Network auto/biography - FaceBook

McNeill (2012) highlights that Facebook is like an auto/biography; as we can write and comment on our own and others life events such as tagging photos and 'liking' statuses. It allows others to become a part of the surrounding atmosphere via the communication of the virtual network (FB).

Image 1: Writing our Facebook Narratives

Our autobiography is also developed through diverse aspects of FB activities such as photo tagging, which creates the allusion of developing network identities (Vaas, 2012). With this FB activity of tagging photos it diminishes our privacy and control over our private life. Dr Van Luyn discusses "you are not the only person constructing your identity" as it may seem like you have control over who visits your profile, however there is always a way to lurk around others FB profile. The virtual self has its own narratives "for a particular purpose and context" (Luyan, 2013); within the virtual network power is a central aspects in the way I perceive myself within the atmosphere of the space.

Facebook is global (McNeill, 2012, p.103). As it accommodates for all diverse cultures and languages. It provides equality to all countries world wide. This is through people's profile I formation (also known as their autobiographies). We develop our autobiographies through our FB profile information; opposed to how Aboriginals create their  autobiographies via the dreaming(Stanner, 1979). The dreaming is presented through dance and song ceremonies and is presented through the features of songlines (Chatwin,1987). The diverse features of Aboriginals belief and culture backgrounds are also visual on FB through the different links to pages and songlines; demonstrating diversity and equality. This allows Aboriginals to illustrate their cultural belief.

Well I am off to check my Facebook notifications :)  keeping in mind that when you 'tag photos' or share statuses that the whole world can embrace the same power of space that is presented through one individuals profile; regardless if your setting is on 'friends only'.


References

Chatwin, B. (1987). Chapter 3, in songlines (pp. 11-15). London, England: Jonathan Cape.

McNeill, L. (2012). There is no "I" in network: Social networking sites and post human auto-biography. In biography, 35(1), 101-118.

Stanner, W.E.H. (1979). The dreaming (1953), in white man got no dreaming:essays 1938-1973 (pp. 23-30). Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press.

Van Luyan, A. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks narratives and the making of place. Lecture 4: Networked narratives. (PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Vass, L. (2012). Facebook privacy control overhaul will remove ability to limit who can find us. Retrieved from:http://naked security.sophos.com

Image 1: Writing our Facebook narratives. retrieved from https://www.google.com.au/search?q=facebook+autobiography&biw=1366&bih=546&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=wDE1UsvRItal4AP6g4HQAw&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=IE9Aeip90T2adM%3A%3BNGEWtLsvb7j3QM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fstatic.ibnlive.in.com%252Fpix%252Fslideshow%252F11-2011%252Ftop-10-new%252F10-121111.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fibnlive.in.com%252Fphotogallery%252F5223.html%3B630%3B420  

Peek a Boo! I see everything Facebook says about you!

All of us believe that if we have our security settings on “friends only” or “private” only selected people can see our profiles but with social networks, especially Facebook users can see, share and write our life stories for EVERYONE to see.

Facebook is global and can shape the cultural practices and lives of all users (McNeill, 2012, p.103). I believe Facebook is not evenly spread across the world as the wealthier countries with greater access to the Internet would have more users than the minority countries. However, due to its breadth Facebook has a great diversity amongst its users and promotes equality. It appeals to users of different religious, language, age and cultural groups as evidenced when we can add information to our profiles (or biographies) about all these groups. This information is readily available to all despite the great security we may have on our pages.

So if the majority of the world is on Facebook how do we know if they are being their real selves? Well, The COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandburg states, “You can’t be on Facebook without being your authentic self” (McNeil, 2012, p.104). “Friends” can comment or write on our wall, share photos etc helping us construct our identities (Van Luyn, 2013). However, when creating our profiles, Facebook uses categories and questions like where we live, what interests we have and what our relationship status is to guide us to create our Profile (or autobiography). If we do not fit into any of the choices provided, we cannot accurately write our autobiography (McNeill, 2012, p.104) and Facebook has the power to promote the social norms and silence our narratives which do not match these predetermined assumptions (van Luyn, 2013)

We can tell our autobiographies by writing on our “walls” compared to how Aborigines tell their autobiographies through song and dance, called Songlines. Aborigines believe their ancestors “sang the world into existence” (Chatwin, 1987, p.11) as a “kind of narrative of things that once happened” (Stanner, 1953, p.24) and still happen today. However, as Songlines is also on Facebook it is a great oppurtunity for Facebook to show its diversity and equality as well as Aborigines to teach the world about their culture.

Regardless of whether we believe Facebook is “authentic” or not, Facebook enables us to become “friends”with others who share the same interests or backgrounds. A thriving community is then formed but other “friends” who do not share the same interests are left out. Facebook uses this information to promote products of global corporations according to what pages we “like”, what our friends “like” and any interests listed in our profile. This creates a more commercial community where our so called private stories are available to everyone.

So before you post something on Facebook make sure it is something you don’t mind the whole world having access to.


References

Chatwin, B. (1987).The songlines. London: Jonathan Cape.

McNeill, L. (2012). ‘There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and posthuman auto/biography’. In Biography 35.1 (pp 101 - 118)

Stanner, W. E. (1979). White man got no dreaming: essays, 1938-1973. Canberra: Australian National University Press.

Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, Lecture 4, part 1: Networked narratives. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

 

Image:

The Waves, 2012, Like us on Facebook, Retrieved from http://www.wavesportmacquarie.com.au/

It's my story, 'like' it or not!

Millions of individuals on a daily basis now produce online selves, with 50% of Facebook users logging in everyday (McNeill, L. 2012). The popularity of social networks, such as Facebook, suggests the human need for communication and interaction, and sharing our 'narrative', is rapidly increasing.

Although Facebook claims to be authentic, as users are required to sign up with a real name which is then verified by a date of birth and email address there are still millions of fake accounts, allowing the user power to create an identity that may or may not be authentic.

Each individual user is able to write their own story, and become part of other users journeys through the site, whether it is through commenting on or liking another users post, or merely just observing. As suggested by van Luyn (2013) "self narratives, like maps, are constructs for a particular purpose and context".  As such, are these fake profiles a fictitious narrative for he user, or are they a means of predatory cyber-stalking, or are they just created to experience and observe the lives of others online?

How real is an 'authentic' user anyway? Although you may use your real name for your profile, so that mean you are anymore authentic than those who choose to create a fake or alias account?  There is no filter on the site to prevent you from posting a fake experience with other users.  Facebook has created a virtuality where users can be whoever they want to be, say whatever they want to say and observe whom they want to observe.  I found it very interesting when researching how to detect a fake Facebook account, as it encourages the user to "do some detective work" i.e. lurk around this users profile to see what information you can divulge. Does this not make you the cyber-stalker that you were initially trying to escape???

Reference List:

How to reveal a fake Facebook account, retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Reveal-a-Fake-Facebook-Account, retrieved from Google

McNeill, L. 2012, There is no 'I' in network: social networking sites and posthuman auto-biography
Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

van Luyn, A. 2013, BA1002 'Our Space: Netwokrs, Narrative and the making of Place' Lecture: week 4, Part 1 Networked Narratives, retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Image Credit:

Question Mark Face, retrieved from http://www.opensecrets.org/news/assets_c/2011/03/Question-mark-face-4346.html found on Google

"cyber being - cyber dreaming"

In the digital age, can we not have a cyber dreaming? I don't think this is an unreasonable proposition if another man made creation - that of money, can be associated with such an idea (Chatwin, 1987, p. 12).  Unfortunately, this abstract concept will do little to help one understand the complexities of the virtual self.  A virtual self is not real, it is merely a reconstructed projection of one's own being or identity.  The virtual self's identity, like one's own being is constructed through the perception of others. What differs in this regards, is that those contributing to the identity of our virtual self, do so through the values, ideologies, and discourse of another virtual self.  

Figure 1

The virtual self has its own narrative, and these "self narratives, like maps, are constructs for a particular purpose and context" (Van Luyn, 2013,). In the online game "Grepolis" one of my many virtual self's was a powerful player, one of the leaders in a major alliance.  I had friends, enemy's, would bully, was bullied, liked by some and hated by others. We can now begin to understand that "the mutual (and coercive) production of networked lives invites a reconsideration of how we read and create lives in an online context" (McNeill, 2012, p.  116). 

Power was a central determining factor in how I was perceived within this virtual network. This power was produced primarily by spending the most time online, in the guise of a virtual self - and was reinforced by others. If one is to believe that "Dreaming determines not only what life is but also what it can be" (Stanner, 1979, p. 29), can cyber dreaming not provide an avenue to experience an alternate reality?  

References:

Chatwin, B. (1987). The songlines. London: Jonathan Cape.

McNeill, L. (2012). There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and posthuman auto/biography. p 101-118.

Stanner, W. E. (1979). White man got no dreaming: essays, 1938-1973. Canberra: Australian National University Press.

Van Luyn, A. (2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, Lecture 4:  Networked narratives. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Image Credit:

Figure 1. [virtual self]  retrieved from: http://b7-publishing.com/baz/bazaar/index.php?show=eGraphics&base[condition]=leading&base[code]=78765&base[width]=645&base[height]=222