"capture and share the world's moments"
In our exploration of the inherent inauthenticity or authenticity of social media, we aim to gather a series of qualitative data that explores if and how social media, as both a platform representative of a larger institutional structure and personal sharing device, inhibits or promotes authentic representations of self. We understand that the term “authenticity” is often a broad and abstracted concept that correlates to an imagined state of “core” personal characteristics and values. We will add pressure to this definition in order to reconceptualize the idea of authenticity to the idea of completion. In what ways is an authentic self, in the context of social media, a complete self? Or, in what ways does social media brand its experience to be authentic and, therefore, induce its users to believe in the platform's, and therefore their own, pledge to this end?
Our research is primarily interview-based, utilizing both narrative and phenomenological data to explore this question of how Instagram, the company, may engage in a process of self-branding to coherence their audience into believing in the representative power of social media as a complete image of self. Possible limitations to our research reside in the lack of quantitative data. But, as this project is fairly limited to a specific timeline, we wanted to focus our energy on the exploration of Instagram through narration, as we found it to be a more powerful voice for conceptualizing the often abstracted media theory in a more personal context.
In our exploration of the inherent inauthenticity or authenticity of social media, we aim to gather a series of qualitative data that explores if and how social media, as both a platform representative of a larger institutional structure and personal sharing device, inhibits or promotes authentic representations of self. We understand that the term “authenticity” is often a broad and abstracted concept that correlates to an imagined state of “core” personal characteristics and values. We will add pressure to this definition in order to reconceptualize the idea of authenticity to the idea of completion. In what ways is an authentic self, in the context of social media, a complete self? Or, in what ways does social media brand its experience to be authentic and, therefore, induce its users to believe in the platform's, and therefore their own, pledge to this end?
Our research is primarily interview-based, utilizing both narrative and phenomenological data to explore this question of how Instagram, the company, may engage in a process of self-branding to coherence their audience into believing in the representative power of social media as a complete image of self. Possible limitations to our research reside in the lack of quantitative data. But, as this project is fairly limited to a specific timeline, we wanted to focus our energy on the exploration of Instagram through narration, as we found it to be a more powerful voice for conceptualizing the often abstracted media theory in a more personal context.
Our questions revolve around the ideas of authenticity on personal instagrams and how people have intentionally/unintentionally branded themselves on this platform. All the questions strive to answer the big question of “is social media meant to be authentic?” The remainder of our questions go into personal reflection of the platform as a whole.
PERSONAL VIEW OF THE GRAM
personality vs. Instagram personality
PERSONAL VIEW OF THE GRAM
personality vs. Instagram personality
How would you describe yourself versus the personality you put out on instagram? How are they similar or different?
Can you talk us through your page? Is there a certain aesthetic or vibe you are curating through your page?
Can you talk us through your page? Is there a certain aesthetic or vibe you are curating through your page?
Do you believe that your instagram shows a COMPLETE picture of yourself or does it just show a specific portion of yourself?
SOCIETAL VIEW OF THE GRAM
reflection of Instagram as a platform
Do you think that it is possible to show a COMPLETE picture of yourself and life on this platform? Why?
Is instagram inauthentic?
What do likes mean? What do followers mean?
What does the phrase “Do it for the gram” mean?
Is instagram’s purpose to BE authentic?
Overall space for beliefs and opinions to be expresses (views from mental health to personal experiences etc.)
Is instagram’s purpose to BE authentic?
Overall space for beliefs and opinions to be expresses (views from mental health to personal experiences etc.)
photo from Celia Hedric's personal Instagram
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