What kinds of media or media strategies are effective at influencing users on social media platforms?

How can these be used in ways that contribute to positive societal change eg. in regards to the environment, workers’ rights, or racial or gender discrimination?

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“[S]ocial media platforms have emerged as an important venue to amplify less powerful voices in the overall media landscape, as users disrupt, confront, or counteract traditional narratives through their own storytelling” (Blevins, Lee, McCabe & Edgerton, 2019).

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Social media consumption is pervasive. We consume (and participate in) a wide variety of content across an assortment of platforms – all of them competing for our attention.

As media specialists, how can we be active in facilitating positive change in the world? What kinds of novel content can we make that addresses issues such as (but not limited to) climate change, racial discrimination, gender discrimination, workers’ rights, unemployment and the treatment of refugees?

In this studio, we will experiment with making media aimed at social media delivery and engagement. Possible forms are forums, comedy skits, memes, animated explainers, vlogs, short films, video podcasts, challenges and virtual events.

Amongst the sea of content on social media, we will experiment with making media that: (1) attracts and hold attention, (2) affects an audience, (3) educates or informs an audience, and potentially (4) influences the behaviour of an audience. We will question whether we should be thinking of the people we are trying to reach as the “audience”, or rather are they “users”, “participants” or “members of our community”?

Through analysis, discussion and media experiments we will attempt to answer:

When do techniques designed to influence audience behaviour become unethical?

What are principles to keep in mind when working in specific platforms eg. what are the differences in making a video for YouTube, Facebook and TikTok? What is the difference between ‘views’ and ‘engagement’?