite artists raps about his experience going from 'unknown' to 'viral on the Internet', and how this sudden transition impacted his mental health. ]]> 2020-03-31 11:29:07 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/484143457 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/486828079 2020-04-01 14:36:39 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/486828079 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/494503878 Social media demonstrates such deep rooted problems within our society, and one of the ways that this manifests is through negative comments towards celebrities - gossip, drama and rumours can be spread so quickly and people are often slow to realise the genuine impact that these comments are having on people, because social media allows a level of distance. In the video in this article, Billy Eilish says 'I stopped reading comments fully because it was ruining my life.' ]]> 2020-04-06 10:51:10 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/494503878 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/498510278 Sometimes known as 'Grace Fit UK', Beverley is an example of a social media influencer who has used social media to create a platform on which she communicates with a vast audience. On this platform, she can influence consumers to buy items at her recommendation. Fundamentally, I think the influencer industry is driven by capitalism. ]]> 2020-04-08 11:38:11 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/498510278 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/501920511 When you're in the public eye, information which you may have intended not to be public can re-surface, as it did for Maya Jama in 2018. Again, this demonstrates how difficult it is for celebrities to maintain their public image and identity in a world where scrutiny is so constant and so intense. ]]> 2020-04-10 12:15:33 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/501920511 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/506373810 2020-04-14 13:34:11 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/506373810 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510339878 The video of 16-year-old Alex Mann went viral, launching him into the public eye where he too was given a platform to influence. ]]> 2020-04-16 10:10:45 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510339878 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510383514 2020-04-16 10:38:47 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510383514 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510390863 It has been interesting to consider how celebrities have altered their public image in such unprecedented times as current, because it has torn apart so much of what the celebrity industry is based on. There have recently been several occasions on which these celebrities have missed the mark in how they have presented themselves, which has provoked much media attention, and I think this video of Madonna in the bath is one of them. ]]> 2020-04-16 10:44:03 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510390863 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510397365 Another one which has been closely scrutinised by the public is the video, organised by Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, of her and fellow celebrities singing the lyrics of John Lennon's 'Imagine' which, as Joe Rogan says in this video, was somewhat insensitive in current circumstances. This made me think about the difficulties and challenges which those in the public eye face in curating their 'self' in such close and constant public scrutiny. ]]> 2020-04-16 10:48:34 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510397365 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510412762 It has been interesting to reconsider the themes of this course under the current circumstances. The pandemic has forced people to conduct their day to day activities increasingly through the internet. For activists, whose activities tend to rely on organised activity such as protests, this has been a huge change, and it has been interesting to see how they have adapted accordingly. This article covers how a few of these movements have coped, with the Climate Justice movement starting a campaign called 'Climate Strike Online'. I think that the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the power of the internet to keep people connected regardless of space or time. ]]> 2020-04-16 10:59:34 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510412762 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510421424 2020-04-16 11:05:31 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510421424 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510423399 2020-04-16 11:07:02 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510423399 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510430556 'A lot of people rely on the Tabloids to get pretty inaccurate information and answers'. The Kardashian family are one who have to put up with false news headlines on an almost day-to-day basis, and it's interesting to see how this impacts them. Whilst looking at celebrity experience of fake news, I have also begun to consider how this fake news reduces their control over their public image and is powerful despite the fact that they can post their own representation on social media. ]]> 2020-04-16 11:12:18 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510430556 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510446088 2020-04-16 11:23:23 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510446088 s1723581 https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510466086 2020-04-16 11:37:47 UTC https://padlet.com/s1723581/1saw8mqb00gv/wish/510466086