#selfpresentation

The launch of the ‘Bitmoji’ in 2016 established a new dimension of communication between Snapchat users. By creating their own bitmoji, (a cartoon-like avatar) via an app on their smartphones, users were able to create a replica of themselves by selecting their face shape, hair cut and clothing style amongst many other qualities. This is arguably similar to the ‘Mii’ feature available on Wii gaming consoles.

The Founder of Bitmoji, Jacob Blackstock from Canada, explained that the objective behind his initiative was to “enable self-expression without the need to have artistic skills”. This self-expression is enabled by not only a user’s digital avatar (which they can frequently edit and choose to appear on the SnapMaps feature of their Snapchat), but also the bitmoji artworks which they can choose to accompany their photo messages. These artworks incorporate the user’s personal avatar with other symbols and captions which can be chosen from depending on the mood or message that the user wants to display. Let’s take a look….

Say hello to my very own bitmoji; Taz. It doesn’t say too much about the real life me, but in terms of hair colour, eye colour and dress sense I’d say it’s pretty accurate. 

The Bitmoji app provides me with hundreds of variations of my avatar in the form of creative cartoons. You can find a selection of them below. 

Want to give my friend some motivation? Ask my mum to borrow money? Tell the world how excited I am to eat the nachos I just ordered? Bitmoji have me sorted… Each of these bitmoji artworks tells its very own story through the process of symbolisation; meaning it represents a feeling or idea which I want to express to someone, without me having to be there with them. 

Bitmojis in action:

So how might we use bitmojis? Since snapchat’s incorporation of bitmojis in 2016, Instagram and Apple iMessanger have also added the avatar bank to their keyboards. Meaning bitmojis can now also be used in text conversations and Instagram stories.. This leads us to the concept of situated semiotics: dependent on where the bitmojis are used, and the purpose that they serve, their meaning can differ. 

Take a look at the below examples. Here are just a few Instagram stories which feature my bitmoji. 

Paris- The first story is an image of the Eiffel Tower which I took during my trip to Paris in December. The bitmoji that I selected to accompany the photo is polysemous in that it could express several things; my love for Paris? Paris as the city of love? my particular love for the Eiffel Tower? All of these are correct! However, it was down to my Instagram followers to decipher which meanings I meant to express.

Tapas for days- The second is a photo I took while enjoying lunch and a Pimms with my mum last summer. The bitmoji I selected for this story also includes text: “Bless you”. I chose this bitmoji to show my appreciation for the delicious food we were enjoying, as well as the company of my mum. However, to some, the words ‘bless you’ might have a religious connotation- am I literally thanking God that I am lucky enough to be enjoying the food? In this instance, the verdict is down to the relationship I have with those viewing my story. And if they know me well enough to recall that I’m not overly religious, they’ll be able to work out which meaning I was going for.

Dreamgirls- The third instagram story features the West End show Dreamgirls’ theatre billboard. The bitmoji I chose for this story also includes a caption: ‘Can’t wait’. Whilst this implies that I couldn’t wait to see the show, I was also hinting at the fact that I also couldn’t wait to share the experience with three of my friends from my stage school. 

When in Greece- The final story is of my boyfriend holding a cute-looking reptile during our holiday to Greece. My bitmoji once again includes a caption ‘totes adores’ and uses facial expression to relay the meaning of the message. Not only does the use of slang in the caption portray a certain identity of myself (the context being one which is laid back), but the language also hints at my relationship with the person that features in the photo. I also most likely chose this particular bitmoji due to the colour of the typography since it matched some of the colours in the image (I doubt, however, that this was something my viewers picked up on). 

All of these bitmoji uses seem pretty logical. They show a sense of how I was feeling at the time I took the photo. They do this without me having to explicitly write: “I’m excited to see this theatre show”, or “this combination of my boyfriend and reptile in this photo is cute”. However, there are some instances when using a bitmoji to communicate an opinion or feeling may have some constraints for the interaction. For example, bitmojis (like any other form of digital communication: text speak, emojis, gifs) can be used sarcastically or humorously. There may also be complications in instances where the cartoons don’t tell the entire story and are therefore ambiguous in their meaning. An example of when this might occur is the use of Friends Bitmojis: these are created in the Bitmoji app using a combination of your avatar with a friend’s.

Here are three examples of friends bitmojis I have access to. Due to the situated semiotics of these cartoons, I can use them to depict a variety of messages. From left to right, the use of these bitmojis could allow me to reconcile with a friend, encourage my sister to take up a job opportunity, or let my boyfriend know that I’m upset with him. In another conversation however, I might be joking with my friend over her questionable decision, persuading my sister to order us a takeaway, or sulking with my boyfriend over his decision to eat the last cookie. There are hundreds of meanings that each could entail; it’s down to the context and recipient to determine which one it is. This is what makes bitmojis so special.

A future for Bitmojis?

Hi guys! Welcome to my blog. I created it because I’d like to share with you my passion for bullet journal, studying and stationery.

Here there’s a little self-presentation and some facts about me:

I’m a 25 y/o girl.

I live in Italy, more specific in Catania, Sicily (that’s why I beg your pardon about my shitty english).

I’m in a LDR with the most perfect guy of the world and I really love him a lot and we are planning to get married soon.

I graduated Psychological Science and Techniques in 2016, July.

I‘m currently studying a master degree in Giuridical-Forensic Psychology.

I’m fascinated by serial-killer’s mindset and my dream is to be a FBI’s profiler (this will stay just a dream, ofc xD)

As you know already, I love bullet journal and everything has to do with it.

I’m obsessed with stationery and if I could, I would buy new things every day, especially washi tapes.

I love graphic design and I like to create printables and planners on my own.

I have a huge passion for photography and my reflex follows me wherever I go.

In my free time I have a romantic relationship with Netflix. I watch a lot of tv shows, especially crime shows.

I love life.

Check my #albastudyblr for any news or original post and feel free to use it if you want to connect with me. 

You can also find me on Instagram @alba_studies

Are anonymous chat sites a dangerous playing field for internet users?

With an abundance of social networking apps to choose from these days, we have plenty of opportunities to chop and change our profiles to deliver online identities which are much more favourable replicas of the ‘real’ us. Having free rein over our profiles enables us to control how others perceive us and who/ what we interact with. Even better, such platforms give us the freedom to hide what we perceive to be the less attractive aspects of our lives. So no, the guy you fancy on Instagram doesn’t have to see what you look like first thing in the morning, and your work colleagues on Facebook won’t be able to see your drunkest state on a Saturday night. These choices of what we do and don’t share online are enabled by what are referred to as Involvement Screens. 

What if Involvement Screens enabled you to hide your identity all together?

Whilst social networking sites are popular for their ability to connect internet users in a way that saves the time and effort of face to face interaction with real life friends, the enormity of the WWW also allows individuals to engage with people they may never have met in the real world. This advancement in the field of social interaction is a benefit highlighted by the Hyperpersonal perspective on social networking which favours the convenience of online interaction over face to face encounters. 

However, when it comes to talking to ‘strangers’, users gain the power to perform self-censorship over their profiles; meaning they can create a new version of themselves which can be as similar or dissimilar to their real selves as they desire. In unique cases, this might involve the use of a new name or avoiding the declaration of an identity all together. Some areas of the internet even allow users to become anonymous.

What are the benefits of anonymity online?

Advice networks are an ideal example of platforms where anonymity can have huge benefits for users. Want medical advice on something your too embarrassed to visit a doctor for? Instant chat platforms, such as webdoctor, provide anonymous advice services which individuals can engage with in the comfort or their own home. Likewise, the site ‘Kooth’ was founded for young people to seek advice and understanding from people other than their friends, whilst ‘Chat to a Potato’ allows users of any age to chat to someone tackling issues similar to them. 

‘KOOTH- anonymous online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people’

For some, the ability to become ‘anonymous’ is a revelation. It offers the chance to completely disconnect from the real word and engage in a fantasy world where judgements and reputation have no value. However, the power of anonymity has also been shown to encourage negative responses such as the performance of inappropriate behaviour including harassment and flaming (Jones & Hafner, 2012). Even more, whilst anonymous chat rooms provide opportunities to talk to new people, it is not guaranteed that interactions with these strangers will always be worthwhile and enjoyable. In some cases, they may even be unpleasant.

Take the international site ‘Omegle’, for example. You may remember this anonymous chatroom from your secondary school years. I certainly remember my classmates spending lunchtimes on the site, exchanging hilarious messages with strangers and trying as hard as possible to generate the weirdest conversations with their randomly-generated strangers. However, despite the hours of amusement Omegle provides, it has also been cautioned for its danger and explicitness arising from cases where the site has been used to groom and manipulate younger, innocent, users; enabled by the anonymity of their identity. 

‘OMEGLE- Talk to Strangers! Anonymous online chatroom’ 

Too good to be true?

Sometimes, social networkers’ anonymity is less obvious than we think. Remember the American TV show, Catfish? This reality-based documentary exposes both the fairytale and nightmare realities of online dating by accompanying internet users to their first ever face to face encounters with online love interests. The individuals featured on the show have met and expanded their relationships solely through the medium of online chatrooms. And, in more cases than none, the final scenes of the episodes result in the exposure of a ‘Catfish’; someone who has created a false representation of themselves using a fake online profile. This tactic is an extreme instance of what is referred to as Impression Management. 

‘CATFISH- 10 Most shocking Catfish reveals’ 

The internet is an infinitive space; characterised by user generated content, interaction, and, of course, actions. Yes, the invention was a revolution for social networking and connectivity, but, without the internet, maybe we could learn to love ourselves for who we really are…

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This is a non-offensive account and I mostly like to talk and share about my hyperfixations, trying my best to not offend or hurting anyone, I'm autistic so please have some patient on my 🦐.

I have very specific hyperfixations like Pacific Rim, Transformers (all Continuities), Godzilla/monsterverse, Evangelion, TF2, jjba, II, and marine creatures (specially sharks and jellyfishes).

I can post things like my own draws, photos, headcannons or simple thoughts, and not very often by my own studies and business, so, don't get worry if suddenly I just disappear.

Don't repost my arts without credits!! Thank you

BTW, I have more accounts on Pinterest, YouTube, IG, Tiktok, Twitter and MySpace, if someone is interested.