#digital communities

Welcome back to Pinkabombom’s Blog. This year, the Met Gala was celebrated the other day with the stunning theme of “Costume Art.” Once the red carpet looks were released, I noticed how my social media were filled with amazing fashion from some really artistic designers from across the world. Every person who attended the event came prepared to stun everyone with daring silhouettes and interesting fashion concepts. But the most shocking and exciting moment of the night was seeing all members of BLACKPINK🖤🩷 appearing at the event as solo artists, shining individually. I can’t believe how proud BLINKS feel when they see them there representing their incredible power in fashion and music as individual artists. Their appearances quickly became one of the hottest topics across social media, proving once again the powerful global presence of BLACKPINK.

Met Gala is much more than just another fashion show. It has already been established as a digital community event. Previously, celebrity events were covered via TV and magazines. However, today we have entered the age of digital citizenship and platformization, when fans no longer just watch an event, they become part of it on a virtual level.

K-pop fans collaborate in a participatory culture where they actively create media and take leadership roles within their fan communities by producing and promoting content on social media (Roslan et al., 2024). According to earlier research by Kim et al. (2022), pro-social and responsible actions taken by SNS members outside of their official roles are referred to as SNS citizenship behavior. Thus, BLINKS engaged in meme-making, reposting livestream footage, debating fashion elements, translating interviews, and posting updates across various social media platforms. In some cases, fans were even quicker than official news sources. Seriously, K-pop fandoms need journalism degrees at this point.

And it’s here where the power of hashtag publicity comes. Omena et al. (2020) pointed out that using hashtags can convey local or international discussions, small or large events, and contentious or uncontroversial topics. Last night, hashtags like #BLACKPINK, #Jennie, #Lisa, and #MetGala2026 totally took over all of the social networking sites. People from all across the world who had never met each other suddenly found themselves interacting together online over dresses, hairstyles, luxury goods, and interactions between idols.

The other crucial idea mentioned was platformization. Based on James (2025), platformization is the process of changing daily interactions from offline to technologically mediated. They have evolved beyond being mere applications for communication since algorithms have become essential in defining users' media and cultural consumption online. TikTok consistently pushed BLACKPINK covers on people's For You Page feed, Instagram highlighted luxurious fashion content, while Twitter enabled users to participate in trending topics. People who did not consume K-pop music found themselves well-informed about BLACKPINK's Met Gala fashion despite their unwillingness (love Jisoo🪐 looks by Dior).

To sum up, BLACKPINK at the Met Gala is much more than celebrity fashion media. It speaks how digital community, hashtag public, digital participation, and platformization play roles in kpop fandom culture and global popularity. Social media have empowered fandoms, turning them into active content creators rather than passive consumers of content🌟

Anyways, Anna Wintour, can you invite my bias Kim MingYu from Seventeen after his military term ends in 2028👉🏻👈🏻

( BTW Isuccessfully secure the Asia Top Music Festival today to meet CxM🩵)

References:

James, S. (2025). Affective participation from the In-Between: the platformization of K-Pop fandom. Social Media + Society, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251351390

Kim, J., Kim, K., Park, B., & Choi, H. (2022). The Phenomenon and Development of K-Pop: The Relationship between Success Factors of K-Pop and the National Image, Social Network Service Citizenship Behavior, and Tourist Behavioral Intention. Sustainability, 14(6), 3200. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063200

Omena, J. J., Rabello, E. T., & Mintz, A. G. (2020). Digital methods for hashtag Engagement research. Social Media + Society, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120940697

Y’all, as someone who loves podcasts, I’ve been thinking about how they’ve evolved… especially when it comes to the communities forming around them online… hmm🤔

Obviously we all know that podcasts are at least an hour long, some may even stretch up to 3 hours, crazy right. And well, since the rise of short form videos, podcast channels have been creating clips of their podcasts to post on social media like TikTok to attract and gain more audiences. This method has proven to be highly effective, allowing podcast creators to gain visibility much faster than before. For example, our local podcast @sembangseram on TikTok, also known as Safwan Nazri Podcast on YouTube, shows quite a difference in engagement between platforms, highlighting how audiences today are more drawn to short, easily digestible content.

More importantly, what I’m trying to say is, posting these clips on social media really does help them gain exposure but also build a community. Where? Well, the comment section. People go there to discuss about the clips, share their opinions, and even debate with one another. They might leave their own thoughts or reply to others, therefore creating a chain of interaction that keeps the conversation going. 

Now I know you might ask… doesn’t YouTube have comments too? Yeah, it does. But I feel like with longer videos, people usually wait until they finish everything before saying something. There’s just more to process. But with short clips, it’s straight to the point, once it ends, people already have something to say and just drop it in the comments immediately. Engagement like these simply reflects how TikTok communities are shaped by emotional connections and interaction, where users are “tied” together through shared responses to the contents (Bickham et al., 2026). In a way, the comment section becomes a small community where people feel involved, heard, and connected.

However, here’s the big deal, these spaces don’t just encourage discussion… they also encourage strong opinions. Since interactions happen without face-to-face communication, people tend to express more openly, or worse, aggressively. TikTok, as a platform, also plays a role in shaping how users behave. As said by Xu et al. (2025), its features and structure influence how people communicate and respond to content, reflecting certain “platform values” that guide user interaction. Simply said, without physical presence or accountability, people may feel more comfortable sharing blunt or controversial takes, especially when it’s out of context.

And… well, this is where things can be quite messy... While podcast clips are meant to attract audiences, they can also be easily misunderstood without the full context. A short 30-second or one minute clip cannot fully represent a whole hour discussion, yet it is often judged as if it does. And how does it usually end? Yup, just a bunch of backlash, criticism, or even calls for cancel culture. To step it up, TikTok’s features, such as stitching and replying, can amplify this behaviour by allowing users to respond directly, sometimes in a confrontational or mocking way. As Fichman and Amidu (2025) explain, these features can contribute to “reciprocal trolling,” where users engage in cycles of negative interaction and conflict. What starts as a simple discussion can quickly turn into hostility. 

Additionally, let’s be honest, online communities can sometimes develop gatekeeping behaviours too, where people judge others’ opinions or decide what is considered a “right” or “wrong” take. Creating an even more toxic environment where people feel pressured to conform or risk being attacked. Tompkins and Guajardo (2026) highlight how algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok can shape these dynamics, influencing which voices are amplified and how communities regulate themselves.

In the end, podcast clips on TikTok show both sides of social media. On one hand, they create opportunities for connection, discussion, and community-building. On the other hand, they also amplify negativity, misunderstandings, and conflict. But then again, this is simply just my opinion. 😉🤷🏻‍♀️ Quote, if it turns into a fight, I’m choosing peace over being right 😭

Week 6: What is Digital Citizenship? Hashtag Publics, Political Engagement and Activism.

In today’s digital world, being a citizen is no longer limited to offline participation. The concept of digital citizenship refers to how individuals use online platforms responsibly, ethically, and actively to engage with society. It includes activities such as sharing information, participating in discussions, and even engaging in political movements through social media.

One important idea linked to digital citizenship is hashtag publics, which describes how people gather online around shared topics using hashtags. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok allow users to participate in large-scale conversations simply by using a hashtag. These hashtag publics are powerful because they enable individuals to feel part of a collective voice, even if they are geographically distant.

A strong example of this is the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which gained global attention through social media. Hashtags helped spread awareness, organise protests, and encourage discussions about racial injustice. This shows how digital platforms can transform individual opinions into collective action. Research suggests that online communities play a significant role in shaping political engagement by encouraging participation and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard (Crawford et al., 2021).

Another key aspect of digital citizenship is political engagement and activism. Today, young people especially are more likely to express their political views online rather than through traditional methods like voting or attending physical events. Social media platforms provide accessible spaces for activism, allowing users to share petitions, create content, and mobilise support quickly. However, this also raises questions about “slacktivism,” where users engage only at a surface level, such as liking or sharing posts without taking further action.

At the same time, digital activism can have real-world impact. Studies show that online fandoms and communities can mobilise quickly for causes, raising funds or spreading awareness effectively (Johnson et al., 2024). This demonstrates that digital participation is not always superficial—it can lead to meaningful change when organised effectively.

However, digital citizenship also comes with responsibilities. The spread of misinformation, online harassment, and echo chambers are major concerns. Algorithms on social media platforms often reinforce existing beliefs, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives. This can weaken constructive political discussion and increase polarisation (Li & Pang, 2024).

In my opinion, digital citizenship is about balance. While social media gives individuals the power to speak and act, it also requires critical thinking and ethical responsibility. Being a good digital citizen means not only participating but also ensuring that our actions contribute positively to online communities and society as a whole.

References

Crawford, G., Fenton, A., Chadwick, S., & Lawrence, S. (2021). ‘All Avatars Aren’t We’: Football and the experience of football-themed digital content during a global pandemic. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 57(4), 515–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902211021529

Li, E. C., & Pang, K. (2024b). Fandom meets artificial intelligence: Rethinking participatory culture as human–community–machine interactions. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 27(4), 778–787. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494241236146

Hi, hello there, welcome. First of all, please don’t be taken aback by the title. Try reading it again.

It all started on a beautiful afternoon in March 10, 2026, when Heeseung, a member of the hit 7-member kpop group Enhypen, announces his departure from the group to pursue a solo career. It really happened out of the blue, and fans; or so we call them Engenes, are appalled, shocked, confused, and so it came the hashtag: #enhypenis7. It was a call for the fandom to come together and, well, try to convince the internet and the company behind Enhypen, HYBE, to bring Heeseung back to the group.

So what’s the correlation between Heeseung’s case and my actual topic: Digital Citizenship, Hashtag Publics, Political Engagement and Activism?

So it is a given that #enhypenis7 is a movement by kpop fans; Engenes, particularly, on X (formerly Twitter), and probably on Instagram. In other words, it's an act of protest, with the use of hashtags publics, by digital citizens, on a digital platform community.

As Ribble (2008) notes, Digital Citizenship refers to the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior online. It goes beyond just using technology—it includes digital rights, responsibilities, and the ability to engage thoughtfully in online communities. In today’s world, being a good digital citizen means understanding how your posts, shares, and hashtags contribute to (or harm) broader conversations. While Hashtag Publics (Rambukkana, 2015) describe the fluid, ad-hoc publics that form around specific hashtags. These are not traditional audiences but dynamic discursive networks where people assemble around shared issues, emotions, or identities. Hashtags enable visibility, collective action, and the blending of personal and political expression.

#enhypenis7 exemplifies hashtag publics in action. On X and Instagram, kpop netizens, not even those who are particularly fans of Enhypen, mobilized through coordinated trends, petitions, emotional storytelling, fan art, and calls for solidarity. What began as fandom grief quickly turned into a form of protest and collective advocacy. Couldry (2011) argues in Why Voice Matters that in a neoliberal context, having a voice—being able to speak and be heard—is a fundamental cultural and political value. Digital platforms can amplify voice but also risk undermining it through unequal structures and algorithmic control.

This is digital citizenship at work: fans exercising their voices as engaged participants in a platform-mediated community, using available tools to challenge corporate decisions (Couldry, 2011).

I will not argue that Heeseung’s case is anything comparable to actual social or political protests (like the #MeToo movement), but I feel like it’s an event that’s deeply relatable to me as a chronically online kpop fan. If you ask me, I feel as though these movements share the same spirit. As a digital citizen, joining these movements makes you feel part of something bigger, almost like practicing democracy in miniature. You learn to navigate algorithms, counter opposing voices, and build temporary alliances.

Yet, as Couldry has noted (and I’ve experienced), there are limits: hashtags can fade quickly, emotional burnout is real, and not all engagement leads to tangible change. So really, are we actually contributing responsibly… or just adding noise to a discursive network?

References:

Couldry, N. (2011). Why voice matters: Culture and politics after neoliberalism. Sage Publications.

Rambukkana, N. (Ed.). (2015). Hashtag publics: The power and politics of discursive networks. Peter Lang.

Ribble, M. (2008). Passport to digital citizenship. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(4), 14–17.

Crowdsourcing refers to the practice of obtaining ideas, services, data, or resources from a large, often online group of people during emergencies or disruptive events such as natural disasters, pandemics, wars, or economic collapses. Highlight. This includes all crises out there, not just the contemporary digital hardships. The topic of crowdsourcing validates the significance of the digital community, and why it has the power to change, to rule the world. BIG LINES. But it’s true. We’ll go about this by breaking down into different cases of digital crowdsourcing and what had already happened in the past, and the changes they have already landed in the past years. 

The Covid-19 pandemic

Lockdown. Vaccines. Sorrows. Deaths. Covid is a season of great sorrows. When the economy and general mobility are being severely handicapped, the people switch to the online platform for ideas and actions for urgent research and discoveries

In early 2020, a global shortage of mechanical ventilators threatened to overwhelm healthcare systems as COVID-19 led to severe respiratory failure. Over 3,000 engineers, medical professionals, and hobbyists from 20+ countries collaborated in real-time on a single open-source ventilator design. Design files were version-controlled on GitHub; circuit board designs were co-edited live on Altium 365.

This is done by a complete geographic decentralization – no physical meeting was ever held. The final design could be downloaded and manufactured anywhere in the world with a 3D printer and basic electronics.

In specific regions in Africa, the pandemic was accompanied by an Infodemic, a spread of disinformation, making it difficult for people to find accurate information. To tackle the issue, UNESCO in partnership with Innovation for Policy Foundation (i4Policy) launched an online campaign to crowdsource local openly licensed content to inform communities across Africa about Covid-19.

“This crisis tells us the importance of the flow of quality, reliable information at a time when misinformation and rumors are flourishing,” said UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay.  

Translators for Ukraine (2022-Present)

In the face of war, social media platforms such as Telegram and Whatsapp are being used as decentralised network with volunteer translators receiving important screenshots of Ukrainian documents - medical records, legal forms, evacuation orders, returned and translated within minutes. A simple Telegram bot distributed tasks to available volunteers based on language pairs (e.g., Ukrainian -> Polish).

At peak, the network claimed over 5000 active volunteers and processed over 1 million translation requests in the first six months of the war. 

2010 Haiti Earthquake: Ushahidi and the 4636 SMS Short Code

On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, causing over 100,000 deaths and overwhelming traditional communication and aid infrastructure. Within hours of the earthquake, the Ushaidi platform - originally a platform developed to map violence in Kenya - launched the Ushaihidi-Haiti Project. The innovation was a partnership with the mobile network Digicel to establish SMS short code 4636, allowing anyone in Haiti to text reports of urgent needs for free. 

Estimated 10,000 Haitians volunteered to translate messages, processing thousands of reports. 

The US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard actively used the live map. One Marine Corps report specifically credited the map with enabling a rescue mission that evacuated two elderly women and a young girl with critical injuries from outside Grand Goave, stating, "Your site saved these people's lives... There are 100s of these kinds of stories..."

Digital crowdsourcing is a great example in contributing to a healthy digital citizenship. It is also a pivotal tool for organizations and institutions that helps facilitate the decentralization of knowledge production and task execution and by doing so, leverages dispersed expertise, creativity and labour across global networks. It can be applied in various manners including crowdfunding, crowd analysis, crowd data collection and so on, in different fields and circumstances. Hansen (2012) affirms that aimed at solving wicked problems, public managers seek innovative approaches and crowdsourcing can be a likely solution for municipal issues. 

Addressing the need of volunteers in crowdsourcing

Democratic viewpoints suggest citizen engagement with technology use for improving deliberation and decision making (Macintosh, 2004). Other e-participation frameworks include alternatives for more collaborative strategies, which enable citizens to become partners and co-creators and co-producers of services (Nam, 2016). 

One of the most efficient ways to take part in crowdsourcing for an ongoing crisis is to participate in crisis mapping and open-source data collection. Global humanitarian organizations use these platforms to turn satellite imagery and local reports into actionable maps and intelligence for on-the-ground disaster relief. 

Crowdsourcing is an indispensable need in the time of crises, and digital crowdsourcing offers more channels for greater accessibility and enhanced efficiency of the crowdsourcing process, making it easier in resolving crises. 

Week 12: Crowdsourcing in times of crisis

References:

Bertot, J. C., Jaeger, P. T., & Hansen, D. (2012). Government Information Quarterly, 29(1), 30–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2011.04.004

Macintosh, A. (2004). Characterizing e-participation in policy-making. In Proceedings of the 37th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (p. 50117b). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2004.1265300

Morrow, N., Mock, N., Papendieck, A., & Kocmich, J. (2011). Independent evaluation of the Ushahidi Haiti project. Development Information Systems International.

Nam, T. (2016). Government 3.0 in Korea: A country study on government innovation. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 82(4), 743–763.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852315574992

UNESCO. (2020, April 1). #DontGoViral: UNESCO and i4Policy launch a campaign to crowdsource local content to combat the Infodemic in Africa. UNESCO News. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/dontgoviral-unesco-and-i4policy-launch-campaign-crowdsource-local-content-combat-infodemic-africa

Hey everyone! 👋

When people think about video games, they often imagine competition, high scores, or fast-paced action. However, many games today focus on creativity, relaxation, and everyday simulation experiences that still manage to build strong communities. A great example of this is Good Pizza, Great Pizza🍕, a casual restaurant simulation game that has developed a surprisingly active and social player base.

🌟 Understanding Good Pizza, Great Pizza

Good Pizza, Great Pizza is a single-player simulation game where players run a pizza shop, take customer orders, prepare pizzas, and manage business upgrades. While it may look simple, the game’s charm comes from its storytelling, humour, and increasingly complex customer requests. From a game studies perspective, indie and casual games like this often gain cultural value not only from gameplay mechanics but also from the communities that form around them (Keogh, 2021). Even without built-in multiplayer features, players still participate in shared discussions, strategies, and experiences.

🤝 Social Gaming Beyond Multiplayer

Social gaming is not limited to online competitive games. Even single-player games like Good Pizza, Great Pizza create opportunities for interaction through online platforms. Players actively share:

🍕difficult customer orders

🍕pizza design strategies

🍕gameplay screenshots

🍕personal achievements

These interactions often take place on social media platforms, forums, and fan communities, showing how play extends beyond the game itself into everyday digital culture (Hjorth et al., 2021). This demonstrates that “playing” is not just an individual activity — it becomes a shared cultural experience shaped by online communication and creativity.

🎥 Live Streaming & Watching Others Play

Live streaming has become a major part of modern gaming culture. According to Taylor (2018), streaming platforms have transformed gameplay into a form of public performance, where audiences actively watch, react, and participate in gaming experiences. Even games like Good Pizza, Great Pizza are popular on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, where creators:

🍕showcase gameplay strategies

🍕complete fun challenges

🍕share relaxing “cozy gameplay” content

Streaming allows audiences to feel connected not only to the game but also to the streamer, forming parasocial relationships and community interaction in real time (Taylor, 2018).

🌍 Platformisation & Game Communities

Modern gaming communities are also shaped by larger digital systems and platforms. Chia et al. (2020) explain that game development and distribution are increasingly influenced by “platformisation,” where platforms like mobile app stores and social media shape how games are discovered, played, and shared.

For Good Pizza, Great Pizza, this means:

🍕 visibility depends on mobile platforms

🍕communities grow through algorithm-driven content

🍕creators help spread gameplay trends online

This shows that gaming culture is not just about players — it is also shaped by the platforms that host and distribute the content.

⚠️ Challenges in Gaming Communities

Even in positive and relaxed gaming communities, challenges still exist. These can include:

🍕repetitive content in online discussions

🍕misinformation about gameplay strategies

🍕negative or unhelpful comments in community spaces

As Hjorth et al. (2021) suggest, digital play spaces reflect broader social behaviours, meaning online interactions can be both creative and problematic. This highlights the importance of digital citizenship, respect, and responsible participation in online gaming communities.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Good Pizza, Great Pizza may seem like a simple cooking simulation game, but it represents something much larger: the way games create shared cultural experiences. Through online discussions, content creation, live streaming, and platform-driven communities, players connect in meaningful ways even without direct multiplayer gameplay. As Keogh (2021), Taylor (2018), Hjorth et al. (2021), and Chia et al. (2020) all suggest in different ways, gaming today is deeply social, platformed, and culturally embedded. So whether you’re making pizzas, watching gameplay videos, or scrolling through fan content online, you’re part of a much bigger digital gaming community than you might think. 🍕✨

Reference

Chia, A., Keogh, B., Leorke, D., & Nicoll, B. (2020). Platformisation in game development. Internet Policy Review, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.14763/2020.4.1515

https://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/platformisation-game-development

Hjorth, L., Richardson, I., Davies, H., & Balmford, W. (2021). Exploring play. In Exploring Minecraft: Ethnographies of play and creativity (pp. 27–47). Palgrave Macmillan.

Keogh, B. (2021). The Melbourne indie game scenes: Value regimes in localized game development (Chapter 13). In P. Ruffino (Ed.), Independent videogames: Cultures, networks, techniques and politics (pp. 209–222). Routledge.