Lection 7. Digital media culture (1)

1. Digital media culture

2. A DIGITAL REVOLUTION

Contemporary western
cultures are filled with
media that shape our
understanding of the
world. Since the early
2000s, these media have
undergone
significant
changes due to the
digital revolution.

3.

A DIGITAL REVOLUTION
The digital revolution has had a profound impact on these
"legacy" media forms. Unlike other revolutions, the digital
revolution happened very quickly. It took broadcast radio 38
years and television 13 years to reach 50 million users, while
the internet achieved this milestone in just four years.

4. The network society

Manuel Castells developed a social theory about the internet,
stating that we are currently going through a historical transition
between different types of societies.

5. The network society

Castells acknowledges that networks have existed in human
history before, but he emphasizes that the internet and digital
networking technologies enable global systems.

6. Cyberspace

Cyberspace is a term used to describe the virtual place where
electronic activities take place, such as those involving
computers and digital communication technologies. In the early
days of the internet, it was often associated with optimistic visions
of a perfect world.

7.

Cyberspace
Some people imagine cyberspace as a utopian space separate
from the real world, detached from its culture, history, and
problems. Margaret Wertheim argues that it is often envisioned
as a heavenly place without physical limitations.

8. Digital citizenship

Digital citizenship refers to being fully involved in the online world
and behaving ethically in digital environments. It is crucial for
active participation in the democratic process and ensuring
equality in terms of voice and representation. Karen Mossberger
argues that access to information and digital citizenship are
essential for political engagement, as those who lack internet skills
are at a disadvantage.

9.

It encompasses three key skills:
Digital etiquette: Displaying appropriate and responsible
behavior while online.
Digital literacy: Having the skills to access, understand,
participate in, or create online content.
Digital security: Taking steps to protect one's personal
information online.

10. Access barriers

Discussions about digital citizenship help us understand that
digital divides are more complex than just having access to
computers and the internet. Jan van Dijk and Kenneth Hacker
have identified three additional barriers to accessing information
and participating in the networked society:

11. Access barriers

Mental access: Some people may lack basic digital
experience due to factors like disinterest, computer anxiety,
or finding new technology unappealing.

12. Access barriers

Skills access: Inadequate education or lack of social support
can hinder people from acquiring the necessary digital skills.

13. Access barriers

Usage access: Some individuals may have limited opportunities
to engage meaningfully with digital technologies.
While technology is becoming more accessible and affordable
worldwide, the issue of physical access is improving.

14.

In 2021:
Approximately 4.9 billion people, or around 63% of the global
population, were using the internet.
The total number of mobile phone subscriptions was
overtaking the total number of people on earth;
More people in the world have mobile phones than have
toilets. (Levitin, 2015)

15. Social status and usage patterns

The types of websites that people visit on the internet can vary
depending on their socio-economic background. People with
higher or medium levels of education used to dominate the
internet in its early years. However, recent research shows that
people with lower levels of education spend more time on the
internet during their free time compared to those with medium
or higher education levels.

16.

Social status
and usage patterns
Some online activities offer users
increased opportunities in their
careers, work, education, and
social lives. This suggests that
certain groups of internet users
have better chances of building
economic, social, and cultural
advantages.
However,
it's
important to note that the
internet can both reproduce and
accelerate
social
inequality.
Instead
of
promoting
equalization, it tends to reinforce
existing social inequalities and
create
disadvantaged
and
excluded individuals.

17.

Social status
and usage patterns
It is crucial not to assume that popular online activities
focused on entertainment and fun are inferior or more passive
than those aimed at education and high culture.

18. Cyberactivism

Many people believe that the internet has given rise to
new types of political activism that promote democracy
and include marginalized communities.

19.

Cyberactivism
Saskia Sassen argues that the internet empowers non-elites to
contribute to a more democratic civil society and engage in
global activism. Through online platforms, local issues can
gain global attention while still remaining connected to their
specific contexts.

20.

Cyberactivism
Furthermore, digital media
have opened up the public
sphere to women and nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs) involved in social
justice causes. Women can
participate in global political
conversations
from
local
spaces such as households,
schools,
or
community
centers.

21. Meme wars

The concept of a "meme" is used to understand this process. A
meme is a cultural idea or symbol that spreads through imitation.
It could be a catchy song, a fashion trend, a book, or an idea.
Successful memes are those that fit well with our brains and are
easily replicated and remembered.

22.

Meme wars
With the development of digital communication, the number
of memes available has increased, but our brains have limits
on how many we can process and retain. This means that
selection occurs, and only certain memes survive while others
fade away.

23. Cyber capitalism and democracy

The internet exists within a capitalist world where making profits
and consumer culture are dominant. There is concern that the
internet is becoming more focused on entertainment and selling
products rather than being a space for political discussions.

24.

Cyber capitalism and
democracy
Even though Google is the most popular website, it doesn't
mean that the internet is controlled by citizens. The big players,
like Google, have created large information hubs and have
interests in various online activities. They can direct and control
the flow of internet traffic.

25.

Cyber capitalism and
democracy
Critics are also concerned that the internet is promoting a visual
promotional culture that relies on emotions rather than wellconstructed arguments. The cybersphere may become a
space where shallow and surface-level promotions dominate,
promoting only themselves.

26. Social media and radicalization

The Islamic State (IS) movement is known for committing terrible
acts such as massacres, executions, and enslavement of minorities
and women. It has been successful in mobilizing young Muslims
behind its goal of establishing a unified state, or caliphate, in the
Middle East, and a key factor in this success is its effective use of
social media.

27.

Social media and
radicalization
Another aspect of IS's social media success is its ability to get
mainstream media outlets to amplify its message. The group
bridges the gap between social networks and traditional news,
and its extreme acts and choice of media-friendly victims
create fear and attract attention.

28. Mobile culture

The mobile phone is the most common device used in today's
culture. In the year 2000, just over half of UK adults owned a
mobile phone. By 2014, that number had increased to 94
percent. In 2013, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific showed the
strongest growth in mobile phone usage, with predicted
penetration rates of 69 percent and 89 percent respectively by
the end of 2014.

29.

Mobile culture
These statistics show that mobile phones have become an
essential part of our daily lives and are central to communication
in contemporary culture. The latest smartphones are multimedia
devices that play a crucial role in the entertainment industry. They
are like Swiss army knives in the tech world and are more powerful
than the most advanced computers from 30 years ago.

30. Digital imperialism

In Chapter 10, we learned that critics like Schiller see the
globalization of television and the development of the "global
information highway" as a form of cultural imperialism by the
West.

31.

Digital imperialism
According to Schiller, companies like Time Warner, AT&T, and
Microsoft are primarily focused on generating profits rather
than addressing social inequality. However, these profits
come from people who can afford to buy their services. The
global information economy and digital media are widening
the gap between the rich and the poor, both within and
between nations.

32. Digital imperialism

Schiller also highlights that
English remains the dominant
language on the internet,
leading to the widespread
adoption of Anglo-American
ideas. This further strengthens
Western
cultural
and
economic
interests
while
undermining local cultures. It
also makes economically
developed countries more
attractive to migrants seeking
economic
and
political
opportunities.

33. SUMMARY

Even within advanced industrial countries, there are various
digital divides that separate those who have access to
information and technology from those who do not.
Cyberspace is built on computer technology, which is
controlled by multinational corporations driven by profit rather
than democratic ideals, freedom of information, or
environmental protection.