In a vast virtual world, “Sometimes it is more radical to reveal than to hide" (Koskela,
2004). Revealing yourself on social media networks can be recognised as a tool,
amongst others, of gaining power. When thinking about the concept of space and
place online, one must contemplate the roles of power and disempowerment which
are intimately embedded into the virtual landscape that we so often explore. The
website ‘Tumblr’ demonstrates examples of these concepts.
Tumblr is a microblogging site which allows you to share
multimedia information with ease. It gives users the freedom to personalise
everything from the theme to the content. This tool of customisation enables intimate
control for users to create whatever they desire, allowing them to establish a
place, “made through language and symbols” (Kuttainen, 2016). The site can be
identified as a hub in the endless ‘space’ of the internet.
Your privacy is scrambled online.
As a place, Tumblr is empowering because it gives people the liberty
to construct a particular online identity. This is achieved by
self-surveillance and exhibitionism, acting a certain way to appeal to society
and exposing oneself to gain attention. The more that is revealed, the more attention
and popularity you get. However, this can be disempowering in a sense that, “Any
personal information can be sensitive information” as explained by Alessandro
Acquisti in his TED talk. Once information is exposed it cannot be retrieved,
and this reveals a lot about the radical concept of power online compared to
real life.
It is clear that the theme of power online is more complex
and flexible, compared to the traditional sense of disciplinary power.
References:
Koskela, H. (2004) Webcams, TV shows and Mobile Phone: Empowering Exhibitionism. http://www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles2(2)/webcams.pdf
Kuttainen, V. (2016) BA1002: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 3: Space and Place. [Power point slides] Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
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