For this three hour long 'collapsed' session, we've decided to do something completely different, and basically skip ahead in terms of course content to discuss the issues and ethics surrounding social media usage.
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| The theatrical release poster for Te Social Dilemma proairetically encodes many of the themes that are explored in the film itself. It also nicely establishes the central ideology of the film |
Starter - Keeping up to date with issues in the media
This is a vital part of the course, and essential for students who wish to get an 'A' in the exam. Luckily, it's simple. Watch loads of films, TV shows, music videos, read loads of newspapers, online media, magazines, play lots of games. Keep up to date with what's going on!
Task: read this story, published in left-leaning broadsheet The Guardian. What issues does this story raise?
Media language as a powerful and manipulative force
In your A-level media lessons so far, through your analysis of semiotic theory, you have leanred that language is power. When we use the term 'language' in media, we are not simply talking about words, but everything you can find on the textual analysis toolkit. And the use of symbols, images, lexis and so on can not only shape an advertisement, but can also influence and potentially manipulate an audience. As we have seen from our analysis of the Tide advert, such techniques were readily used in the 1950's. Modern, digitally convergent media platforms have allowed producers to disseminate ideologies more effectively that ever before.
Ideology - the system of values and beliefs held by the producer of a media product
Language is power. Language shapes the world around us. And language can be used by those in power to reinforce certain societal hierarchies and to reinforce certain societal ideologies. In short, media can shape what we believe to be right and wrong.
This is clearly pretty scary stuff. So let's watch a scary film and have a chat about it.
Structure
This session shall be split in to two sections:
1 - The Social Dilemma screening
2 - Discussion
Initial discussion
- What genre of film is this? How do you know?
- Who is the target audience for this film? Again, how do you know?
- What is the primary ideological perspective of the film? What messages is it trying to impart to the target audience? What is its agenda?
- The film describes social media as having a "disinformation-for-profit business model". But how do social media platforms actually make money? ("advertising" isn't going to cut it here...)
Why don't we delete our social media accounts?
- Social interaction
- Can plan responses
- Addiction
- Investment in technology
- FOMO (fear of missing out)
- Anxiety
- Worldwide practical communication
- Supporting indie businesses
- Exposure for business
- Transport
- News
- Global conversations, and engaging in culture
Textual analysis
Doing textual analysis of a social media platform might seem a bit weird, but frankly, online media uses the same trick and techniques that print adverts do to engage their audiences. You're still new to media, but let's break down exactly how these platforms work!
Open a social media platform, for example Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc.
- How does the UI encourage audience engagement? Conduct a full textual analysis of your chosen platform
UI: User interface. How an online platform looks, and how it communicates how to use it
Engagement: primarily used with regards to online media, engagement refers to how and for how long audiences interact with an online platform
You can use the following prompts to help you with your analysis:
- Homepage and other pages
- Codes and conventions
- Layout and design
- Composition
- Font size, type of font (e.g. serif/sans serif), colour
- Images/photographs - camera shot type, angle, focus
- Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location, costume/dress, hair/make-up
- Graphics, logos
- Language - formal/informal mode of address?
- Anchorage of images and text
- Elements of narrative/structure around the site
- Interactive features
- Menu bar and navigation – structure and design of the site
Your own experiences and opinions
Media studies is an opinionated subject, and in order to hit an 'A' grade, you need to present an opinionated argument. This is very different from other subjects such as sociology, where your answer must be balanced. In media, you will argue that your point is more valid than any other!
The following questions will raise some issues:
- If you push the red button on front of you, all social media platforms will cease to exist. Do you push it? Why?
- What forms of regulation or other measures could be implemented to avoid the issues raised in the film?
Regulation: the rules and restrictions a media organisation must follow. For example, every film released in UK cinemas must be awarded a BBFC age certificate
- What are some issues with the film you watched earlier? How could these issues be rectified?