11 Digital Culture
Steven Schoen
1. Digital Culture and its Social Impacts
(Part 1 – audio file generated at crikk.com)
Digital culture has to do with the practices, values, and social norms that emerge from interactions with digital technologies. From social media platforms and digital communication to virtual environments and digital art, the digital landscape has profoundly transformed how we experience culture, identity, and community. Through the lens of critical media and cultural studies, digital culture has important implications for identity, power dynamics, and social interaction.
Identity and Representation
In cultural studies, identity is understood as fluid and constructed through social interactions and cultural practices. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook let people curate their identities through profiles, posts, and interactions – often through idealized versions of themselves, but they also expose users to constant surveillance and judgment by others. The phenomenon of ‘self-branding’ has emerged, where individuals market themselves as brands, blending personal and professional/commercialized identities.
But, digital culture also offers spaces for marginalized groups to claim and explore their identities and find and build community. Hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo have mobilized social movements, bringing visibility and solidarity to people who have been historically underrepresented. Nonetheless, algorithms that govern social media platforms often repeat existing biases, privileging some voices while silencing others. So, digital culture both democratizes and regulates identity expression, reflecting broader social power structures.
Power Dynamics and Digital Capitalism
Digital technologies have developed fueled by capital and shaped by its logics and data has become an enormously valuable commodity. Cultural studies critique the embedding of digital technologies within capitalist frameworks and the influence of its power dynamics and economic structures. Corporations like Google, Facebook, and Amazon collect vast amounts of user data, monetizing it for targeted advertising and other profit-driven purposes. This datafication has profound implications for privacy and surveillance, as users’ online behaviors are constantly tracked and analyzed.
Moreover, the digital divide highlights inequalities in access to digital technologies. While digital culture promises global connectivity, not everyone benefits equally. Socioeconomic factors, geographical location, and education levels affect individuals’ ability to participate fully in digital culture. Cultural studies emphasize the need to address these disparities to ensure that digital culture does not exacerbate existing social inequalities.
Social Interaction and Community
Digital culture is very quickly restructuring the ways we interact and form communities. Online platforms are bringing new forms of social interaction, from virtual friendships to digital activism. These platforms create spaces for niche communities and subcultures, helping those with shared interests connect across geographical boarders. For instance, fan communities, gamers, and online support groups foster a sense of belonging and collective identity.
However, digital interactions also raise questions about the nature of community and social bonds. Critics argue that online relationships may lack the depth and authenticity of face-to-face interactions. The phenomenon of ‘echo chambers’ illustrates how digital culture can create insular communities where individuals are exposed only to information that reinforces their existing beliefs, with very real political impact.
The changing impacts of digital technologies create new contexts for scholars studying the forces at work in media and culture. Understanding these dynamics is important for navigating the digital landscape and fostering a more inclusive and equitable digital culture.
2. Listen:
Klein, E. (Host). & boyd, d. (Guest). (2017). danah boyd on why fake news is so easy to believe (Podcast). Vox.
Recommended but not Required
Garber, M. & Valdez, A. (2024, June 4). How to live in a digital city [Podcast]. The Atlantic.