Social Media Impacts on Politics and Society

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Questions and Answers

What is a potential negative consequence of using hashtags on platforms like Instagram?

They can upset the algorithmic sorting of posts. (correct)

They can lead to better visibility for all posts.

They enhance the algorithmic sorting of posts.

They are automatically highlighted by the platform's code.

How do social media platforms contribute to the success or failure of political activities?

By limiting the information available to users.

By providing information that eases mobilization. (correct)

By controlling user opinions through censorship.

By monopolizing media production.

What aspect of social media ownership can impact users' engagement with social justice?

Platforms are often maintained by non-profit organizations.

Telecom companies invest heavily in social advocacy.

Media corporations focus on participation rather than profit.

Platforms promote corporate interests over social justice. (correct)

What negative effect accompanies the increased visibility of feminism on platforms like Instagram?

A concurrent rise in networked misogyny. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the role of hashtags in facilitating content organization on social media?

Less used and specific hashtags aid in better content organization. Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical infrastructure concern regarding social media platforms?

They are controlled by corporations with profit motives. Signup and view all the answers

What function do social media platforms serve in political mobilization?

They provide channels for emotional messaging related to activism. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary ethical concern expressed by the NTechLab staff regarding their technology?

It may be used for military purposes. Signup and view all the answers

What key issue arises from the spread of misinformation on social media platforms?

False information can be disseminated widely. Signup and view all the answers

Which method is mentioned as a way to adjust model weights after initial training?

Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'algorithmic imaginary' refer to?

Public perception and feelings about algorithms. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best reflects the viewpoint of one NTechLab employee regarding their technology?

It has prevented more crimes than it has caused. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Foundation Models, which notion is emphasized regarding future development?

A belief in rightful ownership of technological advancements. Signup and view all the answers

What will likely influence how algorithms are incorporated into systems?

Regulatory frameworks. Signup and view all the answers

Which two main components typically characterize Transformers in neural networks?

Attention and feed forward mechanisms. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of digital culture do algorithms impact according to the summary?

How information flows and resources are allocated. Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the term 'algorithm' according to Butcher?

A term for carefully planned instructions that follow a sequential order. Signup and view all the answers

How do social scientists primarily regard algorithms?

As tools that condition our existence through software. Signup and view all the answers

What is an important aspect of the algorithmic imaginary?

It encompasses the collective imaginations around algorithms and their effects. Signup and view all the answers

What primarily drives aspirational labor in creative industries?

The ideal of getting paid to do what you love Signup and view all the answers

What does 'influencer creep' refer to?

The spread of micro celebrity practices into various job sectors Signup and view all the answers

What role do algorithmic experts typically play in the context of algorithmic lore?

They sell ideas based on popular misconceptions and personal experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements reflects a key challenge of self branding?

It blurs the line between authenticity and selling out. Signup and view all the answers

How does classification in machine learning relate to discrimination?

They have a historical link to discrimination and can reproduce existing biases. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best differentiates AI, machine learning, and algorithms?

They are distinct processes with different functionalities and applications. Signup and view all the answers

According to current trends, what does self branding require from individuals?

Engagement in unpaid labor for visibility Signup and view all the answers

How do big tech platforms like Spotify impact artists according to the content?

They require artists to engage more labor for less financial reward. Signup and view all the answers

Why is studying AI and discrimination important?

To identify points where bias can emerge and affect decision-making processes. Signup and view all the answers

What does modern self branding primarily focus on?

Enhancing algorithmic visibility and curating a digital persona Signup and view all the answers

What misconception might people have about algorithms?

Algorithms are purely objective and free from human influence. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key features of Slashdot as a tech news site?

Emphasis on reader participation through up and down voting Signup and view all the answers

What concept is explored in relation to the notion of authenticity in self branding?

Contrived authenticity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best represents the pervasive nature of self branding in the digital age?

It's a practice that everyone engages in to some extent. Signup and view all the answers

What do technological determinism and technological solutionism imply?

Human problems can be effectively solved by technologies alone. Signup and view all the answers

How does Mark Zuckerberg envision the potential of the metaverse?

As a digital world enabling real human connections, like eye contact Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'discourse' refer to in the context of the internet?

Stories, narratives, and discussions surrounding a subject Signup and view all the answers

Which vision of social media is emphasized as part of its rise?

The evolution of a utopian view towards digital media Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Web 2.0 as compared to earlier versions?

More dynamic and participatory web experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the term 'algorithmic affect'?

The emotional responses elicited by algorithms and their operation. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms refers to the potential for citizen participation in technological development?

Virtual communities Signup and view all the answers

How do 'whoa moments' affect people's perception of algorithms?

They highlight the unexpected touchpoints where algorithms profile identity. Signup and view all the answers

What role did Silicon Valley play according to the discussions outlined?

Adoption of historical thoughts on information exchange Signup and view all the answers

What essential aspect does the theoretical lens of affect suggest regarding algorithms?

The interaction with algorithms involves complex emotional registers. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what role do personal algorithm stories play?

They showcase the intimate experiences users have with algorithms. Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested by the notion that algorithms can 'affect and be affected'?

Algorithms can produce unpredictable outcomes based on user behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does the content propose regarding the future of algorithmic intensification?

Considering how to coexist with algorithmic systems emotionally. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the opaqueness of algorithms have on users?

Users feel compelled to create stories to explain their workings. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Notes from Lectures: Analysing Digital Culture

Analysing digital culture involves asking questions about how digital media shapes, produces, accesses, consumes, and communicates culture.

What is analysing digital culture?

A survey course
A critical thinking course, with some memory work and analytical work
Not a writing-based course

Course Schedule

Visual Culture (Weeks 2, 3, 4)
Critical Culture (Weeks 5, 6, 7)
Frontend (Weeks 10, 11, 12)
Backend (Weeks 13, 14, 15)

First Lecturer: Dr Lucia Bainotti

Visual Culture, Feminism, and Gender Studies

Lesson 1: Self-Representation

Definitions:
- Self-presentation
- Self-branding
If you are not online, you do not exist (contemporary self)

The Contemporary Self

The self as a reflective project (Giddens, 1991)
A flexible personality, always adapting for stability (Whitmer, 2018)
The capitalist accumulation and precariousness - flexibility of self within the job market
Presentation of the self in everyday life.

Self-presentation online is about intentionally displaying the self.
Individuals consider in advance how their audience will react (Hogan, 2010).
Self-presentation is affected by the structure of the platform.

Self Presentation Meets Self Branding

Self-branding entails individuals viewing themselves as marketable products.
Self-branding is a set of practices for constructing a self-image.
Self-branding promotes the self as a persuasive product or brand.

The Attention Economy

The attention economy involves paying, receiving, and seeking attention from other human beings.
Attention is intrinsically limited and cannot be substituted.

Visibility Labour

Visibility labour is the work comprises self-posturing and the curation of presentations intended to get noticed by intended viewers, and to be positively visible to them (Abidin, 2006; 2018).
It always involves consideration of algorithmic visibility.

Algorithmic Visibility

Content creators need to be noticed by platform algorithms to be seen by intended viewers.

Labour!

Self-branding conceals unrelenting, mostly unpaid, work behind the screen, access to resources required for creative industries.
Aspirational labor: “Getting paid to do what you love” (Brooke Erin Duffy, "(Not) Getting Paid To Do What You Love")

Self Branding Everywhere

No matter who you are (9-5 worker, astronaut, house cleaner), you cannot escape the power of the personal brand on the internet.
White tech companies “democratise” culture but demand further work from artists.

Influencer Creep

Micro-celebrity is expanding into more aspects of work.
Artists imitate self-branding techniques to thrive on social media.

Authenticity vs. Selling Out

Questions arise about authenticity on social media, and when promotion transitions to selling out.
What authentic means on social media?.

To Sum Up

Self-branding and self-presentation involve careful presentation of oneself as a product.
Internet celebrities and influencers engage heavily in self-branding.
Everyone participates in self-branding on social media.
Modern self-branding is about boosting algorithmic visibility, and creating an optimized digital presence.

Viewing - Fake Famous (2021 HBO)

Documentary on an actress, fashion designer and real estate assistant who purchases fake social media followers to become an influencer.
- Discusses visibility labour and self-optimisation practices on Instagram.
- Discusses the relationship between self branding and Instagram's features.

Week 2 Questions

Do you think traditional marketing companies will become obsolete due to influencers and promotion via social media?
Can individuals lose their authenticity while trying to be visible?

Week 3 - Memes

Memes have evolved and changed since their inception, adapting along with technology.
Memes are spreadable, remixable, participatory culture circulating through digital platforms.
Memes are commodified and speculated on in the market.
Memes transcend linguistic and geographical boundaries, becoming globally understood.

Week 4: Exploring Platform Vernaculars and Affordances

Affordances: Possibilities for actions offered, but not features in themselves
Platforms structure actions by making certain things easier and prompting specific actions.
Hidden Affordances
- E.g., uploading a picture to Instagram stories from your phone roll, rather than taking a picture to upload.
Platforms amplify everyday actions and expectations.

Week 5: Digital Activisms

Social media as a tool for activism (hashtag activism, feminist activity)
Curating self-expression and activism.
Discussion about conspiracy theories and memes in relation to each other.

Week 6: Internet Histories

Nothing in media is truly new, but rather a remix of the past.
Historical approaches are crucial for understanding new media.

Week 7: Digital Utopias

Utopia implies aspirational visions that provide alternatives to institutions and situated social conditions.

Week 8: Reading Guide

What defines "Utopia"?
What is "Commons-based peer production?"
Discuss "Queer Utopia"

Week 10: Algorithms & Fictions

Algorithms as real socio-technical objects.
Algorithmic systems condition our lives and may perpetuate harmful biases.
How does our interpretation of algorithms impact how we use them?

Week 11: Al & Discrimination

Al systems have a history of encoding and reproducing social biases.
How are existing social power structures reflected in Al systems?
The ways in which classification systems influence discrimination.

Week 12: Content Moderation

Content moderation is a complex interplay between regulating content and maintaining open, public dialogue.
Various approaches to content moderation.
Business models behind content moderation on various platform.

Week 13: Platforms & Cultural Production

How platforms have reshaped the making and distribution of cultural contents.
Utopian ideas regarding media.

Week 14: Platform Labour

Focus on platform labour, and its effects on low-wage workers.
"Platform exceptionality"
- Idea that specific platforms are outside typical labor structures

Week 15: Ecology

Digital technologies’ ecological impacts on the environment.
Materiality and sustainability considerations of digital platforms

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Description

This quiz explores the complex role of social media in shaping political activities, user engagement with social justice, and the implications of hashtags. It's designed to highlight both the benefits and the potential negative consequences of these platforms in modern society.