Dark Side of Social Media Case study of social media activities of Serbian nationalist group SNP 1389 Jelena Maksimovi ć Glocal conference, Skopje 2009

Defying dominant discourse Liberal progressive disourse Internet as a new public sphere – increased participation of citizens in political life

Liberal progressive disourse

Internet as a new public sphere – increased participation of citizens in political life

Facebook President

Ideology of social media Rhetoric of democratization – social change, increased power and knowledge Web 2.0 amoral (N.Carr) Agonistic public sphere (Mouffe) Antipublics – using freedom of the Internet, but actively looking to undermine it

Rhetoric of democratization – social change, increased power and knowledge

Web 2.0 amoral (N.Carr)

Agonistic public sphere (Mouffe)

Antipublics – using freedom of the Internet, but actively looking to undermine it

Choice of the case study Crucial factors Rise of youth nationalism Tabloidisation of the media Youth: Increased usage of social media , not accustomed to traditional media

Crucial factors

Rise of youth

nationalism

Tabloidisation of the media

Youth: Increased usage of social media , not accustomed to traditional media

Facebook wars Serbia – most Facebook profiles in Western Balkans area ( 11,3% of the population) Groups : Let Gather More People Th en There is in Albania - 95,907 members Can we gather 50.000 Serbs on Facebook – 97,982 members Let’s Gather More People Then There is in Montenegro – 115,490 members

Serbia – most Facebook profiles in Western Balkans area ( 11,3% of the population)

Groups :

Let Gather More People Th en There is in Albania - 95,907 members

Can we gather 50.000 Serbs on Facebook – 97,982 members

Let’s Gather More People Then There is in Montenegro – 115,490 members

Online presence of nationalist groups Forums – closed communities of likeminded people Social media – openly calling for participation (SNP calls you!) Content – blog, Facebook page and group, Twitter, videos on Blip.tv

Forums – closed communities of likeminded people

Social media – openly calling for participation (SNP calls you!)

Content – blog, Facebook page and group, Twitter, videos on Blip.tv

Textual analysis - blog Style almost professional design Content classic press releases long articles attempting at analysis low interaction

Style

almost professional design

Content

classic press releases

long articles attempting at analysis

low interaction

Textual analyis – Facebook page Open calls to violence (Death to gays! ...go back to the EU or your home country Croatia. We are waiting for you) Encouraged by administrators (posting the drawing – Gays into Blenders) Increase of number of fans before/after Pride

Open calls to violence

(Death to gays! ...go back to the EU or your home country Croatia. We are waiting for you)

Encouraged by administrators

(posting the drawing – Gays into Blenders)

Increase of number of fans before/after Pride

Aftermath – Clicking away vs. Real Threat

Influence on mainstream media Tensions ahead of gay pride – tabloids announcing violence on the streets Accountability – arrests/censorship Physical ban of a group does not translate into online world – Facebook Anti-Holocaust groups Youth involved more with social media, than traditional media

Tensions ahead of gay pride – tabloids announcing violence on the streets

Accountability – arrests/censorship

Physical ban of a group does not translate into online world – Facebook Anti-Holocaust groups

Youth involved more with social media, than traditional media

Thank you for the attention. Questions, anyone? Contact me jelena.maksimovich @gmail.com or visit www.popkitchen.com