#gss320

Q#1)

Many of this week’s readings talk about online communities and how they help people connect. How can online spaces help marginalized people and grow their communities?

In Ethnic Online Communities, Steven McLaine talks about using email newsletters to keep people updated. This helps users feel included and informed about what is happening in the community.

I think online communities should also use other ways to connect, like phone calls or call-in services. Some people do not always have internet access. Using phones can help more people stay connected. Community is about bringing people together, even if they are not online all the time.

Q#2)

In the article What Is Gamergate, and Why? by Jay Hathaway, online harassment is discussed. How can online spaces be kept safe?

People should speak up when they see hate or bad behavior. Calling out harmful actions shows that this behavior is not okay. Online spaces should be safe places where people feel free and welcome.

People can also report users who threaten or harm others. Platforms should remove users who continue to act badly. Online spaces can also use filters to block hateful words. This helps make the space safer for everyone.

Q#3)

Dr. LaToya Lee’s article Virtual Homeplace talks about how online spaces help the African American community connect and express themselves. What other ways can people build online communities?

Podcasts are a good way to build community. Like newsletters, podcasts help keep people informed. They are helpful for people who do not like reading or who learn better by listening.

Podcasts allow people to share stories and ideas. Hearing voices from your own community can make people feel seen and supported.

Q#4)

How have beauty standards changed over time? Can you give examples from today?

Beauty standards today still focus a lot on white and European looks. Many makeup ads show white models with straight hair. Natural hairstyles like curls or afros are not shown often, especially on Black women.

Many makeup brands also do not offer enough shades for darker skin tones. This can make women of color feel left out. Beauty companies should include all skin tones and hair types so everyone feels represented.

Refrences:

Hathaway, Jay. “What Is Gamergate, and Why? An Explainer for Non Geeks.” Gawker, 10 Oct. 2014.

McLaine, Steven. “Ethnic Online Communities.” Digital Cultures Reader, edited by Sarah Banet Weiser and Victor Pickard, University Press, 2019, pp. 112 to 124.

Virtual Homeplace: (Re)Constructing the Body through Social

Media

Q1) What are some ways social media platforms can limit the impact of trolling in online spaces? A) One effective approach is for platforms to limit how frequently users can post and to use software that detects and blocks harmful or inappropriate language. This helps reduce impulsive, aggressive posting while keeping conversations respectful.

Growing up, I used an online platform called NeoPets, where everything users typed was monitored. The system automatically blocked foul language and froze accounts that broke the rules. Because of this, the space felt fun, safe, and well-protected. Platforms today can learn from this model by creating clearer boundaries, enforcing them consistently, and ensuring users know that harmful behavior has real consequences.

Q2) In Bergstrom’s “Don’t Feed the Trolls,” Reddit users responded to the account “Grandpa Wiggly.” Do you believe the user was engaging in trolling? A) Trolling can be defined in many ways, but several scholars describe it as behavior where someone pretends to be a genuine participant while hiding their true identity or intentions. Donath (1999) explains that trolls pass as legitimate members of a community, and Phillips notes that accusations of trolling can also function as a social deterrent against dishonesty.

In the case of “Grandpa Wiggly,” even if the user did not intend harm, they still created a false identity that misled the community. This made others suspicious and caused confusion, which is why people interpreted the behavior as trolling. It shows how easily trust can be damaged online even without malicious intent.

Q3) What effects can trolling have on individuals who are exposed to this type of behavior? A) In Maeve Duggan’s article Online Harassment, the data shows that exposure to trolling and similar negative behaviors can significantly affect mental health. Many people, especially those who spend time in online gaming or social spaces, experience increased anxiety, stress, and emotional exhaustion.

Because users can hide behind screens, individuals on the receiving end may face harassment, name calling, threats, or even sexually explicit aggression. For those without strong support systems or coping strategies, this kind of hostility can be overwhelming and may lead to long-term emotional consequences.

Q4) How can we better educate people who are exposed to trolling and harmful online behavior? A) One helpful approach is to talk directly with individuals who have experienced trolling and encourage them to reach out for support rather than facing it alone. Creating safe spaces for discussion helps people recognize that what they experienced is valid and that they deserve protection, not silence.

It is also important to teach the consequences of harmful online behavior, whether someone is the target or the perpetrator. Monitoring online environments especially for younger or more vulnerable users can prevent further harm. Setting boundaries, modeling healthy digital communication, and limiting exposure to toxic spaces can all protect mental well being and promote healthier online communities.

Citations:

Bergstrom, K. (2011). “Don’t feed the troll”: Shutting down debate about community expectations on Reddit.com. First Monday. https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v16i8.3498

Phillips. “Defining Terms : The Origins and Evolution of Subcultural Trolling.” The Origins of Trolling

Q#1) How has the term Cyborg influence todays world in technology and it's influence on individuals?

A)After reading A Cyborg Manifesto by Donna Haraway, I was surprised by how much technology can influence the way people think and live. Haraway talks about the idea of the “cyborg” someone who’s a mix of human and machine and it actually makes a lot of sense in today’s world. For example, in shooting games like Call of Duty or Fortnite, people don’t just play for fun they really get into it. They train their reflexes, memorize maps, and even start thinking like soldiers. Over time, that kind of connection to the game starts to change how they see themselves and interact with others. It’s like their real and digital lives start to blend. That’s kind of what Haraway means by being a cyborg letting technology become part of who we are and how we live every day.

Q#2) In the lecture the term cyborg maybe a bit confusing to be defined a certain way can you furture anaylse and it's interpertation to the word to people who may not be familar to it?

A)

The term cyborg can definitely be a little confusing, especially if you’re only thinking of it in the sci-fi sense, like half-human, half-robot. But in Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto, the word means something much broader and more symbolic. Haraway uses cyborg to describe how technology and society are so deeply connected that they shape who we are our identities, our choices, even our politics.

A good example of this is how people have responded to the government taking away abortion rights. After major legal decisions like the overturning of Roe v. Wade, people especially women have turned to technology and social media to organize protests, share information, and speak out. Online platforms become tools of resistance and empowerment, helping people fight back against systems that try to control their bodies. In this way, they become “cyborgs” not because they’re machines, but because their identities and actions are tied to technology in a meaningful way.

Haraway’s cyborg isn’t about having wires or metal parts it’s about breaking down traditional boundaries. It shows how people use tech to push back against control, rethink gender roles, and form new kinds of communities. Especially in political struggles like the fight for abortion rights, the cyborg represents how human beings and technology combine to challenge power and create change.

Q#3) How do video games like Grand Theft Auto and social media platforms contribute to reinforcing harmful stereotypes related to gender and white supremacy online?

A)

Video games like Grand Theft Auto often portray poor urban areas where players complete missions that involve violence against marginalized groups, like slapping sex workers or killing people to earn money. This portrayal can reinforce negative stereotypes about people of color, suggesting they live in violent, hopeless environments, while often sidelining white characters or implying they lack opportunities in these settings. These representations shape players’ views on race and class, normalizing violence against marginalized communities and supporting white supremacist ideas.

Similarly, on social media, women of color frequently face targeted harassment that is both sexist and racist. Hate groups use online platforms to spread white supremacist messages, making it harder for these women to participate freely and safely. This shows how technology isn’t neutral it can reinforce oppressive ideas about who belongs in public spaces and who doesn’t. Understanding these examples helps us see how online spaces can reproduce real-world inequalities related to gender and race.

Q#4) How does K. O’Riordan explain the way women are shown in online spaces, and why should we think carefully about it? Can you give some examples from games or movies?

A)

O’Riordan’s explanation really clicked for me because I’ve noticed how women in games and media are often drawn to look a certain way big breasts, tiny waists, tight clothes and it always seemed like it was for the male gaze. For example, in Yu-Gi-Oh!, female characters wear revealing outfits and even the monsters are sexualized. At first, I thought it was just the style of the game, but now I see it’s part of a bigger pattern.

Movies like Batman show this too. Catwoman’s character is sexy and dangerous, but she’s also kind of reduced to her looks and sexuality. It’s frustrating because it feels like women’s abilities or personalities take a back seat to how they look.

Reading Haraway made me think about how these images limit how we think about gender. It’s not just entertainment it affects how society views women in real life. I’ve started paying more attention to these portrayals and why diversity and more realistic representations matter so much.

Citations:

Daniels, Jessie. n.d. “Gender, White Supremacy and the Internet” 

Haraway, Donna. 1985. “Cyborg Manifesto”