discussion #3

.pdf

School

University Of Arizona *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

317

Subject

Communications

Date

May 8, 2024

Type

pdf

Pages

4

Uploaded by ElderOpossumPerson1075 on coursehero.com

1. In five sentences or less, summarize the connections between the articles (DO NOT summarize the articles themselves - just the connections between them). After reading the articles and watching the video connections that can be made between them is that they all cover different types of cyberbullying and how they occur. They talk about the most prevalent types of cyberbullying which includes doxing, harassment, and cyber-stalking. Stopping cyberbullying is a difficult task because there are many different platforms in which an offender can attack from, as well as create a new profile. Another connection between these articles is that they talk about what makes people troll online and various strategies of how to confront trolls. Alltogather all the articles from this week have many similarities. In the article “Towards a critical theory of online abuse ”, it highlights the idea that the tensions that exist between communication and commodification is one of the main reasons that causes online abuse. Adding to that like earlier mentioned in the “what is online trolling” it further explains who the abusers usually are and what their reasoning is. 2. The chapter "Towards a Critical Theory of Online Abuse" (pp. 12-28) provides an overview of online abuse. On pages 19-26, the author Michael Salter describes three theories of the role of technology in online abuse. a) Briefly describe the three approaches to the role of technology in online abuse. (In your own words, what are they, and how do they differ from each other?) The three approaches to the role of technology in online abuse are dystopian, utopian, and instrumental. The dystopian account of social media suggests that the web and social media are basically harmful and it has the ability to bring the worst out in people. Dystopian believers usually feel the need for more regulation and preventions against the harm that the web is able to cause. Utopian accounts of social media suggest that the internet as well as social media are inherently good. In other words social media believes that technological progress is a beneficial force. Instrumental accounts of social media suggest that the internet is neither good or bad. Rather it is what people make of it which is either good or bad. b) How does the utopian perspective minimize online abuse, and what does that mean to you? (see page 21) The utopian perspective minimizes online abuse because it suggests that apart from the negative impacts, the internet is a place of overall beneficial force. The utopian point of view states that online harassment is not frequent and the victim is at fault for their cyberbullying. Thus not getting the amount of attention that situation deserves. What this means to me is that because people pick to see only the positives, cyberbullying can't
come to an end. Also because of internet supporters saying that limitations placed on the growth of the internet cause more harm than actual cyberbullying, it can't come to an end. c) What solutions does the dystopian view offer online abuse, and what does that mean to you? (see page 23) The dystopian view offers the solution to reject social media altogether or to shift to new platforms that are free from “corporate or government influences”. In my opinion I don't think that these new solutions will necessarily work. Because first of all the grand majority of the society we live in is very integrated with social media, and rejecting it is basically making yourself an outcast to the “world”. Also creating a new platform wouldn't work because it probably wouldn't provide the same services that the corporate options would have and it would be demonized as well as limited by mainstream platforms which wouldn't allow them to take off. d) Salter argues the instrumental view of technology "assumes that offenders can be deterred by increasing the likelihood and penalties of detection" (p. 26) and suggests that people engaging in these problematic online behaviors are acting rationally. (*Note, the idea of a "rational actor" is a larger academic term with layers of depth. Interpret the idea of "rational" as you would like.) Do you think more penalties will stop problematic behaviors? Or are more social factors at play motivating this behavior? What in society has made some think it is appropriate to engage in online abuse? What could be done to decrease the amount of online abuse? I do not believe that increasing the penalties of problematic online behavior will stop it from happening online and on social media platforms. Because just like people create alternatives to slurs when an offensive word is not allowed anymore people will also find alternatives to the restrictions placed. Having a mob mentality is also a contributor to cyberbullying just like traditional bullying. Because if the offender feels like they have the backing of a mob they will feel inspired as well as protected to keep up with what they are doing. Also polarization has also made it so that engaging in cyberbullying is acceptable if the victim doesn't share the same beliefs. What could be done to decrease the amount of online abuse is to remove identity protection as well as not allowing anyone to be anonymous. e) In your own words, based on Salter's analysis, how does utilizing the word "cyber-crime" or "cyberspace" make it more difficult to theorize online abuse? (see pages 26-28)
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
  • Access to all documents
  • Unlimited textbook solutions
  • 24/7 expert homework help