Media Theory and the Digital Landscape

Media Life and Communication

Mark Deuze introduces the concept of "media life," suggesting that modern life is lived entirely within media. Media shapes our communication and meaning, connecting us to the world as part of a hyper-connected experience. This helps us understand ourselves and others, as seen in Eva Holland's study of Facebook in the North.

Media as a Poetic Force

Paul Frosh argues that "media bring forth worlds into presence." He describes media as poetic forces that shape how situations, emotions, and expectations appear to us, ultimately defining our sense of meaning.

Digital Discourse: Memes and Selfies

Defining Internet Memes

Limor Shifman defines an internet meme as a group of digital items that share a common form, content, or stance. These items are created with an awareness of one another and are copied and transformed online. Nathan Jurgenson adds that memes are part of an expanding visual discourse, serving as a shared visual language to communicate meaning.

Memes vs. Selfies

• Memes: Focus on shared cultural meaning and discourse.
• Selfies: Focus on personal identity and self-presentation.

Social Connection and Temporal Experience

Phatic Communication

Phatic communication is primarily intended to create and maintain social connections rather than just conveying information. Space and time are the fundamental ways we experience the world and describe what happens to us.

Dimensions of Time

To analyze time within media, we consider:

• Organization and Boundaries
• Relation and Power
• Perception, Tempo, and Duration

The Media Industry: Risk and Regulation

Managing Industry Risks

The media industry is inherently risky because audiences are unpredictable, production is expensive, and failure is common. To manage these risks, organizations often:

• Imitate past successes and hire bankable talent.
• Engage in mergers (buying each other).
• Create conditions of scarcity.

Forces of change in this sector include Digitalization and Miniaturization, Hyperconnection, and Abundance.

The Purpose of Media Regulation

We regulate media to protect against the misuse and abuse of technology, create a balance between public and private interests, and shape behavior to achieve specific social goals.

Privacy and Surveillance in the Digital Age

Surveillance Capitalism and Culture

Privacy is a major concern as new technology increases the exposure of personal information. The "trade" of the internet involves receiving free services in exchange for access to personal data. Surveillance capitalism uses this data for profit through tracking. David Lyon describes surveillance culture as a state where people both submit to and participate in being watched, such as by sharing their locations. This has led to the "Right to be Forgotten" under Article 17.

Ethics and Morality in Media

Frameworks for Ethical Judgment

Kenan Malik describes morality as a concept that changes across time and space. Different ethical frameworks include:

• Virtue Ethics: Developing good character traits over time.
• Duty Ethics: Following moral laws and imperatives in all situations.
• Consequentialist Ethics: Judging actions based on their outcomes.
• Communitarian Ethics: Morality as shaped by specific communities.