postmodern view of digital communication

Question 1

Collins - Postmodernist explanations (positive)

Answer 1

He explains the importance of researching with a micro-approach in order to compare people’s’ on and offline lives. Example is the TV show ‘Catfish’ where people change parts about themselves that they wish they were like in their offline life.

Question 2

Bjorklund - Postmodernist explanations (positive)

Answer 2

Explains that until recently individuals have used autobiographies to describe their lives near the end of their lives but that in a postmodern world people take a different view of defining the self. Facebook is almost like an ongoing autobiography where people can present themselves as they see their lives.

Question 3

Hart - Postmodernist explanations (positive)

Answer 3

Social media websites mean people are writing and rewriting their lives, presenting values that are important to themselves and their society. As a result people are creating both online and offline identities. E.g. Status updates on Facebook and Vlogging.

Question 4

Foucault - Postmodernist explanations (positive)

Answer 4

Argues that surveillance is likely to become an effective means of regulating behaviour and reducing crime in contemporary society.

A contemporary example of surveillance through the use of digital communications is used by Google Ads which tracks your interests using previous search data and ‘guesses’ your profile! Adverts are then targeted at you.

Question 5

Case - Postmodernist explanations (critical)

Answer 5

People posting their lives online can create a challenge, especially to adolescents who in effect have two identities; one online and one offline. Hard to remove mistakes E.g. Revenge porn and cancel culture.

Question 6

Elliot - Postmodernist explanations (critical)

Answer 6

Criticises how social media has made identity fragmented E.g. Online persona may be different to reality. Pressure to act a certain way on social media like Instagram.

Question 7

Miller - Postmodernist explanations (critical)

Answer 7

‘The Global Social Media Impact Study’ - This aims to report on the use and consequences of social media for people around the world. They used an ethnographic method to explore peoples on and offline lives - Discusses both positive and negative impacts.

One finding - “Social media has shifted human communication towards the visual at the expense of text and voice. Now a photo can become the core of our conversation.”