scholarly journals 'DON'T CREATE AN ONLINE IMAGE THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP UP OUTSIDE': MEDIATING INVISIBLE COMMUNICATIVE DISABILITIES ON SOCIAL NETWORK SITES

Author(s):  
Nomy Bitman

The internet theoretically offers a socially inclusive space for disabled users and new forms of visibility vis-à-vis mediated communication. However, the prevalent perception of the internet as an idyllic space that liberates disabled people reflects an ableist mindset, as it views departure from the disabled body as the source of liberation. This paper challenges this perception by investigating how people with invisible disabilities that are clinically related to communication mediate their disabled life experience in Social Networking Sites (SNS). To this end, the study probed, through thematic analysis, 31 in-depth interviews with high-functioning autistics, stutterers and hard of hearing SNS users and 7 SNS documentation use diaries. The analysis identified a gamut of disability performances online, which varied based on one's perception of the disability and its visibility. For example, while some interviewees crafted a complex online persona that presented their disabilities through a nuanced perspective, others felt compelled to ‘pass’ as able-bodied. Many felt that their self-presentation was inhibited by a sense of social surveillance, imposed by the presence of friends from “the offline world”. The notion of “authenticity” posed another barrier for many interviewees: Sensing an expectation that their communicative style on SNS align with their physical communication led them to ironically adopt a less true-to-self persona by managing the visibility of their disability online to reflect their 'offline' constraints. Rather than providing an accessible and/or liberating sphere, this paper argues that social networking sites reproduce the ableist biases and power structures that underline the physical, “offline” sphere.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-74
Author(s):  
Franciska Krings ◽  
Irina Gioaba ◽  
Michèle Kaufmann ◽  
Sabine Sczesny ◽  
Leslie Zebrowitz

Abstract. The use of social networking sites such as LinkedIn in recruitment is ubiquitous. This practice may hold risks for older job seekers. Not having grown up using the internet and having learned how to use social media only in middle adulthood may render them less versed in online self-presentation than younger job seekers. Results of this research show some differences and many similarities between younger and older job seekers' impression management on their LinkedIn profiles. Nevertheless, independent of their impression management efforts, older job seekers received fewer job offers than younger job seekers. Only using a profile photo with a younger appearance reduced this bias. Implications for the role of job seeker age in online impression management and recruitment are discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Dankowska-Kosman ◽  
Iwona Staszkiewicz-Grabarczyk

The subject of considerations are social media in the experience of children aged 8. The methodology selected was the method of focus groups. Focus participants were recruited from forty thirdgrade students from two selected primary schools. The results of the research presented in the text indicate a great interest on the part of the youngest generation in social networking sites. At the same time, they signal that children, despite the systematic use of these portals, are aware of the dangers resulting from applying these tools. Keeping watch of the education of their children, parents very often do not permit their offspring to use online resources unconsciously. Students recognize the risk of making inappropriate acquaintances, the consequences of self-presentation on the Internet, while being curious about the world of young citizens who will join active recipients of social networking sites in the near future.


Normas ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Carolina Figueras Bates

This paper presents the results of a content analysis of 1000 personal profiles posted on a pro-anorexia (pro-ana) group from the social networking site Xanga. Applying methods of computer-mediated communication discourse analysis, the visual and verbal strategies of self-presentation in pro-ana members’ profiles were examined. Competence, ingratiation, exemplification and supplication emerged as the main self-presentation strategies identified in the text-based profiles. In contrast to other online self-presentations (such as personal home pages and weblogs), new contents and meanings related to a pro-ana social identity were assigned to these strategies in the group. The analysis of the profile pictures revealed that pro-ana users of the site tended to remain visually anonymous, resorting to images of models and celebrities, and reproducing the thin ideal. Based on these findings, this study advances some conclusions about how the pro-ana identity is constructed in social networking sites.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Samira Ranaiey ◽  
Mohammad Reza Taghavi ◽  
Mohammad Ali Goodarzi

<p class="zhengwen">Because of increased attention to PIU (Problematic Internet Use), some measure had been made, but they seem to be</p><p class="zhengwen">Inadequate, due to new issue of the internet interactions. Therefore the necessity and importance of</p><p class="zhengwen">Standard, valid and reliable tools to assess PIU and the related behaviors are clear.</p>This paper presents results of a study that develops a measure of Reasons of Using Social Networking Sites (S.N.S). The reasons were based on an article by Morahan – Martin and Schumacher. The reasons were arranged as a questionnaire. This questionnaire was completed by 156 volunteer students of Shiraz University. The results indicated that Reasons of S.N.S Use Scale is both reliable and valid. The result of factor analysis showed that two dimensions (Positive and Negative reasons of S.N.S use) explains total variance acceptably.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janki Jhala ◽  
Renu Sharma

Internet has been a very facilitating medium and making lives easier for many of us. Internet is increasingly becoming a channel through which people, and especially adolescents, socialize and be in constant contact with their family, relatives and friends. More than a medium of acquiring knowledge, for adolescents, it has become a medium of expression of their implicit feelings and to know what is happening in their peer group. The current research aims to study the prevalence and nature of Internet use among adolescents. Population for the research included adolescents of Vadodara District in Gujarat. A total of 1657 adolescents were taken as the sample for the study. A survey research was conducted on 1657 adolescents using a self developed questionnaire along with Young’s Internet Addiction test. Results indicate that 44.8% of the participants are Average Users of the Internet, while 14.6% of the participants belong to the category of above average users of the Internet. The present study also shows that participants use the Internet mainly for social communication and social networking sites are the most commonly used sites on the Internet.


Author(s):  
Darren G. Lilleker ◽  
Karolina Koc-Michalska

Studies of online campaigning tend to focus on the supply side: the way political parties communicate and campaign using the Internet. This chapter explores the online presences of the main candidates and their parties who stood in the 2012 French presidential election. The research focuses not only on the supply side but also explores demand, utilising data from the Mediapolis survey to ascertain what citizens search for online and in particular what citizens seeking help with their voter decisions seek online. The data shows that citizens are provided with a rich online experience during election campaigns. Information is presented in engaging ways and candidates attempt to mobilise their supporters and offer various opportunities to interact with the campaign and other Website visitors. Interaction is augmented in particular by the use of social networking sites. Citizens, however, appear to mostly go online to find detailed information on the policies and programmes of the candidates. There appears little call for engaging communication, interactive opportunities, or details on the personal lives or personalities of the candidates. The data may, therefore, suggest that information may need to be packaged for accessibility and presented in a way that allows voters to make up their own minds, rather than following the norms of corporate sales campaign Websites.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1368-1385
Author(s):  
Darren G. Lilleker ◽  
Karolina Koc-Michalska

Studies of online campaigning tend to focus on the supply side: the way political parties communicate and campaign using the Internet. This chapter explores the online presences of the main candidates and their parties who stood in the 2012 French presidential election. The research focuses not only on the supply side but also explores demand, utilising data from the Mediapolis survey to ascertain what citizens search for online and in particular what citizens seeking help with their voter decisions seek online. The data shows that citizens are provided with a rich online experience during election campaigns. Information is presented in engaging ways and candidates attempt to mobilise their supporters and offer various opportunities to interact with the campaign and other Website visitors. Interaction is augmented in particular by the use of social networking sites. Citizens, however, appear to mostly go online to find detailed information on the policies and programmes of the candidates. There appears little call for engaging communication, interactive opportunities, or details on the personal lives or personalities of the candidates. The data may, therefore, suggest that information may need to be packaged for accessibility and presented in a way that allows voters to make up their own minds, rather than following the norms of corporate sales campaign Websites.


2012 ◽  
pp. 911-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam M. Bossler ◽  
Thomas J. Holt

The development of computers, cell phones, and the Internet allows individuals to connect with one another with ease in a variety of ways in near real time. The beneficial impact of these resources, however, has been adulterated by some to engage in abusive communications while online. Specifically, individuals now use email, text messaging, and social networking sites to spread hurtful or malicious information about others. This entry summarizes the problem of online abuse via cyberbullying, online harassment, and stalking by discussing the prevalence of these phenomena as well as the prospective predictors of victimization.


Author(s):  
Saibal Kumar Saha ◽  
Sangita Saha

Internet is being used by people all over the world. It has become a part of their day-to-day activity. The smartness brought by internet and its related devices have made life of people easy. Sharing knowledge, researching, and reaching out to people are now within the reach of fingertips. This study aims to find the internet usage pattern of youth in Sikkim, India. Fourteen internet activities have been identified and through a survey. The usage of these activities was analysed for the youth population in Sikkim, India. It has been found that, more or less, all the activities are used by the youth population of Sikkim. The most popular activity is use of emails and social networking sites while blogging and video calling is not too popular. In addition, it has been found that 67% of the users use internet for more than 3 hours per day. Hence, there also is a serious risk of “internet addiction.”


Author(s):  
Ann Frisén ◽  
Kristina Holmqvist Gattario ◽  
Sofia Berne

The Internet and especially social networking sites provide potent contexts for the formation of individuals’ views of their bodies and appearance. So far, however, research has almost exclusively focused on the negative aspects of these experiences. This chapter proposes that the online context can also be an influential context for positive body-related experiences. In order to make the online context a more positive arena, appearance-related cyberbullying needs to be stopped. Therefore, this chapter starts with a review of appearance-related cyberbullying and elaborates on what can be done about this growing problem. The second part concerns the positive aspects of body image–defining experiences online, such as body acceptance and body activism movements, which may promote positive body image and embodiment. How the online context may constitute an arena for exploration of alternative ideals, resistant communications, and body activism is discussed.


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