Extended Post: Plugging Into the Twittersphere

The public sphere, the domain for conversation and public information, has long been the imagined space for the 'people'. It has come under many guises; be it through newspapers or public spaces, on radio or across the internet. An evolving space that is always changing. In the contemporary media climate, the Internet has become the primary space for public discourse and rhetoric, especially given the advent of 'blogging' and Social Networking. More specifically, the twittersphere has become a central node for public discourse and conversation, allowing for 'open conversations' to exist (Johnson, 2009) between its 140 million active users. Through this, Twitter has developed 'into a powerful form of communication' (Johnson, 2009), allowing users to subscribe to the information and content they wish to see. This differs from the more traditional outlets of the 'public sphere', as those in the 'twittersphere' can tailor the information they receive based on their social, political and cultural beliefs. Twitter has also become a platform for political, cultural and social change, evidenced by the Arab Spring Uprisings, the #occupy movement and the Iranian Presidential elections of 2010 among others. These movements underline the power of the 'open conversation' and how it can generate action almost instantly. The way in which we interact with others online has also shifted, as Twitter may be 'fundamentally changing the ways in which we configure celebrity status' and culture (Faina, 2012). Evidently, the 'Twittersphere' harnesses powerful properties that can instigate change and public discourse; properties that will only become more powerful as its user base grows. 

With the rapid growth of the internet, the theory of the public sphere has evolved to envelop that of new media avenues. Social networks have catered to this shift in theory, as public conversations are increasingly moving towards social portals such as Twitter and Facebook. Twitter has become one of the central nodes of this online discourse, as the nature of 'hashtags' allow for accessible and open conversations, irregardless of location. As such, the opinions we find in the twittersphere 'influence our opinions offline as well' (Smith, 2009), evidenced by the reporting of major events first on Twitter which are then filtered through traditional media (Smith, 2009). Further to this, people 'follow others not just for social networking but for information' (Dijck, 2011) in a similar way that people would buy newspapers or view the news on TV. The essential difference here is that Twitter caters for public conversation through the same avenue that the original news item is viewed, creating a tailored public sphere for its users. While traditional media would have generated conversation with family members around a dinner table, Twitter can harness genuine discourse between interested users as the event transpires in real time (Johnson, 2009). It highlights the power of the twittersphere as a public space, a central component to the movement of conversation from traditional means to online platforms. 

The instantaneous and open nature of Twitter has also cultivated a heightened accessibility to those of fame and fortune. Unlike other social networks, the appearance of personal information from celebrities on Twitter 'creates a sense of intimacy between participant and follower' (Boyd & Marwick, 2011), in what users perceive as normal, everyday conversation between equals (Johnson 2009). Through avenues of social media, celebrities are managed as a brand - they maintain their fan base by appearing authentic and accessible so as to further their desired image (Boyd & Marwick, 2011). It has created a culture of hyper publicity, where every tweet is analysed as a source of gossip by the fans of each celebrity (Faina, 2012). Resultantly, this hyper publicity has provided a pathway for fans to emulate what is perceived as 'famous' behaviour, manipulating their online image so as to run parallels with celebrities lifestyles. While interest in celebrity movement and behaviour has always existed in traditional media, the open and instantaneous nature of Twitter has changed the way people access that information. Fans can follow 100 of their favourite stars and have 'backstage' updates instantly (Boyd & Marwick, 2011), accentuated by the array of devices that access Twitter. This evolution of online celebrity culture has also shifted the 'market of personalities' (Marshall, 2010), where those of fame are competing for crucial branding opportunities and an enhanced image. Therefore, ensuring often engagement with fans and an accessible persona online has become paramount for the desired perception of each celebrity. 

The rapid movement of information and the instant connections between users has positioned Twitter as a platform for political, social and cultural change. During recent global events, Twitter's instantaneous nature has empowered its users (Alqudsi-ghabra, 2012), acting as a facilitator in the process of social and political movement. The Arab Spring Uprisings of 2011, also known as the 'twitter revolutions', underline the powerful properties of the social network as a social aggregator. While negative sentiment  in Egypt had been prevalent for some time, Twitter assisted in ensuring the movement gained critical mass (Choudhary et al, 2012). It became the portal of the revolution, as it organised and accumulated the masses in Egypt, while keeping the global public informed and aware of the situation. Resultantly, the simplicity of the hashtag and the instantaneous nature of the network became too difficult for the Mubarak regime to track, and thus contributed to its collapse (Gladwell & Shirky, 2011). Simiarly, the Iranian Presidential elections of 2009 utilised Twitter to ensure the democratic voting process was upheld. As online news networks and television stations were shut down by the then authoritarian government, Twitter facilitated conversation and provided an avenue for young Iranians to voice their discontent with the current government (Schorr, 2009). From a western perspective, the #Occupy movement grew from its starting point at Wall St in New York to just about every major global city through a hashtag on Twitter, #OccupyEverywhere. This hashtag mobilised people throughout the globe who sympathised with those on Wall St, viewing the movement with merit and demanding that 'politics be about the people' (Schneider, 2011). These cases underline the power of Twitter to facilitate and fuel the social and political movement of the critical mass, often through a simple hashtag. 

In the contemporary media climate, the proliferation of social media has created a platform for public conversation and discourse. More specifically, the twittersphere has become a social and political portal, allowing users to tailor and control the information they wish to engage with. This ability to tailor and control content highlights the powerful properties of this social network, as it gives new meaning to the public sphere as we know it. It is a new form of public arena that can instigate dialogue from interested parties all over the globe, facilitating an open conversation through the use of a simple hashtag. While undoubtedly Twitter will not replace or absorb into the public sphere as we know it due to the limitations it places on its conversations (140 characters or less) (Hauth, 2010), it is an example of the modern nature of the public sphere and the way we receive information. 

Reference List:

Alqudsi-ghabra, T 2012, 'Creative use of Social Media in the Revolutions of Tunisia, Egypt & Libya',International Journal Of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 6, 6, pp. 147-158, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 2 October 2012

'Choudhary, A et al, Social Media Evolution of the Egyptian Revolution' 2012, Communications Of The ACM, 55, 5, pp. 74-80, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 October 2012

Dijck, J 2011, 'Tracing Twitter: The rise of a microblogging platform', International Journal Of Media & Cultural Politics, 7, 3, pp. 333-348, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 September 2012

Faina, J 2012, 'Twitter and the New Publicity', ETC: A Review Of General Semantics, 69, 1, pp. 55-71, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 September 2012

Freeland, C 2012, 'The Cost of Modern Revolution', Atlantic Monthly, 310, 1, p. 64, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 October 2012

Gladwell, M & Shirky, C 2011 'Tweeting Toward Freedom?', Wilson Quarterly, 35, 2, pp. 64-66, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 October 2012

Grossman, L 2009, ‘Iran Protests: Twitter, The Medium of the Movement’, Time Magazine 17^th June, Retrieved 21^st August 2012 <http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1905125,00.html> 

Gustin, S 2011, ‘Social Media Sparked, Accelerated Egypt’s Revolutionary Fire’ Wired 2^nd November, Retrieved 21^st August 2012 <http://www.wired.com/business/2011/02/egypts-revolutionary-fire/>


Hauth, A 2010, 'Twitter as a Public Sphere', New Media and Democracy, Viewed 21 August 2012 <http://www.personal.psu.edu/alh5147/blogs/cas497a/2010/02/twitter-as-a-public-sphere.html> 


Johnson, S 2009, 'How Twitter Will Change The Way We Live (in 140 characters or less). (Cover story)', Time, 173, 23, pp. 32-37, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 21 August 2012

Klie, L 2012, 'Hearing 140 Million Voices', Database Trends & Applications, 26, 2, pp. 20-28, Computers & Applied Sciences Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 September 2012

Marshall, PP 2010, 'The Specular Economy', Society, 47, 6, pp. 498-502, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 September 2012.

Marwick, A, & Boyd, D 2011, 'To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter',Convergence: The Journal Of Research Into New Media Technologies, 17, 2, pp. 139-158, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 2 October 2012

Schorr, D 2009, 'Iran's Twitter Revolution', New Leader, 92, 3/4, pp. 4-5, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 October 2012

Schneider, N 2011, 'FROM OCCUPY WALL STREET TO OCCUPY EVERYWHERE', Nation, 293, 18, pp. 13-17, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 October 2012

Smith, T 2009, 'The social media revolution', International Journal Of Market Research, 51, 4, pp. 559-561, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 2 October 2012

Soules, M 2008, ‘Jurgen Habermas and the Public Sphere’, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/habermas.html viewed 21 August 2012

Tobias, E 2011, 'Using Twitter and other social media platforms to provide situational awareness during an incident', Journal Of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 5, 3, pp. 208-223, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 September 2012

Mirrors, Reality and the Specular Economy

The influence of the celebrity in our society is unparallelled, especially given the effect that they have upon children. We live in an information society which is fuelled by image and branding, enhanced by a celebrity culture that is plastered across advertising, magazines and TV. This celebrity culture has evolved due to the online activity of users, as they're lives become more accessible and 'instantaneous' thanks to a social networking site such as Twitter. With the evolution of this celebrity culture, it has also  shifted the 'market of personalities' into a digital and more robust form (Marshall, 2010). We have become eager to emulate our favourite star, manipulating our online image so as to run parallels with their lifestyles. 

Social Networking and 'blogging' are the central nodes to this creation of online persona's, due to their simplicity. Users can post what they want to post, be it image or text, in a way to present their desired image or status across a site like Facebook. It has allowed for the creation of aliases or alternate persona's which users deem desirable, in a way that emulate's a certain lifestyle or personality. Marshall (2010) has labelled this as a 'Specular Economy', where we are more conscious about the way we present ourselves. Using the example of a two-way mirror, he highlights how social networking and online activity has allowed us to reflect a certain persona that may not be true reflection of the self. It is an interesting concept, especially as we become more reliant on social networking platforms. 

Reference List 

Marshall, PP 2010, 'The Specular Economy', Society, 47, 6, pp. 498-502, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 September 2012.

The Collective Individual

The notion of culture has always involved a sense of belonging and involvement - a collective movement of people and/or ideas. It has defined people by their differing ethnicities, religions, foods and traditions. However, has the spread of Globalisation inhibited the cultural flows? Has it diluted the unique cultures of the world through infiltration of outside values, products or beliefs?

As observed in previous posts, Globalisation has broken down the borders of nation-states, weakening the power of governments in the process. We now exist in a society that isn't defined by one specific culture, more a mix or 'melting pot' of ethnicities (Bruekner & Smirnov, 2007) that contribute elements of their specific culture.

While we define those who belong to a certain culture as belonging to a collective or group, we are now seeing a difference in those individuals and the way they belong to their specific cultures. As dictated by Globalisation, it has given rise to what I call the 'Collective Individual', a person who may belong to a certain cultural collective, but retaining individual traits that may not have been previously present in generations gone by. These individual traits may have been absorbed by the ethnic 'melting pot' that is prevalent in that individuals society, a unique mix that separates them from others members of their cultural collective. An interesting concept.

Reference List

Brueckner, J, & Smirnov, O 2007, 'WORKINGS OF THE MELTING POT: SOCIAL NETWORKS AND THE EVOLUTION OF POPULATION ATTRIBUTES', Journal Of Regional Science, 47, 2, pp. 209-228, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 September 2012

Plugging into the Twittersphere

The public sphere, the domain for conversation and public information, has long been the imagined space for the 'people'. It has come under many guises too; be it in newspapers or public spaces, on radio or across the internet. An evolving space that is always changing.

In the contemporary media climate, the internet has become the primary space for this public discourse and rhetoric, especially given the advent of 'blogging' and Social Networking. Twitter is one such example of how the public sphere is shifting online, as it caters for conversation and is highly accessible. It has developed 'into a powerful form of communication' (Johnson, 2009), allowing users to subscribe to the information they want to see. This differs from the more traditional outlets of the 'public sphere', as those in the 'twittersphere' can tailor the information they receive based on their social, political and cultural beliefs. They can tailor their own public sphere. 

The recent social revolution in Egypt and the Iranian Presidential elections of 2010 are elements of this movement of information on Twitter, especially the speed in which the information is transferred. 


While undoubtedly Twitter will not replace or absorb into the public sphere as we know it (Hauth, 2010) due to the limitations it places on its conversations (140 characters or less), it is an example of the modern nature of the public sphere and the way we receive information. 

Reference List:

Hauth, A 2010, 'Twitter as a Public Sphere', New Media and Democracy, Viewed 21 August 2012 <http://www.personal.psu.edu/alh5147/blogs/cas497a/2010/02/twitter-as-a-public-sphere.html> 

Johnson, S 2009, 'How Twitter Will Change The Way We Live (in 140 characters or less). (Cover story)', Time, 173, 23, pp. 32-37, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 21 August 2012

Jurgen Habermas and the Public Sphere - http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/habermas.html 

http://www.wired.com/business/2011/02/egypts-revolutionary-fire/

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1905125,00.html 

Globalisation and 'Culture Shock'

Over the past six weeks, Globalisation has taken many forms - globalisation as a people mover, as a social equaliser and as a process of discrimination. From a cultural standpoint, Globalisation can be seen as a 'penetration... among a variety of different cultures and identities' (Ankara Papers, 2004), a phenomena that is diluting or enhancing cultural behaviours beyond the control of nation-states.

Of particular interest is the notion of 'culture shock', and whether this phenomena is being diluted by the processes of globalisation. Culture shock, defined as 'the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture' (Wikipedia, 2010), has long been a phrase used by many travellers to explain their experience in a foreign environment. However, as the flows of globalisation infiltrate the borders of nation-states, are we still exposed to a dramatically different cultural environment? one that disorientates and shocks?

In India for instance, the 'massive entry of electronic media and communication technology have introduced many changes in the traditional modes of cultural expression' (Ghosh, 2011). Similarly, Kasongo (2010) explores changes in African family structures and the modes of production as a result of globalisation. These cultural changes are all complimented by the rise of western products that have become commonplace in every society: the can of coke sold at the local village or the toshiba computer used to connect to the internet at the internet cafe. As a result, these are different environments to what they were 20 years ago, environments influenced in some way by globalisation.

While travellers may still experience different cultural environments as they enter foreign lands, is it enough to 'shock and disorientate'?

Culture 'shock'? More like 'Culture mild arousal'...



Reference List: 

Ghosh, B 2011, 'Cultural Changes and Challenges in the Era of Globalization',Journal Of Developing Societies (Sage Publications Inc.), 27, 2, pp. 153-175, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 August 2012

Kasongo, A 2010, 'Impact of Globalization on Traditional African Religion and Cultural Conflict', Journal Of Alternative Perspectives In The Social Sciences, 2, 1, pp. 309-322, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 9 August 2012

"Globalization, Modernization and Cultural Effects." Ankara Papers 15, no. 1 (December 2004): 8-20. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed August 10, 2012)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock - Definitions

The Social Olympics

The current Olympic Games has seen an unprecedented engagement on social media, becoming a central component in the reception of information about the games. While organisers anticipated a surge in social media content, the volume and functionality 'as a news source for broadcasters and the printed press' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19191785) has been incredible.



Technically, this is not the first Olympics were social media has been present, with the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 having a presence on Facebook and other social media sources. However, social media platform Twitter, where most of the social content for the London games has been sourced (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19191785), had just 6 million users at the time of Beijing (http://theconversationalcorporation.com/tag/twitter/).

Twitter and Facebook, among others, have presented users with an instantaneous connection with these Olympics that has never been seen before. It has allowed users to more readily engage with each sport, athlete and country in a way that feels more intimate.

Has this surge in social activity been a positive or negative aspect of these olympics? All I know is that it has become more accessible like never before.

References

http://theconversationalcorporation.com/tag/twitter/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19191785

The Changing Face of Media Ownership?

The 'dominant media' (Steven, 2003) have long controlled the output and distribution of the majority of the world's media content. These transnational media conglomerates, such as NewsCorp and Disney, have built empires that transcend the borders of nation-states. However, as the world shifts towards the digital age, does the rapid expansion in social media dictate a new platform for media ownership? Could the social media empires in Facebook and Twitter replace the traditional media conglomerates in the not so distant future?

Facebook, with over 900 million users, is slowly consolidating an online media empire through its acquisitions of rival social media outlets. Recently, Facebook acquired photo-sharing website Instagram for $1 Billion, indicating a willingness to absorb competing social media platforms. Similarly, Twitter purchased social aggregator Summify, complimenting its news based information feeds and removing a competing microblogging service. While this acquisition was not as significant as the Instagram purchase, it highlighted how these social media platforms are willing to consolidate their 'empires'.

Realistically, in terms of being all-conquering media conglomerates, Social Networks have a long way to go to achieve the power and size of their traditional rivals. However, as print media declines and if the 'social media evolution' (Cascio, 2009) continues, then these digital conglomerates could well achieve the power and influence of their traditional rivals.
Out with the old in with the new? Zuckerberg the new Murdoch? We'll have to wait and see...

References

Cascio, E 2009, 'The Evolution of Social Networking: Are You Ready?', Internet Telephony, Computers & Applied Sciences Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 5 August 2012

Steven, P 2003, ‘Political economy: the howling, brawling, global market place’, The no-nonsense guide to the global media, New Internationalist, Oxford, pp. 37–59

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/9195460/Facebook-buys-Instagram-a-desperate-attempt-to-stay-cool.html

http://mashable.com/2012/04/23/facebook-now-has-901-million-users/

http://mashable.com/2012/01/19/twitter-acquires-summif/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/opinion/13martin.html?_r=1