Maiki Tissera

The Chinese social credit system sees the ruling Communist Party of China creating a set of databases and initiatives that considers the degree of trust of individuals, companies, and government entities (Lee, 2020). The process is simple, a good rating allows people access to greater health services deposit free renting of public housing, while having an opposite rating, according to Lee, can lead to individuals being banned from flights and trains.

How this translates to citizens is quite different. Despite being straightforward in theory, this system is controlled and implemented by a single regime that has ruled China for 73 years (Britannica, 2022). This means that in a nation with one ideology, one set of morals, and values, citizens who do not agree or want to think differently are ostracized.

One might say that decades of single-party rule being successful is proof that the social credit system is a positive force, given that the CCP’s measures have boosted China’s economy and place in the global hierarchy; however, human nature tends to take over at a certain point in time, at a certain point of the rule.

Gaming has become a traditional form of entertainment, no longer being looked at as something so different or external to “regular” cultural norms such as sports and music communities. As per Clement (2022), the number of gamers worldwide currently stands at 3.03 billion people, up from 2.39 billion just five years ago. With this expedited growth, the gaming industry will grow to US$321bn by 2026 (PWC, 2021). As gaming finds itself in the global entertainment and media segment, a US$2.5tn industry, it is bound to continue to grow in its reach, connecting more individuals of different races and cultures. This ultimately can be seen from the outside as being a positive force however has also seen some detrimental effects on the populous, mostly youth, that play these games.

Often, people focus on the amount of time spent gaming as opposed to the gaming communities themselves in terms of mental and physical health. The competitive nature of gaming tends to lead to hostile or abusive language. As per Fu, this negativity generally becomes apparent during the game stages that indicate a potential winner, with the winning team experiencing little to no toxicity and the losing team or individual experiencing shame due to being blamed for a loss.

Fu says this internal conflict is a result of the free nature of games. Games played online pair strangers together. These strangers are often of different races, cultures, and ages, while sometimes dealing with language barriers. This takes people who, at times have lived extremely conservative lives and to a degree, have them interact with those they may have preconceived prejudices to. It is an unprecedented time in history. As an Arab person interacting with a European to such a degree would be so different in my parent’s generation and the generation of nearly 2.5 billion gamers worldwide. The previous generation saw a small number of people who were open-minded and keen on learning and acceptance, traveling to foreign states in pursuit of gaining an experience to remember. However, less people did this, sometimes due to a lack of interest, fear, or bigotry. The latter’s children have been thrust into this online gaming world and its communities with the mindset instilled in them by their parents.

This generational divide in tandem with this culture shock presented by the diversity of gaming communities, has created a toxic environment where by anonymity and geographical separation from one another has allowed people to speak based on emotion devoid of any restrictions that would be enacted in a face to face or physically public forum, this is what creates a toxic environment online.  

Bibliography

Clement, J. (2022, November 11). Number of video game users worldwide from 2017 to 2027. Retrieved from statista : https://www.statista.com/statistics/748044/number-video-gamers-world/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20the%20number%20of,gamers%20in%20the%20previous%20year.

PWC. (2021). Perspectives from the Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2022–2026 . Retrieved from pwc: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/tmt/media/outlook/outlook-perspectives.html

Gaming has become a traditional form of entertainment, no longer being looked at as something so different or external to “regular” cultural norms such as sports and music communities. As per Clement (2022), the number of gamers worldwide currently stands at 3.03 billion people, up from 2.39 billion just five years ago. With this expedited growth, the gaming industry will grow to US$321bn by 2026 (PWC, 2021). As gaming finds itself in the global entertainment and media segment, a US$2.5tn industry, it is bound to continue to grow in its reach, connecting more individuals of different races and cultures. This ultimately can be seen from the outside as being a positive force however has also seen some detrimental effects on the populous, mostly youth, that play these games.

Often, people focus on the amount of time spent gaming as opposed to the gaming communities themselves in terms of mental and physical health. The competitive nature of gaming tends to lead to hostile or abusive language. As per Fu, this negativity generally becomes apparent during the game stages that indicate a potential winner, with the winning team experiencing little to no toxicity and the losing team or individual experiencing shame due to being blamed for a loss.

Fu says this internal conflict is a result of the free nature of games. Games played online pair strangers together. These strangers are often of different races, cultures, and ages, while sometimes dealing with language barriers. This takes people who, at times have lived extremely conservative lives and to a degree, have them interact with those they may have preconceived prejudices to. It is an unprecedented time in history. As an Arab person interacting with a European to such a degree would be so different in my parent’s generation and the generation of nearly 2.5 billion gamers worldwide. The previous generation saw a small number of people who were open-minded and keen on learning and acceptance, traveling to foreign states in pursuit of gaining an experience to remember. However, less people did this, sometimes due to a lack of interest, fear, or bigotry. The latter’s children have been thrust into this online gaming world and its communities with the mindset instilled in them by their parents.

This generational divide in tandem with this culture shock presented by the diversity of gaming communities, has created a toxic environment where by anonymity and geographical separation from one another has allowed people to speak based on emotion devoid of any restrictions that would be enacted in a face to face or physically public forum, this is what creates a toxic environment online.  

Bibliography

Clement, J. (2022, November 11). Number of video game users worldwide from 2017 to 2027. Retrieved from statista : https://www.statista.com/statistics/748044/number-video-gamers-world/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20the%20number%20of,gamers%20in%20the%20previous%20year.

PWC. (2021). Perspectives from the Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2022–2026 . Retrieved from pwc: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/tmt/media/outlook/outlook-perspectives.html

I first thought about fandom as a kid when I came across people in Sri Lanka who were among the first to join the K-Pop wave of the late 2000s and early 2010s. It was rather interesting as a child to see brown people become early adopters of something so foreign. In my youth, however, I cast it aside innocently as something "weird."

I, at the time, did not realize that I engaged in fandom as much as those K-Pop-loving Sri Lankans, having admired Western music my whole life. With my exposure to the internet, I would become consumed with what I loved and immersed myself in an EDM fandom. To define me as a fan would be right as I was obsessed, given a conventional definition. However, at the time, it was much more.

Social belonging and community were aspects of being a fan, I realized. Seeing what was popular on the charts, intently reviewing DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs lists, watching and analyzing live sets, becoming accustomed to every niche type of EDM, and being able to name it with ease based on sonics; these were things that consumed my free time and saw me interact with those online to discuss and debate matters surrounding electronic music. While I did not look for social belonging through this interest, it would find me as I befriended those around me with the same interests I had. However, not a form of conventional 'cultural production,' my love for music taught me how to mix music on a professional Pioneer deck. I was invested in various aspects.

Henry Jenkin's term 'textual poachers' is interesting because we are all guilty of doing just that, taking from external media and making something our own. There is beauty in that, and one can see it with Hip-Hop in the UK or K-Pop in South Korea, or on a smaller scale within the confines of lone albums or singles whereby an artist imitates a style or cadence, seen with Drake using a Jamaican and British accent at times or utilizing Afrobeats.

With crowdsourcing involving the dissemination of information, a pillar of our existence as a social species, it was evident why the medium has become as large as it is, expected to grow to become a $150 billion market by 2027 (Insights, 2020).

The yearning for information exploded with the creation of the internet as we know it. It provided a means of accelerating a mundane process that would see individuals having to source information physically. With the advent of the web, people began to create resources that fulfilled a need for information. However, much of the internet's initial momentum was based less on conglomerates or large corporations as we may see it today. Individuals shaped the internet and expounded on its resources. With that and increasing communication mediums, people could crowdsource for information and get different perspectives, ideas, and theories they previously would never have gained from their inner circle.

Despite its praise, crowdsourcing also includes negative aspects such as information not being vetted, lack of data or information ownership, and results based on a personal whim instead of an objective outlook (HARGRAVE, 2022). On the contrary, however, Hargrave adds that crowdsourcing is a growing field. It creates or brings communities together for a common purpose, solves time-intensive problems efficiently, and furthers a community's loyalty to building a product or solution. 

Anecdotally, the effectiveness of crowdsourcing depends on the implementation of quality control concerning those who are providing information. Individuals must be vetted as the medium could potentially give rise to disinformation, as was seen with the Covid-19 pandemic. Many individuals who were not fit to be giving medical advice misinformed the public, this includes regular citizens as well as healthcare professionals who either blatantly lied or jumped the gun when advising people.

References

HARGRAVE, M. (2022, November 22). Crowdsourcing: Definition, How It Works, Types, and Examples . Retrieved from investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/crowdsourcing.asp

Covid-19 first erupted in Sri Lanka on the 27th of January 2020 (Amaratunga , Fernando , Haigh , & Jayasinghe , 2020). Having made headlines around the country, people were still learning about the virus at the time, and WhatsApp and Facebook were the most significant contributors to disseminating information.

All the misconceptions about the virus that we laughed off while in class were views that people once saw as concrete. This included the various home remedies, breathing techniques, and self-assessments spread via Facebook through articles shared by parents, aunts, and uncles who suddenly became experts on this new pandemic.

Social media was responsible for more misinformation spreading than actual fact. I can remember 2020 being a year of chaos that included sanitizing everything known to man, distancing ourselves miles apart as we did not know how far the virus could travel once airborne and arguments erupting online as to the starting point of each covid “cluster” as the media always termed it. Coming from a more collective society that loves to share information about one another, a significant degree of snitching took place amongst the public. This paired with absolutely fucking insane ways of contraction, created entertaining stories, to say the least.

As I contemplate this week’s topic, I just realized that social media was a menace, the only positive form of communication was when the Sri Lankan government sent informative text messages to members of the public. That initiative, along with news corporations also alerting the general population, brought a degree of sensitivity and sanity during a time that was plagued by some insane auntie’s covid potion, remedies and forms of self-assessment that made one look like what Loren terms a “mongoloid.”

References

Protest and digital activism are things I’ve learned and cared about yet never experienced. The words ‘disagreement’, ‘disapproval’, and ‘opposition’ are stated by Cambridge Dictionary (n.d) when defining protest and having experienced a time of protest that was unique to me; I can say that about sums it up. 

Context

As has been reported on the news, this year was incredibly difficult for Sri Lanka, my home. Discontent among the mass population grew to the point that individuals from every race, socio-economic background, class, and gender voiced their frustrations for the first time. 

Sri Lankan politics is such that every faction of society is involved whether they like it or not. The prevalence of individuals who are not qualified to be members of parliament is so significant that ludicrous decisions are made almost daily, corruption is rampant, and people inevitably speak their thoughts as they are affected. 

This year, however, the divide in political views and support for parties and politicians ended as Sri Lanka’s reserves fell to 0, our currency plummeted, and inflation became the 2nd highest on earth. Being a society that rarely spoke out against then-President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa due to the fear of persecution, people took to digital protest to voice their frustrations. 

Digital Activism to Protest 

Spaces like Facebook and Instagram were flooded with posts and comments condemning the actions of a corrupt government. However, as problems grew in their magnitude so did public discontent, 17-hour power cuts, waiting in line for 2 weeks to secure half a tank of fuel, not having cooking gas in the country and seeing prices of goods exceed that of first-world countries brought people out to the streets. 

As per Morozov (2010) in his New York Times article, there is a difference between what he says are “virtual” and “real protests.” However, as he questions the legitimacy of digital revolutions with a Western gaze, I can say that there is not only a correlation between the two, but they are both needed to achieve success. 

Sri Lanka sees constant protesting; it isn’t an odd sight to be going to the office or coming back from school to be held in traffic due to a demonstration every few weeks. However, the success of such protests was limited as they remained just that, a protest, never getting the backing of the masses to become a movement. The U.S did not experience the Civil Rights Protest; it was the Civil Rights Movement. It saw collective action from African Americans of all classes, hence why its legend has lived on. The same sentiment applies to Sri Lanka. The digital protest created a platform that mobilized the public for a common cause, disseminated information amongst every facet of society, and developed collective resistance to the ruling regime. 

Information regarding physical protests was spread on Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. In a truly impressive and organized fashion, millions of people assembled at notable locations around the nation. Through many struggles, the protest ultimately succeeded, removing the President and his brother, who served as PM.  

A Broken Record

Ultimately, my thoughts on protest and digital activism are that they aren’t separate, nor does one hold more importance than the other. They need to work in tandem to achieve what should be a common goal. The age we live in calls for the use of social media to disseminate information and provide a platform for the truth. We’ve seen it work around the world, and I’ve seen it work first-hand in a way that no person alive today in my country will ever forget as we all continue in the struggle for a better tomorrow. 

References

Cambridge Dictionary . (n.d). protest . Retrieved from dictionary.cambridge.org: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/protest

The internet has led to the digitalization of every facet of our existence over the span of its 30+ year existence. This has undeniably altered the way politics is approached, having been used as a tool for change and destruction in the hands of both good and evil. As per Williams (1998), it changed the way political groups and politicians engaged with one another, their peers and their own campaigns, forever changing the political process.

Practically we’ve seen this with former US President Barack Obama who utilized the internet to drive his presidential campaign in 2008. Analytics illustrate the benefit of his digital push as during his time in office he used Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, giving him a larger audience than that of his conservative opponents.

However, not all applications of the internet and social media in the name of politics have been innocent. The digital revolution that was the Arab Spring was a positive force that enabled citizens across the Middle East and Africa to oust authoritarian leaders.

On the contrary, the internet has been used negatively from a more liberal point of view in countries such as Russia and China, where governments propagate what Donald Trump famously termed as “fake news.”  Propaganda in Russia has seen a digital archetype of Soviet-era methods of creating and spreading narratives (Paul & Miriam, 2022). The mediums of this propaganda, such as what is currently uttered in relation to events occurring in Ukraine, include text, audio, video, and still imagery, as per Paul & Miriam (2022). This media is spread across chat rooms, discussion forums, state news corporations, and other social websites. As for the invasion of Ukraine for instance, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said he wanted to “demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine” (Kirby, 2022).

Looking more closely at the historical context behind the polarizing effect of digital citizenship and why people are drawn to it, Lewis (2021) cites the cultural shift associated with the Gutenberg Press. The masses saw an opportunity to acquire knowledge at a lower cost and from a wider range of sources. This newly available tool created a generational desire for information that is quick to consume and widely circulated. Thriving upon this we’ve seen political engagement reach unprecedented heights in the 21st Century.

Based off this, politics has seen a rapid change with the internet disseminating information at rapid speeds and with a more large-scale effect that any medium in existence ever before. However, with this revelation, we’ve seen the decline of legitimacy in journalism, politics, and politicians themselves.

References

Kirby, P. (2022, May 9). Why has Russia invaded Ukraine and what does Putin want? . Retrieved from bbc.com : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589

lewis, J. (2021, January 21). A Short Discussion of the Internet’s Effect on Politics . Retrieved from csis.org: https://www.csis.org/analysis/short-discussion-internets-effect-politics

Paul, C., & Miriam , M. (2022). The Russian "Firehose of Falsehood" Propaganda Model . Retrieved from Rand Corporation : https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE198.html

Blogging, the word itself, denotes something informal and quirky, and at our core, I believe that’s what humans really are. Beneath our layers of anxiety, anger, depression, concerns, worries, and at times, joy, we are weird and unique pieces that contribute to creating the concept we term ‘life.’ Blogging is just that. It is life and meant to be unscripted, unapologetic, and devoid of external influences. As you see it, it is your story for the world to view, digest, and learn from.

A time stamp

The internet according to Jones (2019) is taking control of our brains. This may sound simple and obvious yet we go through our days unconsciously engaging in this online eco-system.

Think about it, the endless scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, sifting through countless emails, reading and replying to messages. We do these things unconsciously most of the time. Research conducted by Lancaster University found that smartphone usage patterns in a study were repetitive and predictable, cementing the notion that we are creatures of habit (Lancaster University, 2018). A habit as per Soots (2015) is an automatic action we take, devoid of any conscious deliberation however a web log is one of the few aspects of the internet that is conscious. It does not cripple the mind yet allows individuals to expand on their ideas, it is a testament to how we as a species utilize philosophy to grow and expound on the aspects of life.

This conscious form of digital expression will ultimately be a pivotal part of our existence, serving as the literature studied centuries from now. It is more than a time stamp. It is a gateway into the psychology of people from different places, at different socioeconomic levels, and of other races.

Philosophy

The term as explained by (Florida State University , n.d) encompasses seeking the truth about oneself, a desire to further understand the world one exists in and their relationships with this world and others who exist in it. Academic philosophy is broken down more systematically into areas of study and blogging is a part of this eco system.

Centuries ago, we had Plato, Aristotle and Socrates. These great philosophers were put on a pedestal and revered to a greater degree than any celebrity in the modern world. In hindsight as great as they were, they were all Caucasian men from Europe, with great ideas of course but blogging is arguably more special than the Philosophy of past times, it is a medium for anyone, regardless of race or gender to state their thoughts and beliefs, however deep they may be, on a variety of topics such as life, technology, food, science or love.

The erosion of boundaries between private and public. Black or white. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. This severe truth helps humans digest, understand, ideate, elaborate, inspire and create. This is blogging.

References

Florida State University . (n.d). What is Philosophy? . Retrieved from Florida State University : https://philosophy.fsu.edu/undergraduate-study/why-philosophy/What-is-Philosophy

Lancaster University. (2018, May 23). Why we fail to understand our smartphone use . Retrieved from sciencedaily : https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180523104246.htm

Digital communities allow for communication, networking, and information dissemination within a particular framework. According to Boyd & Ellison (2007), this framework revolves around constructing a profile, creating a social circle, and the ability to forge connections. These guidelines that form a Social Networking System are disrupted once a platform is monetized, as the purpose of the given platform is no longer to function purely as a space that breeds connections, essentially distorting its original intention.

However, data monetization has created a wider array of digital engagement tools within digital communities. Gerlitz & Helmond (2013) state the metrification of Facebook that allows users to post spontaneous reactions to posts. This offers a greater degree of expression, which is the purpose of such a platform, whilst providing data to Meta on its audience preferences and dislikes.

Monetization of Social Networking Systems also provides opportunities for users within a community to monetize their talents and skills, thus allowing a particular digital community to grow and thrive. This has been achieved via YouTube, that’s described by Gillespie (2010) as a platform for independent filmmakers. However, it is much more than that, as it has provided space for creators in different fields to grow within their industries. A macro-overview was provided by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki as cited in Hutchinson (2022). The CEO said in January this year that the number of global channels making more than $10,000 a year has risen by 40% over the year. Meanwhile, she added that the creative platform supported 800,000 jobs in 2020, a figure comprised of those in the entertainment, food, gaming, music, and sports industries, etc (Lauza, n.d).

As stated above, the negative effect of monetization is that users simply see what they want to and are not given the privilege of viewing nuanced information that would create a more educated and informed view of the world we live in. This, regarding digital communities, is a highly important point to touch on as people already limit their scope for opposing views when they are strictly part of a digital community. This limitation is further cemented as analytics allow large corporations to curate a user’s feed.

References

Boyd , D., & Ellison , N. (2007, October 1). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship . Retrieved from Oxford Academic : https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/13/1/210/4583062

Hutchinson, A. (2022, January 25). YouTube Outlines Key Areas of Growth, Including the Rise of Shorts and its Expanding Creator Economy. Retrieved from SocialMediaToday: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-outlines-key-areas-of-growth-including-the-rise-of-shorts-and-its/617720/

Lauza, R. (n.d). 13 best types of YouTube videos to grow subscribers and income . Retrieved from Sellfy: https://blog.sellfy.com/best-youtube-content-types/

To put it simply, yes, people do care about blogging. Judging by what we deem mainstream, it may not be apparent with our constant use of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok; however, the traditional blog is larger than ever. As per WPEBEGINNER (2022), a third of the internet's 1.9 billion websites are made of blogs. In 2022, 70 million blog posts are still published on WordPress.com each month. These simple statistics answer any doubt about blogging's place in the digital ecosystem. 

What attracts people to blogging?

Blogging is one of the few spaces in 2022 where one can unapologetically be themselves. The central intrigue of blogging is the freedom to let their thoughts flow, the freedom to think out loud and experiment with ideas and perceptions. Discourse in the modern world has been constricted, and people tend not to think twice but overthink and ultimately bury their thoughts and ideas. The fear of humiliation or judgment is at an all-time high because, now more than ever, your words live forever. Blogging can be done anonymously, and it may be about whatever one wants, whenever and however one wants. It is a piece of literature, an art form that is left up to the audience or viewer to digest as they please. This may be said about any form of expression in the world; however, once again, the main attraction is unapologetic authenticity. Once the judgment and influences of the world are gone, our truth tends to come out, and that is what blogging allows. 

The sheer variety and volume of blogs also create a sense of belonging for those who write and for the audience. Whatever one likes, whether it be philosophy, art, literature, food, or cars, there will always be a blog to cover the topic. There will always be an individual who knows more and aims to enlighten or express their thoughts on what they are passionate about. 

This creates a positive cycle where people are exposed to different forms of understanding and thinking, ultimately training the mind to be more nuanced. This in itself creates an attraction to blogging due to the fact that humans are simple beings who get accustomed to things, ultimately resulting in boredom. Repetition makes anything mundane at a certain point, and the same may be said for the information we digest. Hearing the same points on politics, the same views on rights issues, and the same theories about the universe makes life bleak, but the beauty of a blog is that one can never really know what to expect, unlike their Facebook or Instagram feed which gives people information based on their preferences. 

References

Twitter is a public space that exists online for users from across the globe to converse and share thoughts and opinions. They, according to what's stated on their website, advocate that Twitter exists "to give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly without barriers." This was breached last year in the eyes of many people, as Twitter banned then-president Donald Trump following the Capitol Riots in the United States last January.

Free speech calls for the ability of any individual in society to voice their opinion regarding any topic. This has been upheld by America since its inception as a democracy. It is one of its aspirational virtues that anyone, despite what class they belong to, can make public their beliefs or views. With this existing in American society, the world has grown to know many men and women who have come to the forefront of media and politics to challenge views and change the outlook that society has.

In writing this, however, Donald Trump is no white knight, having had his fair share of controversial views and statements but the fact still remains that America and the internet were built on the values of catering to not one single person, but to everyone, for freedom of speech has become a fundamental right in the great United States that the media loves to portray.