This presentation explores how young people create communities through social media affordances, focusing on the StudyTok community on TikTok. It looks at how elements like common interests, interaction tools, and algorithms influence relationships and build online communities.
Hi Jevon, I found your discussion of how social media affordances help build communities like StudyTok really interesting. You clearly linked platform features like visibility, hashtags, and the algorithm to community formation, and I had a few questions that could build on your ideas.
First, you showed how StudyTok communities are formed through affordances like hashtags and visibility. By taking into account the affordance details discussed in module 1, how much do you think these communities are shaped by the platform (TikTok) and its affordances, and how large of a role do the intentions of users play in creating and shaping these communities?
Second, you showed how StudyTok can create a very positive online community. Do you think it can also create pressure for people to act in a certain way or hide their real selves and opinions to conform with their community?
Lastly, in terms of identity, what extent do you think users are genuinely expressing themselves rather than performing and pretending to be an ideal version of themselves or an ideal student to gain validation within the StudyTok community?
Sorry, with the 3rd question, could you also consider the topics of how shared ideas and a sense of belonging (as discussed in module 2), which help create a community, may be forced to stay a part of the community?
Leave a Reply