#digitalcommunities

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

Every day, we spend hours online—scrolling through TikTok, sharing Instagram stories, commenting on posts, and joining trending conversations. But being online is more than simply consuming content. It also means becoming a digital citizen, someone who uses digital platforms responsibly, respectfully, and actively participates in online communities. Digital citizenship includes how we communicate, share information, protect others from harm, and contribute positively to society through digital spaces (Choi & Cristol, 2021). In short, our online actions reflect who we are as members of a digital society.

Social media has also changed how people engage with important issues through what scholars call hashtag publics. Hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateChange allow people around the world to connect, raise awareness, and organize discussions around social and political issues. These hashtags become digital gathering spaces where communities form around shared values and experiences. This shows how online platforms are no longer just spaces for entertainment—they are places for activism, public discussion, and collective action.

At the same time, digital citizenship is shaped by platformisation, where platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTubeinfluence what we see, what becomes viral, and how communities interact online. Algorithms, trending pages, and recommendation systems shape digital culture every day. Because of this, being a good digital citizen today means more than simply being active online—it means being critical, responsible, and aware of how digital platforms shape our choices and voices (Poell et al., 2019).

In the digital age, citizenship is no longer limited to the physical world. It now lives in our comments, shares, hashtags, and online communities. Every post, every interaction, and every digital voice contributes to the kind of online society we build.

References

Choi, M., & Cristol, D. (2021). Digital citizenship for all: Empowering young people through digital participation. Educational Technology Research and Development.

Poell, T., Nieborg, D. B., & van Dijck, J. (2019). Platformisation. Internet Policy Review, 8(4), 1–13.

Before you say anything, yes, Tumblr is still relevant. And yes, we studied it this week. And honestly? It makes total sense why.

Tumblr launched in 2007 as a microblogging platform with short posts, images, GIFs, videos, links, basically a creative diary that anyone could stumble onto. It sits somewhere between a personal blog and a social network, and that in-between space is exactly what makes it interesting.

Here's what sets Tumblr apart from every other platform:

✨ Reblogging — instead of just sharing, you reblog and add your own thoughts. Ideas travel across communities while crediting the original creator. Bussoletti (2022) found this is how Tumblr fandom communities stay connected globally even across language barriers.

🎭 Anonymity — no real name required. This one feature changes everything. People feel safer to express opinions, explore identity, and be weird without it following them on LinkedIn.

🏳️‍🌈 Identity exploration — Tumblr has historically been a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth, feminist communities, and marginalized groups to find community and information (Prins, 2025). It's not just content, it's belonging.

🎨 Creative culture — memes, fan art, personal essays, niche obsessions. Tumblr rewards authenticity and creativity over follower counts or viral metrics. Refreshing, honestly.

Academically, Tumblr matters because it shows us how platform design shapes community behavior. Its anonymity, reblogging system, and lack of a heavy-handed algorithm create a very different kind of digital public compared to TikTok or Instagram.

Basically, Tumblr is the introvert of social media platforms. Quietly doing its thing, deeply misunderstood, and more interesting than people give it credit for.

References

MDA20009 Digital Communities

When you hear the word “fan,” you might picture someone in a superhero cape, screaming at a concert, or collecting rare merch. Media often portrays fandom as “weird” or over-the-top. But being a fan is simply about passion, whether it’s for a movie, TV show, band, or actor. It’s about loving something deeply and feeling connected to something bigger. So why are fans still seen as “overly emotional” or obsessive?

Inspired by: @arlnlms

The truth is, the stereotypes around fans are mostly media-driven. Movies and TV shows often portray fans as obsessive, spending all their time and money on their interests. (I can relate to this, where I'm willing to give my time to watch their movie/tv show/fangirling about them). While some fans do take their passion to the next level, most of us are just regular people who love something deeply. Some collect items, others binge-watch shows on lazy Sundays. There’s no “right” way to be a fan, and loving something intensely doesn’t make you “weird.”

But here’s the catch, while the general idea of being a fan isn’t strange, toxic online spaces can make it harder to embrace that love. Thanks to social media, fandoms have grown from small, niche communities into massive global networks. This has been amazing in many ways connecting people from different backgrounds and allowing them to share their love for something they’re passionate about. But with this growth comes a darker side. Toxic fans, who are often loud and aggressive, can make it tough to feel comfortable in fandom spaces. And that can really suck the fun out of being a fan.

If you’ve been on platforms like Twitter or Reddit, you’ve likely seen toxic fans who belittle, harass, or shame others for not sharing their opinions, liking the “right” thing, or being new. Their behavior, from petty arguments to outright bullying, often dominates discussions, making others feel excluded or “lesser” for not meeting their arbitrary standards of fandom.

For example, let’s take a look at Twitter, a platform that has become notorious for its fandom drama. You’ll often see threads where fans argue over the smallest details of a franchise, with insults flying left and right. It can get so intense that it feels more like a competition about who’s the “biggest fan” than a celebration of shared love. These heated arguments can scare people away from joining in or even sharing their own opinions. It’s like you have to prove yourself before you can truly belong, and which makes fandom way less fun.

No one should feel like they have to prove their worth to be a fan. Fandoms should be welcoming spaces where people share their love for something, not judged by how much they know or how long they've been a fan. Everyone connects with fandoms differently, and that’s what makes it special. But toxic fandoms don’t always allow for that, making you feel like an outsider if you don’t meet their standards.

This leads me to my own experience with fandom. I’ve been part of several fandoms over the years, and for the most part, I’ve had positive experiences. It’s been amazing to connect with others who love the same things and share in the excitement of new releases or events. But I’ve also encountered those toxic pockets where negativity seems to be the main focus. I remember getting involved in a popular TV show fandom once, and before I even had a chance to join in on the fun, I was criticized for not knowing every single detail of the show’s backstory, LMAO. It was disheartening to feel like I wasn’t “fan enough” just because I didn’t have the same level of knowledge as others. It made me question if I even wanted to be part of that fandom anymore.

Well, that experience taught me that I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. I’m a fan because I love something, not because I can recite every line or know every little fact about it. Fandom should be about enjoyment, not exclusion.

So, while toxic fans and the media’s portrayal of fandoms as “weird” can make it harder to embrace your love for something, it’s important to remember that true fandom is about passion, connection, and community. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re not “fan enough” just because you love something differently. After all, fandom is for everyone whether you’ve been a fan for decades or just discovered something new. The joy of being a fan is in the love you share, not in meeting someone else’s standards.

Let’s keep it fun, friendly, and inclusive. Because fans aren’t weird. Toxic spaces are.

MDA 20009 Digital Communities

Hello everyone, today we are going to dive into a rather interesting topic in youth trends. Enjoy reading! <3

Whenever people chat, post videos or write blogs, they insert memes to add interest to the content. In recent years, memes have become popular not only in the social media culture but also in the political arena, and Malaysia is no exception. In fact, there has been a surge in the use of memes to convey complex political messages in the Malaysian political arena. But do these memes really help us understand politics better?

What’s Meme?

Before we delve into the meme culture in Malaysia and its impact on political participation, let's take a look at this video by BBC Ideas.

The video explores the history and definition of meme in depth. From the video, the interviewer defines meme in various ways:

“meme can say a lot more than one sentence as well” “A written joke that’s related to something that happens in real life” “links with ironic attitude to everything, where you can express your disdain, disappointment, a lack of trust in something”

The term ‘meme’ was first coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976, in his book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins describes a meme as a unit of cultural transmission or mimicry, which can be an idea, behavior or style that spreads through a culture. Today, the concept has been applied to the digital age, where meme resonates with Internet users as a quick, shareable idea (BBC Ideas, 2020).

In simple terms, a meme is an expression of a person's opinion about something or a person's behavior using a combination between images, text, and video, which can take many forms such as a story, irony, or sarcasm. A meme politics is a meme that contains a political character (person/thing).

Memes: A Modern Political Tool

In Malaysia, young people discuss and display politics on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok in a variety of ways that reflect public sentiments and criticisms, such as ‘meme politics’ (meme politics).

As refer to the study by Nizah et al. (2024), ‘memes’ are currently one of the newest forms of saturation communication. During the 2014 presidential election, a large number of ‘meme’ cartoons appeared on the Indonesian Internet and played an important role in the country's political discourse (Aminulloh et al.)

Another example is that during the 2018 general election, netizens created memes to mock and criticize the then-ruling BN party, and memes mocking government policies became viral, pushing the younger generation to engage in political discussions and even motivating voters to vote.

This illustrates how internet memes can be used as a tool for political education, especially among internet-savvy young Malaysians.

Are Memes Really Helping Us Understand Politics?

One of the main benefits of ‘memes’ in a political context is the ability to take issues that are usually complex, heavy, and difficult for the average person to engage with such topics as economic reform, election scandals, and government policies, and break them down into easily digestible forms that become more accessible when translated into shareable comedic images.

Political memes can indeed lower the barriers to political and the sense of humor displayed in political discourse through memes increases the public's willingness to discuss political issues, which is important in countries where politics can be sensitive. Furthermore, memes are easy to share, so anyone can join the conversation.

According to Walter et al. (2018), humor has a slight but significant effect on persuasion, a moderate effect on awareness, and a slight effect on attitudes and behavioral intentions. Humor was also more effective for individuals who were highly engaged in politics. For individuals who are less politically engaged and not interested in politics, presenting politics in an entertaining or humorous way may motivate them to acquire additional political information, which is known as the ‘gateway effect’. The most critical feature of humor is its ability to enhance the reputation of the source. Gruner (2017) has found that the ability of humor can enhance the source’s reputation as it allows people to equate a humorous source with strong credibility, even though it is unrelated. In addition, humor is associated with a latent effect, whereby humor is associated with low levels of source credibility, but steadily increases as the audience separates the source from the message (Kasmani, F. 2022). These findings suggest that humor is influential in persuasion and political communication.

Furthermore, memes are emotionally appealing and accessible, capitalizing on anti-establishment sentiments and discontent with the political class to evoke a sense of a positive future. Donald Trump's slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) became a memes after it was first coined during Ronald Reagan's 1980 campaign. Influenced by the catchphrase, citizens have worn ‘MAGA’ merchandise or vented their anger under the official hashtag #MAGA, expecting recognition from those who feel the same way. The hashtag not only provides an easy way for people to gain satisfaction and self-affirmation, but also allows users to incorporate the rebellious colours of heroism into their personal image (Helferich & Helferich, 2022).

Memes favor the rapid diffusion of ideas (Denisova, 2016) and can therefore enable online activists to quickly initiate and spread dialogue about neglected political issues (Moreno-Almeida, 2021). Plus, political memes do spread awareness of political issues (Miltner, 2018). Milner (2013) has also illustrated an example, the Occupy Wall Street memes disseminated information related to the movement and stimulated dialogue between social media users of different political stances (Helferich & Helferich, 2022).

“Memes can be a double-edged sword - on the one hand, memes make content more relatable and accessible, but on the other hand, memes can sometimes oversimplify complex issues or spread misinformation.”

While memes can draw attention to political issues, they have their limitations. One major problem is that humor or sarcasm in memes tends to oversimplify issues, which can lead to misunderstandings. The sharing of political memes without context can lead to the spread of misinformation or misinterpretation of political events. Additionally, the amplification of popular opinions in news phrases hinders nuanced political discussion. Studies have identified misinformation and low-level policy information in memes, indicating that they are unlikely to enhance political knowledge (Dupuis & Williams, 2019; McLoughlin & Southern, 2020) (Halversen & Weeks, 2023).

Conclusion

In summary, it seems fair to suggest that the meme is an interactive medium for citizens to comment on politics, and that it undoubtedly plays an important role in Malaysian politics. It has made political information more accessible and engaging, and they provide citizens with a platform to express their opinions and participate in political discussions, especially for those who may not be familiar with formal political debates. However, it is important to exercise caution when engaging with political memes. While they can be a useful tool for understanding politics, they may not always provide comprehensive or accurate information. To gain a deeper understanding of politics, it is essential to complement memes with more detailed, fact-based sources of information.

Well done!! You have reached the end of this blog ^^

What do you think? Are memes helping or hurting political discourse in Malaysia? For me, I think it does raise awareness of political participation. However, I think people should endeavour to address the cause of the problem itself instead of blaming others for their mistakes and avoid cyber-attacks to create a peaceful environment for digital platforms.

I hope you've gained something here and see ya in the next post <333

References:

BBC Ideas. (2020, September 24). A brief history of memes | BBC Ideas [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VS9cWmmu2k

Halversen, A., & Weeks, B. E. (2023). Memeing Politics: Understanding political meme creators, audiences, and consequences on social media. Social Media + Society, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231205588

Helferich, J., & Helferich, J. (2022, December 31). The power of memes in political campaigning | John Helferich | Oxford Political Review. Oxford Political Review. https://oxfordpoliticalreview.com/2021/07/11/the-power-of-memes-in-political-campaigning/

Kasmani, F. (2022). Persuasive political humour on social media: A study of Najib Razak's Facebook posts. 14. 1-17. Research Gate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360352838_Persuasive_political_humour_on_social_media_A_study_of_Najib_Razak's_Facebook_posts

WEEK 8 - Body Modification on Visual Social Media

Hey hey hey, my fellow bloggie peeps ✨

Guess who's back with another blog post? That's right, it's me! 🩷

I know it's been a while, but I'm here and ready to share some new content with you all~

Welcome to today's blog, where we’ll be diving into something truly fascinating. We're gonna dive into the topic of Body Modification on Visual Social Media and I will be focusing on the one and only Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy.Sadly, Rick passed away in 2018, but his legacy continues to inspire and captivate people around the world. Despite his untimely death, Rick's journey is filled with positivity, creativity, and the power of genuine support.

Let’s get into it right away now!

𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐓: 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐕𝐀𝐒

In our digitally connected world, digital citizenship goes beyond just our online actions—it’s also about how we present ourselves and influence others.

One captivating example of this is the late Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy. Rick was a Canadian artist, actor, fashion model, and musician who left an unforgettable impact on visual social media with his unique body modifications. With a Guinness World Record for his full-body tattoos, Rick’s journey provides essential insights into digital citizenship and the health education surrounding body modification.

𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀

Rick's presence on visual social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook was groundbreaking. His tattoos, which intricately depicted a decomposing body, were both shocking and mesmerizing. They challenged conventional beauty standards and sparked conversations about body modification, self-expression, and identity. Rick used these platforms not only to share his art but also to connect with a global audience, inspiring many to view tattoos and body modifications as legitimate forms of art and self-expression  (Guichard-Kenny 2018).

𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏: 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

Rick's journey highlights essential aspects of digital citizenship. By sharing his body modification journey online, he took on the responsibility of influencing how others perceive and engage with the concept of body modification. His candidness about his transformation and the artistic process behind his tattoos fostered a community that appreciated and respected diverse forms of self-expression (Dobson 2019).

However, with great influence comes great responsibility. As a digital citizen, Rick was aware of the impact his posts could have on young and impressionable audiences. He often spoke about the significance of his tattoos, not merely as a form of rebellion but as a deeply personal and artistic journey. His transparency and openness provided a more nuanced understanding of body modification, encouraging his followers to think critically about their choices and the motivations behind them (Motta 2018).

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Rick's extensive tattoos also bring to light critical health education issues related to body modification. Tattoos, especially to the extent Rick had them, require significant consideration regarding physical health, mental well-being, and social implications.

When it comes to Physical Health, Rick's tattoos were done by professional artists under sterile conditions, minimizing the risk of infections and complications. His experience underscores the importance of seeking reputable tattoo artists and understanding the health risks involved (Mackinney-Valentin 2013).

As for mental health being, For Rick, tattoos were more than skin deep. They were a therapeutic and artistic outlet. However, not everyone has the same experience. Body modification can have profound psychological effects, and it’s crucial to approach it with a clear mind and realistic expectations. Rick’s journey encourages potential enthusiasts to consider their motivations and the potential long-term effects on their mental health (Matsyshyna 2016).

But to sum it all up, Rick’s appearance challenged societal norms and, at times, led to social stigmatization. His resilience and ability to turn his body into a celebrated work of art serve as a reminder of the societal challenges that come with extreme body modification. Educating oneself about these potential challenges is an essential aspect of the health education surrounding body modification.

𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐆𝐀𝐆𝐀'𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊'𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐄𝐘

One of the most beautiful aspects of Rick's story is the incredible support he received from Lady Gaga. She recognized his unique artistry and saw something special in him. Their paths crossed when Rick starred in her music video for "Born This Way," a moment that skyrocketed his visibility and helped him gain recognition for his extraordinary self-expression (Galway & Mallon 2018).

Lady Gaga wasn’t just a collaborator; she was a true friend and advocate. She often praised Rick’s talent and courage, using her platform to shine a light on his work and the art of body modification (Yebra 2018). Her support played a significant role in Rick’s rise to fame and helped break down barriers and stigmas associated with extreme body art.

Rick’s life may have been cut short, but his impact on the world of art, fashion, and digital media is everlasting. He showed us that self-expression knows no bounds and that true art comes from within. Lady Gaga’s unwavering support and belief in Rick's talent remind us of the importance of lifting each other up and celebrating our unique differences.

So, let’s remember Rick Genest not for his passing, but for the incredible legacy he left behind and the positive influence he had on the world, thanks in part to the support of a superstar who believed in his vision. Keep expressing yourself, and never forget the power of a supportive community! 💖

Love, Zen🌸

REFERENCES

Dobson, J 2019, ‘The marvellous history of medicine’, BMJ, p. l6603.

Guichard-Kenny, S 2018, ‘The Anatomical Tattoo’, Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 140–142.

Galway, K & Mallon, S 2018, Lady Gaga’s Twitter blunder and why speculating about suicide after a celebrity death is problematic, theconversation.com.

Motta, G 2018, Fashion through History: Costumes, Symbols, Communication (Volume I), Google Books, Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Mackinney-Valentin, M 2013, ‘Face value: Subversive beauty ideals in contemporary fashion marketing’, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 13–27.

Matsyshyna, IV 2016, ‘Body-centrism in advertising texts, or how we are inured to pain’, AI & SOCIETY, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 109–115.

According to Domingos et al (2022), a fashion label is perceived as "slow/sustainable" when it follows the principles relating to quality-based production, ethical attitudes, and well-made and long-lasting products. However, an ideal story in which both the economic and ethical concerns are prioritized is relatively rare to happen in the fashion industry. Even Uniqlo, a top global brand that is known for its timeless designs, is still not categorized as a slow-fashion company but instead a "sustainable fast-fashion brand" because of its mass production. (Danziger, 2021) So the question is, in which way sustainability is demonstrated in the current fashion landscape?

Firstly, we must look straightforward into the reality that thanks to media in general and social media in particular, slow fashion nowadays has become a movement that every brand is following to make themselves more ethical and favorable in the consumers' eyes. Browsing on H&M, Zara, or Uniqlo's websites, it is observed that they have exclusive sections where they clarify their efforts in maintaining sustainability, with identical terms such as "net-zero impact", "reducing the footprints", "environmental-friendly materials"... However, it seems like their practical outcomes do not align with the missions they set for themselves, based on annual reports and news indicating the great amount of solid waste and CO2 emissions from their factories, how they exploit their labor resources, and how fast can they catch up with the trends and produce collections constantly. (Shedlock and Feldstein, 2023)

Since the "slow" factor still needs a very long time to be clearly visible through the manufacturing process, it is suggested that we should shift the attention to the customers' - our mindsets when purchasing and consuming clothes. You can buy a $4 T-shirt from SHEIN but wear it for 4 years, that is when you practice sustainable fashion, focusing on the clothes' lifespan and number of usages, even though your piece comes from an unsustainable brand.

In 2023, the fashion industry witnessed the rise of "capsule wardrobe" and "quiet luxury". Although these trends did encounter certain unknowledgeable followers, they contributed significantly to educating consumers to prioritize clothes' quality in materials, forms, and seams over logos or trendiness; and to only buy the "hero" pieces that can match well together. On Instagram and TikTok, some popular fashionistas like Tim Dessaint and Daniel Simmons have succeeded in inspiring their communities to repeat outfits, proving that simplicity and efficiency should be the new trend.

REFERENCES

Danziger, P. N. (2021). Uniqlo Intends To Become The World’s Top Fashion Retailer By Distancing From H&M And Zara. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2021/02/17/uniqlo-intends-to-become-the-worlds-top-fashion-retailer-by-distancing-from-hm-and-zara/?sh=70d9bb076d9a

Domingos, M., Vale, V. T., & Faria, S. (2022). Slow Fashion Consumer Behavior: A Literature Review. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 14(5), 2860-. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052860

Crowdsourcing is the process of using social media, the internet, and smartphone apps to gather work, information, or views from a huge number of individuals (Pratt & Gonsalves, 2023).

Crowdsourcing is predicated on the assumption that a heterogeneous and dispersed group might produce novel concepts, insightful observations, and solutions that might not be achievable through conventional channels. Through the utilization of crowdsourcing, both individuals and organizations can access an extensive range of resources, expertise, and viewpoints.

3 Examples of Crowdsourcing Campaigns in Malaysia

Tabung Harapan Malaysia (Malaysia Hope Fund)

The Malaysian government started the Tabung Harapan Malaysia (Malaysia Hope Fund) campaign in 2018 to solicit public donations in an effort to lower the nation's debt. Support for the campaign was tremendous, with money coming in from Malaysians all around the nation and even outside (Chan, 2018).

Projek57

Source: https://youtu.be/UabNP7QaaU4?si=N0JExhlzK2PB92IA

Malaysia's Projek57 is a social business with the mission of fostering nationalism and unity. They started a crowdsourcing initiative to collect designs, ideas, and narratives in order to produce a product that is exclusively Malaysian. People responded quite well to the campaign, sharing their experiences and submitting their drawings, which were turned into a variety of items (Projek, 2023).

Citizen Engagement

The government of Malaysia has aggressively started a number of initiatives to crowdsource ideas and solutions from its citizens. Numerous regional organizations have taken the lead and started crowdsourcing projects (Zahari, 2016).

How is crowdsourcing used by communities during disasters?

Gathering information: Information on the disaster, including its location and extent of damage, the number of people impacted, and the resources required to respond to it, can be gathered through crowdsourcing (Crowdsourcing - PrepareCenter, 2023).

Mapping: Maps of the disaster region made via crowdsourcing can be used to assist responders in planning their actions and identifying places that require assistance (Tavra et al., 2021).

Resource allocation: Resources like food, water, and medical supplies can be found and distributed to the communities that need them the most using crowdsourcing (Crowdsourcing - PrepareCenter, 2023).

Volunteer coordination: Organizing volunteers who wish to assist with the disaster response effort can be done using crowdsourcing. Volunteers can be paired with projects based on their availability and skill set (Crowdsourcing Toolkit for Emergency Management - Integrating Crowdsourcing, n.d.).

Situational awareness: Real-time updates on the catastrophe situation, such as the whereabouts of emergency responders, the condition of vital infrastructure, and the requirements of impacted communities, can be obtained through crowdsourcing (Crowdsourcing - PrepareCenter, 2023).

Can crowdfunding build a community for creatives?

YES, crowdsourcing may help creatives form communities. Independent artists and small groups can use crowdfunding, a popular new internet fundraising method, to reach a much wider audience. In addition to being a helpful tool for marketing, crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter, IndieGogo, and GoFundMe may be used to earn money for artistic endeavors (Crowdfunding Arts Projects, 2017). For artists, crowdfunding may be a useful and somewhat easy method of directly raising funds and building a more intimate relationship with their fans (WomenArts, n.d.).

Here are some examples of how crowdsourcing may foster a creative community:

Engaging with supporters

Through crowdfunding, artists may interact more personally with their followers. Contributors, no matter how tiny, feel invested in the project and are more inclined to tell their own networks about it (WomenArts, n.d.).

Building an audience

Creatives can use crowdfunding to expand their audience for their work. A successful campaign can inspire interest in the undertaking and draw in new followers and backers (Crowdfunding for Artists, n.d.).

Networking

Creatives can network with other artists and organizations in their sector by using crowdfunding. With the social networking tools included into many crowdfunding platforms, creatives may interact with other users and share their work (Berman, n.d.).

Feedback

Crowdfunding can give artists insightful criticism of their work. On the campaign website, supporters can provide feedback and recommendations, which can assist artists in refining their work and strengthening the community surrounding their initiatives (Crowdfunding for Artists, n.d.).

References

Pratt, M. K., & Gonsalves, C. (2023, March 31). crowdsourcing. CIO. https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/crowdsourcing

Chan, T. F. (2018, June 1). Malaysia has so much debt it launched a crowdfunding campaign — and it raised $1.8 million in 24 hours. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/malaysia-started-a-crowdfunding-campaign-to-pay-off-debt-2018-6

Projek. (2023, September 3). HOME - PROJEK57. PROJEK57 - a MOVEMENT OF HOPE. https://www.projek57.com/

Zahari, A. (2016, January 23). Public sector crowdsourcing in Malaysia – Citizen engagement. Crowdsourcing Week. https://crowdsourcingweek.com/blog/public-sector-crowdsourcing-in-malaysia-citizen-engagement/

Crowdsourcing - PrepareCenter. (2023, February 4). PrepareCenter. https://preparecenter.org/topic/crowdsourcing/

Tavra, M., Racetin, I., & Peroš, J. (2021). The role of crowdsourcing and social media in crisis mapping: a case study of a wildfire reaching Croatian City of Split. Geoenvironmental Disasters, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40677-021-00181-3

Crowdsourcing Toolkit for Emergency Management - Integrating Crowdsourcing. (n.d.). https://www.crowdsourceem.org/integrating-crowdsourcing

Crowdfunding arts projects. (2017, January 20). Crowdfunding Arts Projects | Wired Canvas. https://wiredcanvas.com/marketing-ideas-generator/crowdfunding-arts-projects

WomenArts. (n.d.). Introduction to crowdfunding - WomenArts. https://www.womenarts.org/skills/crowdfunding/

Crowdfunding for artists. (n.d.). Artquest. https://artquest.org.uk/how-to-articles/crowdfunding/

What are blogs?

Blogs are a major phenomenon of digital culture. They are individual, idiosyncratic commentaries written by individuals or groups and posted on a regular basis on the Internet (Cross, 2011). Basically blogging is used as a "personal diary" most of the time, where an individual shares their daily life happenings through emotions. Few examples of the popular blogging platforms today are Tumblr and Blogger.

So, is blogging still relevant in the age of instagram and tiktok?

Totally! Approximately 409 million internet users read approximately 20 billion blog pages. As a result, 53% of marketing companies consider blogging to be their primary content business strategy. Moreover, blogging has grown at a 12% annual rate over the last five years (Sanders et al., 2022).

Numerous social media practises are "at root of blogging", where the online space is used by everyone to share their ideas, opinions, and thoughts (Rettberg, 2014).

What is the difference between the "old" blogging era and today's way of blogging in social media?

It far more emphasis on images; relatively short fragments to accommodate reading and sharing behaviour patterns on mobile devices; and a fragmentation of interactions that now take place in blogs themselves to a lesser extent and are instead spread across social media (Rettberg, 2014).

Instagram and Tiktok seems to have evolve the old way of blogging. Instagram has the monthly users of two billon as of February 2022 (Anon, 2022). Tiktok, on the other hand has over one billion monthly active users (Anon, 2022) while Tumblr, being one of the popular blog platform has currently over 200 million visitors compared to Instagram and Tiktok (Clement, 2022).

Instagram's 'Reels' feature allows an individual to post a video of 15 to 60 seconds long. The video content depends on the individual to share their personalities or even to use it as their marketing strategy. Tiktok on the other hand, Tiktok is similar to Instagram, however, only videos can be shared in the platform. Both the social media platforms have the ability to share and explore posts based on hashtags, such as travel and food.

It is rare to hear blogs getting viral, but generally the posts in social media gets viral easily. Not to forget, Facebook , YouTube and Twitter too, are used as a platform to express their feelings. YouTube is used to upload vlogs (blog but in a video format). Hence, these platforms are mostly used to share the happenings in one's live (other than e-commere activities), hence the term 'microblog' is appropriate to use refer these platforms.

"blogs are not relevant now"-

Relationship between blogging and public sphere

image source: https://earlyamericanists.com/2014/05/12/the-public-sphere-and-early-american-democracy/

According to Jurgen Habermas (1989), public opinion is formed when "private people come together as a public." Community may also be considered a public sphere.

The 'blogosphere', has been hailed as the ultimate "web 2.0" phenomenon, and it is now at the centre of a debate over the potential transformation of citizenship, journalism, and the democratic public sphere. The question is, is the blogosphere just another media "echo chamber," or is it establishing itself as a separate sphere of news dissemination, opinion formation, and expression?

Well, there are few ways that blogosphere can contribute to the public sphere. First, by encouraging individuals to participate in an ongoing discussion to liberate them from boundaries of their physical or influenced environments and allow them to create a new identity and participate in novel social behaviours. Secondly, journalist being able to use blogosphere as their additional source to obtain information or to connect with their readers in personal way (Milioni & Kyza, 2009).

Although it contributes to the public sphere, blogs can emerge moral panic too, which means false exageration of information that is greater than the actual threat (Frothingham, 2021). As they say, "don't believe everything you see on the net."

Blogging and Identity

Not everyone wants to expose their real identity on the Internet. It depends on how bloggers want to share and influence their online communities (Pluempavarn & Panteli, 2008). Hence, having a positive identity especially in blogging is crucial to create a connection between the reader and the writer.

Conclusion

Based on my research, blogging is still relevant in today's age. Just that, it has evolved, just like how internet is evolving. I personally still come across blogs too! Hence, blog will continue to be one of the communication platform for an individual to express their emotions or for other purposes.

References

Anon, 2022. Instagram by the numbers (2022): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts. Omnicore Agency. Available at: https://www.omnicoreagency.com/instagram-statistics/ [Accessed September 30, 2022].

Anon, 2022. Tiktok statistics - everything you need to know [aug 2022 update]. Wallaroo Media. Available at: https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/#:~:text=Monthly%20Active%20Users%20%E2%80%93%20TikTok%20officially,1%20billion%20monthly%20active%20users. [Accessed September 30, 2022].

Clement, J., 2022. Tumblr.com: Unique visitors 2022. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/261925/unique-visitors-to-tumblrcom/#:~:text=Total%20global%20visitor%20traffic%20to%20Tumblr.com%202021%2D2022&text=In%20May%202022%2C%20social%20network,site%20visits%20in%20December%202021. [Accessed September 30, 2022].

Cross, M. 2011. ‘Got Blog’ in Bloggerati, Twitterati: how blogs and twitter are transforming popular culture, Praeger,  pp 37-50

Habermas, Jürgen 1989, The Public Sphere: An Encyclopedia Article. In Critical theory and

India, T.F. (2015) Why did Anoop move from the Plush Room of an ohio college to the Dusty School Room of a Mumbai slum?, The Better India. Available at: https://www.thebetterindia.com/25207/following-yellow-brick-road-anoop-pariks-story/?fbclid=IwAR2jzRvkSlM8egSmZVHKZb3vKUOzlMtomTR11pIokmbqDojcFQh7xQEMe9I (Accessed: September 20, 2022).

Milioni, D. and Kyza, E.A., 2009. How do we study the Blogosphere? Research and Methods of assessing the impact of blogging on the public sphere.

Pluempavarn, P. and Panteli, N. (2008) “Building social identity through blogging,” Exploring Virtuality Within and beyond Organizations, pp. 195–212. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230593978_9.

Rettberg, Jill Walker 2014 Blogging: Second Edition Cambridge: Polity Press

Sanders, B.K. et al. (2022) Are blogs still relevant in 2022?, Social Media & Influencer Marketing Speaker, Consultant & Author. Available at: https://nealschaffer.com/are-blogs-still-relevant-in-2019/#:~:text=Blogging%20is%20absolutely%20still%20relevant,in%20the%20last%205%20years. (Accessed: September 30, 2022).