Collective identity in the online age

 Task 1: Media Magazine article

Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.

Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

We as people are involved in constructing an image to communicate our identity's.

2) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

I agree with this view because Style over substance is a scenario where the apperance,presentation or aesthetic appeal of something is prioritized over its actual value.

3) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

He describes that posits that modern society is so overwhelmed by media images, signs and simulations that thee distinctions between reality and representations has collapsed 

4) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

How i look on social media is very different to who i am in real life because i do not want to truly portray who i am in society normally remove pictures of myself because i do not like it and i believe people would also not like it.

5) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

I believe that data mining has its positive and negatives. This is because in some ways it helps us see products that may influence us in a positive way and help us. However data mining does invade our privacy because the government collects our data and uses it against us


Task 2: Media Magazine cartoon

Now read the cartoon in MM62 (p36) that summarises David Gauntlett’s theories of identity. Write five simple bullet points summarising what you have learned from the cartoon about Gauntlett's theories of identity. Our Media Magazine archive is here.

Task 3: Representation & Identity: Factsheet blog task

Finally, use our brilliant Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) to find Media Factsheet #72 on Collective Identity. The Factsheet archive is available online here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions to complete our introductory work on collective identity:

1) What is collective identity? Write your own definition in as close to 50 words as possible.

Collective identity is an idea that there is a shared sense of belonging to a group, constructed through a sense of common interests,experiences,values and goals. It is an interactive approach that influences group mobilization and solidarity, often expressed through symbols or social movement.

2) How does James May's Top Toys offer a nostalgic representation of Britain?

-celebrating analog

-defines childhood

-creates a sense of happiness and belonging

3) How has new technology changed collective identity?

Collective identity is based around the influence of other people since we as people revolve ourselves around other people’s lives and we shape ourselves to be like others.