Social Media, Communities, & Networks Conference 2026: Semester 1 & SP1

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One response to “Manchester United Fandom by Adam Morolla”

1. 

   David0630

   01/05/2026

   Hey Adam, thank you for watching my presentation and leaving a comment. I also really appreciated how thoughtfully you integrated “Participatory Culture,” “Networked Publics,” and “Cyberspaces of Belonging” to analyze TikTok fan communities! ,Excellent visual layout and content, I’m also a fan of Manchester United.

   I’d love to explore further, so my first question is

   Question1:
   In the context of short-form video platforms—characterized by high fragmentation and strong algorithmic —which of these three theories do you find most explanatory? For instance, when algorithms actively “push” content rather than users actively “searching,” does the very notion of “participation” need to be redefined?

   Question 2:
   Your choice of Manchester United—a globally recognized football club—as a case study brilliantly illustrates cross-border community connectivity. If you were to extend this research to other Networked Publics or platform types (such as, other Super League fans on different social media platform, or e-sports communities ), which elements of your current framework do you think could be directly transferred? And which aspects might need reconfiguration to account for differences in “platform governance” or “cultural expression”?

   Question 3:
   Your video powerfully demonstrates how social media fosters belonging and co-creation among fans—truly inspiring! At the same time, I’m curious: When algorithms aggregate like-minded fans through “interest tags,” whether they also inadvertently reinforce exclusivity within communities? For example, new fans or those with dissenting perspectives could exist risk of being marginalized? how might platform design or community norms better balance “cohesion” with “openness”?

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