What Anonymous can tell us about the relationship between virtual community structure and participatory form

As a decentralised virtual community, Anonymous has been characterised by its oppositional tendencies. Helped by a collective persona and horizontal management structure, Anonymous has facilitated a myriad of differentiated agenda. However, we can observe a distinct change in its participatory form over time. So, while Anonymous, more broadly, functions as a virtual community, its means of engagement has shifted from a social movement to a decentralised cell network. This article explores the relationship between these changes, and its evolution as a virtual community. Drawing upon Iriberri and Leroy’s [(2009 Iriberri, A., and G. Leroy. 2009. “A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success.” ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) 41 (2): 1–29. doi: 10.1145/1459352.1459356[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) “A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success.” ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) 41 (2): 1–29] life cycle framework, the article maps Anonymous’ development and identifies the structural changes that have led to this transformation in its modes of participation.     

Tweeting India’s Nirbhaya protest: a study of emotional dynamics in an online social movement

Abstract

Previous research has recognized the role of emotions in protests and social movements in the offline world. Despite the current scenario of ubiquitous social media and ‘Twitter revolutions,’ our knowledge about the connections between emotions and online protests still remains limited. In this study, we examine whether online protest actions follow the same emotional groundwork for supporting and nurturing a social movement as in the offline world, and how these emotions vary across various stages of the social movement. Through a computer-assisted emotion analysis of 65,613 Twitter posts (tweets), posted during the Nirbhaya social movement (movement against the Delhi gang-rape incident) in India, we identified a strong resemblance between online emotional patterns and offline protest emotions as discussed in literature. Formal statistical testing of a range of emotions (negativity, positivity, anger, sadness, anxiety, certainty, individualism, collectivism, and achievement) demonstrates that they significantly differed across stages of the social movement; as such, they influenced the course of the online protest, resonating parallels with offline events. The findings highlight the importance of anger and anxiety in stirring the collective conscience, and identify that positive emotion was pervasive during the protest event. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Salat-al-Juma: organizing the public in Tahrir Square

What were the sources of solidarity that bound anti-government protesters in Tahrir Square? This article complicates Judith Butler’s claim that this solidarity originated in shared vulnerability to police violence and the practices of mutual care that were necessary to sustain bodies in the square. I draw on existing scholarship that suggests that passive knowledge of this shared vulnerability was already present among Egyptians, especially those working in the informal economy and living more of their lives – eating, chatting, praying, selling, etc. – on the streets of Egypt’s cities and thereby drawn into increasing contact with state police forces. Given that aggressive policing and intimidation had generated a sense of passive solidarity among Egyptians, I ask how this solidarity was transformed into animated opposition to the regime. My answer is that the Islamic congregational prayers as well as the Sunday Masses held during the revolution were spectacles of interfaith cooperation that inspired courage and trust across sectarian and religious/secular communities. These prayers were rational rituals that generated trust among diverse Egyptians that Mubarak had sown suspicion among and played against one another to stay in power. These were embodied rituals that lent moral support to more the mundane aspects of occupying Tahrir Square, which was symbolically and strategically important in bringing down the regime.     

#iamafeminist as the “mother tag”: feminist identification and activism against misogyny on Twitter in South Korea

This article explores feminist activism via the hashtag #iamafeminist on Twitter in South Korea. This hashtag became an important platform for feminist identification and activism against misogyny following its start in 2015 as a way to resist prevailing anti-feminist sentiment in Korea. In addition to opposing stigmas regarding identifying as a feminist, #iamafeminist affords an inclusive frame that can promote feminist identification by sharing personal motives for and stories about being a feminist. Although critics dismiss the potential of hashtag activism due to its ephemeral nature, I argue that #iamafeminist—which I call the “mother tag”—was able to persist for three months by continuing to connect with real-time gender issues and by initiating activism against misogyny both online and offline.     

藏族网民对网络文化的使用习惯、特点与认同研究

藏族网民对数字图片、视频、歌曲、影视、游戏和小说等网络文化的喜好使得他们形成了网络文化的使用习惯、特点以及强烈的网络文化认同感.藏族网民在网络文化载体手机化趋势和网络文化消费娱乐化倾向与其他民族的网民保持着一致性.但在网络文化认同上则表现为更加喜欢选择藏族网络文化产品;更加积极参与到对涉藏网络文化传播内容、方式的肯定、批评和建议中;更加倾向于由藏人自己主导、创作的网络文化作品;强烈希望涉藏网络文化创作和传播过程中对藏族文化习俗的理解和尊重.网络为藏族文化的传播和保护带来了新的机遇,更重要的是在藏族网民心中逐步建立起了网络文化认同.     

P2P 网络借贷研究进展及中国问题研究展望

P2P ( 个人对个人) 网络借贷是指通过网络借贷平台,在全球范围内实现个人与个人或小微企业间的小额信用借贷交易． P2P 网络借贷作为全新的互联网金融服务受到商业界的高度关注,而且发展成为学术研究的国际前沿领域． 对 P2P 网络借贷相关研究文献进行了综述,具体从影响借贷交易的信息因素、羊群效应以及社交网络等 3 个方面分析了该领域研究的现状和发展脉络． 因为中国已超越美国成为全球最大的 P2P 网络借贷交易市场,所以结合中国的具体情境和问题,提出了未来研究工作的展望．     

新兴业态发展与政府管理变革研究

我国新兴业态的技术支撑仍以移动互联网技术为主,背后的发展逻辑实质是新技术下的资本运作.新兴业态的乘数效应得以体现与扩张,并带来市场权力、市场关系和社会关系的重构,提出市场网络中心、供方、需方的政府监管需求.对此,政府应以公众利益为导向,充分发挥市场稳定器的作用;树立底线意识,把握新兴业态背后的本质社会关系,并通过法律法规政策加以规制;借鉴多方经验与力量,务实提高事中与事后监管能力,应对网络化与信息化的发展趋势;把握时代潮流,以合理方式促进社会经济朝信息化、网络化发展.     

基于建构主义学习理论的网络课程建设及其应用——以“经济法”课程为例

商科专业＂经济法＂网络课程的建设,应基于建构主义学习理论,以发挥学生学科优势为基础;以培养应用型、复合型人才为目标;遵循内容体系化、模块化原则和知识学习为手段、方法意识为目标原则,在具体应用中采取相应措施。如在网络课堂公布热点案例引起讨论,讲授难点、重点,提出分析问题的思路,创设学习情景,强化实践技能,并与职业考试接轨以拓宽学生的就业渠道等。这样可以保证网络课程的实际应用效果。     

视频网站盈利模式与运作创新

随着用户覆盖和影响力的不断提升,我国网络视频行业蕴藏的巨大市场价值正在逐步显现。但是,由于运营成本高、盈利模式单一且收入较低、受众还未建立付费收视习惯等综合因素,导致国内视频行业整体处于巨额亏损状态。虽然今年以来,优酷土豆合并与“视频内容合作组织（VCC）”的成立使得高昂的网络视频版权价格回归理性,广告收入快速增长,但行业亏损的现状在短期内还很难改变。需要在广告运营、技术手段、渠道扩展等方面探寻视频网站盈利的创新模式     

受众心理分析视角的网络谣言治理

网络受众是网络谣言传播的主体,其不同的心理状态推动了网络谣言的生成与传播。网络受众的心理状态主要表现为泄愤心理、从众心理、窥私心理、投射心理以及选择心理等多种复杂的心理状态。这些心理状态的成因在于社会主义民主法制不健全、政府公信力低以及受众理性精神不足。唯有通过加强民主法制建设,健全网络法治监管,建立信息发布机制,建立辟谣中介组织以及加强网络媒介素养教育等途径,才能培育成熟的网络受众心理,从而提升网络谣言治理的成效。