question 12

 12.  Consider theoretical perspectives in relation to the impact of new/ digital media in your case study.  E.g. Representation of certain groups as a result of changes, Marxism & Hegemony, Liberal Pluralism, colonialism, audience theories etc.

People now have the freedom to write what they want on social networking sites such as timelines on Facebook which allows users to ‘track’ what their friends have been doing over 12 months , which makes it easier to find information such as videos that have been posted months ago can be accessed by users fairly quickly and freely . On Facebook people can update their statuses without a word count limit , whereas on Twitter there is a limited number of words that can be used . This is a good thing as audiences get straight to the point they are making , rather than writing loads of boring information which will turn off any facebook or twitter reader . This follows the pluralistic model as people have the right to express them self more freely and there a lot less censorship and control compared to other social media sites such newspapers , respectively the Times and The guardian .

Hegemony

"The systems of power cannot be maintained by force alone. People have to do things, willingly and happily to keep the powerful people on top." Gramsci

In history, in social life: nothing is fixed, rigid or definitive.  And nothing ever will be." Gramsci

Question 11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yKgroRws2g  - facebook globalization video for question 11 .

Are there any cross-cultural factors and /or effects of globalisation involved in the impact of new technology on your case study?  E.g. the internet has been said to be ‘globalising culture’ through its promotion of the English language.

Web 2.0 creates a series of concerns within academic and industrial communities who value both technical enhancements in ICT and pertinent behavioral issues. Such concerns have become more obvious in SNS applications because they embrace a highly personalized and transparent design that manifest in major service providers including Facebook, Cyworld, and MySpace. It follows from this that a crucial issue of contradicting demands between convenient service and privacy concerns not only carries over, but also, to some extent, intensifies in the new research context – virtual social networking.

The concept of social capital can be generally defined as “the social resources that are developed through networks and connectedness, membership of more formal groups, relationships of trust, reciprocity and exchange” (Howard, 2001). Social capital extends into multiple dimensions. In some instances, social capital includes social norms, obligations, and reciprocity, which vary depending on the cultural context. In fact, an ongoing debate exists among researchers regarding whether social capital resides in the individual participants or their relationships (Parameswaran and Whinston, 2007). Social exchange theory and social capital theory offer important lenses through which an actor’s motivation for participation in a virtual community can be studied.

Cultural Imperialism

"Western nations dominate the media around the world which in return effects on third world culture by imposing on them western views and therefore destroying narrative culture." Schiller

"[Cultural imperialism is] ...the dominance of one culture’s media." Tolinson 

Globalization 

The new communications and information technologies have provided methods for large corporations to maximise profits by entering foreign markets