I am not big into gaming personally, but a good friend of mine actually met her now fiancé through an online game, which really opened by eyes up to the social component of gaming. In my non-gaming perspective I had imagine gamers to be stereotypical a guy in a basement, as depicted on South Park […]
Week 9: Plastic Surgery on Social Media
In this digital age it has become normal to seek out health related information online, in fact 83% of internet users do this (PewResearch 2011). There are pros and cons of this which the Swinburne module considered, some negatives being credibility of information, others positives being learning about procedures that can help that may not […]
Week 8: Turns out I’m a Crowdsourcer
When I first read the topic of crowdsourcing as part of the coursework, I assumed it to mean crowdfunding, that is using the public to raise money. In fact, crowdsourcing goes much further than just raising money, it’s about the general public contributing knowledge, expertise, time and resources for a cause [Crowdsourcing.org 2012]. This video […]
Week 7: Online Harassment Has Real Impacts
One of the perils of digital citizenship is the rise of digital conflict. Trolling is one such example of digital harassment and conflict. The anonymous nature of online commenting also allows people to feel like there aren’t repercussions, however for the recipients of this harassment it can have very real consequences. A study conducted by […]
Week 6: Is Online Activism Enough?
When I think of online activism, the MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements immediately come to mind. They both started as online movements which such widespread reach, going beyond international borders, dominating social media discourse for a period. During each movement my Instagram and Twitter feeds were filled with posts putting a spotlight on these […]
Week 5: Getting Political on Social Media
The last decade has seen social media platforms become a staple for political expression, debate and discourse. Whether citizens expressing their opinion, liking or agreeing with other opinions, debating with others or following political figures, there is a flurry of political activity on social media platforms. While I myself don’t actively respond or post political […]