Blog Post #3

Throughout the past weeks of CS371, we have explored the connections between communication, culture, technology, and media. The main aspect of media that this course focuses on is social media. I am also taking another communications course CS353 Internet Studies that I have noticed is similar and has various connections to the content in CS371. So far this Internet studies course has largely focused on the creation and evolution of the internet and Web 2.0. Web 2.0 was seen as a revolutionary stage in the evolution of the internet because it enabled users to directly engage with interfaces and create user-generated content. This is the function that allowed social media platforms to exist, function and develop into the global dominating success that they are today. It is helpful and beneficial for myself to take these two communications courses at the same time because, in order to fully understand and explore the functions and development of social media, you must first understand the evolution of the internet and how social media came about. In one of this week’s readings “What Are Social Media?” by Graham Meikle, he talks about the meaning and purpose of social media. Meikle explains how social media began as a marketing tool and even though that is not all it is used for today, it is still utilized for business marketing purposes (p. 5). Social media interfaces were created for all internet users to participate in and create their own user-generated content for the public and their friends to see and engage with as well. Social media platforms allow their users to create their own online presences, networks and connections (Meikle, p. 3). Meikle stated, "Facebook, like other social media firms, is a media company that does not itself actually create any media" (p. 2). Social media platforms like Facebook are dependent on user participation and activity because users are the ones that create all of their media and essentially make these platforms the global successes they have become. In our week three lecture, we discussed the concept of presencing and how it has become a significant and crucial aspect of the internet and social media. Presencing occurs when internet users directly engage and participate in online activities such as Google, social media, blogs, etc. Social media platforms encourage and require each user to make themselves present by creating their account identity, following and interacting with other users, posting pictures, videos, and other content, etc. These platforms can be seen as the easiest way to make oneself present within this electronic environment (Herman, Week 3 Lecture, 2018).

Comments

  1. Claire DawsonOctober 15, 2018 at 8:24 PM

    Hi Sam! I really like how you linked this course to cs353 because I have also taken that course and am familiar with Web 2.0 and its significance. Towards the end of your post you discussed the important of 'presencing' within digital environments and the crucial role that it plays in creating value for these social media sites (it's crazy to think that without all of its users Facebook would be nothing). This idea of presencing made me think of something that I found out about YouTube creators recently that shocked me. As we all know, YouTube has quickly become the most popular video-sharing website and people are even creating content on YouTube as their full-time jobs. Some creators are able to amass millions and millions of followers and views and rely on money from ad revenues and sponsorships to make ends meat. What's crazy to me is that when companies are looking for YouTubers to collaborate with it is not the number of followers or the number of views they are looking for, it is high levels of engagement (i.e. comments and likes). I was surprised by this at first but I guess it makes sense that brands want to work with people who have loyal fans and trust what they are saying and the products they are using. Thanks for your post!

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  2. UnknownDecember 6, 2018 at 5:22 PM

    Hey, I like your connection from CS353 to social media–I also took that course and find that connection to be true, that it’s interesting to learn the genesis of a particular technology we use and see how its evolved into what it is today. Meikle’s point about presencing and networking is so relevant. As social media was originally intended for businesses, they are structured in a manner that reveals the key elements and highlights of a particular business. However, it is interesting to think that we ourselves have adopted into social media and present ourselves in a manner similar to businesses–revealing the key elements of ourselves and posting the highlights of our lives as if we are branding ourselves. Additionally, we do essentially brand ourselves into labour because as you said, there is no social media unless we engage with it, produce content of at least reproduce content. It’s odd thinking about us being workers of social media, but I think its too entertaining to willingly resist its use.

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