The power of the Facebook status
Facebook is a popular, free Social Networking website that allows registered users to create profiles, upload photos and videos, send messages and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues. “Within this social network, there is a feature known as a Facebook status that is an update feature which allows users to discuss their thoughts, whereabouts, or important information with their friends.” (Rouse, 2015)
“People who usually think of the world in materialist terms play with the idea that the somehow immaterial world of computer networks has created a new space for power without traditional forms of ownership.” (Turkle, 2015) This quote connects with the result from when users are aware that when they receive “likes” and “comments”, it allows them a sense of power with their thoughts and their whereabouts out in the open to influence how other Facebook users see them in the real world. The user who then writes the status feels a sense of power in being interesting enough that their status has been read and acknowledged by various Facebook users.
Within the Lecture it is stated that six degrees of separation determines that some people and networks are more closely linked than others; people and networks are hubs and clusters which form ‘small worlds’. (Kuttainen, 2015) Facebook is becoming a cluster of ‘small worlds’ with users becoming more connected within the site, creating more power for the users with the continuous updating of statuses. These users persuaded by the amount of acknowledgement they are receiving, then have to hold the interest by their ‘followers’ and upgrade the content of what they are adding to their status. With this sense of power users are receiving, the six degrees of separation becomes more apparent when more and more users are acknowledging these statuses.
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| Goldstein, J. (2015) |
This video demonstrates the power that comes from Facebook statuses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ZqXlHl65g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ZqXlHl65g
Reference List
Goldstein, J. (2015). N/A. Digital Humanities at Geneseo. Retrieved 14 August 2015, from http://dh.sunygeneseoenglish.org/2014/05/01/like-my-status/
Kuttainen, V. (2015). Power: The Panopticon. Lecture, Townsville, James Cook University Building 3 Room 001.
Rouse, M. (2015). whatls.com. techtarget.com. Retrieved 14 August 2015, from http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Facebook#
Turkle, S. (2015). Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet (pp. 246-249). New York: Simon & Schuster.
I like your argument about the 'Six Degrees of Separation' (Kuttainen, 2015) and how others are more intimately linked than they seem. You could also argue that due to Facebook having certain groups whom are dedicated to certain people or things, such as a Taylor Swift fan group or people who 'like' Nutella's fan group which can then further 'Six Degrees of Separation' by enlarging their social circle. And to be honest, the whole concept of 'Six Degrees' is quite thrilling (to think I could know Gillian Anderson through as many as six people). However, you could also discuss the fact that not everyone is connected via social media, i.e. many people cannot have access to the internet, such as slum dwellers or third-world countries whom have no access to the internet or Facebook.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Kuttainen, V. (2015). Power: The Panopticon. Lecture, Townsville, James Cook University Building 3 Room 001.
You’ve expressed some great ideas here and you’ve fabricated this piece of work very well. There are also many other forms of power created by the used of social media, especially Facebook. They enable companies to easily access millions of people for almost no cost at all (Recruitment Buzz, 2014). This level of connection has its downfalls as well as t gives people the power to globally shame a person, product or company with little consequences. Overall, the topics you have discussed are very relevant in everyday life and hold a lot of power and meaning in the “real-world”. Also, the photo is very attention grabbing and it was a good idea to use humour as a way of engaging your readers. The YouTube video is also a very nice touch and very creative. Good work.
ReplyDeleteReference List:
Recruitment Buzz, 2014. How to Harness the Power of Facebook for Recruiting and Sourcing. http://recruitmentbuzz.co.uk/how-to-harness-the-power-of-facebook-for-recruiting-and-sourcing/