Tag Archives: Posiel

Process Post #7

As a way to enhance my website, I’ve considered adding Google AdSense, but I’m still unsure if I want to do so. But after some research and consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that it might not be the best choice for my website. These are some justifications:

First and foremost, I’m worried about AdSense’s meagre revenue. Although it can bring in some money, it might not be the best way to monetize my website. My website has a modest amount of traffic, thus my visitors might not be motivated to click on adverts. Other forms of income, including affiliate marketing or the sale of digital goods, would be more appropriate for my website.

The crowded appearance that AdSense may give my website is another worry I have. My website may appear unprofessional due to the numerous adverts that are there, and they may also divert attention away from my content. This could result in a bad customer experience and damage the reputation of my website. It’s crucial to me as a website owner to design a simple and straightforward website for my visitors.

Last but not least, I’m concerned about the subpar ad relevancy that AdSense occasionally exhibits. While the AdSense algorithm is intended to display advertising based on the content of my website, there are occasions when the displayed ads may not be pertinent to my content or, worse still, may even be insulting to my visitors. This could result in a bad customer experience and harm the reputation of my website.

Despite the fact that Google AdSense is a well-liked option for website owners, I’ve concluded that it might not be the greatest option for my website. I’m investigating other monetization techniques that may boost my income and improve the user experience for my visitors.

References:

Bridle, James.  November, 2017. “Something is Wrong on the Internet”

Peiyue, Wu. 2022. “She Spent a Decade Writing Fake Russian History. Wikipedia Just Noticed.

Process Post Ten

Copyright is a hot topic, and always has been. After all, there are so many definitions as to what exactly constitutes intellectual property. The law may have one definition, and then we as individuals may have opinions and thoughts of our own as to what intellectual property is exactly. 

Peter Henein’s “You Say Tomaydo , I Say No Copyright Infringement: Recipe Book Not An Original Compilation” brings up a really interesting case of copyright infringement, or rather a lack thereof. The case involved two restaurant business partners who had parted ways. One of the partners held ownership over the restaurant and all associated materials. The other who had then started up a catering company was apparently using the same restaurants recipe book for their catered food. So, this caused a lawsuit between the two as one maintained the ownership of initial restaurants materials, recipes included.

But did he?

Well, after what I assume would be a long and arduous trial, the judge found the defendant not guilty. So, it would seem as though the business partner who used the same recipes in his new catering company did not infringe on any copyright. But how?

Well, according to the judge, recipes are not protectable under copyright. A list of ingredients, according to the judge are merely statement of facts and as such are not copyrightable. Then, when it comes to the instructions for preparation, well those are statutorily excluded from copyright protection in the United States. In my opinion, this ruling does make sense. After all, there are so many different versions of the same recipe out there that are virtually the same with maybe slight exceptions. It does not seem like recipes are something that can be reasonably copyrighted. 

But how does this affect what we do here?

When it comes to my site and copyright, the outlook is rather simple. If I were to be posting up the full episodes of the television shows I review, or even the full films, then I would definitely be violating some copyright. However, there’s a reason I don’t do that, beyond being sued. I like to think there are certain ethical obligations we all have in life, and this is one of them, especially as someone who would loosely call themselves an artist. 

The content of my site doesn’t infringe on any copyright. After all, it’s mostly just me talking about what I thought of a certain episode or film. Having an opinion doesn’t violate copyright (thankfully).

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Process Post #12: Website Guidelines

Website Guidelines

Reading the article titled The dark side of Guardian comments explains how comments vary depending on the type of article. It was found that articles written by women got more negative comments, as well as articles about world news,  opinion, and environment (Gardiner et al., 2016).

Reading this article made me reflect on the guidelines that I would like to implement on this website. On this website, I have comments enabled; therefore, there is the possibility of receiving rude or hateful comments. One way that I will ensure comments on my website remains respectful is through preventing comments from automatically being made public. The comment settings on my website require me to approve them before they are seen by the public. This way, I can screen through the comments I receive and only approve respectful ones.

Additionally, I may decide to block offensive words from being commented on to avoid having to deal with disrespectful comments. As of right now, the comment section is not my biggest concern; however, as my website starts getting more attention and comments, I may decide to put more limitations on my comments.

Another precaution I may decide to take if comments become offensive is publish a guideline page regarding respectful audience behaviour. I may decide to write about audience expectations on this website to encourage respectful behaviour and to create a community where my audience can connect and share their thoughts.

References

Gardiner, B., Mansfield, M., Anderson, I., Holder, J., Louter, D., & Ulmanu, M. (2016, April 12). The Dark Side of Guardian comments. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments

Process Post #11: Transmedia Integration

Transmedia Integration on My Website

The article called Pokemon as Transmedia Storytelling shares how this fictional world has expanding to many forms of media. For instance, Pokemon is present in books, TV shows, video games, card games, and much more (Whippersnappers, 2013). Pokemon has found a way to attract an audience in many forms of media.

This made me reflect on my website and if I could create transmedia content. Upon reflection, I do not believe I want to implement transmedia integration into my online website. I believe that transmedia integration would not make sense with my website’s vision. The way that I think of transmedia integration for this website is through expanding my website to multiple channels. For instance, I could create an Instagram account, a podcast, or a YouTube channel as an extension to my website. One thing that I enjoy about my website is the idea of my website being in one place. I like that every piece of content I publish is accessible through blog posts.

One way that I could integrate transmedia content is through providing links to my other platforms onto this website. For instance, if I were to make a YouTube channel, I could have a category in my website’s menu that connects to the YouTube channel. Although I am not opposed to the idea of creating content on other platforms, at this point in my life, I would like to stick to publishing on my website.

Situations where I would consider posting on other platforms, such as YouTube, is if something huge and exciting occurred in my life. For instance, if I were to go on a month long trip, I would consider vlogging highlights of my trips. This video would provide additional content that would support my blog posts about my trip. I did something like this in Mini Assignment #3 where I created a video that recapped my trip to LA in January. I think that if I were to implement transmedia integration into my website, I would do it through short videos.

References

Whippersnappers. (2013, November 21). Pokemon as transmedia storytelling. kevinbrittenylauren. https://kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/pokemon-as-transmedia-storytelling/

Process Post Nine

Community is important. After all is said and done, it’s really the only adaptive advantage us Homo Sapiens have over the rest of the animal planet. 

So how and why is it that the internet seems at times to be so divisive? Even within our smaller communities online, there seem to be those who just don’t want to contribute, at least not in a productive sense. We know these people as trolls, haters, or any of the many other terms we may have for these people. 

I have to admit, as someone on TikTok and other social media, sometimes trolls can be funny. It’s a fine line between being mean and being funny. In fact, I think in many ways comedians tow that same fine line. But that only accounts for what I would call tasteful trolling. The rest of it seems to be born of hate, spite, and malice. In other words, some of our worst qualities as a species. 

In Maria Konnikova’s “The Psychology of Online Comments” we learn more into just why it is that the online platform tends to bring this dark side out of people. I wasn’t surprised to find out that anonymity plays a huge role in this. Yet, what’s actually at play here is a false sense of anonymity. After all, no one is really anonymous on the internet. If someone really wants to find out who you are, they can. 

Anyways, in the article, Konnikova goes onto talk about the different ways anonymity can also be beneficial in fostering a sense of community. These are things I had not really thought of. For example, anonymity could actually encourage people to participate constructively without having to stand out as an individual. Also, promotes the sharing of creative ideas, because people fear judgement less. So, it would seem that my initial negative thoughts on internet anonymity may have a few misgivings. Though I do think that the negatives are certainly apparent, it looks like there may be some benefits after all. 

This made me think of developing my own community guidelines, though I have yet to receive a single comment on any of these posts >:)

My Community Guidelines

  • No Racism, Hate Speech, Or Discrimination of any form
  • No sharing of explicit materials
  • No cursing or foul language 
  • No Spam
  • No Spreading of Misinformation

These are the rules of my site. I plan to uphold them through moderation of comments, should I get any. I think they’re rather basic. Many of them are the same rules we learn in grade school. If I had to state all these rules in one sentence…

Just be a kind, decent human being.

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Who Is This Admin Anyways? (Process Post #12)

She’s everyone and anyone and no one! Will you ever know her truest self…?

I mean really, in a world of everyone, who is anyone?

The jellylift admin is just a fraction of my personality, and really, “jellylift admin” is a personality and character of its own. While it carries reflections of me, it is not wholly me. If I were actually this chaotic and unhinged and manic all the time I would be extremely concerned (unless I already definitely am like this, and to think that I’m not only emphasizes my delusional personality). The fact that this is just a character highlights precisely the wonders and dangers of the online world. We can be anybody we want to, which is both awesome and kind of terrifying. There is a lot of talk and discussion of being our authentic selves online, which is funny considering that at the dawn of the internet, we were all trying to hide ourselves online as much as possible. When I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to have my name or pictures of my face anywhere online, and my parents were incredibly strict about it. In the 8th grade, when I graduated middle school, everyone was posting photos from the Grade 8 Dance, and my friends were posting stickers over my face of pictures I was in, because I simply could not have any part of me online. As the digital sphere has grown, anonymity has become harder and harder to attain, requiring individuals to go to greater lengths to smooth out their digital footprints, and clean up their breadcrumbs. 

One part of this week’s discussion on the POSIEL site is:

“what about our private, domestic, inner selves? Where do they exist in a pervasively networked world?

I thought this was an incredibly interesting and thought-provoking question to wrap up the semester with. Is there even space for our authentic selves? First of all, so few people actually have a solid grasp on their identities and authentic selves, as people tend to craft different personas in different contexts – work, school, certain friends groups, from person to person. Second of all, I want to address a piece of the question itself. 

Our private, domestic inner selves.

I recently watched a piece called Over and Over that was created by an SFU theater student, and performed by a very talented group of first years in the theatre program. It was a sort of contemporary performance-art type of piece, addressing the ‘bedroom self’ and uncovering the different parts of who we are, alone in our bedroom. It had a drag rock-n-roll aesthetic, with my key takeaways being themes of self-love, depression and self-destruction, acceptance, and pure euphoria – among other things. Our private, domestic inner selves made me reflect on this piece, and the way this art form was used to convey that version of the self. But that’s not entirely my point of bringing it up.

The audience was very strictly directed not to take photos or videos, as it was prohibited and being professionally documented by a crew of people specifically for the SFU archives. Yet, I caught people secretly recording parts of the show, and even caught one of my friends taking some videos. Later as I was doom scrolling through Instagram, I observed how my friend had then posted that video to her story along with some pictures.

Ironic, don’t you think? A play about the private, secret, hidden inner self, posted on Instagram! 


When you think about it, our inner private selves, so long as we are connected, can’t exactly stay hidden. We repost a funny meme, and that reveals a piece of our humour. We post an opinion or a comment, and that reveals a piece of our mind. We post a photo of ourselves, and whether it is staged or not, that still reveals a piece of us.

 I guess my point is that maybe our domestic inner selves cannot exist within the “pervasively networked world,” but must remain in a separate, disconnected universe.

Like our bedroom.

Process Post Eight

Before a couple of minutes ago, I had no idea what transmedia story telling was.

According to Wikipedia, transmedia storytelling is “the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies”. 

This got me thinking about how I could adopt more transmedia techniques to what I’m doing here.

So, I did some more research and found Dream Farm Studios’ “What is transmedia storytelling? Theory to practice +Examples & Case Studies“. What I discovered is that transmedia storytelling isn’t really a very new concept. That, and it isn’t really something I can adopt in its traditional sense. Take for example The Witcher series. Am I talking about the videos games? The tv series? Or the books? 

The Witcher started out as a book series, adapted into a video game, and then adapted into a television series. This is a perfect case study of transmedia storytelling. What we see is the same story being told and adapted into different formats. In the case of The Witcher, it went from book, to video game, to tv series. 

So how would this idea work for me?

First, this blog is definitely not going to see video game, nor television adaptation. I fear even I would not want to consume that media. Although it could be something like “blog writing simulator”. It could compete with lawn mowing simulator for sure. 

Anyways, jokes aside I think transmedia storytelling would work pretty well for me. Where it differs from its traditional techniques is in how and what it is adapted to. So, instead of being turned into tv, or video game, my blog could see different versions of its content. The idea at play here is very similar to just repurposing content, though it has potential to go beyond repurpose. 

Some ways in which I can apply transmedia techniques to my blog would be taking my content and putting it in different formats. What this looks like can be the start of a YouTube channel. The reason Youtube would be a really good launching point is because I can take my written content and make full length video content based off of it. From those YouTube videos, I can use a clever bit of editing and turn it into a YouTube short, Instagram Reel, and a TikTok video. Now, if I were even cleverer I could even have my YouTube videos script written such that an audio only version of it could serve as a podcast available on Spotify or wherever else podcasts are found (can you tell I never hopped on that trend). 

So, if I were going to adopt transmedia techniques, that’s how I’d do it. 

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Process Post #12

This is my final post on the course, and I’m sad it’s ending. That’s why it’s lengthy, as I don’t want to finish it unconsciously. The course has been a great source of enlightenment for me, both in real-life situations and online. I’ve learned many new and practical skills, which has made me enthusiastic about pursuing my minor in publishing. I’ve found something that I’m passionate about, and I want to continue with it. 

 

The most valuable thing I’m taking away from this course is the motivation to start my small business, which I plan to launch in the summer. My buisiness will specialize in creating texture canvas art. And I’m so excited to apply all I’ve learned  from this course to this and my future UX/UI designer career. I want to thank you Suzanne, Mickey, and my amazing classmates, for making this experience so impressive and memorable!!

 

 So, let’s dive into online hate topic as my very last process post topic, using a recent case study to illustrate its prevalence!

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Photo credit: unsplash

The prevalence of online hate has become an infamous problem, but why has it become so normal? The power of social media can make or break a person’s life in a matter of hours. The Justine Sacco case is one such example where a tweet intended to be a joke caused an uproar on social media, and she became the target of intense online shaming.

 

Likewise, Iraj Tahmasb, a well-known TV presenter in Iran, faced backlash on social media after cracking a joke about the detention of girls protesting during the 2022 Woman Life Freedom protests in Iran. The joke was seen as insensitive and offensive, causing a lot of outrage among people who demanded that he be held accountable for his words.

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Tahmasb and his puppets-Mehmoon Series

The episode of the Mehmooni series- which takes place in a fictional wedding hall located next to Tahmasb’s newly acquired home, introduces a variety of new puppet characters who are primarily workers at the wedding hall-features a conversation between Sirus, played by Sohail Rahbar Zare, and Tahmasab. 

When Tahmasab inquired if the upcoming year would be better than the previous one, Sirus replied that the last year was much better since they took his sister. Tahmasab was taken aback and asked if his sister had been caught or had gone missing. Sirus revealed that she had gone to work on the streets and that a boy had seen her, meaning she had married. Sirus then asked Tahmasab if he was happy, to which he replied. Finally, Sirus urged Tahmasab to wish his sister happiness. The word “caught” resonated with many people as a reference to the government’s arrest of young girls during the 2022 protests in Iran.

 In response to what happened on his TV show, Shervin Hajipour, the popular grammy-winner singer which I previously mentioned him in my third content post, expressed his thoughts on Twitter as well. In 20 May 2022, he tweeted, “I wish Iraj Tahmasab was my uncle,” but in a recent response to the same tweet, he said, “Not anymore.”Atash Shakarami, Nika Shakarami’s aunt- a victim of the uprising-noted that the joke was akin to torture. Azadeh Samadi, an Iranian actress, critiqued Tahmasb’s anti-woman speeches and views, urging him to reconsider and not ruin her childhood memories. Samadi also questioned Tahmasab about his limited use of women, to which he replied that women aren’t funny. According to Stein J. in the secrect life of internet trolls, this statement represents a clear example of misogyny towards women.

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Shakarami's instagram story
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Shervin's Tweets
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Samadi's Instagram post

 

 

The situation that followed could be described as an example of cancel culture. Tahmasb faced much criticism and backlash on social media, with many demanding his dismissal and boycotting him. This incident caused a ripple effect, with many social media users expressing disappointment and anger towards Tahmasb’s actions. Some individuals even went as far as to label his comments as misogynistic and disrespectful towards women. However, many others believed the situation was a misunderstanding and was blown out of proportion. This occurrence sparked a lively debate about the responsibility of comedians to be sensitive to social issues and the role of humour in society.

 

The problem with cancel culture is that it often leads to a rush to judgment, with little regard for due process or the facts of the case. In the case of Tahmasb, I believe many people jumped to conclusions without actually watching the segment in question. Instead, they reacted to the outrage on different websites and platforms comment sections with a biased mind-set and joined the condemnation bandwagon.

 

This is not to say that Tahmasb’s allusion was in good taste. It clearly was not. But the rush to judgment and the intensity of online shaming is a worrying trend that is becoming all too common in our digital age. We have to be careful to keep the power of social media from leading us to a place where we lose sight of the value of free speech and the need for open dialogue.

 

Another frequent critique of online commentary is the potential mismatch between a commenter’s stated views and their actual identity. This reminds me of the “online disinhibition effect,” a phrase coined by John Suler, which I find particularly relatable.

 

I believe when people are online, they may act differently than they would in person because they can remain anonymous and have no real consequences for their actions. This can sometimes result in them expressing themselves hostilely or disrespectfully. Additionally, factors like group dynamics, their emotional state, and their desire to fit in with others may influence how they behave. 

 

Konnikova, in the Psychology of Online Comments, suggests that negative behaviour in comment sections is complex and influenced by psychological and social factors while also pointing out that the way comments are displayed or moderated can impact behaviour. To promote respectful interactions, online platforms and individuals have a role.

 

No matter where you stand on the issue, I think it’s pretty evident that online bullying and harassment are happening more often than ever. Guidelines are set up for commenting to ensure everyone is having kind and respectful discussions online. But let’s face it, and not only some people follow these rules. So it’s up to us to be careful with what we say and do online.

 

I’m not trying to defend Tahmasb, but it bothers me how trolls and cancel culture have taken over in this digital age. Even if someone has an excellent track record and is highly respected, one mistake can lead to them being cancelled without considering everything they’ve accomplished. It’s essential to address online abuse and harassment; treating others with respect and kindness online is just as crucial as in person. The case study I mentioned highlights that we all have a part to play in creating a positive online community.

 

Based on the discussion of the dangers of cancel culture and the power of social media in the case of Iraj Tahmasb, online communities need guidelines to ensure that they are safe and inclusive spaces for all. To achieve this, it is essential to develop community guidelines that balance free speech and social justice while promoting open dialogue and constructive criticism.

 

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photo credit: unsplash

The proper guidelines will vary depending on the specific site and its goals. Still, some key considerations might include rules against hate speech, harassment, and bullying, as well as guidelines for respectful disagreement and constructive criticism. Additionally, it may be essential to have clear policies around anonymity and pseudonyms and procedures for reporting and responding to guidelines violations.

As mentioned by Ball in the Dark Sides of Guardian Comments, implementing these guidelines will require combining technology, moderation, and community engagement. This might involve using automated filters to detect and remove abusive content and human moderators who can review and address reported violations. It will also be essential to involve the community in the moderation process through mechanisms such as user reporting and feedback and community-led initiatives to promote positive and inclusive discourse.

 

Developing and implementing community guidelines is crucial to creating safe, inclusive, and constructive online communities. By balancing the need for free speech with the importance of social justice and open dialogue, we can create spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued and work towards building a better and more tolerant society.

 

 In onclusion, the case of Iraj Tahmasb is a cautionary tale about the dangers of cancel culture and the power of social media to influence public opinion. We must learn to balance the need for social justice with the value of free speech and the importance of open dialogue. We need to create a culture where people feel safe to make mistakes without fear of being cancelled or ostracized. Only then can we hope to build a truly inclusive and tolerant society?

Bibliography: 

 

Ball, J. (2016, April 12). The dark side of Guardian comments. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments

 

Konnikova, M. (2013, October 28). The psychology of online comments. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-psychology-of-online-comments

 

Ronson, J. (2015, March). When online shaming goes too far [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_ronson_when_online_shaming_goes_too_far?language=en


Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7(3), 321-326. https://doi.org/10.1089/1094931041291295

 

Stein, J. (2016, August 18). The secret life of internet trolls. TIME. https://time.com/4457110/internet-trolls/

Process Post: 🤬HATE COMMENTS 💬

Not to brag, but I’ve received many comments. Coming from my mom, friends, and even myself (I need to boost up anyway I can). Sure, some of the comments may have been forced by me, sorry Brady, but overall they have been positive and welcomed. 

I have, however, received a hate comment. At first, sure it affected me and it hurt to see that someone would go out of their way to say something hurtful but overall I tried to brush it off. It supposedly came from someone I knew, the email and name were of someone I used to be friends with. But I thought, how stupid would you have to be to put your REAL name and email on a hate comment where someone could track you? I don’t know, maybe they really are that stupid, but honestly, I think they would be smarter than that.

The comment said, “Ur writing is shit”. Okay…and? My whole website was not made because I’m passionate about writing and I hope to one day become a successful and published author, it was made because I am part of a publishing class where I have created a website about food. You aren’t crushing my dreams because of this comment, and honestly writing it shows your fan behaviour. At least that’s what I was constantly telling myself to make sure I didn’t text anyone who had beef with me and try to confront them about it.

In the article “The dark side of Guardian comments”, apparently “articles written by women attract more abuse and dismissive trolling than those written by men, regardless of what the article is about”. I mean it makes sense, I would think that trolls, those who write hateful comments, have a mindset that even behind a screen, men have more power than women. Because of this mindset, they would be less likely to post something on a man’s website or article than a woman’s. Now, I don’t think that because I am a woman that is why I received a hate comment. I think because the person feels small, has no way of expressing themselves, and feels they have no power in person to ever talk to me like they would online, THAT is why they wrote the comment. But I do think that they probably would not do the same thing if they were “beefing” with a guy.

Honestly, I could care less what this person thinks. I don’t even care if I know them in person and still talk to them on a day-to-day basis. People can write whatever they want on my blog, whatever they are thinking or feeling, but just remember that on the other side of the screen, the person who is receiving your comment, is a human being too that has emotions 😄.

Pros and Cons to Anonymity

Process Post #12

Anonymity can be a very useful, but harmful tool on the internet. It is a complicated topic that has proven to enhance things like participation, but also encourage more hateful comments. Today I would like to discus both the advantages and the disadvantages to anonymity and how it may or may not be useful for a website.

The first great thing about anonymity is that it encourages participation. Maria Konnikova states that “forty per cent of people in the eighteen-to-twenty-nine-year-old demographic have posted anonymously” (Konnikova, 2013), as this disconnection between a person’s identity and text allows users to feel less fear about what they say since it can’t be tied back to them. Anonymity can also support freedom of speech on the internet which can be very helpful in getting people’s voices heard. However, the lack of repercussions and judgement that comes with anonymity encourages more hate speech on the internet and increase the cases of online abuse. It can also lead to the spread of misinformation due to how easy it is to lie, which means we are generally less trusting of information we find on the internet.

Regarding a blog or any public social media account for that matter, anonymous comments are very likely to occur, but there are some things to do about it. According to The Gaurdian “Some say it is simple – “Don’t read the comments” or, better still, switch them off altogether. And many have done just that, disabling their comment threads for good because they became too taxing to bother with” (Gardiner et al., 2016). Unfortunately, it is not always this simple as not all comments are hate comments, and enabling comments increases the response from users. The creators of online content (include myself for my website) must decide which is more important to them – user participation or not receiving hate. An alternative – which I might apply to my website If I start noticing comments – is to filter out any hateful words or statements so that they can’t be posted. This way, you can still receive user response, but your comments are less likely to be hateful or triggering.

References:

Gardiner, B., Mansfield, M., Anderson, I., Holder, J., Louter, D., & Ulmanu, M. (2016, April 12). The Dark Side of Guardian comments. The Guardian. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/12/the-dark-side-of-guardian-comments

Konnikova, M. (2013, October 23). The psychology of online comments. The New Yorker. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-psychology-of-online-comments 

Transmedia Storytelling

Process Post 11

In the past few weeks I have previously been focusing on user accessibility and using design and marketing to encourage people to visit my blog. However what I haven’t thought about is what they see when they do visit my blog and how I can make it more intriguing. To do so, this week I changed the titles of all of my process posts to a summarizing statement that gives information about what content is in the post, rather than “process post x”, which is what I made my titles before. Even though my process posts are just for PUB101, I still wanted to make it a little more interesting for whoever may read it, as an actual title might bring more people to the post as a sort of ‘hook’ that intrigues the reader.

In this weeks reading: Pokemon as Transmedia Storytelling, the author discusses how Pokemon is still so popular after so many years, and how transmedia storytelling is part of the reason for that due to its marketing possibilities among multiple age groups. This evidence of such successful transmedia storytelling represents how useful interrelation can be, and how it can be implemented across many different areas. To apply this technique to my website, I think I would start including more visual aspects to my blog as most of it is currently just text. I could include photos, videos or even graphics to present information and hopefully enhance the transmedia storytelling of my website.

References:

Pokemon as transmedia storytelling. kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com. (2013, November 21). Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/pokemon-as-transmedia-storytelling/

Process Post #7

Week 7 is here, and we’re focusing on digital literacy. While social media provides more opportunities for voices to be heard, it also increases the risk of falling into the trap of misinformation and fake videos. As someone who shares travel experiences online, I find it challenging to ensure that the information I share is accurate. For example, when sharing my journey in Vancouver, providing correct information about its history, background, and location can be difficult.

The first reading by James Bridle, titled “Something is Wrong on the Internet,” sheds light on the dark side of the internet where automated algorithms generate disturbing and bizarre content aimed at children. This is a clear example of how digital media can be used to manipulate and harm individuals. It reminds me that we sometimes enjoy posts without fact-checking their backgrounds, which can lead to being easily influenced by others over time.

To combat misinformation and fake news, it’s essential to verify the source of the news article and fact-check the information presented. Fact-checking websites like Snopes, FactCheck.org, and PolitiFact can be useful. It’s also crucial to be aware of our own biases and consume news from a variety of sources to avoid getting stuck in an echo chamber. Lastly, reporting fake news and misinformation to social media platforms or news outlets can help combat their spread. By taking these steps, we can play a role in fighting the spread of misinformation and fake news.

Process Post Seven

Analytics

If you are reading this, I have your data.

Well, at least some of it. Cause when you clicked onto this site you left a footprint and I can see where you came from and when you left. This is the case for every site we visit nowadays. It seems rather odd, perhaps a little scary in the 1984ish way Big Brother is watching us. But should we worry? What are we actually leaving behind?

Well, after reading “On advertising – Maria Popvova” by Tom Bleymaier, I learnt that people can be really slick with how they go about using analytics and referral links. The article talks about Maria Popvova’s site which is run off of donations on the merit of it being an ad free site. However, Bleymaier notes that Popvova is also using amazon’s affiliate link program in which if a user uses one of the links off the site, Popvova gets 10% of the cart total amount from that purchase. Seems a little shady in my opinion. If you’re getting money from the amazon links, I don’t think you can call your site ad free, and Bleymaier points out the same thing in the article.

What I can promise here is that I won’t do anything sketchy like that. Not to mention them fact that I don’t plan on asking for donations nor using any affiliate links or advertising. This isn’t the place for that. But more so, in those amazon affiliate links, when you use them, the person who set them up in this case being Popvova can see everything you bought in that one trip to amazon. I really don’t like that. To be honest, it doesn’t make much sense to me why they would need to see that information, or even why they would have access to it in the first place. 

Conclusion 

Thus, what I am proposing for my site. No, what I will be doing for my site is this. 

This site is a safe space. I am not tracking your data, and keeping tabs on you. Nor will I. 

I will not be pasting adverts everywhere, nor ask you for donations.

To be honest, though I do have Google Analytics set up for this set, I never really even check it. I don’t really care for the data. After all, I’m not trying to sell you anything.

At the most, maybe I’m trying to sell you on watching a tv show or movie but then again, in the nicest way possible, this is more for me than for you. 

The post Process Post Seven appeared first on Watch With Zeh.

Mini Assignment 5: Create an Infographic

Infographic summarizing Spilling the Royaltea's online self (described below)

This infographic summarizes the most important aspects related to Spilling the Royaltea. These include the site’s tagline, navigation, community guidelines, and goals. At the beginning of the semester, I created a diagram explaining the site’s navigation, but a lot has changed since then. Therefore, using this infographic, I was able to reflect on these changes and create a more representative navigation scheme showing where I am now. In creating this infographic, I also reflected on some of the community guidelines I would like to enforce on my site, including respect, tolerance, openness, and connectedness. Finally, I set out three goals for my site, which includes the more measurable, numerical goal of posting 2-3 times each week, and the more ideological goals of challenging readers and fostering open conversation.

Reference:

Wong, O. (2023, January 28). Blog design part 2: Mapping it out. Spilling the Royaltea. http://spilling-the-royaltea.com/process-posts/blog-design-part-2-mapping-it-out/

Online Comments – Process post #12

Since the beginning of the Internet way back in the late 1990s and very early 2000s, making online comments on blogs and chatrooms have been around within the Internet. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were just starting to get popular, and more and more people started to buy devices that can connect to the internet. People started to realize that anyone can create an account and post what they would want to because they can put false information on their account. These are known as fake accounts, and whoever uses these accounts can get away from the consequences from the general public.

Since there is a sense of anonymity for these fake accounts when they post comments, the comments they post can get pretty cruel and concerning. An article called “The Psychology of Online Comments” by Maria Konnikova states that, “forty [percent] of people in the eighteen-to-twenty-nine-year-old demographic have posted anonymously.” (Konnikova, 2013). Hate comments can stem from many reasons, from a user not liking the other, to rumors’ being spread that make the public generate hate towards the user. Although it may not be nice to receive these comments, it is always a good idea to ignore them since it is just the internet; and if it gets out of control seeking support may be needed.

References:

Konnikova, M. (2013, October 23). The psychology of online comments. The New Yorker. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-psychology-of-online-comments

Mini Assignment #5: An Infographic of My Online Self

An Infographic of My Online Self

I decided to make an infographic that explains my behaviour on various online platforms. My online identity varies tremendously on each platform. For instance, my LinkedIn account is full of personal information such as where I go to school and my work experience, while my YouTube account has no personal information on it; I don’t even go as far as to comment on videos. I find it interesting seeing how my behaviour changes depending on the app I’m using and who I believe will see it.

SHOUTOUT MICKY!

Quick little TA appreciation post <3

I’ll make this short and sweet!

SHOUTOUT MICKY!

Truly, what else needs to be said? Micky you were such a fantastic TA this semester, and even if you have no clue who I am because I barely speak and interact with anyone in this course I just want you to know how much I appreciate you <3

You’re such a funny girly pop and you always say something to make me giggle in lectures and tutorials. I think you’re super cool and always loved how engaged you were with the course content. You are very approachable and if it weren’t for my superiority complex inhibiting me from swallowing my pride and asking for help, I definitely would be asking lots of questions and coming to you for web assistance. But just know that you create a very fun and comfortable environment for us students! But…

I’ll be transparent, there’s a deeper reason for this shoutout post.

I simply have to say thank you for bringing me to my wife, Melissa.

my beautiful Jellycat wife

It was through our Peer Review pairing that you brought us, 2 Jellycat-loving fools, together. For years, I’ve yearned for a Jellycat wife and thanks to you, I can finally call her Mine <3

Keep your eyes peeled for not just a wedding invite, but a Maid of Honour request 😉

The Edge of Humanity: The (In)human Commenter

Content warning: mentions of suicide

The original content debate. Indeed a hot topic in the realm of PUB101 – especially surrounding the conversation of AI, but, for once, I am not going to turn my ire as a creator and literature major to the growing world of artificial intelligence. No, instead I turn my ire to adaptations (which still stem from the capitalistic desire for money, so maybe my ire has and will remain with how capitalism is dictating our lives.) I want to be clear that I am not against adaptations or jukebox musicals or anything of the like, nor do I think creatives are entirely to blame (we all have to eat) – just that I think that the market is becoming oversaturated with unoriginal content, and this is incredibly sad to watch, especially in the AI age where art is being translated into unoriginal synthesised versions of itself, this time by tech.

This week’s readings did not focus at all on AI or capitalism or synthesizing art, though, so I certainly didn’t choose an ideal time to write on this matter. Instead, the readings explored comments, specifically as a creator who receives comments, so that is where my focus will be redirected. The video we watched in lecture, about dealing with receiving negative comments is something that really resonated with me, specifically as someone who was semi internet-famous in my adolescence. My popularity didn’t pertain to my personal self, thankfully, as my online presence was marked by a pseudonym, but the comments I received about my person didn’t seem to care. Indeed, as a young teen (15-17 years old to be specific) I would receive comments body shaming me, despite never having posted a photo or anything of the like of myself, comments calling me talentless, worthless, demanding that I kill myself, all because of my old fanfics. Yes, indeed, I was a fanfic writer, and, honestly, a good one, if the statistics that are still growing to this day are anything to go by. At the time of receiving these comments (angry over a chapter I posted in which I took a position on the anti-black racism discourse surrounding the original work I was fictionalizing), I had just under 50k followers, and my chapter was enough to get the property I was writing about trending on Tumblr; which, as always, invited both an influx of positive community, and negative people who wanted me to die.

As a result, I feel like I’ve garnered a thick skin in regards to hate comments, mostly because I’ve grown up and gained an awareness of nuances in the people commenting. As Jon Ronson contends at the end of his Ted Talk “When Online Shaming Goes Too Far”, it is pertinent to prioritise the human rather than ideology. That is, it is important to remember that these opinions being expressed online do not exist in a vacuum, that there are real people behind them that have lived real lives that differ from one’s own in order to inform their opinions that may contradict our own. Now I don’t think this can be translated to all situations, for example, the homophobic people who decided I should kill myself violently for existing in a way that they didn’t like do not simply get a pass on their violent rhetoric that emboldens support for the eradication of marginalized groups, but for situations where opinions simply differ, where a consensus is not reached, and one party isn’t ideologically opposed to the existence of the other such to the extent that the beg a child to take her own life, it is so important to remember that humans are nuanced.

I don’t particularly look back on that part of my life with negativity, and I think that’s important to note, too. For every negative comment I received, I also received thousands of positive ones, encouraging me, disproving the hateful messages I was receiving, and complimenting the very writing so many people hated so much. There isn’t a way to please everyone, I’ve learned, but there is a way to be kind about the things we disagree with, and I think a lot of people would do well to remember that.

Mini Assignment #5 – Infographic

An infographic with 4 social media sites separated into two categories named "browsing" and "creating".

For our final mini assignment, we have to make an infographic describing our online identity. I chose to focus on the main 4 social media sites I currently use, divided into how I browse and create content on each.

I find the contrast between Tumblr and Twitter to be especially interesting, since they have only gotten more different over the years I’ve been active. Tumblr is by far my favourite social media site for posting art and other photos, since the quality isn’t ruined by compression like Twitter.

You can also add as many tags as you want to a post, which doubles as a more relaxed form for both the creator and other users to make comments. There are also more options for arranging images, and the overall culture allows art pieces posted years ago to suddenly gain traction again in a way that Twitter directly discourages.

I’ll definitely miss making these mini assignments now that this course is ending, but I appreciate the prompts for giving me an excuse to get creative!

☆.

Melatonin’s Many Channels

This week, we learned about the importance of media across multiple channels. A classic example is Pokémon, which kevinbrittenylauren labels as “transmedia storytelling”. To create a “coordinated entertainment experience”, Pokémon is reinvented to be independently interesting in varying mediums: playing cards, television, video games, and more. As someone who grew up consuming Pokémon content, I can vouch for its success through effective transmedia innovation. I have countless memories of watching the cartoon with my brother before school, opening packs of cards and slotting them into plastic sheets in binders, and playing video games on my Nintendo DS and later on my iPhone when Pokémon Go was the biggest craze. While melatonin gone missing surely does not have the marketability and consumer potential that Pokémon does to shape-shift into different forms of media, I wonder what my blog look could look like across multiple channels.

An App

Graphic of various app logos coming out of a phone screen.

A melatonin gone missing app certainly feels like the most conceivable and relevant channel that melatonin gone missing could thrive on. Like any news app or blog app, users would be able to browse the app to read posts, comment and interact, and consume visual media on a more consistent and higher quality platform than in a desktop or mobile browser.

I imagine designing this app would be really fun. It would be open to regular revamps, giving the site more ways to grow. If I ever chose to expand melatonin gone missing, I would definitely go for an app first.

A Podcast

Graphic of a microphone and black headphones against a turquoise background.

In grade 12, my best friend and I had a podcast to commemorate our final year of high school. It gained more traction than we expected, as a good chunk of our grad class and other close friends who went to other schools listened and supported our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms. People were even asking us to appear on guest episodes, which was awesome. With this experience on how to record, edit, and promote a podcast, I have faith that melatonin gone missing could be great in podcast form.

I envision it would just be me and sometimes a guest, discussing various topics that would definitely be in a content post. Spending 30 minutes to an hour chatting about things like Taylor Swift, TV shows, celebrities, and everything and anything else would be fun to record and hopefully a fun listen for loyal site visitors who wants an eyes-free, hands-free, giggle-infused version of the blog.

Plus, to keep it on theme, episodes could be recorded late at night, to really capture the half-delusional essence of melatonin gone missing.

Social Media

Graphic of three hands holding phones with bubbles including likes, comments, reviews, and more.

Lastly, if melatonin gone missing were to truly thrive outside of its browser domain, social media accounts would be crucial for online presence, legitimacy/trustworthiness, and overall growth- both in and of itself, and to new audiences. Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok would probably be the main three social channels that could effectively promote the blog (and the app/podcast!) and gain a fanbase, sponsorships, and general public interest. That is to say, melatonin gone missing would blow up the internet!

As Bryce J. Renninger says, users “[choose] a platform informed by their personal tastes as well as wider social trends and practices”. So, these social media platforms clearly reflect current trends around how people communicate and share media online, and would therefore be very effective in contributing to audience outreach for my blog.

So to wrap up, if my blog lives on past the end of PUB 101, keep your eyes peeled on Spotify, the App Store, and your favourite social media platforms for the evolution of melatonin gone missing!

References:

Renninger, B. J. (2015). “Where I can be myself… where I can speak my mind”: Networked counterpublics in a polymedia environment. New Media & Society, 17(9) 1513–1529. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444814530095

Whippersnappers, B. is for. (2013, November 21). Pokemon as transmedia storytelling. kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/pokemon-as-transmedia-storytelling/

Photos:

Kee, E. (2023, February 7). Download now! free android & IOS apps of the week. NextPit. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://www.nextpit.com/free-apps-of-the-week-6-2023-a

Podcasting 101: Getting your podcast out there. West Vancouver Memorial Library. (2023, January 27). Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://westvanlibrary.ca/event/podcasting-101-getting-your-podcast-out-there/

Staff, S. (2022, August 17). 1044% increase in social media account hijacking. Security Magazine RSS. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/98185-1044-increase-in-social-media-account-hijacking

Web and multimedia blogs. BLOGS | Touro GST. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://gst.touro.edu/Blogs/Pages/wmmBlog.php