Digital sociology
The White Flight of Derek Black
"Activist Son of Key Racist Leader Renounces White Nationalism,"
What defines a community
-A shared culture, identity, where you share a sense of togetherness and communication -includes images, symbols and
attention economy
-A different type of economy -attention is a desired currency, and it is easy to measure online though likes, follows, ect Influencers: big followers, and they promote products -Getting paid in the attention economy,
gender ideology in the U.S
ideology: set of ideas that are widely shared by members of a society that guides, identities, behaviors, and institutions -binary gender ideology, the two categories are mutually exclusive
Intersection of the online and offline
ilived reality with tech and is a mix of online and offline -we experience these realms as a single, enmeshed and technosocial reality
technological mediation
information and communication technologies (ICT): carry ideas and info from one person to another Technological mediation: the actual process of transporting these ideas and info from one person to another
What is Fake News?
information that cannot be verified, without sources, and possibly untrue
social constructionism
society shapes technology
data mining
some organizations specialize in finding data what we are constantly providing online when we are using them to make inferences about what we would like to buy or do or even be. -Information is "extracted" from a larger body of info in order to uncover details
ownership of content online
specific intellectual contributions are legally protected
cellular and satelite networks in communication
such as mobile devices and exchange by different networks -digitized, serve to connect people, contribute to techno social life
horizontal or social surveillance
surveillance by people with roughly similar amounts of power -social surveillance: everyday, continual forms of "watching", or looking at one another's profiles and online activities is a common part of day today life on digital and social media
techno-socialization
takes place as people engage with those whole they know online, face to face, and in both contexts *internet and social media can play a large part of socialization and the development of the self, for this process takes place as we interact with others
teens online and offline
teens spend so much time online bc that is where their friends are
sociology and gender
term started being used in 1950s to discuss different behavior of men and women
gender distinction
the binary gender ideology is based on distinction or difference
Digital classism
the emergence of varying classes of people exisiting on the internet who utilize habits of technological participation as a way to establish status in digital society
The Digital Divide
the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don't or have restricted access. This technology can include the telephone, television, personal computers and the Internet.
technological determinism
the idea that machines and their development drive economic and cultural change -technology shapes society
social constructionism in technology
the invention and use of technology related to forces like political power, social class differences, and organizational dynamics unpacking: breaking apart and analyzing the intersectional forces and organizing structures that have left to the development, use, accessibility if tech
Triple Revolution
the inventions of the Internet, mobile technology and social networking platforms that are responsible for major shifts in social structure and interaction. -societies at all levels of technological sophistication have been affected
what is technology
the process or techniques of making something that allows human beings to share their knowledge, perform a task or fulfill a function -a tool or invention that, once created and used, is intended to solve a problem or improve upon part ways to do something
digital immigrant
the time before
Now
there is interactive software, media platforms, and apps -web, pages sites and blogs
what makes media digital
when data are communicated via computerized network bursts of invisible energy aka bits
Inhabiting the digital environment
when environments in which we live and form relationships are digitized they become potentially portable -some strictly physical and some strictly digital
Participatory Culture
when members of the public take active part in the creation and consumption of their cultural products and are often expected to share them freely and widely -impacts culture and consumption of content
globalization
world can be seen as a single, interconnected society -as a result global marketplace for products like energy, cars, electronics and entertainment has developed -sometimes this results in the outsourcing of jobs and opportunities, in which a job or job type that originated in one country becomes relocated to another, where it can likely be performed more cheaply
What Digital Sociology can be...
•A means to investigate the development and use of digital technologies •A way to analyze their impact upon and incorporation into social worlds •An approach to examining how concepts of selfhood and society can be understood through digital technology •A conduit for gathering data on different groups and communities not found in physically situated spaces.
Religion
•For many in technologically developed societies, the practice of religion has been transformed by the ubiquity of the internet and social media in their lives. •Websites, forums, and social media permit people to share, discuss, and debate religious issues. Spirituality in general has received a boost from the number of sites devoted to spiritual issues
Twitter, social class and the last election
•In the last election, Donald Trump was able to successfully leverage social media to speak to working class/poor white communities, particularly in rural areas. •Using a combination of promises, showmanship, and racial anxiety, he was able to convince a lot of voters who normally did not vote to register and vote for him.
whats your digital class
•Members of the digital upper class perceive themselves as being the most connected, self-aware, and tasteful in their sharing mechanisms. •The middle class is often a group of sharing and caring social network users who chose their platform on the basis of connecting to their personal networks. •Technological laggards are defined as the lower class who are confused and frustrated by the wavering disconnect between reality & their digital existence.
Digital Sociologists engage in:
•Professional digital practices: using digital media tools for professional purposes •Sociological analyses of digital media use: researching the ways in which people's use of digital media to create a sense of self and relationships. •Digital data analysis: using digital data for social research, either quantitative or qualitative •Critical digital sociology: undertaking reflexive and critical analysis of digital media informed by social and cultural theory
Digital Feudalism
•The Users (Serfs) = We often surrender our data with very little question and do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of sharing on web. •Power Users/Influencers = These are people who gain a variety of perks or income from social media, but aren't necessarily employed by platforms •Corporate Partners = Steal and mine data, but are able to jealously guard their own intellectual property •These are the people who own and control massive platforms and all of the data they generate.
Connecting Products & Stereotypes
•The product is Dole Fruit Gel Bowls. •The text is: "There's a feeling you get from the refreshing taste of real fruit. Lighten up with Reduced Sugar flavors. Life Is Sweet." • So how do they convince us that "Fruit Gel" is "real fruit"? • By putting a "native" appearing woman with a "natural" hairstyle in a white cotton frock with flowers around her neck.
Positives of surveillance
-assist in the rescue of people stranded or lost, locations can often be remotely tracked via phones -prompt the suggestion of new info and introduction of new people into ones lives -help ppl fend off intrusions, attacks or crimes
formal written language develops
-between 150000 and 350000 could have been earlier -in many socieities and cultures , written language has been seen as unreliable source of info so memorization and oral history are preferred
doing masculinity
-boys are taught not to do "girly" things -hegemonic man -hegemonic masculinity -these views establish a hierarchy of man
history of communication and info tech
-communication is prehistoric, preliterate,preverbral and even nonverbal -prior to words/writing people sent messages via gestures,grunts,cries and symbols
computing and the internet
-computer scientist John Mccarthy concentrated on AI
socialization through adulthood
-continues until you die
Platforms as social locations
-different platforms is dictated by our social class -
Technosocial
-digital experiences and the spaces in which they take place are totally real with real consequences -contrasting digital life with real life, therefore doesn't make sense -modern life and reality is techno and social simultaneously
cruelty as entertainment
-example of mean tweets
race and gender online
-female hardcore gamers embody femininity and perform masculinity - avatars in traditional female norms -black cis gender females say that presenting blackness is essential for cultiviating their gender identity online
internet of things (outernet)
-fitbits, ring
physically situated spaces
-sports teams and schools have slogans logos and representative colors -friends and families have favorite foods, sayings and nicknames -religions and nations have icons, pictures and documents
Racism on Social Media
-studied less but is a thing
Finding solutions and bridging divides
-to bridge divides successfully we need to empower world citizens, technological growth and development must be inclusive -three key components of inclusive growth are education, jobs and well being -Digital technology can be a propelling, enabaling or even a spark change in regards to growth
building communities in digital spaces
-use logos, representatives, colors and slogans -members, followers, and friends, use hashtags, tagging, statuses, and acronyms -digital communities use rules, policies, avatars and media content
When looking at news ask yourself
-who is the creator -what is the message -why was this created
wireless/mobile connection
-wireless in 1800s -then radio, gps and TV -mid 20th cellular and satelite
'Doing femininity'
-women can do a wider range of behaviors -parents encourage young girls to do both feminine and masculine behaviors -women must balance their appropriation of masculine traits, interests, activities with feminine performance is called the feminine apologetic -the male gaze?
printing press
1450 Johannes Gutenbrug -invents the printing press which opens an era of mass production/communication -books are now mass produced
Baby web
1989-1991 Tim Berners-lee and colleagues develop the WWW and made it available to all for free
Prosumer
21 century online buyers bc not only do they consumer products, but they are able to produce their own products such as jewelry, jumpers, logos
seniors on the internet
50% of 65 year olds are online and are on the internet regularly
Deep web
"dark nets" unsearchable sites -freenet faciliatated passage to untractable websites
the gender unicorn
-Gender identity -Gender expression -Sex assigned at birth -Physically attracted to -Emotionally attracted to
Sex work doesn't have to be "active" with the internet
-Given the wide array of sexual tastes, many people make money by accommodating different sexual proclivities and fetishes. For example, selling used panties or toe nail clippings is part of the sexual economies as well as an area of passive sex work that can be found in abundance on the web.
effect of cyberbullying and online marginalization
-Isolation -depression -illness -anger -humiliation
Pornography Online
-Most porn objectifies womyn and subjectifies men and presents unrealistic ideas about sex and women's bodies. -The vast majority of porn caters to the male gaze.
Dating Technologies
-Newspaper ads -Dating videos -online dating
FRIENDSHIP—ONLINE AND OFFLINE
-Though online and offline friendships are not qualitatively the same, and the term friend does not necessarily mean the same thing in both domains, there are certainly similarities. -Behaviors and attitudes generally considered critical to maintaining the bonds of friendship—self-disclosure, supportiveness, positive social interactions—take place and are important both online and offline. •Some relationships remain digital only indefinitely, even permanently. •Either their circumstances do not permit face-to-face meetings, or the participants prefer to retain the element of distance in the relationship. • People tend to bring online relationships into physical space when there is a strong reason to do so, such as a romantic or cultural connection.
Projecting emotions
-When close connections are formed, it is common practice to project onto individuals the qualities we want them to have or believe that they should have. -As it turns out, the absence of visual cues can enhance this process of projection and thus encourage the progression of a relationship.
Digital pictures driving digital classism
-allows you to size up your competitors lens on the world -all classes of digital users can feel comfortable capturing a moment, protected in a insulated environment with authentic effects
Social institutions
-are large systems that provide a society with structure and order and give its members a framework within which to build their organizations, connections, and communities ◦They are critical to helping a society (and its members) function, and social institutions are found in all societies
stratification and inequality
-groups and social units can be differentiated from one another in many ways -societies are often metaohorically divided into layers or tiers (upper class, middle class, working class and the poor) that tend to be perceived as forming a hierarchy -the process by which these layers are collectively determined and these divisons and subdivisons collectively form social stratification -low income and standard of living is a barrier to digital connectedness worldwide -in poorer areas, even if internet access were available, it would be difficult for people to afford -when there is unemployment and people do not make enough money to cover necessities, they are locked out from using the internet and from participating in a global economy predicated on technology -lack of education is a barrier to access and to the internet -people with limited or no relevant education may not have the skills required to use digital technologies, especially in ways that transcend the rudimentary
digital divide
-inconsistent internet access -unreliable service -difficulty charging phones -scarcity of computer equipment (hardware) -poor antivirus protection *many interacting divides
Privacy and obscurity
-it is difficult to ascertain who may or may not see content at any given time -it is also more difficult for data to remain obscured and hidden one the internet, which inevitably diminishes our autonomy and freedom
Digital Footprint
-it is important to be aware that bits of info is left behind whenever we are in digital spaces -we must remember that everything we do online is public and archived and can be viewed and interpreted by anyone at anytime
social organization, movements and activism
-it is now possible to speak directly to politicians, business owners, or leaders of all kinds of organizations via a twitter account or a blog for example -social networks open up pathways by which messages can more easily be sent to those who are in power -the internet and digital media also enable people to reach out to one another and organize their actions so that as a group they might make a greater difference examples include #blacklivesmatter, #metoo, for which social media and hashtag use have been indispensable
Full feature social networking site
-late 1990s a bunch of sites sprang up aka SNS
gendered avatars
-more female avatars than there are female gamers
hacking, danger, crime, and war
-nations, organizations, and all kinds of entities have digital as well as physical borders: systems intended to provide technological access to those who belong to the group and to exclude those who do not -hacking is the manipulation of the programming codes that tell computers exactly what to do and is also often the term used to describe the manipulation or inappropriate release of the information that is obtained in this way -large scale cyberattacks can take two forms: information attacks and infrastructure attacks *in former, personal information can be retrieved, made public and used to harm or embarrass or generate fear *in the latter, critical services can be disabled Cyberwarfare: can include attacks on populations, such as the sabotage of water systems, health communications, transportation, the electric power grid, military systems, financial networks, and the stock market -other crimes against individuals include identity fraud, theft, internet scams, and spam, drug trafficking, exposing children to pornographic images, sexual predation and kidnapping
what does it mean to be superconnected
-never have we been connected to so many people in so many ways -never have there been so many ranges of social implications as a result of that connectedness
E-politics
-not e government •Digital technologies are having a strong influence in, and are indeed revolutionizing, politics. Modern political campaigns have been transformed by internet and digital technologies, particularly social media. •Text messaging, Facebook, mySpace, Twitter, and so on have all run through the political cycle.
there are racist movements online
-on places such as fourchan and reddit
Goffman: Impression Management
-online people do "fix up" and edit words, photos and interactions to make them more positive
expression of self
-online photos to be a mode of self representation, expression, documentation -social media lends itself to storytelling, of constructing narratives about people and the lives lead, a key to social connectedness
Mead: taking roles of the other
-people try on the attitudes, behaviors, even physical items (clothes) of other people. This is very much in evidence as people check out one anothers profiles, postings and creative works
social factors impact internet connectedness
-race -gender -class
Dark web
-requires special encryption to be created, illegal activity
Race in advertising, risks, examples
Advertisers are trying to sell products to people, and they very often have to represent people to do that -Controlling Images theory * •Gendered depictions of African Americans in the media that shape people's ideas of what African Americans are and are not. (Patricia Hill Collins)
The Digital Erotic Marketplace = social hierarchies
Attractiveness: based on click data of other users One's measure of attractiveness as rated by other users is VERY IMPORTANT...for women. ● Men are significantly more likely to message women who are judged to be above average attractiveness ● 2⁄3 of men's messages go to women in the top 1⁄3 ● "Attractive women" get 5x the messages of "average" women, and 28x the messages of the "least attractive"
gender performance on the internet
Bc gender is intersectional
how was the internet born (from book)
Began as an initiative by the DOD called the Defense advanced research project agency or DARPA
Anti-racist movements
End the war on black people: Examples: ending capital punishment, money bail, deportations of black immigrant, end use of allowing past criminal history to affect voting and employment applications, end all jails Reparations The government has profited off of black bodies and black labor for hundreds of years to pay back all of the lack of income, wealth, health and educational opportunity. To compensate they should provide free open acess for all to public univiersities, and cover all living expenses for college students. forgive all federal student loans. Give federal money to HBCU. More about reparations: Ta-Nehisi Coates, a writer for the Atlantic, argues that the idea of reparations ought to have an important place in discussions of race in America. However, he is not demanding that a certain sum of taxpayer dollars be given to every African American. In practice, it is not possible to come up with a monetary sum that would pay for centuries of enslavement and abuse. Instead, Coates argues that the idea of reparations is what's important: that we need to begin by asking the question, by seriously considering what the nation might owe its black population after everything that's been done to them. That conversation may or may not lead to actual cash payments, but we need to begin by talking about it. The initial problem, Coates says, is that so many Americans seem unaware of their nation's history and of the role that white supremacy and the oppression of black people has played in making the country what it is today. Invest-Divest Stop investing in jails, instead invest in schools. Retroactively reverse people locked up for drug crimes. Economic justice. Redistribute wealth through tax codes. Create jobs programs. Allow workers to organize. Fair access to clean air and water Community Control Democratic control of law enforcements. Allow community control of schools. Participatory budgeting Political Power Eliminate SuperPACS, protect the right to vote for black people
Just how much online pornography is there?
Every second ◦28,258 users are watching pornography on the internet. ◦$3,075.64 is being spent on pornography on the internet. ◦372 people are typing the word "adult" into a search engine. Everyday ◦37 pornographic videos are created in the United States. ◦2.5 billion emails containing porn are sent or received. ◦68 million search queries related to pornography- 25% of total searches- are generated. ◦116,000 queries related to child pornography are received.
Search engines emerge
First they were not seen as critical tools -google developed by Larry page and Sergey Brin and made it available
social media in the digital age
Glocalization: digitally influences social movements have the best opportunity for sustained success when they operate on both the local and global levels -when multiple networks become activated at the local community level and the message
Subordinated
Here I show that, when people of color are included, they are often subordinated through placement and action. That is, they tend to be literally background or arranged so that the focal point (visually or through action) is the white person or people in the ad.
THE DIGITAL EROTIC MARKETPLACE
In the erotic marketplace, people are organized based on their perceived sexual desirability. This perception is part of our cultural value system. Attractiveness is an important commodity. There are also gendered matching rules that follow the cultural norm that men should be taller, stronger, bigger, older, more educated, and have a higher status job that brings in more income.
Cooleys looking glass self
Individuals develop their selves and identities by using those in their immediate vicinity as a kind of mirror to the self -they look carefully at people's reactions and responses when trying on a new behavior, characteristic, or preference -If something elicits a positive response it is more likely to engender a sense of confidence
emotionality and intimacy
Intimacies and emotions that arise in online interaction serve as a kind of glue for the relationship that form there -this emotional glue is especially important in the absence of the physical glue that face to face interaction can provide
Combating Fake News begins with you
Media Literacy ◦The process and ability to be able to evaluate and separate fake news from real news is a part of media literacy and, on a broader level, information literacy. There are strategies that you can use to become a savvy judge of news especially online or when using social media.
Whitewashed
One manifestation of white supremacy is the use of whiteness as the standard of beauty. When whiteness is considered superior, white people are considered more attractive by definition and, insofar as the appearance of people of other races deviates from that standard, they are considered ugly. Non-white people are still allowed to be considered beautiful, of course, as long as they look like white people.
when identity is marginalized
People are not equally empowered
creating digital environments
Platforms: a computerized framework on which an application can run Platforms can be: blogging, social media sites, video streaming and audio sites
Digital Portrayals of Racial Minorities
Portrayals of racial minorities typically represent members of that group either in flawed or super-human ways. Both send messages about what groups and individual members of these groups are like. Portrayals of each group of people also portray masculine and feminine stereotyped expectations of that group.
The social construction of race on the web
Racial Formation Theory on the web •Racial formation theory is a framework that has the objective of deconstructing race as it exists today in the United States. •The idea that race is a dynamic and fluid social construct. •Omi and Winant suggest that race is something that is fluid, where "the racial order is organized and enforced by the continuity and micro-level and macro-level of social relations".
digital labor
START of section 2? two -a lot of media rely heavily on individuals producing content for public consumption and thus engaging in digital labor Diff from physical: Alone, you are not getting paid Similar to physical:
reality, presence and proximity
The internet and digital media facilitate the perception and experience of proximity and presence in ways that transcend the physical -when connecting online, those with whom we connect are often perceived to be "really there". This sense that the other is "really there" This is called social presence
LGBTQIA+ daters & the digital exotic marketplace
The same racialized and gendered dynamics can be found in the digital LGBTQIA+ exotic marketplace
community
There is community online
sociomental spaces, cultures and societies
These spaces, and the activities, bonds and connections formed within them, can also be described as sociomental -the connectedness is interpersonal (social part) and relies on cognitive rather than physical activity for its creation
Internet
a global network of circuits and packets of data that connect countless billions of computerized devices and thus the people that use these devices
Interrogating the intersections of race & social class on the web
Upper Class Neighborhoods: ●More resources ●Better schools ●More services ●More jobs ●Better paying jobs Upper Class values: ●More socially progressive ●Less religious ●Broad, impersonal social networks ●Concerted cultivation -Upper class parents can afford to use the Breadwinner + Career Woman model, where all household work and childcare is replaced by paid services.
Diversity as "Flavor"
What do you guys notice about these pictures? [there are POC featured on the flavored ones, they also change the color of the box to match the cereal] two french fry holders, one with a black and one with a white woman, reading "never a dull moment, only tasty," and "Is it wrong to think Arby's all the time." The black woman, then, is presented alongside the ideas of excitement and flavor: If whiteness is the neutral category — meaning that people of color are commonly understood to be raced while white people are not — then to be non-white is to be different in some way. The "bad" difference is the deviant (for example, the "welfare queen," the "thug"), while the "good" difference is the exotic, the interesting, the hip, the cool... the hot or spicy. Whiteness, in contrast, is boring, bland, or "vanilla."
vertical or asymmetrical surveillance
When a strong hierarchical power structure is involved, as when govt or companies seek to track or monitor someones online activity to influence, manage, protect or direct behavior. Vertical: govt or companies Horizontal: consumers
Gofundme
When several or more people take on or share a task in a distributed but collective manner, physically separated from one another, the activity is called crowdsourcing
Heterosexual women also value attractiveness
Women tend to message more attractive men as well, suggesting that attractiveness matters to them, too, but not nearly as much as it does to men. Women's value in the erotic marketplace is tied to attractiveness (how they look). Men's value is more often tied to what they do and who they are. Men can make up for mediocre looks by being funny, smart, or rich.
Working class and working class/poor families
Working class neighborhoods ●Less resources ●Blue collar jobs ●Lower earnings ●Less services ●Low accumulations of wealth ●Neglected by politicians (often) Working class values ●Relies on kinship and neighborhood ties ●Traditional family (gender roles) ●Hard work ethic ●Religious ●Socially conservative ●Skeptical of government intervention ●resourceful
study of the self
a process in which construct who we are through our interactions with others -the self process at a given point in time is the self concept -scholars examining the self concept focus on self identities, the kind of person we see ourselves as and self evaluations
the web
a system of hyperlinked pages and documents that exist on the internet -use the internet to access the web
social information processing theory
a theory suggesting that electronically mediated relationships grow only to the extent that people gain information about each other and use that information to form impressions social information processing theory: -online relationships are hyperpersonal
botsentinel
application to try to detect bots
divides in action
because the internet and digital media bring people into frequent contact with another, prejudice and discrimination occur online just as they do face to face. people are not accountable to one another face to face and we see negative, prejudicial and discriminatory behaviors very much in evidence in digital spaces.
digitial natives
children who grew up with internet
doing gender
doing gender: describes the way in which we actively obey and break gender rules men and women make different choices, that often match stereotypical expectations -our gendered behaviors cover a wide range of activities, both subtle and obvious
ARPANET
evolved into the internet
gender rules
gender rules are instructions for how to appear and behave as a man or a woman
Robots and bots
humanlike machines and web based software applications that run automated tasks and are becoming in some cases interactive and seemingly personable
Scientific Racism
is when allegedly scientific principles and methods were used to prove the existence and qualities of races -The ongoing search for genetic underpinnings of racial differences. -Used by some to justify genetic racism
techo social
level of sociality that is influenced by technology
Remix culture
materials are taken from the pieces of existing texts, whether it is legally permissible to do so or not, and the new versions are created.
the digital streets
movements such as metoo and timesup
Peaceful anti-racist movements online
people are joining peaceful protests
pushing back against gendered advertising online
people are pushing back by exposing the male gaze and gendered stereotypes in the media -voices rise online and corporations follow suit
Sociality
peoples tendency to form connections and bonds with another, and to live life in concert with others
citizen journalism
possibility for spreading info widely and quickly (going viral) -But accuracy and ethics are sacrificed -can take many forms such as conspiracy theories
society divided
prejudice is an attitude- the prejudging of people based on their membership in some group, social unit, or category without taking individual characteristics into account- and it is usually thought of in a negative sense discrimination is a behavior: the unfair treatment of people based on their membership in a group, social unit or category
gender roles
prevalent belief that men and women adhere to certain roles bc they are biologically and sociologically functional gender role theory
whats in the name of self and identity
self: is your personhood, literally the person that you are, physically, psychologically and socially identity: comprises your personal qualities and characteroistics- what you are like
sharing is caring?
sharing economy transcends the internet -companies like Uber and air b and b have products as cars and vacation homes to be rented instead of purchased -mant digital sites and apps seem free to use. Personal info for which users are not compensated is generally provided during such visits
"Hipness"
•This ad is using people of color to emphasize being "hip" or "sophisticated," use them to signal "youth" and what being young represents. Young people are on the forefront of "cool," of course, and also, in some sense, define "progressive" in that they herald a more "diverse" and "tolerant" future
How online advertisements use race
•To connect a product with a stereotype •To invoke the idea of "color" or "flavor" •To suggest ideas of "hipness" "modernity" and "progress
How People of Color are included in digital advertising
•Whitewashed •Chaperoned •Subordinated
Online Feminist Porn? Really? (...yes really)
•Women are central to the conceptualization, direction, and production •● Depicts real female pleasure (no fake orgasms), and agency for all performers, especially women •● Has more diverse representation of people •● Challenges mainstream porn tropes •● Ethically made - fair wages, labor recognized, workplace is safe •● Prioritizes enthusiastic consent •● Collaborative process - unscripted, porn performers are given control •● Made for all genders and sexualities
Digital Dystopia: Weaponizing technology against the poor
•artificial intelligence (AI), predictive algorithms, risk modeling and biometrics are becoming a new way to penalize the world's poor. •The Guardian has found that state and federal governments have joined forces to demand that welfare recipients repay "overpayments" stretching back in some cases 30 years. • This system of "zombie debt", weaponized through technology, is invoking fear and hardship among society's most vulnerable. •Virtual and automated workforces •Determining risk through biometrics, which is race, classed, and gendered
How Online Pornography Affects Americans
◦About 200,000 Americans are classified as "porn addicts." ◦40 million American people regularly visit porn sites. ◦35% of all internet downloads are related to pornography. ◦34% of internet users have experienced unwanted exposure to pornographic content through ads, pop up ads, misdirected links or emails. ◦One-third of porn viewers are women
E-Government
◦Comprehensive rethinking and redesign of governmental communication and information infrastructures—an e-government is increasingly possible. ◦The digital infrastructure of a nation can be rebuilt from the ground up, coordinating critical systems like citizen identification, record-keeping, taxing, social services, and health care. -Properly implemented, digital technologies could also revolutionizing governing. They could assist in the coordination of government agencies, increase efficiency, and help boost economic growth. In a time of fiscal pressures and burdens and, often, political unrest, this is greatly needed Unfortunately, most governments still often operate in inefficient ways and do not make the best use of the digital tools and strategies available to them. Thus, few governments have been able to benefit fully from digitization.
Education and Libraries
◦Computers and digital technology are now found in classrooms at all levels and libraries the world over. ◦Informational materials, lessons, and whole curricula can be delivered in online e-learning (or distance learning) environments, and this has become a popular option for the delivery of educational materials. Additionally, "hybrid" or "blended" educational settings, which are partly online and partly face-to-face, are becoming more prevalent. In many ways, schools, schooling, libraries and institutions of higher education no longer resemble their counterparts of the early 2000s—or even 2010.
Types of Fake News
◦Deliberate Misinformation There is fake news written for profit and then shared on social media among targeted groups of people who want to believe that it is true. The intention is for the fake news to spread without readers taking the time to properly verify it. This type of fake news is untrue news. ◦False Headlines A news headline may read one way or state something as fact, but then the body of the article says something different. The Internet term for this type of misleading fake news is "clickbait"—headlines that catch a reader's attention to make them click on the fake news. This type of fake news is misleading at best and untrue at worst.
DIGITAL SOCIOLOGY EMERGES
◦Encompasses the mobility of technology ◦And the ever-increasing accessibility and availability to the internet. ◦Sociologists have only recently coined the phrase "digital sociology" and we have been slow in organizing a sub-discipline around it.
Sex work and sex economies
◦In addition, some use digital technologies to do sex work— serving as models, dancers, actors, and participants in adult films or other sex-oriented professional settings. ◦ Relatively inexpensive access to media and technology has enhanced the ability of people to make money in this way. Still, there is a social stigma attached to sex work, and a price may be paid in terms of social status, health, harassment, and violence.
MAKING DIGITAL CONNECTIONS
◦In internet and digital media use, individuals can easily become more aware of others and detect similarities and common interests, goals, and values.
The Institutional "Heart": The Family
◦In tech-rich societies, families often use digital tech and social media to stay connected and in contact with one another.
CYBERSOCIOLOGY
◦In vogue in the 1990s. ◦Dedicated primarily to understanding life on the internet ◦Anchoring itself on the desktop computer ◦And with a keen eye on "virtual reality"
CRAAP test
◦It is always a good idea to verify information before you share it with others—in person or on social media. Aside from the three questions above, an additional method that works is the CRAAP test—Look at the content for: ◦currency—the timeliness of the information, ◦relevance—the importance of the information to your needs ◦authority—the source of the information, ◦accuracy—the reliability and truthfulness of the information, ◦purpose—the reason the information exists.
The Racialized Digital Exotic Marketplace
◦It is no surprise that in heterosexual dating sites that race, and colonial standards of beauty apply. MEN - non-black men applied a penalty to black women - while black men showed little racial preference either way WOMEN - all women preferred men of their own race - but they otherwise penalized both Asian and black men
Racial Fetishism on Grindr
◦Racial fetishism: excessive devotion to a racial category that is not one's own ◦Involves stereotyping and objectifying
Educators' reality check
◦Reading books and other online material via e-books, on the internet, and on the go has become a primary way to deliver and access information, especially up-to-date information. ◦Teachers and librarians must grapple with these new realities -especially as we age. Our students stay the same age for the most part, but we age. -This can lead to being out of touch.
Sexual Activity Online
◦Sexual behavior online can also take the form of sexually oriented conversations, phone sex, or cybersex—the exchange of erotic messages or fantasies while using a computerized device. ◦Sexual activity that involves the internet and digital media is everincreasing. Pornography is more widely available online than ever.
Flirting, Dating, Romance, and Sex
◦Sites explicitly designed to bring together people looking for dates, sex, or other kinds of romantic entanglements proliferate online. ◦The overwhelming majority of online users have done at least one of the following: ◦ searching for information about prospective dates and local singles scenes ◦flirting via email, text, or instant messaging ◦visiting dating sites.
Types of Fake News (Part Two)
◦Social Media Sharing (Sometimes)Social media's ability to show a large number of news items in a short time means that users might not take the time to research and verify each one. These sites often rely on shares, likes, or followers who then turn news items into a popularity contest—and just because something is popular and widely-shared does not mean it's true. ◦Satire (when not informed)Satire news or comedy news often begins with an aspect of truth then purposefully twists it to comment on society. Satire news has the potential to be spread as though it is real news by those who do not understand its humorous nature. An example of a well-known satire website is The Onion.
Social Institutions
◦Social institutions are large systems that provide a society with structure and order and give its members a framework within which to build their organizations, connections, and communities ◦They are critical to helping a society (and its members) function, and social institutions are found in all societieis
"CHEMISTRY" AND SYNCHRONICITY
◦Sometimes, two people feel a special attraction and an interpersonal spark or "chemistry." ◦Portable technology use lends itself to the establishment of this kind of attraction, because cell phones, tablets, laptops, and other portable devices can be used at odd hours, in odd places, any time of the day or night. Intimacy is enhanced in such conditions.
health care online
◦The internet and digital media have come to have a profound influence on people's health care and therefore their health, both physical and mental. ◦The storage, management, and transmission of health-related data now increasingly occur digitally. Technology also supports and influences clinical decision making and facilitates patient care, often from a distance . Most people now look for health information online in addition to turning to their physicians, friends, and family. What has been called "peer-to-peer" health care is flourishing—reminiscent of the ways that people helped one another in tribal communities that did not have access to modern medicine.
History of Fake News
◦The topic of fake news is as old as the news industry itself—misinformation, hoaxes, propaganda, and satire have long been in existence.
More recently, Twitter became "the public commons" for politicians in the 2016 election
◦The use of social media (especially Twitter) by President Donald Trump and his campaign in his candidacy during 2015 and 2016 and upon assuming the presidency in 2016 is perhaps the most dramatic example of the power of social media in politics. ◦Trump used Twitter as a platform to speak directly to voters and citizens, sidestepping traditional media outlets and disrupting traditional practices of dealing with the press.
SMART online
◦There are many challenges for families as they attempt to integrate technology into family life. ◦Parents and caregivers worry that children are online too much and they worry about what they are doing—including the digital footprint that may remain. They also worry about how their children treat one another online and whether they are contacting strangers online or face-to-face. ◦ Many attempt to implement strategies aimed at controlling or reducing digital technology use, but these efforts are to some extent limited by the portability of mobile media and the freedoms this gives its users. It has become difficult, at any age to be fully integrated into society without using digital devices.
pseudo- 'religious' sites: preaching hatred as Truth
◦There are many places on the web where people create websites with a highly bias view of different religions. ◦Often time, these websites are created by laypeople who try to give their site and its information credibility. ◦They often lure site visitors with names that appear benign.
What about ENBY, Genderfluid, or Trans folks?
◦There is not a lot out there in terms of dating that doesn't frame gender fluidity as a central feature of a dating site. ◦Okcupid is pretty good with pronouns and dating options, but it is still very ad hoc.
INTERACTIVITY
◦They develop and join groups of all kinds, from Facebook and Google groups to internet forums and bulletin boards. ◦They invent ways to identify one another and form groups online, such as the hashtag, and invent platforms and apps that constantly reimagine the ways that people can interact.
Work and Commerce Online: the Benefits
◦Virtual organizations—sometimes called distributed work groups, virtual teams, or knowledge networks—are now prevalent. These online work groups and their mobile equivalents can be quite successful in helping spatially separated people accomplish tasks together. ◦People can work on multiple projects with multiple teams online. Digital technologies like Skype and social media enable people to work and network together efficiently and effectively. ◦The introduction of such technologies has provided sizable gains in productivity for many businesses.
work and commerce
◦Work has undergone a massive transformation in the digital age, as the internet and digital media have become a critical part of organizing and transacting all kinds of business. ◦Computers and mobile media are used in countless organizational settings in a number of ways, from gathering data to organizing it to providing shared spaces for work.
