CS 371A Social Media and Social Life

  CS 371-Social Media and Social Life Fall 2021 Collaborative Class Blog Post Assignment #2 In Personal Connections in the Digital Age (page 24), Nancy Baym takes the position that the widespread diffusion of digital media forms and practices throughout our everyday lives is often the source of individual and collective “anxiety”.   More specifically, she argues (page 24) that: Most anxieties around both digital media and their historical precursors stem from the fact that these media are interactive . Especially in combination with sparse social cues, interactivity raises issues about the authenticity and well-being of people, interactions, and relationships that use new media . After foregrounding the issue of personal and social anxieties produced by digital media, Baym proceeds to discusses four theoretical perspectives on the causal relationship between technology and the social in order to help understand these anxieties: technological determinism ; social construction ...

  For my blog post this week, I will be discussing and reflecting on one of this week’s readings “The ancient foundations of social media: why humans are wired for sharing” by Tom Standage. Standage stated that each month people collectively spend around 300 billion minutes, equivalent to 600,000 years on Facebook which is absurd. He posed a question about what makes checking and going on social media so joyful and compelling. There are many different theories and/or components that might be responsible for this. Humans are inherently social animals and a main why that they assess and maintain their positions within social networks is by exchanging information with and about others. If humans inherently like to gossip and are social creatures, then FaceBook and other social media platforms that allow you to share your experience, display your accomplishments, and communicating with others aggressively feeds those deep-rooted habits which is why social media is so addictive and grat...

  One of the readings assigned titled Articulation and Assemblage by Jennifer Daryl Slack & J. Macgregor Wise discusses technology as articulation. To break down the meaning of this title, we can start by breaking it down and focusing independently on both articulation and technology and what these words mean independently. Articulation can be described according to dictionary.com as meaning “the act of speaking clearly” (2021). Being able to articulate one’s words while speaking will make for a clearer understanding for the receiver when communicating and thus form meaningful connections and mutual comprehension. Technology can be described as an extension of oneself according to Marshall McLuhan (1964). The use of articulation in this context is not the same as the meaning found on dictionary.com and is rather used as meaning “connections” that are dependent on something else (pp.127). Would you agree to this meaning? What are other takeaways from this passage that you found ...

 Hey guys! I'm Jinee and I'm a fourth year Communications major. I wanted to take the time to share one of my favorite episodes of Black Mirror called "Nose Dive" which centers around the effects of social media on society. Based on a dystopian future society that connects social status with how wealthy you are, the characters are struggling for good social reputations in order to meet the necessities of life. For example, the main character is not able to find a new place to live, use transportation, or interact with others as her social status dwindles. Although this is an extreme case of social media ruling our lives and governing how we interact with others on a daily basis, the message is clear that we are becoming too dependent on our online personas. Self-worth should not be determined by how many followers you have or how many likes you may get on your photos. Not having social media pages are currently outside the norm of contemporary society, which says a lo...

Hello everyone! My name is Annabelle Spina, and I am a third-year Communications and management student.  For my first blog post, I decided to write about something on social media I enjoy checking daily, which is the “Daily Mail” Snapchat stories. I have always been fascinated with the lives of celebrities, and when I was younger would spend hours reading “People” magazine, which features countless stories about famous people’s lifestyles. Since Snapchat introduced its official Snapchat story "discover" feature, I began watching the Daily Mail stories consistently. Daily Mail is formatted like a digital magazine that users can flip through by simply clicking their screens. Daily articles are posted and feature stories, photos, and videos of important news and celebrity’ lifestyles. Since being introduced to Daily Mail on Snapchat, I have not picked up a magazine; I solely get my information on celebrity gossip from Snapchat.  I think Daily Mail forms a strong connection betw...

This YouTube channel talks about a variety of popular culture and social media based news topics from a fairly analytical and well0thought out perspective. For anybody who would like to check it out here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1nJzvNaB_ql4RHrzgozrQQ

  For my first blog post, I will be discussing something I like in the social media universe. Something in the social media universe I like is the ability to create and engage with content through universal symbols. With Instagram and other social networking sites, one can let the content creator know they like their content through double-tapping or “hearting” their image or video signifying to the creator that they like and appreciate the post. The use of emojis through social media is also another method that is used to send a message and engage with others online. Emojis being universal emotion symbols in the internet sphere enables people with different language backgrounds to interact with the same content and others and communicate with the use of these symbols. In the article titled A systematic Review of Emoji: Current Research and Future Perspectives , the authors state “emoji are an important medium for interaction and emotional communication on the Internet”. (Qiyu et a...

  Hi everyone, Something on the internet that I really like is Anna Akana’s YouTube channel. Although her channel has been active for many years, I recently started watching her videos during the past year. She covers topics such as mental health, dating, personal development, friendship, self-love, and more. She often includes sketch comedy skits in the video to keep her viewers engaged, and will draw upon personal experiences that have recently happened to her. Her videos also have clear messages that are easy to understand, and often include actionable advice.  I enjoy watching her videos as she always presents herself and speaks in a way that is genuine and authentic, and talks about subjects that other YouTubers tend to shy away from.

 Hello everyone! My name is Simone Shanks and I am in my third year studying communication studies with the management option. Recently I have found myself really getting into podcasts and now even prefer listening to them over music. So far my favorite type of podcasts are lifestyle ones but I have also been getting into true crime as well which I am glad to see that one or two people have already posted their recommendations on our blog and I can't wait to check them out! My favorite podcast at the moment is called Wild 'Til 9 which is hosted by YouTuber LaurDIY and her boyfriend Jeremy. I used to watch LaurDIY's youtube videos all the time growing up but then had to take a break a few years ago as I felt like I grew out of her content. Then, a few months ago Youtube recommended her channel to me again and I was pleased to find out that she had rebranded her entire channel to represent a more mature theme and had even started a podcast and now I'm hooked. Lauren and J...

Post by: Josh DiBellonia   Hey everyone!      For my first blog post, I've decided to share with you one of my most relied upon twitter pages that I usually find my self checking up on 2-3 times daily. For those of you who do not know who Adam Schefter is, he is an ESPN Senior NFL Insider and is also known as the king of releasing insider information to the general public regarding the league, its players and teams, and affiliates. As an insider, Schefter will have any news story, facts, or rumours regarding the the NFL up on his Twitter feed within a matter of seconds.       Something I find compelling about this specific social media page is how fast he will have important information up and on his feed for the world to see. With over 8 million followers just on twitter alone, a story is usually widely known to the public as soon as he tweets about it. As a fantasy football fan, I rely heavily on his twitter page to get key updates on playe...

Hi everyone! My name is Kaitlyn Chambers, and I'm a 4th-year student currently doing a double major in Communication Studies and Philosophy:) I actually really struggled to come up with a blog post discussion for this week because for the past six months, or so I've strayed away from social media as a whole. I enjoy using certain apps for particular purposes, like posting on Instagram, but I find myself feeling a lot better when I'm spending my time doing other things in the real world. But with that said, I really love to think, and something I've grown to really like on the internet is Youtube videos that debunk or discuss specific topics. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if there's an actual name for these kinds of channels, but please let me know if someone knows! They're essentially like podcasts, but the Youtuber will gather various resources and research and then create Youtube videos discussing their chosen topics by using this research as a backup to the...

 Hello everyone!  For my first post I want to discuss tiny houses! Tiny houses are exactly what they sound like; they are houses that are smaller than typical houses. There are many reasons people have switched to tiny houses such as their affordability, eco-friendliness, minimalism, etc. I was first introduced to tiny houses a few years ago through my YouTube recommendations and I am still obsessed with them to this day. Throughout the past few years, I have noticed a rise in content on tiny houses from an increase in social media accounts dedicated to them to even Netflix shows focused on tiny houses! For me, I really enjoy seeing how creative people get with such small spaces and how they design them so they are still able to fit all of their necessities. On social media, you can also find content on how to build your own tiny houses and the costs of building them. If you have never seen a tiny house, I would highly recommend searching them up! I will link a YouTube video o...

Hey everyone! My name is Tyler Kitching, I am a fourth-year communications student. Youtube has always been one of my favorite online platforms, as I use it to watch a variety of different videos. A genre of youtube videos that I have been enjoying recently is true crime videos. Channels such as JCS criminal psychology create high-quality videos that analyze real criminal activity in a very professional manner. True crime videos can often be very upsetting for some viewers, however, these channels provide an alternative angle   JCS Criminal Psychology is a channel that analyzes individual murder suspects and the psychological tactics that are used during real police interrogation. Their channel became insanely popular for their video about the 2018 Parkland High School mass shooting. In this video, JCS analyzes the interrogation tactics that Florida Police used to convict the suspect of his crimes. JCS Criminal Psychology does a great job of telling the stories of these horren...

          Hi everyone! My name is Sophie Magwood and I am in my third year at Laurier majoring in Communications Studies. One of my favourite apps to use at the moment is a photography/social media app called “Dispo”. Dispo is a photo sharing app that was co-founded by YouTuber David Dobrik. The app allows you to take disposable pictures within a shared roll with your friends- you cannot view these pictures however until 9:00am the next day when they are “developed”. The app is a fun blend between being a photography app and social media platform, allowing you to capture memories from nights out with friends and even leave comments on the pictures the next day.  I would love to know what apps or social media platforms everyone else uses the most for photography?!

I am very invested in Basketball as a player and as a fan of the NBA, so having access to basically any game or player's highlights for free does me wonders. I can relive amazing moments that I saw live pretty much whenever I want as many times as I want. I can use this footage to study plays and improve my own game when I'm in the gym, and most importantly, it's all compressed into 5-10 minute videos so that I don't have to watch for a very long time to get the content I'm looking for. I don't really every watch TV or movies at home. It just never really interests me to get invested in a series that i'll have to put multiple hours into. The only time I am ever in front of a TV for multiple hours at a time is when I am watching basketball games, but during the offseason as we are currently in, there are no games to watch at all. That's where highlights come very handy for me so that I can still watch basketball if I want to, but with all the added benefi...

Hi everyone! I am Morgan Brown, a 3rd year Communications student with the management option. Looking forward to reading all of your blog posts and having some great discussions this semester!  Today, I wanted to talk about Teleparty, previously known as Netflix Party. Teleparty is an extension you can add on Google Chrome that allows you to watch a show or movie with another person, without having to be in the same room as that person or watching on the same device. My roommate first discovered Teleparty on TikTok at the beginning of the first lockdown. Since we had been sent home early from residence, we did not have a chance to finish the series we were watching together; Teleparty allowed us to finish watching the show together, from home.  This extension has a synchronized playback, where either viewer can play, pause, or skip the video. There is also a chat box on the side of the screen, so that you can watch and still communicate with the other person watching. The exte...

Hello CS-371,  My name is Dylan Gowanlock and I am extremely excited to go through this course with all of you this term!      I have recently been watching the Disney+ series ' Ted Lasso'. As an avid soccer fan who has a deep passion for film, sport, music and different cultures I have been in a rather euphoric state ever since discovering the show. The show is currently airing weekly, with the most recent episode as of September 20, 2021, being Season 2 Episode 9. As I am writing this, ' Ted Lasso'  just recently had a massive night taking home four trophies at the 2021 Emmy Awards, topping all of its comedy competitors.       As I mentioned, I have a deep love for music and the creations of others. I would say Spotify is the application I use the most on my phone. On rotation for a few months now has been a playlist of the soundtrack to ' Ted Lasso' , which can be found here . I have many favourite tunes on the playlist, however  Awar...

  Hi, my name is Maddy Violi.  I love listening to podcasts while I’m driving or doing homework, I find them to be very interesting and fun to listen to. I especially enjoy listening to true crime podcasts, as I find them to be very intriguing.  One podcast that I recently really enjoyed is on the Gabby Petito case. It is about a girl that was driving across the US on a cross-country trip with her fiance and recently, within the past few weeks, has gone missing. I have heard of this story all over social media, and if you are on TikTok I feel like you have probably already heard of this case.  True crime podcasts are not for everyone, however, there are many other genres of podcasts, and there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy and listen to!  Here is the link to the podcast on the Gabby Petito case if you would like to listen! https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/missing-gabby-petito/     

Hello everyone in CS371! My name is Matthew Spina and I would like to focus my first blog post around a podcast I typically watch on Youtube called The Fellas . The U.K based podcast, hosted by Youtuber's Calfreezy and TheBurntChip, has been running for almost a year amassing over 350,000 subscribers. They primarily discuss ongoing pop culture moments happening around the world to their past life experiences while also inviting guest's onto the show to provide deeper insights into their lives. For example, these guests could range from fellow Youtuber's to watch collectors and comedians.  The Fellas  podcast is also available on multiple platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify providing listeners with the ability to both view and listen to their weekly episodes.       The Fellas podcast is a great example as to how social media and social life can be intertwined while providing the ability to connect humans on a global scale. A primary example of this ...

The Gabby Petito case has gained global attention and is extremely interesting to watch unfold on social media. Gabby Petito is a 22-year-old who was traveling across the United States with her finance and was reported missing earlier this week. Unfortunately on September 19th, police found remains that were consistent with Gabby’s description. Prior to her body being found, social media users took interest in the case and conducted their own “investigation”. Numerous Tik Tok and YouTube videos have been made about the case and users from around the world have come together to piece up evidence. I find this very interesting as it demonstrates the power and reach of the internet. The search for an American woman became a global sensation.  This YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy3jdWcFam8&t=8s analyzes details of the case, which is just one example of the many videos made.

 For my first blog post I decided to write something that I strongly believe in - turning off your push notifications. After reading the statscanada survey, I found a Forbes article and thought I would share it and talk about why it resonates with me. I have had my push notification off for the majority of the social media platforms on my phone for over a year now. I decided to take a break from instagram during the pandemic and I deleted the app from my phone from about April/May 2020 until about September/October 2020. I didn't miss it. At around the same time I turned off my notifications for Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and for many other platforms and apps. The one major thing I noticed was that I was actually choosing when to go on a specific platform and engage, I wasn't being lured in. A point that Blaschka brings up in the article is that when we get a notification, our brain releases dopamine which makes us feel good, so we end up wanting more. Without notif...

 Hi, my name is Amelia. For this week I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on the internet which is this video of Zac Efron surprising the American Olympic gymnastics after their win in Rio in 2016. Watching each of their reactions is so funny especially Simone Biles. I think it's nice to see that even though these girls are so amazing and stars themselves there is still a part of them that is human and girly in the sense that they would fangirl over meeting Efron.  Biles has made it known that she is a huge fan of Efron and I relate to this because I have always been a fan of him myself. So seeing her reaction was amazing. It's an interesting part of how social media connects celebrities to the real world and shows us that they are still human and in some ways "just like us" even though there is a spotlight on them. Of course this is good terms of their Olympic content but as a whole it really helps to show that at the end of the day these elite athletes hav...

  Hello, my name is Taylor (she/her) and I am looking forward to having great discussions this semester! As for this week, I would like to discuss the website/platform Trickster Cards. The website is nothing out of the ordinary, however, it is a platform that my family and I have been using regularly throughout the pandemic. This is a website that allows people to play a variety of card games with robots or with friends/family. Not being able to see my grandparents due to the lockdown is tough. Unfortunately, FaceTime is not always great because we are all stuck in our homes and there is not much to talk about, and text is not always engaging as it is an asynchronous means of communication.  Trickster Cards is very easy to use. Currently, the platform offers nine card games, with some games requiring six players and others requiring four players. The variety of games has been great so none of us get bored, and when someone is busy we can find a new card game. My favourite game...

Hi CS371! In January of 2019, I told my parents that my older sister and I were taking a trip to Paris, France after my high school graduation. And like many parents of young girls who wanted to fly across the ocean alone, they objected almost immediately.   However, with a fairly detailed slideshow of our own personal expenses and my planning abilities, they conceded. They were, after all, the ones who gifted me with a copy of The Nightingale  by Kristin Hannah for Christmas a month earlier. The Nightingale is a historical fiction novel that takes place in France during the Nazi occupation of World War II and follows two sisters as they navigate revolutions and family love. I finished the book in two nights, and after enduring the absolute heartbreaking ending, I immediately began to research where the characters were. What corners of Paris did the character, Isabelle, pass secret notes to the French Resistance? Where was the small Parisian apartment that she had to evac...

Hello everyone from CS371! Arguably my favourite entertainment media platforms is YouTube, particularly the channel of my favourite sports talk show, Skip and Shannon: UNDISPUTED . Fresh topics introduced daily regarding everything happening in the sports world makes for a great source of entertainment for sports lovers such as myself. What intrigues me the most about this channel is that I will often find myself arguing through the screen to refute the ridiculous takes that Skip Bayless, the co-host of the show, spews on a daily basis. In additon, the show also has hilarious comedic moments with some of the funniest analogies and stories you can ever hear. It is because of this that I find myself coming back for more each day.  In addition to being one of the top sports talk shows in the Unites States, Skip and Shannon also utilize their 2 million followers on YouTube to address the ongoing issues in America. Shannon Sharpe is an African American who is now in the Football Hall of...

 Link to website: http://www.soundsjustlike.com/ Hey there CS371, recently I had the thought of whether it was possible to run out of music and so I looked up if there was the possibility of that ever occurring. So I came across a video about the issue and how there are over a couple trillion ways music can be combined with different notes and octaves. The thing the caught my attention was that even though there are so many different combinations there can still be overlaps in music where some songs just sound like each other or even have the exact same melody, this being completely unintentional. The website I have posted above provides a random song and then matches it to a completely different song that has a similar melody. The songs may be from different genres, times and artists but they still share a melody that is similar but sounds almost exactly the same in some cases, even though they may be 25 years apart or in completely different categories. It was just interesti...

Hey CS 371! I have decided to talk about one of the most popular and used platforms, Instagram. I think that Instagram is such a great way to connect people and engaged in an online way. I personally use Instagram daily to stay up to date on what is happening in the lives of people I may not talk to every day and stay engaged with what is happening in my community.  I find myself constantly looking at Instagram reels as a form of entertainment and enjoy scrolling through healthy lifestyle Instagram pages in order to gain new tips and tricks. One other thing that I use Instagram to stay engaged with what is happening in the Laurier community by following different Laurier Instagram pages like the Laurier official page and the Laurier Residence Instagram since I work for residence. I think that these two Laurier Instagram pages are so important for engaging both Laurier alumni and current Laurier students in order to keep the Golden Hawk spirit alive and showcase what is going on in ...

 Hi everyone, I thought I'd introduce myself to the blog environment by talking about one of my favourite medium of entertainment: podcasts! Whether you listen to them on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere else, podcasts never cease to be a great pass time. It's almost like watching a movie! Except you don't have the restrictions of sitting down and actually paying attention to the scenes playing before your eyes on screen. For me, podcasts continue to be a medium of entertainment for individuals who are constantly on the go. They can be consumed while doing basic household chores like laundry or dishes, while commuting to and from work, on a walk at the park, and on many other occasions. Podcasts don't need your full attention but you still get the full experience during it's consumption. Personally, my favourite type of podcasts are those that focus on true crime stories. They're extremely captivating and I find at times they can even be helpful to t...

  Something I really enjoy in the internet universe is being able to read blogs about some of my personal interests. The blog linked below is one of the specific blogs I enjoy the most. This blog looks at topics such as fitness, beauty, nutrition, and fashion. I really enjoy reading all the different articles on this blog as I am not only able to relate to what is being written, but I also gain new advice and ideas on how to improve my overall wellness! This blog tends to cover a lot of topics that are popular and trending. Some of these specific topics include astrology, vegan recipes, holistic treatments, and political issues. Being able to subscribe to a blog like this allows me and many other readers to keep up with any new or current topics. It is a great platform for any blogger looking to keep their readers engaged in a discussion of whatever topic they desire.   Having the ability to search through a wide variety of articles just to find that one you were exactly ...

 Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPAGHP6F6Ks As an avid user of TikTok and a sorority girl myself, I was very excited in late August when the hashtag #BamaRush was starting to trend. Videos under this hashtag often girls with heavy southern accents explaining where they got pieces of their outfits for the highly anticipated Alabama Sorority Rush, other videos included girls discussing their experiences while rushing, and videos of girls who earned a highly coveted spot in one Alabama's elite houses "running home". The video above is a compilation of many of the videos that went viral during that time and gives an understanding of what it is. The reason this video and many similar to it interested me so much is that I have the same shared experiences of these girls who are going through rush currently. I understand the excitement of getting dressed to go to the events and the happiness you get when you receive a bid from a sorority you wanted to get into. I ...

  Decoding Social Media Algorithms I decided to write my first blog post on something I recently experienced with my first co-op term this past summer. For this term, I worked as a Digital Marketing Coordinator for a busy, up-and-coming start-up company! With this role, I worked on a magnitude and widely diverse range of tasks, all of which relied heavily on the use of social media.  Before starting this position, I had never thought of the amount of research, analytical data and careful planning that would go into this role. Working with the social media team meant that I had to be ready for quick changes, data alterations and updates, all of which would alter the various algorithms for the different social media platforms! It felt like every time I would finally start to feel comfortable on a particular platform, an update would come out and completely throw me off.  On the contrary, social media is definitely the best; working with this start-up meant that I could watc...

Hello everyone, my name is Olivia Custodio!              Personally, I find the Met Gala to be very interesting. The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser for New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. The Gala this year was held this past Monday on September 13th, and the theme was 'American Independence.' I'm sure many are aware that the Met Gala had just recently occurred due to the abundance of posts across various media outlets and social media platforms. Discussions and posts about the Gala are made by various individuals from columnists writing articles to individuals posting on their personal social media accounts, including Instagram and TikTok. The basis for these posts is typically to discuss the theme and the celebrity's designer outfits. Celebrities are even put into categories based on 'best dressed' and 'worst dressed.'              The reason that I find the Met Gala to be extremely int...

My friend Sydney has her own blog entitled "Sunflower Sister" in which she journals about health + wellness, travelling, arts + culture, and style. Over the years as she started to develop a serious following on Instagram she told me that she was going to start a blog so she could journal her experiences and I was so excited to read all about it. On her blog site, Syd discusses her own personal stories and reviews in depth with posts ranging anywhere from skincare brands/routines, how to plan an elopement, and even some information on which small businesses to support. I enjoy reading her blog so much, especially in her posts where she speaks on women's health and empowerment- emphasizing period support, miscarriages, and post natal products. Syd's website encourages light reading (with longer context) compared to media sharing networks like Instagram whereby most users do not include journal entries attached to their posts.  Sydney has become quite the social media i...

I chose to share a playlist that my siblings and I had on repeat all summer long. The album isn't new, and to many probably isn't their cup of tea. The album is from the band "Mother Mother"(https://open.spotify.com/album/23W8LJkx5kBafzqasAuU0z?si=A54VqmiaT0uSH1eb_B22OA&dl_branch=1). I'm sharing it with the class because I believe albums or playlists are one advantage of the internet to connect experiences with others.  This past summer was the first time I had seen my three sisters and brother together since the beginning of COVID-19. I connect that time to this album and the song "It's Alright" specifically. The past year for us and most of the world flipped upside down and, this song joyfully told us everything was going to be okay.  Today, I listen to the album and the memories I associated with it come back like a time capsule. That is why it is special to me now.  Do you agree or disagree that albums/playlists allow us to reflect on the tim...

  Internet phenomenon Kylie Jenner’s Instagram is not only interesting to me but also to the 269 million other people that follow her daily posts. Being one of the most followed people on the app, her feed is quite compelling. Something I find most interesting about her Instagram is the way she uses it as a platform to promote her businesses. For example, her new KylieSwim collection, which can be seen in her feed below, as well as Kylie Cosmetics. Not only does she use the platform to promote her many businesses, but she also uses it to announce important news. The entire world had been hearing rumours circulate about her pregnancy. For weeks she would neither confirm nor deny these rumours. She announces the exciting news with a heartwarming Instagram reel. This is very smart due to the huge traction to her Instagram this post creates. This exemplifies the culture of social media surrounding celebrities. I find it interesting how so many people are obsessed with her Instagram and...