Lecture 1. Moral Panics

Question 1

what is a techlash?

Answer 1

the shift of thinking about technology. It describes the increasing unease about the impact that companies have (Google and Facebook) on our everyday life. Concern in: fake news, social media depression & addiction, the polarization of communities. There’s a widespread concern about the role these companies are playing in fake news, social media depression and addiction and the polarisation of communities. People are worries that the democratic process in being undermined. They’re worried about a future where no one has a job thanks to automation and Artificial Intelligence.

Question 2

What is a pessimist?

Answer 2

the new medium/digital medium/ The Internet makes everything worse. People do not really read anymore, people become more shallow minded

Question 3

What is a profit?

Answer 3

new medium: digital medium/ the Internet makes everything better. Being Digital’ by Nicholas (book) is an example of those profits. He believed that the Internet make it a better place. Nowadays you can not publish a book anymore like this, more known about the darkside of the Internet. There is a more critical reflection on what technology does.

Question 4

What is the pattern we see with new technologies?

Answer 4

deepfakes technology, political context and bullying.

Question 5

What are the 3 characteristics of moral panics by Drotner?

Answer 5

1. Uncertainty
   it is uncertain because it is new and kinda strange, and there is room for fear.
   New behavior, no normative convention yet
   Unkown effects
2. Normative
   is it good or bad? It is about normally right or wrong? Room for uncertainty leads to self-proclaimed experts. They’ll give the first judgement.
   Strong moral judgments
   Establishment (politicians, parents, older people)
   Self-proclaimed experts
3. Often focused on vulnerable groups Children, adolescents, the „youth“who should be protected? Criticism most about the youth, they should be protected for the new technology. The youth can still be influenced.
   Women, Working class

Question 6

What are the alternative characteristics by Dortner?

Answer 6

1. Culture
   media are bracketed as a part of popular culture. Media as opposition to high culture of art. Hierarchy of values, dichotomy of high low culture.
2. Media has a direct impact
   media has a direct influence on people. They look at the effects of what media do to people, not what people do with the media. “The media penetrate deeper in our social life’s”.
3. Children and young adults are consciously defined as objects: - and often vulnerable victims in panics
   cultural development and human development are aspects of the same process.

Question 7

What is the moral panic wheel by Ferguson (2008, p.31)

Answer 7

If a new medium is on the rise in society… Societal fears and moral panics… after 2, 5 and 10 years like the process indicates, the technology changes. Technology is rap, quick. Scientifics is running late. We are not imuum for our own biases. See the moral panic wheel