Maintaining levels of fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic became a worldwide problem as many gyms were forced to close. Failing to maintain fitness was a cause of many health-related problems, including mental health issues. One way to overcome the problem was fitness centres moving their classes and other programs online, but there were no guidelines or rules for doing so. This paper investigates the way in which some fitness centres used social media platforms to alleviate the problem of falling participation levels in the fitness industry. This paper examines numerous scholarly texts that looked at the third place and how that is increasingly including online spaces; texts that investigated the social aspects of both YouTube and Facebook as virtual third places; and texts that evaluated the motivations for engaging in fitness activities through online communities. These studies suggest that fitness programs can be moved online, providing all the right criteria are met, such as: social interaction and a sense of belonging, access to infrastructure, digital knowledge, and a sense of community. Without all of these factors, using social media platforms as online third places for people to engage in fitness programs, is likely to fail. Read more [...]
Abstract:
This paper argues that YouTubers limit a child’s personal development of their identity through manipulative marketing techniques and playing on their vulnerability. As influencers grow in popularity and target their videos towards younger children it has become more important than ever to make sure this content is regulated, and parents need to know what their child is being influenced by. This paper looks at the case study of Jake Paul, a popular influencer with a young audience Read more [...]