The authors question the prevailing metaphors of "stickiness" and "virality" used to describe desirable web content. These metaphors treat audiences as passive by suggesting they are stuck or infected by content. Instead, the authors promote the metaphor of "spreadable" content, which users will actively share to influence their social networks, regardless of the creator's intentions.
2. The authors (Jenkins, Ford, and Green) question
the prevailing metaphors of “stickiness” and
“virality” to describe what makes desirable Web
content. The metaphor of “stickiness” treats
audiences as passive suckers. The metaphor of
“virality” also treats audiences as passive.
Rather, the authors encourage us to think of
creating Web content that’s “spreadable” – i.e., that
users will actively use to influence and shape their
social networks regardless of the original intentions
of the content’s creator.
Summary of introduction to
Spreadable Media:
3. • All technologies (including media technologies) have
affordances and constraints that shape the
possible effects of that technology.
• SEO as affordances of Web? (McCoy)
• Metaphors for web content: sticky, viral, spreadable.
(Examples of each?)
• “because people increasingly interact by sharing
meaningful bits of media content”(11).
• What are all the possible reasons for sharing?
• “content often gains traction when people are given
the latitude to use ‘official’ media texts to
communicate something about themselves”(34).
CONCEPTS for DISCUSSION
4. Why is it important
for us to think
about
spreadability?
