Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources

When dealing with social media platforms as spaces of activism these sites can be innovative, powerful, and fast-moving at best, and at its worst chaotic and unfocused. The line between these two distinctions is actually slighter than one might realize. This understanding of cyber activism became clearer when faced with the question “What is contemporary ‘blacktivism’ according to Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/Instagram?”

Being a avid user of the popular blogging platform, Tumblr, and as such well-versed in the language and etiquette of the site, I sought my answer through my dashboard. Tumblr is composed of a endless scroll, comparable to Facebook’s newsfeed, that displays every user you ‘follow”s posts that can consist of either a link, photo, video, mp3, or text file that can be organized by ‘tags’. Like Twitter, there is a give and take between control: you cannot control what users post, but you can control who you follow. You ultimately build up the queue of information displayed on your dashboard.

This rule of thumb on Tumblr already an issue in itself, as it’s not only necessary to have an account to view such information, but it also requires stock knowledge of which users promote social activism the most. Already in this way, Tumblr blacktivism is exclusive in the broader sense of the term.  However because I am an established user of 5 years, this constraint only appeared in my thoughts after my study.

Taking into account the formatting and style of the website (and the advantage of 5 years of knowledge), I began my study of 30 minutes scrolling down my dashboard sure that out of my selected 500 some users one would surely post something under the activism tree. After about a minute of scrolling I saw a linked post that described the new case of Ebola in Liberia as an STD. The random post was one centered on awareness, not truly giving a solution to a possible rebirth of the Ebola crisis. And for a while this was the only post I saw. Because Tumblr is composed as a live feed, the minutes I scrolled down the dashboard before I encountered another post for social justice felt like eons.

It wasn’t until I encountered a post by a rather prominent Tumblr user in both the black and activist circles that my research progressed. This individual posted a series of inforgraphics that described the various levels of Israeli settlement on Palestinian territory, the fraught Palestinian citizenship across Israel and Palestine, and general problematic restriction of Palestinian people. The post was significantly informative as most portrayals of Palestine capitalize on the destruction of the Gaza Strip rather than the conditions that provide for this kind of environment, and the surrounding oppressions widespread through out the country. I then opened up another tab in my web browser to later peruse the user’s account, sure of the rich content in store, simultaneously still looking for another possible user to study. Right underneath their post Micdotcom, an active news source, posted GIFs of Porsha Olayiwola’s  poem that criticizes the misogynoir latent in police brutality discourse and the general dismissal of the pain black women face at the hands of black men.

Having at least two users under my belt and just ten minutes left of study, I decided to quickly delve deeper into each site. The first user’s activism centered mostly on the personal: crowdfunding for a poor black transwoman, a black family nearing homelessness, and written text posts that criticize various tangents of their multiple jeopardies as a queer transman of color. The text posts all had a least a thousand ‘notes’, which consisted of either likes or ‘reblogs’ (when users repost the content to their blogs). Furthermore you could see a constant rapport developing on these text posts that pursued discourse or fermented friendships. On this given users page the queer community of color was strong and accounted for. Switching tabs to Micdotcom, the website served as a curated collection of black internet activism across platforms. Screenshots of tweets raising awareness against recent police brutalities (#JusticeforJason, #SayHerName to name a couple), gifs of award shows and videos, news clips, and original Tumblr user posts decorated the page. Micdotcom served as a hub of generalized activism rather than specific black communal activist space.

It is in this way that Tumblr both triumphs and fails as a platform for social change. On one hand the site is a space for endless possibilities that allow for news sources and user-created online ‘zines to provide a constant stream of information crucial for social justice. These carefully curated hubs of information are a great start for both users and visitors of Tumblr. One does not need membership to view or message the copious amount of blogs present on the site. However their existence does not necessitate the existence of black community on Tumblr, individual users do. One would need to follow both prominent and random bloggers in the black community on Tumblr. These bloggers, your chosen informants, brothers, and sisters dictate your involvement with blacktivism. They raise causes for “Black Tumblr” to rally against, to raise money for, or even formally petition against on “Change.org”. These bloggers can help you through your journey of understanding matrices of oppression in your daily life, as well as navigate questions of gender/sexual/racial identity through direct messages, text posts, photos and videos open for commentary…..provided that you follow them. In addition to this slight oversight black users cannot be streamlined in the fighting of antiblackness. Some users are a part of “Queer Tumblr” or “Transgender Tumblr”or the dreaded “Barbershop Tumblr” (a part of Tumblr which is characterized by pro-black homophobic misogynoiristic users). Various pockets of Tumblr wholesale ignore some oppressions, such as colorism, to maintain their privilege and membership to the black community simultaneously. Tumblr can be a place rife with the schisms that plague physical activist spaces.

Ethical issues aside, in this sort of research Tumblr even fails in organization. Like Twitter it employs the hashtag system to organize posts, in order to make searches easier for users and non-users, however unlike Twitter, these tags are hardly agreed upon and are used liberally. Users sometimes use the tag system to input their commentary to protect the aesthetic integrity of a post. This so-called ‘talking in the tags’ makes for a chaotic black hole of information that can only be retrieved if you search that particular blogger’s archive. Tumblr has the potential to be a mess of epic proportion.

Ultimately Tumblr as a space for cyber black activism continuously toes the line of innovation and chaos. The ample opportunity for commentary and grassroot movement give Tumblr the chance to make virtual spaces of social justice bleed into the real world. However this is constantly mired by the disorganization, petty squabbles between users, and randomization of posts that is present on the site.

Word Count: 1138

 

Tags: ,

78,862 Responses to “Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources”

  1. Esta Visa says:

    The Esta Visa is a travel authorization that allows citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States without a visa. It is intended for tourists or business travelers who are visiting the United States for 90 days or fewer. It is a free service provided by the U.S. government and can be obtained online or through one of our official providers. For additional information, please visit our website estavisaapplication

  2. ufabet says:

    ufabetOpen a new betting experience from a total of 14 camps.

  3. Hello! It’s a fantastic OPPORTUNITY to buy aged google ads account from us. Here you may buy aged AdWords account, Google AdWords accounts, and instantaneously usable $350 churn burn threshold account.

  4. Not into long Christmas nail designs? That’s completely fine! Maybe these medium-length Christmas nails will catch your eye! Red and green nails

  5. john cena says:

    What are the main reasons behind the Epson windows service disabled error?
    The main reasons behind the Epson windows service disabled error are improper installation of the Epson printer driver, malware attacks and virus attacks, the scanning part not doing work, and the installation failing message.

  6. alexponting says:

    Venmo is one of the most loved and trusted social payment service apps, owned by PayPal and used by millions of people worldwide to make and share payments with family, friends, and business associates. If the user has access to Venmo then they can make payments by linking their bank account, debit/credit card with it. quickbooks venmo integration with a bank account, users can easily transfer money in their Venmo account to their bank account. The splitting of paying bills with friends and family is one of the most popular features of Venmo.

  7. situs gan88 gacor says:

    gan88 merupakan situs slot online terpercaya dan terbaik 2022.

  8. seo says:

    سئو را مي‌توان مجموعه‌اي از روش‌ها براي تغيير استراتژيک وب سايت‌ها دانست. طراحی سایت اصفهان ارزان اين فرآيند به بيان مهمترين عوامل مرتبط صفحه و افزايش اهميت آن در صفحه نتايج جستجو، مي‌پردازد.سئو فرآيند ساده‌اي نيست که به راحتي پياده‌سازي شود زيرا نيازمند دانش زياد، علم پيش زمينه‌اي و صبر است. موتور‌هاي جستجو با تغيير مداوم الگوريتم‌هاي رتبه‌بندي خود غير قابل پيش‌بيني هستند؛ بنابراين وظيفه مهندسين سئو بروز نگه داشتن اطلاعات خود در اين زمينه است.

  9. seo says:

    سئو را مي‌توان مجموعه‌اي از روش‌ها براي تغيير استراتژيک وب سايت‌ها دانست. طراحی سایت اصفهان ارزان اين فرآيند به بيان مهمترين عوامل مرتبط صفحه و افزايش اهميت آن در صفحه نتايج جستجو، مي‌پردازد.سئو فرآيند ساده‌اي نيست که به راحتي پياده‌سازي شود زيرا نيازمند دانش زياد، علم پيش زمينه‌اي و صبر است. موتور‌هاي جستجو با تغيير مداوم الگوريتم‌هاي رتبه‌بندي خود غير قابل پيش‌بيني هستند؛ بنابراين وظيفه مهندسين سئو بروز نگه داشتن اطلاعات خود در اين زمينه است.

  10. seo says:

    seo
    سئو را مي‌توان مجموعه‌اي از روش‌ها براي تغيير استراتژيک وب سايت‌ها دانست. سئو اصفهان | سئو سایت در اصفهان را به چه تیمی بسپاریم اين فرآيند به بيان مهمترين عوامل مرتبط صفحه و افزايش اهميت آن در صفحه نتايج جستجو، مي‌پردازد.سئو فرآيند ساده‌اي نيست که به راحتي پياده‌سازي شود زيرا نيازمند دانش زياد، علم پيش زمينه‌اي و صبر است. موتور‌هاي جستجو با تغيير مداوم الگوريتم‌هاي رتبه‌بندي خود غير قابل پيش‌بيني هستند؛ بنابراين وظيفه مهندسين سئو بروز نگه داشتن اطلاعات خود در اين زمينه است.

  11. seo says:

    سئو را مي‌توان مجموعه‌اي از روش‌ها براي تغيير استراتژيک وب سايت‌ها دانست. افزایش بازدید سایت در گوگل در اصفهان اين فرآيند به بيان مهمترين عوامل مرتبط صفحه و افزايش اهميت آن در صفحه نتايج جستجو، مي‌پردازد.سئو فرآيند ساده‌اي نيست که به راحتي پياده‌سازي شود زيرا نيازمند دانش زياد، علم پيش زمينه‌اي و صبر است. موتور‌هاي جستجو با تغيير مداوم الگوريتم‌هاي رتبه‌بندي خود غير قابل پيش‌بيني هستند؛ بنابراين وظيفه مهندسين سئو بروز نگه داشتن اطلاعات خود در اين زمينه است.

  12. seo says:

    سئو را مي‌توان مجموعه‌اي از روش‌ها براي تغيير استراتژيک وب سايت‌ها دانست. افزایش بازدید سایت در گوگل در اصفهان اين فرآيند به بيان مهمترين عوامل مرتبط صفحه و افزايش اهميت آن در صفحه نتايج جستجو، مي‌پردازد.سئو فرآيند ساده‌اي نيست که به راحتي پياده‌سازي شود زيرا نيازمند دانش زياد، علم پيش زمينه‌اي و صبر است. موتور‌هاي جستجو با تغيير مداوم الگوريتم‌هاي رتبه‌بندي خود غير قابل پيش‌بيني هستند؛ بنابراين وظيفه مهندسين سئو بروز نگه داشتن اطلاعات خود در اين زمينه است.

  13. I know you start to see the trend the following.

  14. agen slot resmi says:

    Bonanza138 merupakan daftar situs Slot Online Resmi dan terpercaya di indonesia 2022.

  15. slot online resmi says:

    Sudah banyak sekali member menang banyak di Bonanza138 karena mereka adalah agen slot online resmi terpercaya yang akan membayar berapapun jumlah kemenangan anda.

  16. Alysiajims says:

    Your material was fantastic and really fascinating to me. Please continue to provide us with such wonderful content.
    Kanye Puffer Jacket

  17. keep posting like this IntelliMindz Ansys Training in Chennai is to maximize the productivity of Ansys users. IntelliMindz offers everything from “Getting Started Courses” to deep diving into learning topics. Enroll in our Ansys Training in Chennai to explore more concepts in it. Contact +91 9655877577 / 9655877577 for more details. Ansys Training in Chennai

  18. slot online resmi says:

    Bonanza138 merupakan daftar situs Slot Online Resmi dan terpercaya di indonesia 2022.

  19. I’m impressed by the effort you put into your website and the thorough information you offer. It’s nice to occasionally stumble into a blog that doesn’t include the same stale, recycled content.

  20. 세계에서 가장 매혹적인 게임 중 하나가 라이브 바카라? 그들이 제공하는 다양한 게임으로 인해.
    그들은 당신을 위해 몇 가지 놀라움을 가지고 있습니다. 서둘러!, 놀자!

  21. نمایندگی فروش محصولات اتوماسیون صنعتی و فشار ضعیف زیمنس

  22. baccaratsite says:

    Hello ! I am the one who writes posts on these topics baccaratsite I would like to write an article based on your article. When can I ask for a review?

  23. baccarat online says:

    Of course, your article is good enough, baccarat online but I thought it would be much better to see professional photos and videos together. There are articles and photos on these topics on my homepage, so please visit and share your opinions.

  24. fachai9 casino is one of the most fabulous games with numerous awards and prizes to be won.

  25. Talend Training in Chennai
    IntelliMindz Talend course path shows how to build expertise effectively. We deliver a Talend course on its latest version. IntelliMindz Talend training in Chennai covers all the functionalities of Talend Cloud like creating and managing datasets in Talend Data Inventory; creating preparation to structure, cleanse and enrich data; handling tasks using Talend Data Stewardship; and preparing data using pipeline Designer.

    IntelliMindz’s Talend Training in chennai is curated by top industrial experts. This course is designed to help you learn how to use Talend Open Studio, master key concepts in it with hands-on demonstrations. Our Talend course is fully immersive, here you will get an in-depth understanding about Talend with the help of our experienced professionals. Enroll IntelliMindz’s Talend course to become a certified professional in Talend.

  26. thanks for mice suggestion that you have provided us. we are glad to be here to read this. 바카라사이트

  27. Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! 바카라사이트

  28. Attractive, post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have liked browsing your blog posts. After all, I will surely subscribe to your feed, and I hope you will write again soon! 바카라사이트

  29. Excellent website you have here, so much cool information!..

    카지노사이트

  30. If you are Looking for Engineering Assignment Help online? Hire our experts to get top-notch assignments. They provide you 24/7 support, A+ quality assignments.

  31. Your Site is very nice, and it’s very helping us this post is unique and interesting.

  32. Robert says:

    Yes, you can import Bank Transactions into QuickBooks Online, after QuickBooks Online Login by using the Banking (or bank feed) feature. This amazing feature serves incredible purposes and they are reconciliation and facilitating data entry. It is one of the most arresting features of QuickBooks Online that adds to user’s banking experience.
    https://qbooklogin.com/

  33. duta138 says:

    The anti-smudge slot provider available at duta138 is definitely guaranteed a high Winrate and will not suck up or drain your balance too much.

  34. royal77 says:

    ROYAL77 is a trusted online gacor slot agent site 2022 presenting gacor slot games today, slot88, as well as easy to win slot tips.

    The anti-smudge slot provider available at Royal77 is definitely guaranteed a high Winrate and will not suck up or drain your balance too much.

  35. bg casino says:

    It’s amazing Everything you write has meaning. I want to read in everyone. Flawless for your article. It all fits together very well.

  36. matkagames says:

    Welcome to India’s Best Matka web site to online matka play. Join online Matka play platform for expert advice and Matka tips. Get the most trusted results daily. Visit our hassle free website and win real cash. Online Matka Play

  37. matka one says:

    Deposit a minimum amount and gamble around with the best poker face platforms with the full rate and timely payments. For experiencing amazing satta matka games, please visit our website and win real cash with ample of offers and latest updated offers innline Matka Play Online Matka Play

  38. Compliance Consulting

    like water for chocolate » Blog Archive » Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources

  39. xcvrtr says:

    Very interesting blog. Thanks for sharing your experience.
    비아그라

  40. HR consulting

    like water for chocolate » Blog Archive » Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources

  41. baccaratsite says:

    Your writing is perfect and complete. baccaratsite However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?

  42. Product development consulting.

    like water for chocolate » Blog Archive » Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources

  43. Orval Deneke

    I found a great…

  44. What type of HP printers gets support from hp printer support?
    The types of HP printers that get support from hp printer support. are HP LaserJet printers, HP DeskJet printers, HP Officejet printers, HP Photosmart printers, and HP Envy printers. You can interact with them and can discuss any issues related to it.

  45. Jeni Beaufort

    I found a great…

  46. MenangQQ says:

    MenangQq adalah situs resmi permainan kartu online terlengkap dan terpercaya yang dijamin aman dengan server kualitas terbaik tercepat serta hadiah kemenangan jutaan rupiah setiap hari

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.