Last week, I
revealed that the accessibility of Facebook can result in user intentions that differ from the network’s purpose.
Following on from this idea is the effect of social degradation, which roots itself
in Parisian history.
Paris in the 19th century was a city full of "licentiousness, deviousness [and] ruthless self-interest" (Prouty, 2009), due to an increase in mass population. In order to curb such crime, Walter Benjamin created an innovative urban plan called the 'Arcades Project' (Prouty, 2009). This idea of using flashy arcades to create alternative pathways separated people into more observable groups, thus increasing scrutiny. Basically, the addition of high-end boutiques and cafés was Paris' answer to social degradation.
Paris in the 19th century was a city full of "licentiousness, deviousness [and] ruthless self-interest" (Prouty, 2009), due to an increase in mass population. In order to curb such crime, Walter Benjamin created an innovative urban plan called the 'Arcades Project' (Prouty, 2009). This idea of using flashy arcades to create alternative pathways separated people into more observable groups, thus increasing scrutiny. Basically, the addition of high-end boutiques and cafés was Paris' answer to social degradation.
Social degradation in the virtual world of Facebook is unbeknownst to the majority of users. We accept that this is a public space, but
how many of us worry about the density of people using it? Statistica (2016)
reports that there are 1.71 billion monthly active users currently inhabiting this space. Consequently, Facebook users have unknowingly created a sense of anonymity within the network.
Crime within Facebook assumes one form - cyberbullying. In the virtual world there is no map, no organised space (Kuttainen, 2016), to pin-point or observe crime. Natalie Farzaneh, a victim of virtual crime, agrees with the statement that offenders do “[hide] in the crowd… and [blush] before the eyes of no one” (Prouty, 2009), highlighting the role anonymity plays. Such criminal behaviour contributes to the defamation of the network and people’s reputations, which can have serious impacts on individuals and communities.
Criminal behaviour in Facebook is something not to be taken lightly. Prouty (2009) states that "it is almost impossible to summon and maintain good moral character in a thickly massed population". As a result, it is evident that
cyberbullies are the equivalent to Parisian mobs, anonymously imposing a sense of menace within Facebook through its sheer size.
Reference List
Prouty,
R. (2009, October 28). A Turtle on a Leash. [Web log comment].
Retrieved from http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html
Statistica. (2016). Facebook: number of monthly active users worldwide 2008-2016. Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/
Kuttainen, V.
(2016). BA1002. Week 4. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_76323_1&content_id=_2298378_1
No comments:
Post a Comment