“The
oligopoly structure of social media has resulted in the circumstance that a few
large transnational companies such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter control the
vast majority of social media use” (Fuchs, 2015).
I am sure many can agree that today’s media is ‘mass’
in terms of consumption, yet continues to be limited in terms of both
production and participation. In Culture and Economy in the Age of Social
Media, Fuchs discusses alternative forms to corporate social media
and the problems that they face i.e. the problem of mobilizing resources without
state support and advertising. According to Fuchs, capitalist media structures
limit the liberal freedoms of speech, opinion, expression, association, and
assembly (Fuchs, 2015). In order to combat this capitalistic control, Fuchs
believes that media reforms are needed for establishing a social media sphere
that transcends particularistic control and represents the public interest so
that the social potential of the media can be realized (Fuchs, 2015). Generally,
alternative media focuses on depoliticizing formulas to advocate for agendas of
social change. Alternative social medias then, could overcome the Internet’s
antagonisms and serve the people (Fuchs, 2015).
This article discusses a few alternative social medias and the difficulties they
face in terms of overcoming Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with alternative
social media networks like Ello, then this article might be an interesting
read. Ello for instance, is an invite-only alternative to existing social
networks, free from ads. It was created by a small group of people who became
tired of ads, data mining, and the overall negativity brought about from corporately
owned social medias. After reading the article and learning about a few of the
alternative social medias offered to us, would any of you consider using an
alternative social media network, such as Ello? My other question is, if you
were to open an alternative social networking site, would you still keep your
Facebook account – (assuming you have one)? Why or why not?
Fuchs, Christian. Culture
and Economy in the Age of Social Media. New York: Routledge 2015
Due to Facebook being so well established in our current society it is going to be very difficault for other competitors to attempt to convert some of its users. Many users of Facebook have been on the platform for years and networks of friends are already very well established. Converting to a new platform is a hassle, so if I were to switch, firstly I would have to be forced and secondly I would keep my Facebook account until another social media application had a larger following, which I think will be next to impossible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mike. While I love the idea of participating in an alternative social networking site, devoid of advertising and data mining, I think I would have to keep my Facebook account as it's such an effective platform for communicating with almost anyone. I've found it be an especially useful tool in university, between selling textbooks and getting in touch with group members, it has honestly been a necessity thus far. On the other hand, social networks seem to grow in trends, so I do think it's possible for the to be a new, big thing that we haven't seen yet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mike. While I love the idea of participating in an alternative social networking site, devoid of advertising and data mining, I think I would have to keep my Facebook account as it's such an effective platform for communicating with almost anyone. I've found it be an especially useful tool in university, between selling textbooks and getting in touch with group members, it has honestly been a necessity thus far. On the other hand, social networks seem to grow in trends, so I do think it's possible for the to be a new, big thing that we haven't seen yet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the majority of comments in that it would be very difficult to disrupt already existing oligopolies. However, I would wonder how Ello will sustain itself, where will it generate profits and how without charging for the service? I could not delete Facebook while in school as it is a main form of communication with students and peers and even the volunteer work I do. Furthermore, many people use it to create events, sell textbooks and connect with people through their photos. Without access I would fear losing my socialization.
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