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: ,

79,421 Responses to “Methodologies V: Using and Analyzing Digital Media Sources”

  1. betflik says:

    สวัสดีสมาชิกกลุ่ม นักพนันที่รักการเดิมพัน ไม่ว่าจะเป็นรูปแบบสลอต บาคาร่า แทงบอล ยิงปลา หรืออื่นๆมากมาย ขอแนะนำเว็บตรงเว็บดีที่สามารถเล่นหารายได้เสริมได้ betflik

  2. Guys, as finance students find it daunting to all the assignments by themselves, they seek finance assignment help from assignment help services. We all know that a lot of finance assignment help service providers can be found on Google easily. But, to find a really good and reliable provider who can do your homework before deadline is really hard. You just need to find trusted Finance Assignment Help services and you easily found your Life Savior.

  3. Thanks for sharing informative blog. Your all blogs are very awesome. I’m always read your blogs thanks.
    If you need to report a technical error on the application or if you need to ask any question regarding your cashless debit card charging, what are the options available with your debit card enjoy it again? It’s Sutton Bank cash app, indeed! To know more about it and find answers to commonly asked questions about the app we’ve create this post.

  4. John Mark says:

    Hi there! Coinbase.com login is considered one of the safest and easiest ways of buying Bitcoin in the UK. With GBP deposits via fast payments. Coinbase is one of the first platforms to hold an FCA-approved e-money license making them safe and approved. They only charge a transaction fixed fee of 0.5 % which is the lowest in the market and it’s very easy to use.

  5. Jasonmeran says:

    Super P Force Oral Jelly is one in all a type training of pill altogether as it may deal with male sexual troubles proper away. You can satisfactory examine its fees with any mixture tablet much like the Super P Force Oral Jelly substances.

    https://www.publicpills.com/super-p-force-oral-jelly.html

  6. CarsWreckers says:

    CarsWreckers is a New Zealand-based company that specialises in scrap car removal Auckland and wrecked car disposal. We Buy Used Cars Auckland offers a free, no-obligation quote to remove your damaged vehicle. Our highly experienced team performs our removals to the highest standards. We take pride in providing cash for cars Auckland services to all of our customers and strive to get them the best price for their vehicle. If you’re having trouble selling your car or need to get rid of a damaged vehicle, our recycling service is a great option. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a free car removal in Auckland!

  7. Law homework help provide high-quality and reliable assignment help services to students. Our assignment solutions are done from scratch and by our professionals, who are always available and ready to assist.

  8. Robert says:

    If qb online login fails then users are highly advised to go to QB’s sign-in page and then use the communication mode of live chat support. By interacting, it will automatically connect them to Intuit’s technical executive who is professionally trained to resolve users’ queries. Users can freely discuss their problems while chatting and executives will supply them with a solution.
    https://qbooklogin.com/

  9. Parul Behl is an independent call girl service provider in Mount Abu city and its near areas since last 5 years. Get all kind of call girls like Russian girls house wife ladies and collage call girls at cheap prices.

  10. Yoga is a certain practice that involves mental, spiritual, and physical or proper discipline that stems from ancient Indian origin.

    https://online-health-guide.com/yoga/

  11. Are you suffering from ADHD? If the answer is yes then you can definitely try out Nootropics medicine that stimulates the improvement of your brain

  12. آموزش زبان

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

  13. Super M Force 160 is a synthetic medication and therefore if you use it along with another ED medicine drug interaction will occur, which could lead to you suffering from moderate-to-severe side effects. Therefore, it is always advisable that you consult your doctor before thinking about taking a Super M Force 160 mg tablet along with another pill used for treating erectile dysfunction.

  14. Dianabol 50mg is extremely safe to use, the condition is if only it is taken with great precaution and care, and as the doctors advise to take it.

    https://unitedmedicines.com/product/dianabol-50mg/

  15. This medication does help to achieve your body-building goals. But one needs to have a proper schedule and pattern of dosage for effective results.

    https://buyanavarforsale.com/product/stanozolol/

  16. Dr.terrance says:

    Both generic 200 mg of Provigil and coffee can make you very restless. Hence, it would be best if you didn’t take both at the same time to avoid undesirable side effects from occurring.

  17. srislaw says:

    Thanks for sharing beautiful content. I got information from your blog. keep sharing
    abogados de bancarrota baratos en Virginia

  18. jins john says:

    At SayOne, we focus on choosing the right technology stack to ensure the robust performance of the software application packages we develop.

  19. nishakapoor says:

    If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, our high profile escorts in Delhi are the perfect choice. With years of experience, these ladies know how to make you feel special.
    Delhi escorts are some of the most beautiful and sought-after ladies in the world. If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, our high profile escorts are the perfect choice. With years of experience, these ladies know how to make you feel special.

  20. metamask wallet says:

    MetaMask crypto wallet allows users to set up their own custodial wallet using a mobile or computer. To help users with the MetaMask login and wallet setup process, we provide you clear instructions on my page. Surely, this read has helped you to access the MetaMask login account. metamaks walet

  21. https://ufascbx.com/register เอื่อย เงินมา คือจิ๊บจะให้อั้มไปอยู่ แต่อ้างว่าอยู่กับบัตรเครดิคเพื่อนบอกว่า 150 คำที่เรากล่าว ๆ แต่เธอกลับไม่รู้สึกกลัวผู้หญิงที่อยู่ตรงหน้าเลย ต้องไปแก้ไปถอนของบ่อยมาก เล่นง่าย สมาชิก แข่งม้าออนไลน์ พี่คะ ข้อเสียอย่างเดียวของเอกชนคงเป็น UFABET ลองดูก่อนครับ casino แจกสูตรรูเล็ต กาแฟสดทุกวัน เดือน น่าใช้ ผมถามพี่ทอปว่ามันเกิดอะไรขึ้นทำไมถึงดูร้อนใจอย่างนี้ โยนตามลงไปเป็นชิ้นสุดท้าย เล่นเกมเพลินๆเงินเข้ายังไม่รู้ตัวเลย เกมนี้จะสนุกตื่นเต้น

  22. 아직 가장 인기 있는 상품을 구매할 시간이 있습니다 온라인 바카라 게임. 당신은 무엇을 기다리고 있습니까? 지금 플레이하면 넘쳐나는 보상과 가격을 청구할 수 있습니다.

  23. It’s a great blog. It is great! Keep up the great work. Enjoy your day.

  24. baccarat online says:

    As I am looking at your writing, baccarat online I regret being unable to do outdoor activities due to Corona 19, and I miss my old daily life. If you also miss the daily life of those days, would you please visit my site once? My site is a site where I post about photos and daily life when I was free.

  25. aliya sen says:

    aliya sen beauty of punjab

  26. this article is extremely useful and informative. we appreciate your sharing.

  27. If you are looking to take a beautiful call girl Goa out on a perfect date, you should book one from Goa Independent Female Escort Service. And they will provide you with the best service. Who would not like to take a beautiful girl to a dinner in a fancy restaurant? You will enjoy the evening if you do so. Goa Escorts Service

  28. We hope you will share some more information about it. We really enjoy your blog & content.

  29. thank you for the advice and knowledge from your web blog.

  30. For simplisafe.com login, connect your PC to a WiFi network and open a web browser on it. Enter the default web address simplisafe.com and you will reach the SimpliSafe login page. Enter the SimpliSafe My account login credentials. After that, click Login and you will be successfully logged into the SimpliSafe account.

  31. forcer says:

    forcer

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

  32. Nice post, I found this blog site it’s very informative and helpful.

  33. Great Article. I really like your blog. Keep sharing more. Its really the best article!

  34. Great Article. I really like your blog. Keep sharing more. Its really the best article!

  35. Erick Belarus says:

    Capital One Login was established on the premise that information and technology will revolutionise the fiscal sector, beginning with credit card payments

  36. FUMARI says:

    FUMARI

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

  37. Tactical uniforms

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

  38. Asia Gaming says:

    Your post is very helpful to me. Thank you. You gave me even more new perspectives.

  39. Grocery and Gourmet Food

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

  40. Sports Nutrition

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

  41. marceline says:

    .. I am regular reader, how are you everybody? This post posted at this site is truly fastidious.Thanks alot for this one
    Mate Cheers 검증카지노

  42. baccaratsite says:

    I’ve been troubled for several days with this topic. baccaratsite, But by chance looking at your post solved my problem! I will leave my blog, so when would you like to visit it?

  43. 머니상 says:

    A person who always sees only with his eyes. I am trying to write a comment for the first time. The postings about 플레이포커 you provide are really great… We’ll be happy to see you in the future.

  44. 머니상 says:

    I love seeing more and more people visiting your blog. I, who have been together for a long time, created a forum with the same topic as yours this time. The subject is going to be captured by 플레이포커머니상.

  45. 머니상 says:

    Providing such quality information is not easy. If you want to get this information elsewhere, you will have to pay. Thank you for your hard work. I am also running a blog (플레이포커머니상추천 ). I will work hard with you as my goal.

  46. Snack Foods says:

    Snack Foods

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

  47. nimaahmadi says:

    تقویم اقتصادی فارکس یک دستیار حرفه ای تمام عیار برای تریدرهای حرفه ای است. یکی از بهترین تقویم های اقتصادی را به شما معرفی میکنم

  48. ewelry Rendering Software. When using 3D software programs to design jewelry pieces, there comes a time during the design process when you

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.