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

Comments

2 responses to “Amber Johnson: Forming Queer Communities Through Social Media Affordances”

1. 

   Jasmine Scorer

   30/04/2026

   1. You brought up the idea of coming out storytimes becoming a trendy “repeated format” and a “shared community practice” on TikTok. Can you expand on how this sort of repetition and shared activity within a community contributes to a strong sense of belonging? Conversely, do you believe that users with the inability to come out/negative coming out experiences will be negatively impacted by these repeated videos on their For You page?

   2. Your argument that TikTok’s affordances and features make content easy to produce and “lowers the barrier to participation” on the app is very interesting. Are you able to expand on how the TikTok platform makes everyday queer users, not content creators, feel comfortable enough to create and engage in the community rather than to passively consume content?

   3. You compare TikTok to other social media platforms and offer the thought-provoking argument that TikTok does not rely on “existing social network” unlike traditional platforms such as Instagram or Facebook. You argue that this results in “clustered publics” connected by shared interests. By considering its advantages and limitations, do you believe that TikTok’s approach to community building is more effective than other social media platforms in the case of queer people?

   Reply
2. 

   Aliyah Fairchild

   05/05/2026

   Hi Amber! I think your presentation clearly outlined your key points, making really engaging and easy to follow along! I also really liked your slides and how well everything is displayed – especially the additions of the arrows which made everything easier to understand! Thank you for your presentation!

   Reply