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Social Media: Making Sense of Signals AACUSS 2014 Bonnie Stewart @bonstewart University of Prince Edward Island June 2014
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Social Media: Making Sense of Signals
AACUSS 2014
Bonnie Stewart @bonstewart
University of Prince Edward Island June 2014
Overwhelmed by Networks
h"ph"p//www.marke,ngpilgrim.com/2014/01/facebook-‐is-‐the-‐most-‐visited-‐social-‐network-‐twi"er-‐and-‐google-‐,ed-‐for-‐3rd.html
Oversimplified Cultural Messages
…create black & white positions
h"p://gossipgenie.com/viewpoint-‐im-‐a-‐social-‐media-‐addict/
“The truth about stories is that’s all we are.”
Overwhelmed by Stories
Saturated with Signals
How do we make sense of this, 24/7?
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/jenny-‐pics/13973860825
3 Stories
• Technologies as culture • Social media signals • Making a difference
Stories of Culture
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/94342662@N00/3869483214/
The dark side of social media
#YesAllWomen
#YesAllWomen
#YesAllWomen
#YesAllWomen
#YesAllWomen
#YesAllWomen
Many of the stories were from 20+ years ago.
The Breakfast Club, 1985
Revenge of the Nerds, 1984
“Y” is for your sister
So. We have a problem.
But when we stick that problem in a box called ‘cyberbullying,’ we
limit our capacity to understand how deep and broad it is.
What we do with our technologies is a symptom of culture
…at the same time it shapes culture
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgangfoto/2170329428
Social media, as a technology, enables cyberbullying and MRA forums.
It also enables #yesallwomen, and other
forms of sharing and speaking back.
Stories of Signals
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelrperry/2221259599
Social Media Broadcast Media
h"p://ezasseenontv.com/tag/as-‐seen-‐on-‐tv-‐store/
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/ooohoooh/1350774613/
Social networks are not just for consuming, but connecting.
…with the whole room. And beyond.
To understand stories of social media, we need to understand
many-to-many communications.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmesis/21126825/
Social networks are made of people
Networks are not about online/offline
Social media signals are relational, like oral culture,
but leave permanent traces, like print culture
4 qualities of social media signals
• Persistence: online signals are automatically recorded & archived.
• Replicability: signals made out of bits can be duplicated.
• Scalability: there is potential for massive visibility.
• Searchability: signals can be accessed through search. - danah boyd, 2010
Digital Footprint
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/orinoko42/5557586589/
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/51764518@N02/9763729373/
Built and sustained over time
Good Lord. I think I’ll just opt out.
Don’t count on it.
Others can contribute to your footprint, too
Small private signals can travel to audiences never imagined
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/ta"oodjay/4129779298/
But the effects that damage people?
They are social. They are cultural. They reflect the values *we* side
with, as a culture.
Gotcha. Going home to cry now.
How can we make a difference?
WAIT
Stop pretending our problems are new
Learn to talk about privilege & power relations
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/nuwandalice/
Talk. Signal. Model.
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/100144679@N04/13629511575
…if you decide to go online, three things:
1. Your online signals need an identity
let’s be clear: colleges & universities do NOT
need 23 separate Twitter & Facebook accounts for
every single department on campus
but they totally need 23 – or 53 – or 503 – caring people who want to
connect and contribute to a changing campus culture by
engaging with students online and off.
2. Your online signals need to be visible
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/5251078306
Amplifying your intended audience is a GREAT way to become more
visible to them
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/stopdown/2837077634/
(saving others’ signals about you = good too)
(warning: strong language incoming)
3. Your online signals need to be signals you (and your institution)
can live with
redacted
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21031300@N02/4076687726/
It’s public. It’s people. Always take the high road.
Success = lather, rinse, repeat
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/repairgenius/7258035052
Social media = part of the problem. It can also be part of making it better.
What signals will you send? h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/6292534445/
