Social Media and Black Identity

Open up MM58 from our Media Magazine archive. Go to page 66 and read Social Media and Black Identity then complete the following tasks:

1) List three theorists discussed in the article and what they believe regarding black identity.

Aisha Harris argues that

Social media play a negative role in the construction of black identities.
The rise of social media has created a culture where black people are often made a meme

Giddens argues that
Social media can be an area where the "construction of positive black identities" can occur.
Jenkins argues that
Participatory cultures have the power to influence politics and to positively shape the world around them.
People can influence the opinions of the people in power.
2) In your opinion, is social media a positive or negative force when it comes to issues of black identity?

In my opinion, I believe that social media has had a positive impact when it comes to addressing issues of black identity. Where there is any issues regarding this factor, people can address their problem online where they can voice their opinions. An example of this is the Brits last year. There was a lack of black artists in the categories which caused problems. This is because UK grime and Afro scene was reaching mainstream music and it is culturally known to be black.

3) How could you apply the post-colonial theories we have learned in class to the issue of social media and black identity?

The notion of Us vs Them is present in today's media as the traditionalist try to distance themselves from the rest of the British society. People feel that ethnic minorities like Black culture has invaded their country which  is a reason for their animosity towards it

A Hustle for Life: Refugees in the Media

Now turn to page 6 and read A Hustle for Life: Refugees in the Media. When you have read the article, complete the following tasks:

1) What examples of different representations of refugees in the media are offered in the article?

One way in which refugees are represented is the way in which society has now labelled migrants as people that choose to travel rather than fleeing from a disaster that seems genuine. It is almost as if they are represented as a swarm or a tide that is trying to invading their country by coming across from around the world. Also, another representation is that the media paints an image in the reader's mind that refugees are viewed as dangerous and threatening mass.

2) In your opinion, is the documentary genre more or less biased than the news media? What examples can you provide from the article to support your view?

The documentary genre is known for creating content that is perceived to be unbiased however the content can be easily manipulated. However, I think that the documentary genre has become less biased than news media mainly due to the fact that people can point out whether the content is biased and can voice their opinion online for people to see. Opinion leaders can detect and tell their audience whether the content is biased which the documentary genre try to avoid. An example from the article is the BBC documentary 'The Refugee Camp: Our desert home' which shows the disaster from each viewpoints. This is important as the two viewpoints can show the different views.