A network could be a variety of things. When we first heard the word we immediately think of social network. This automatically makes me think of the movie Social Network and how Mark Zuckerberg made Facebook. Facebook, like most social media apps, are a way for people to connect to each other. They’re built up of ways to connect with each other and have their own hierarchies. When you tweet something or post on Instagram, you’ll most likely get a comment or a like. That is already a connection within itself so when you have over 100 likes and 50 comments, you’re creating a network of people. With this comes this hierarchy aka the people who are verified. When we see a blue check next to someone’s name no matter what social media app we’re on, we know they’re high up in the food chain. These people tend to have millions of followers with hundreds of thousands of likes. Most of the time we follow these people because we have shared interests or we’re envious of them. That also creates its own network.
Abby Bangs-Network
“Clout chasers” are seen as a lens for the flattened hierarchal competition existing in online networks such as tiktok or instagram. Today in class, we spoke about the connectivity and competition that exists within networking hierarchies, and in broader terms, power structures. However, I believe that online clout chasers serve as a lens for this concept and are dangerous for online media networking. “Clout” is a word for fame, specifically relating to the internet, therefore “clout chasers” are people who “chase” for internet fame. The act of chasing fame can be defined in a multitude of ways, as to an extent, every online, media production can be perceived as an act of chasing some sort of fame. Inherently, there is the common posting or production of content for the attention of some sort of audience, such as partaking on a popular trend found online, or posting in a certain way. However, there are clout chasers, who will go to great lengths to obtain fame and popularity online. This can be found in people looking to be friends with people already famous to gain some of their popularity, which can be perceived as a selfish act. Another example is the spread of false information, or in some ways using “clickbait,” which is the act of publishing something, predominantly found online, whose purpose is to draw an audience with flashy titles or graphic imagery. By using click bait, or spreading false information, these media producers are gaining an audience through means of attention-grabbing ways. This is dangerous because it can influence audience members to do the things spread within the content, which may be unsafe or impossible for them to do; or it may spread information that is harmful to people, the outdoors, etc. Thus the act of competing for popularity among online networking platforms can be dangerous towards the audience they are producing and competing for, and what is more concerning is that in some cases, the effect on the audience is not considered thoroughly by some influencers.
Keyword #8: Network
In simple terms, a network of people are those who form connections under a shared experience or interest that allows for the pooling of resources and information across different mediums. As technology advances and our understanding of the human condition evolves, this definition becomes more complex. Though a network itself is a flattened form of hierarchy where all members have various looser and stronger connections with others, differential relationships continually and inherently create systems of power that are carried out both advertently and subconsciously. Thus, power is derived from the organization of these values into structure. Further, this organization leads to the confirmation and spread of a particular belief or ideology. Sociologist Peter Berger coined this phenomenon the “sacred canopy” in which humans take shelter from their fears of the unknown by surrounding themselves with like-minded others who give the impression of universal acceptance and confirmation of beliefs (Sacred Alters). In organized religion, for instance, the more someone has connections to others who hold the same beliefs, the greater confidence one gains in the system and the more power is given to that same system. This, ultimately, generates greater authority for the network itself and manifests a structure of authority to gain more followers.
References:
Facciani, M., & Brashears, M. E. (2019). Sacred alters: The effects of ego network structure on religious and political beliefs. Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 5, 237802311987382. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023119873825
Week 9: October 19 & 21
What’s Due Next?
This Week
- Tuesday (today): Keyword Network
- Thursday: Response post to “Network”
Near Future
- Read All You Need is Kill and watch Edge of Tomorrow by Sunday, October 24
- Write Short Response Paper #2: Technology using All You Need is Kill and Edge of Tomorrow for Sunday, October 31
- New! Add a paragraph on the cover page that explains how you used feedback provided for your first short response paper to write this paper.
What’s Coming Up?
- Be sure you’re able to access Apple TV+ (either through free trial or paid subscription) to watch Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson: Episode 1: Auto-Tune
- Begin thinking about how you’ll use ArcGIS StoryMap to visualize the definition of a keyword of your choice from KMS and/or our class coverage
Tuesday, October 5
- How was fall break?
- Did you watch, listen to, or experience any media (or elements of identity or culture) that relates to keywords we’ve been discussing to date?
- Mid-term check-in: Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous check-in form
Using “Network” as a Critical Lens
Network is “an analytical tool embedded in global culture and information technologies, and their multitudes of connections, messages, and typographies” (Levina, p. 127)
- Analytical tool = critical lens, a way of seeing and understanding something
- Embedded = integral to, part or aspect of
- Connections = relations to other elements
- Messages = communications (both bit-based and meaning-making)
- Typographies = arrangements of features
What characteristics of networks did you find compelling?
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- Networks are related to power structures, the result of other, previously defined power structures: hierarchical, flattened, structural
- Networks are totalitarian in nature; complexity of our existence keeps networks in check
- Actor-network: human and nonhuman actors translating tokens into their own language
What’s actor-network theory?
What nonhuman actors do you see at work in networks, especially related to the flow of information and the way power is distributed?
Consider the difference between the networked self (or network identity) and the material self (or embodied existence). What differs? Why?
How do networks help us understand media, culture, and/or identity?
October 19
Let’s collaborate to draw the actor-network of our class.
- Visit https://app.popplet.com/#/p/6805245 and log in using your richmond.edu email account (create a free account if needed).
- Follow the prompts in the Popplet to contribute to the actor-network of our class.
- Discuss what we uncover during this exercise in the context of the “Network” keyword essay.
Feedback on Field Experience Reports
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your field experience reports on the Çudamani performance. The strongest reports were those that identified very specific aspects of a keyword we’ve studied (or haven’t studied, but is in the KMS text) in the performance and explained how that aspect of the keyword increased appreciation for the performance in some way. All of your did this to an extent; the best of responses did it clearly and thoroughly, often with specific references to our texts.
My goal in assigning the performance was to ask you to apply keywords to a non-mediated live performance (rather than a video or a media artifact). Our keywords offer critical approaches to media, of course, but they can also be used to provide critical approaches to lived experiences and live performances like this one. Several of you touched on this realization, perhaps without fully grasping its significance. There are particular aspects of a live performance that aren’t present in a mediated performance. One notable difference is the reality of an audience. When we consume media, we do it differently than a live performance. (I’m aware that feature films are an exception.) One key difference is that the experience of attending a performance is also a performance; as an audience member, we follow specific performative conventions. We clap when a performance is complete. We “ooh” and “aah” at spectacular moments. We might glance at each other to see if others are mesmerized by a specific moment or aspects of the performance. The identity of ourselves as audience is an aspect of identity that a few of you picked up on; the performance made it a little easier to recognize by encouraging audience participation during the final number.
I selected this performance because I wanted it to be as unconventional as possible. Doing so helps us recognize the expectations we have for performances, and such unconventional shows help subvert those expectations toward wonder and appreciation for something new and different. If we could have engaged Tibetan throat singers or Japanese Noh theatre, the impact would have been similar; if we’d engaged a European classical music performance, the impact would not have been the same. By shifting us out of our traditional performance expectations, I believe we’re better able to see the world of performance through critical lenses like identity and culture and gender.
Thanks for paying careful attention during the performances and doing research (in many cases) to include the titles of numbers and names of instruments. And kudos to those who embedded visuals in their responses. In most cases, these visuals enhanced the content of the post.
Data
Data and the collection of data of some kind has been occurring for thousands of years. According to the text, data in a modern sense is essentially “information gathered and shared though personal and public communication channels which becomes subject to new kinds of tracking, quantification, and analysis”. Marketing agencies monitor this online traffic in hopes of understanding consumers’ preferences and trends in the online market. When users visit a website, cookies, or small files, are sent to your computer by the website in order to monitor browsing. Until our last class and the reading on data, I was completely unaware of just how much these cookies were able to tell about a user online.
I have had a few experiences that underscore the lengths these websites and marketing agencies will go to in order to feed you products that you may buy. For example, one day, with my phone off and in my pocket, one of my friends was telling me about a brand of shorts that I should check out. After our conversation, I took out my phone and opened instagram. Sure enough, an add for those exact shorts, which I had never shown interest in before, was sitting right in front of me. As I scrolled down, ads for other brands of shorts continued to pop up. It begs the question of if voice assistants like Siri are ever really off, and if they are just a ploy to monitor people.
Data- Chloe Whelan
Data are facts and statistics that are assembled for reference, reflection, and/or analysis. Data collection has a wide range of forms, primarily being self-assembled information about individuals, information about individuals collected by other people, and community oriented information intended for purpose. Like the reading says, data facilitates and supports narratives. Media technologies have the capability to capture data and present it in ways that people respond to, which is exactly why statistics are so frequently used to support things such as news stories and consumer products. Because technology has become such an integral part of modern western society, data collection has become more prevalent than ever. Our data is constantly being collected with and without our knowledge as we use media platforms such as google maps, social media, email, and almost every other online resource. Like the reading touches on, the concept of freedom is debated in data collection. Although data collection can be an autonomous action to serve oneself, data collection that is controlled by external entities is meant to serve a greater purpose. Data collected through media platforms such as Facebook, which controls various social media apps, intentionally collect mass amounts of data with the intent of increasing profit. The more data that is collected from its users, the more precise algorithms become, thus increasing the appeal to use the app. Additionally, data collection has made online shopping incredibly easy, as instagram adds are spot on with showcasing products that appeal to each user. It is no coincidence that the ads that we see showcase exactly what products we’d been wanting or that appeal to us, this is just a clear example of the power of data collection.
Data – Grace Brogan
The current relationship between the average consumer of digital products and services has a complex relationship with their data. One on hand, giving up some of your personal data in order to gain a better more personalized experience seems like a fair trade off. However, I think a lot of people, myself included, have a poor understanding of just how much of our data is being collected and monitored. One slightly startling example I found was described in the New York Times article linked below. This article examined how supposedly “depersonalized” or anonymous location data is not as secure as it may appear. By using a database which held a lot of this cell-phone location data in New York they were able to discover the identity of a supposedly “anonymous” user. Reading this article was slightly unnerving, but simultaneously very interesting and it includes some really cool graphics so I’d highly recommend reading the original article.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/10/business/location-data-privacy-apps.html
Alvin-DATA
The term data can be summarised as facts or statistics collected for analysis or reference. Collection of this data is both voluntary and involuntary depending on what type of technology we are using but the relationship between data and technology has a very crucial aspect in terms of profit making. In the 21st century, most companies have resorted to the use of data tracking and analysis to maximize profits. A person’s data is examined and then a specific niche is created for them. On platforms such as amazon, you get recommendations to buy specific products depending on your history of purchases. Social media platforms such as Instagram are notorious for pushing advertisements depending on what you have shown interest in. (likes and accounts followed). Data collected in most cases is directly linked to people’s privacy so it is safe to assume that most media technologies misuse data from a moral standpoint but at the same time it can be argued that the data analytics provide us with more options of what we are interested in. Hackers and cyber criminals use keyloggers to access the supposedly safe online private data to perform all kinds of crimes. Modern technological advancements have made it almost impossible not to have some sort of parallel online life risking exposure and misuse of personal data for example having a mobile phone which usually contains all our passwords, private messages and other exclusive forms of information. Solutions like using VPNs that possess strong encryptions for data protection have skyrocketed but at the same time, hackers have also taken advantage of the rising technology to improve their skills. Limiting the amount of data we provide to the online forums is almost impossible since we are moving towards a more online oriented type of world.
Marielle Dibbini: Data
Data is the collection of information or statistics. Whether we know it or not, data is constantly being collected any time we search something, log into our social media apps, or even scroll on blackboard to find our homework assignments. For instance, there have been many cases in which the data collected on my computer has shown my interest in a particular thing. Since data has pinpointed my interest, it then will show me representations of that particular thing all over my apps, especially my social media apps. Since social media is so new, it is scary to think about what data is constantly being collected on these apps, because we are all clearly unaware. This can be compared to the acceptance of “cookies”. When I was younger I was never told to not accept the cookies, therefore it is now a force of habit to blindly accept giving information away in order to continue on a specific website.