#witchyblogging

Welcome to another week of digital sorcery, my fellow mystics! Today, we are brewing a potion to break the fast fashion curse - the one that makes us believe we need that $5 Zara top (that will unravel faster than our self-control at a sample sale).

How Social Media Fuels Overconsumption

Social media influencers have become the high priests and priestesses of fashion, weaving their digital spells to dictate what’s “in” and what’s so last season. With a single Instagram post or TikTok clip, they can turn an obscure clothing item into an absolute must-have. Think back to the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge, where millions attempted to replicate her signature pout only to end up with bruised, swollen lips. Now, shall we replace lips with fashion, and you get the fast fashion formula: see it, want it, buy it before it disappears into the abyss of forgotten trends.

Nowadays, influencers promote micro-trends that fast fashion brands online like Zara, H&M, and Shein churn out at lightning speed, leading to a loop of impulse buying, fleeting satisfaction and eventual waste (Bruns & Burgess 2011). This cycle pushes consumers to chase trends rather than develop a personal style, creating a never-ending cycle of overconsumption. For illustration, a viral top seen on a celebrity today will likely be discarded next month, either because a newer trend has taken over or because the low-quality garment has already fallen apart.

The Dark Side

And behind every $10 dress is a hidden cost. The fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon emissions (Maiti 2025) and dumps millions of tons of clothing into landfills every year. Beyond the carbon footprint, textile production is also responsible for massive water consumption and pollution, with toxic dyes and microplastics contaminating rivers and oceans. Additionally, let’s not forget the human cost and workers, often underpaid and overworked, are trapped in unsafe conditions (Clean Clothes Campaign 2023). The tragic Rana Plaza collapse back in 2013 (which killed over 1,100 workers) is a haunting reminder that cheap fashion comes at a price.

As consumers, it’s easy to be tempted by cheap prices and trendy pieces, but every impulse purchase contributes to an industry built on environmental destruction and worker exploitation. Is the true cost of fast fashion really worth it?

Slow Fashion Movement Saves The Day

Fortunately, not all influencers are fueling the fast fashion frenzy. A growing number of ethical influencers and activists are challenging the industry’s wasteful ways and encouraging people to think twice before they shop. Campaigns like #WhoMadeMyClothes are pushing brands to be more transparent about where and how their clothes are made, while influencers like Venetia La Manna are calling out companies for greenwashing as known as the practice of making misleading sustainability claims to appear more ethical than they actually are (Henninger et al. 2017).

Even luxury fashion houses like Chanel and Christian Dior have started integrating sustainability and eco-friendliness into their marketing, pledging to use eco-friendly materials and ethical production methods. However, are these high-end brands truly embracing change, or just using clever PR tactics to maintain their image? While some have made genuine progress such as investing in recyclable fabrics and carbon reduction initiatives (Prada), others still operate within a system that prioritizes exclusivity and mass production over true sustainability (Kapferer & Michaut-Denizeau 2014).

Breaking The Cycle

Consider this your invite to the slow fashion coven. You actually have more power than you think in this story. Every time you choose to buy a clothing piece, it’s like casting a vote for the kind of fashion world you want. Will you support the dark, destructive magic of fast fashion, or will you channel your inner good witch and support ethical, sustainable practices? Here are a few actions that you can consider taking:

- Thrift and upcycle instead of buying new.

- Invest in quality pieces over fast fashion hauls.

- Hold brands accountable—ask #WhoMadeMyClothes.

- Repeat outfits with pride (because fashion spells should last longer than a TikTok trend).

So… go forth and make fashion magic that heals rather than harms. The next time you’re tempted by a cheap, trendy piece that you know won’t last, pause, breathe, and remember the spell we’re trying to break. Choose differently, and encourage those around you to do the same. Together, we’ll weave a new fashion future, one stitch at a time.

References

Bruns, A & Burgess, J 2011, ‘The use of Twitter hashtags in the formation of ad hoc publics’, 6th European Consortium for Political Research General Conference.

Henninger, CE, Ryding, D, Alevizou, PJ & Goworek, H 2017, Sustainability in Fashion: A Cradle to Upcycle Approach, Palgrave.

Kapferer, JN & Michaut-Denizeau, A 2014, ‘Is luxury compatible with sustainability?’, Journal of Brand Management, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1-22.

don’t even try to tell me otherwise, i know for a fucking fact that if lambert had a youtube channel it would be dedicated entirely to fuck-stupid eating competitions.

Welcome back, my fellow digital mystics! During this last week, we are casting a light on a serious issue that haunts the magic of our online worlds: online harassment. While digital spaces are meant to be places of expression, creativity, and connection, they can also become breeding grounds for trolling, flaming, and personal attacks. From celebrity harassment to teenagers facing cyberbullying, the web can often feel like a battleground. So, let us dig into how harassment manifests in digital communities, the psychological toll it takes, and how social media platforms and governments are responding to this matter.

Online Harassment: More Than Just a Digital Nuisance

In the massive expanse of the internet, there are undeniably moments when the magic of communication turns dark. Online harassment is considered an umbrella term for a range of harmful behaviors—being called offensive names, threatened, impersonated, or even sexually harassed (Benrazek, 2025). Whether it is a comment section or social media posts, the digital world can often become a place of cruelty.

Celebrities are no strangers to online scrutiny, but for many, the pressure to meet impossible beauty standards or hold the “right” political opinions can turn into something far more toxic. Taylor Swift, Megan Thee Stallion, and Choi Sulli are just a few examples of public figures who have faced relentless bullying, body-shaming, and hate speech (Haslop et al., 2021).

For Choi Sulli, a South Korean actress and singer, the constant waves of online harassment became unbearable. In 2019, after years of facing cruel comments and public shaming, she tragically took her own life. Her passing shook South Korea, forcing a long-overdue conversation about the dangers of cyberbullying and the brutal reality of online abuse in a country where social media scrutiny can be relentless. Yet, despite the outcry, similar patterns of harassment continue today, proving just how deeply embedded this culture of digital cruelty has become.

However, it is not only celebrities who are affected by harassment—teenagers and young adults are among the most vulnerable groups. A Plan International study (2020) showed that 59% of girls across 31 countries experienced abusive language online, and teenagers are especially prone to psychological harm from online abuse. For many young people, harassment does not just hurt their feelings—it deeply affects their mental health. Anxiety, depression, and self-harm are all too common consequences of the emotional toll that constant online abuse takes. In some tragic cases, the relentless trolling and bullying can even lead to suicide.

Gender and Cultural Impacts

Online harassment is annoying or mean, and it has real consequences. The gendered aspect of online abuse is especially concerning, with women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and marginalized communities being disproportionately targeted. According to A Plan International study (2020), 59% of girls across 31 countries experienced abusive language online, with transgender individuals and women of color often face the harshest forms of abuse (Benrazek, 2025).

This issue is even amplified in places like South Korea, where celebrity culture intersects with social expectations. In a country with a high rate of cosmetic surgery and obsession with beauty standards, celebrities—particularly women—are relentlessly targeted for their appearance, lifestyle, and even personal choices. Cyberbullying and online harassment are particularly prevalent in the K-pop industry, where young idols often face derogatory comments, racist slurs, and gendered attacks from both fans and anonymous users. This toxic culture is so pervasive that it is contributed to the tragic deaths of several young idols such as Goo Hara and Kim Sae-ron, making South Korea one of the most harassment-prone countries when it comes to online abuse.

Combatting Online Harassment

Governments, platforms, and digital communities are slowly waking up to the dangers of online harassment. For instance, South Korea has enacted laws requiring social media companies to remove offensive content within 24 hours, aiming to hold platforms accountable for harmful material (Park, 2024). These regulations are part of broader efforts to combat the rise of non-consensual deepfake pornography, which has severely impacted women’s lives and exacerbated gender conflicts in the country (Kim, 2024).

Similarly, the Australian government passed the Online Safety Act 2021, designed to protect users from serious online abuse, including image-based abuse and cyberbullying (Johnson, 2021). The Act grants the eSafety Commissioner authority to enforce content removal within 24 hours and imposes substantial penalties on individuals and platforms that fail to comply (Smith, 2021).

Nonetheless, enforcement remains a significant challenge, particularly when platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter prioritize profit over user safety. Despite legislative measures, the sheer volume of online content and rapid technological advancements make it difficult to effectively monitor and eliminate harmful material (Lee, 2024).

If social media platforms are the enchanted castles of the digital realm, then it is about time they stop acting like cursed fortresses with broken gates. Platform responsibility is not some mystical prophecy—it’s a basic duty. Companies need to fortify their defenses, strengthen content moderation spells, and summon AI-powered guardians to detect and banish the dark forces of online harassment before they spread. Oh, and maybe—just maybe—make their terms of service less cryptic than an ancient scroll written in dragon’s tongue.

How Can We, as Digital Citizens, Help?

As digital citizens, we are not mere bystanders in the great, chaotic kingdom of the internet—we are its spellcasters, wardens, and protectors. That means we have a duty to make our online spaces safer, kinder, and far less cursed. Whether it is calling out harassment when we see it, offering support to those targeted, or wielding the mighty “report” button like a sacred relic, every action counts.

At the end of the day, the internet is what we make it. Only by joining forces—across communities, identities, and borders—can we forge a digital world where everyone, regardless of gender, race, or background, can exist without fear of being verbally hexed into oblivion. So, let us cast our collective protection spells, hold the right people accountable, and make the internet a place worth logging into.

And with that, my digital enchantment fades. For ten weeks, I have cast my thoughts across the great expanse of the internet, but now, my work here is done. Until we meet again, may your Wi-Fi be strong, your blocklist be long, and your digital spaces be ever protected.

References

Benrazek, Y 2025, ‘Digital Citizenship and Social Media Conflict’, Lecture Notes, Faculty of Media and Communication, MDA20009, Swinburne University.

Johnson, M 2021, ‘Australia’s Online Safety Act: A new approach to cyber abuse?’, Australian Policy Review, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 78–92.

Haslop, C, O’Rourke, F & Southern, R 2021, ‘#NoSnowflakes: The Toleration of Harassment and an Emergent Gender-Related Digital Divide in UK Student Online Culture’, Convergence, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 1418–1438.

Kim, J 2024, ‘South Korea’s fight against digital sex crimes and online abuse’, Korea Times, 12 March, viewed 18 March 2025, https://koreatimes.com/south-korea-digital-abuse.

Lee, S 2024, ‘Why enforcing online harassment laws is harder than it seems’, The Guardian, 5 February, viewed 18 March 2025, https://theguardian.com/enforcing-online-harassment-laws.

Park, H 2024, ‘Social media platforms in South Korea must remove harmful content within 24 hours’, Yonhap News Agency, 20 January, viewed 18 March 2025, https://yonhapnews.com/social-media-law.

Plan International 2020, Free-to-Be-Online: A Global Report on Online Abuse, Plan International, viewed 15 March 2025, https://plan-international.org/free-to-be-online.

Welcome back to Week 9, my fellow mystics! This week, we shall step into the enchanted realm of gaming communities, social gaming, and live streaming—a world where pixels become playgrounds, players form covens, and streamers wield influence like modern-day oracles. Whether you’re a button-mashing mage, a modding alchemist, or a devoted disciple of Twitch, gaming is more than just a pastime. It is considered a cultural phenomenon that shapes our identities, friendships, and even economies.

Digital Covens Bound By Play

Gaming has always been a social ritual, from the neon-lit arcades of the ‘80s to today’s massive online worlds. Once upon a time, players gathered around a glowing CRT screen, battling it out in Street Fighter II tournaments or bonding over Mario Kart showdowns. But as gaming evolved, so did its communities—moving from couch co-op to global digital networks (Jenkins, 2006).

Today, gaming communities are vast and diverse, built on shared goals, expertise, and passion. Whether it’s a hardcore esports team, a Minecraft modding forum, or a cozy Stardew Valley farming collective, these groups act like digital covens—fluid, dynamic, and filled with unwritten rituals. Platforms like Discord, Reddit, and Twitch serve as modern guild halls, where gamers gather to strategize, share memes, and discuss upcoming game updates. Each platform, of course, has its own unique magic:

Twitch: The holy land of live streaming, where top-tier gamers become entertainers, teachers, and influencers all in one (Taylor, 2018).

Reddit: The place where deep-dive lore discussions, game theories, and salty rants thrive. Communities like r/gaming, r/Overwatch, and r/MarvelRivals are known as spellbooks of knowledge.

Discord: The ultimate gamer coven, where private servers bring players together for real-time voice chats, tournament planning, teammate recruiting and chaotic late-night raids.

Nonetheless, where there is community, there is competition, and sometimes gatekeeping. Women, LGBTQ+ gamers, and older players still face hostility in certain spaces, a lingering curse from gaming’s past when “gamer” was coded as a straight, male identity (Driscoll & Gregg, 2010). But with recent inclusive gaming initiatives, diverse streamers, and evolving community guidelines, the gates to these worlds are slowly being pried open to everyone.

The Games That Shape Us

Every era of gaming has its champions such as games that define communities, spark friendships, and start digital revolutions. Some never fade, while others rise overnight, fueled by hype and innovation. Let me walk you through:

The Pokémon Series (1996–present): A global phenomenon, Pokémon has been uniting trainers for many generations, from trading link cables on the Game Boy to battle tournaments and Pokémon Go raids. The community thrives on fan theories, competitive battling, and nostalgia-fueled debates about which generation reigns supreme.

The Sims Series (2000–present): Not all gaming communities are built on competition, some actually thrive in chaotic creativity. The Sims has one of the most dedicated fanbases, with players modding, storytelling, and designing elaborate dream houses. Whether it’s woohooing in a haunted mansion or deleting the pool ladder for certain reasons, Sims players share a unique digital sandbox culture.

Overwatch (2016–present): Once the golden child of hero shooters, Overwatch introduced team-based, ability-driven combat that birthed an intensely loyal (and competitive) fandom. With the launch of Overwatch 2, the community still critically debates Blizzard’s updates, certain character nerfs, and whether Bastion is still too OP.

Elden Ring (2022): A legendary open-world challenge, Elden Ring’s community thrives on boss-fight strategies, hidden lore, and the eternal debate of “which build is best?”.

Marvel Rivals (2024): The new challenger to Overwatch’s throne, this team-based shooter brings superhero battles into the competitive FPS world. With Marvel’s massive fanbase backing it, this game is poised to shake up the esports landscape. Will it break the spell of Blizzard’s dominance? Only time will tell.

Each game has become more than just a pastime. It’s a culture, a shared experience, and most importantly, a digital home.

Livestreaming

Long before Twitch and YouTube Gaming, spectatorship was already woven into gaming’s DNA. Back in the arcade days, players crowded around machines to watch top-tier competitors flex their skills. Today, that same energy fuels the booming world of live streaming, where gamers broadcast their adventures to millions in real time (Taylor, 2018).

Streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Kick have transformed gaming into interactive entertainment, blending performance, storytelling, and community-building. Viewers donate, subscribe, and chat, forming a magical bond with their favorite streamers. Moreover, studies show that live-streamed content significantly increases gameplay engagement, with a 10% rise in viewing minutes leading to a 3.08% increase in gameplay minutes (Tang, Venkatraman & Vassileva, 2024). This influence is strongest with micro-streamers, who foster closer connections with their audiences compared to mega-streamers, who maintain a more distant, celebrity-like presence (Tang, Venkatraman & Vassileva, 2024). And here is the list of my all-time favorite and legendary streamers that I have been following for a while now:

Pokimane – The queen of Twitch, known for her variety streams, League of Legends plays, and strong community engagement.

xQc – The chaotic neutral wizard of the streaming world, unpredictable but endlessly entertaining.

Asmongold – A veteran MMO streamer who casts spells of deep analysis and hilarious commentary.

Valkyrae – YouTube’s shining star, proving that streaming is more than just a Twitch-exclusive domain.

And to help you understand better: where there’s power, there’s profit. Streaming has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, with top gamers securing sponsorships, brand deals, and dedicated fanbases (Johnson & Woodcock, 2019). But behind the glitz lies the grind—long hours, algorithm battles, and the pressure to stay relevant in an ever-changing landscape. Fame in the digital realm can be as fleeting as a speedrun victory—blink, and you might miss it.

A Reflection on the Magic of Gaming

As I wander deeper into the world of gaming, streaming, and digital communities, I realize that this is not just about entertainment—it’s about identity, connection, and culture. Gaming is not only something we do; but a space where we belong, where we form friendships, rivalries, and even entire subcultures that extend beyond the screen.

But like any spell, this world is a mix of light and shadow. On one hand, gaming has created inclusive spaces, immersive experiences, and a global community of players who share their love for storytelling, competition, and creativity. On the other, it has also reinforced narrow ideas of who “belongs” in gaming, from toxic gatekeeping to the pressure streamers face to constantly perform.

Perhaps, the real power of gaming does not lie just in the pixels, the wins, or the leaderboards. Maybe it is in the way we choose to engage with this world—how we treat each other in online lobbies, how we build up our communities, and how we challenge the status quo when it no longer serves us. For now, all I know is this: gaming is magic—but whether it is used for good or greed depends entirely on us.

References

Driscoll, C & Gregg, M 2010, Games of Empire: Global Capitalism and Video Games, University of Minnesota Press.

Jenkins, H 2006, Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, New York University Press.

Johnson, MR & Woodcock, J 2019, ‘“It’s like the gold rush”: The lives and careers of professional video game streamers on Twitch.tv’, Information, Communication & Society, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 336-351.

Tang, J, Venkatraman, R & Vassileva, J 2024, ‘The Impact of Video Game Live Streaming on Player Engagement’, Journal of Gaming Studies, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1-15.

To another week of digital sorcery, my fellow mystics! This week, we are casting a critical eye on Instagram filters as known as the magic spells of modern beauty culture. These seemingly harmless digital effects have gone from cute puppy ears to full-on facial reconstructions, blurring the line between reality and fantasy. But are they just harmless fun, or have they altered how we see ourselves forever? Let us break down the rise of AR filters, their connection to beauty standards, and their psychological impact in the social media age.

Instagram Filters: Augmented Reality or Augmented Insecurity?

Instagram’s Augmented Reality (AR) filters have transformed from cute little digital charms to full-on shape-shifting spells. What once was a simple pair of Snapchat dog ears in 2016 has now evolved into high-tech glamour magic, capable of smoothing skin, sharpening jawlines, and enlarging eyes with a single swipe (Azuma, 1997). These filters do not only add sparkle, but they also remake your face in seconds, like an enchanted mirror that always shows you in your “best” light.

And guess what? The spell is working. Over 700 million Meta users are now under its influence, engaging with AR filters every month (Miller & McIntyre, 2022). Whether it’s a soft-focus glow or a full-fledged digital facelift, these filters have woven themselves into our daily rituals, subtly rewriting the way we see ourselves and perhaps… each other.

Beauty Filters and the Homogenization of Beauty

One of the biggest concerns with Instagram’s beauty filters is their role in promoting unrealistic beauty ideals. These filters heavily focus on enhancing features and reshaping faces to fit a narrow beauty standard. Most beauty filters follow a universal template such as smoother/lighter skin, bigger eyes, smaller nose, plumber lips, sharper jawline,…

Sound familiar? Of course it does. That is because these digital alterations mirror Westernized beauty norms—a homogenized look that erases diversity and reinforces Eurocentric beauty ideals (Coy-Dibley, 2016). When everyone on social media starts looking the same, it creates a distorted expectation of what beauty “should” be, pressuring users to alter their real-life appearance to match their filtered selfies. But here is where the magic darkens: this isn’t just about pixels and pretend. The more we see ourselves through the enchanted lens of AR, the more our unfiltered reflections start to feel… wrong. And so, the spell deepens. What begins as a playful filter turns into an obsession with perfection, pushing some to seek cosmetic surgery to make their digital selves permanent.

From Filters to Fillers: The Rise of Snapchat Dysmorphia

What starts as a fun filter becomes a quiet whisper in our heads, convincing us that maybe, just maybe, we should make the magic real. A little filler here, a touch of Botox there—after all, why settle for temporary sorcery when modern medicine can make it permanent? Cosmetic surgeons have seen a surge in patients clutching filtered selfies as references, asking for the Instagram jawline, the TikTok nose, the Snapchat cheekbones (Rajanala, Maymone & Vashi, 2018). The fantasy has bled into reality, and under the knife, many hope to become the final, edited draft of themselves.

However, this trend is not just about vanity, but it is about self-perception. When we constantly see a perfected version of ourselves online, our unfiltered reflection can feel like a disappointment, leading to lower self-esteem and body image issues (Perloff, 2014). And the term Snapchat Dysmorphia well described this phenomenon - the increasing number of people seeking plastic surgery to look like their filtered selves.

The Future of Filters

Filters are not going anywhere. In fact, they are increasingly becoming more and more sophisticated. AI-driven beauty filters like TikTok’s Bold Glamour filter are so realistic that they blend seamlessly with real-life features, making detection nearly impossible (Peng, 2020). These advancements raise important questions regarding self-esteem, unfiltered era and new trends like AI-generated beauty. While filters can be fun and creative, we need to be aware of their impact. The next time you swipe on a beauty filter, ask yourself: Are you enhancing reality, or escaping from it?

Love Your Unfiltered Self

Here’s a piece of advice from the mighty Scarlet Witch. In a world where Instagram filters shape how we see ourselves, the most radical thing you can do is embrace your real face. True beauty is not having flawless skin or the perfect jawline but more about authenticity. So, go ahead: post that unfiltered selfie, embrace your natural features, and remind yourself that you are enough just as you are.

Because no filter can replace the magic of being uniquely you.

References:

Azuma, RT 1997, ‘A survey of augmented reality’, Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 355–385.

Coy-Dibley, I 2016, ‘Digitized dysmorphia of the female body: The re/disfigurement of the image’, Journal of Gender Studies, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 302–317.

Miller, L & McIntyre, M 2022, ‘From surgery to cyborgs: A thematic analysis of popular media commentary on Instagram filters’, New Media & Society, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 123–140.

Perloff, RM 2014, ‘Social media effects on young women’s body image concerns: Theoretical perspectives and an agenda for research’, Sex Roles, vol. 71, no. 11–12, pp. 363–377.

Peng, J 2020, ‘GAN-based AR beauty filters and the future of digital identity’, Journal of Digital Culture, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 198–213.