Welcome to the World of Digital Sociology!
Hello there! In this chapter, we are going to explore how the internet and new media (like social media apps and virtual worlds) change the way we live, how we see ourselves, and even how we get in trouble. Don't worry if this seems a bit technical at first—you use these things every day, so you’re already an expert in the "doing" part! We’re just going to add the "thinking" part. By the end of these notes, you’ll see your smartphone as more than just a gadget; you'll see it as a powerful tool for socialisation and social control.
According to your OxfordAQA 9690 syllabus, we need to focus on how the media acts as an agency of socialisation, how it shapes our identities, how it controls our behavior, and the rise of cybercrimes.
1. Media as an Agency of Socialisation
The syllabus (Section 3.1.2.2) lists the media as a key agency of secondary socialisation. This is the process where we learn the norms (rules) and values (beliefs) of our society after we leave the family home.
How it works:
Think of the internet as a "digital classroom." Even when you aren't trying to learn, you are picking up ideas about how to act, what to wear, and what is considered "cool" or "normal."
Processes used by the media:
1. Imitation: We see influencers or celebrities online and copy their behavior or fashion.
2. Reinforcement: When you post something and get "likes," you feel rewarded for following a social norm. If you get "ratioed" or criticized, that is a negative sanction that tells you to stop.
3. Representation: The media shows us stereotypes (Section 3.1.2.1) or roles. For example, how should a "teenager" or a "doctor" act? The media provides these blueprints.
Quick Review Box:
Is media primary or secondary socialisation? It is secondary because it happens outside the immediate family, usually as we get older and start interacting with the wider world.
Key Takeaway: The media doesn't just entertain us; it teaches us who we are supposed to be in society.
2. Online Identities and Virtual Communities
Your syllabus (Section 3.1.2.3) explores how social identities are built. In the modern world, we don't just have an "offline" identity; we have online identities.
Social Construction of Identity:
Sociologists say identity is socially constructed. This means we "build" our identity through our interactions with others. On social media, this is very clear because we can literally "edit" our identity.
Example: Choosing a specific filter for a photo or writing a catchy bio on a profile is a way of "constructing" how you want the world to see you.
Virtual Communities:
A virtual community is a group of people who share interests online, even if they have never met in real life. These can be based on:
- Subcultures: Like gaming groups or K-pop fans.
- Race and Ethnicity: People from a diaspora (people living away from their original homeland) using the internet to stay connected to their culture.
- Hybrid Identities: Young people mixing their local culture with global trends they find on the internet.
Memory Aid: The "Avatar" Analogy
Just like in a video game where you pick your character's hair and clothes, social media lets us create a "digital avatar" of ourselves. This might be different from our "real" self, which is why sociologists study the gap between our individual identity and our online identity.
Key Takeaway: The internet allows us to join "tribes" (communities) and experiment with who we are, regardless of where we live physically.
3. Social Control and the Internet
How does the internet keep us "in line"? Section 3.1.2.4 of your syllabus looks at informal social control and surveillance.
Informal Social Control:
This isn't about the police; it's about how regular people pressure you to behave. On social media, this happens through:
- Positive Sanctions: Likes, shares, and positive comments.
- Negative Sanctions: Being "blocked," "unfollowed," or "cancelled." These punishments make people afraid to break social norms.
Surveillance and Shoshana Zuboff:
Your syllabus mentions the sociologist Zuboff. She is famous for the idea of Surveillance Capitalism.
Don't worry if this sounds hard! Think of it like this: In the past, "surveillance" meant a camera on a street corner. Today, apps track every click, every search, and every "like" you make. Zuboff argues that tech companies use this data to predict and control our behavior so they can sell us things. We are being watched, not by the "Big Brother" government, but by "Big Data" companies.
Did you know?
The word hegemony (mentioned in Section 3.1.2.4) refers to how the powerful use ideas to stay in control. The media is a tool for this because it often promotes the values of the powerful as "common sense."
Key Takeaway: We are constantly being watched and judged online, which acts as a powerful way to control how we think and act.
4. Deviance and Cybercrime
Section 3.1.2.5 introduces cybercrimes as a modern type of deviance. Deviance is just a fancy word for breaking social rules.
Types of Cybercrime:
1. Identity Theft: Stealing someone's personal info to take their money.
2. Online Harassment/Bullying: Using digital tools to hurt others.
3. Hacking: Breaking into private systems.
Example: A "victimless" crime might be downloading a movie illegally—many people do it and don't think it's "real" crime, which shows how our ideas of crime are socially constructed.
Social Harms:
The syllabus asks us to look at social harms that might not be illegal but are still bad for society. Examples include the spread of "fake news" or how social media algorithms might make people feel lonely or depressed.
Common Mistake to Avoid:
Don't think that "deviance" always means "illegal." Something can be deviant (like being rude in a comment section) without being a crime (breaking a law). Cybercrime specifically refers to the illegal stuff.
Key Takeaway: As our lives move online, so does crime. What we consider a "crime" online is often different from what we consider a crime in the physical world.
5. Final Thought: The Sociological Imagination
Your syllabus mentions C. Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination (Section 3.1.2.1). This means connecting personal troubles to public issues.
- Personal Trouble: You feel sad because your post didn't get many likes.
- Public Issue: Millions of people feel this way because social media is designed to make us crave validation for profit.
By using your sociological imagination, you can see that your "private" time on your phone is actually part of a massive global social structure!
Quick Summary for Exam Prep:
- Socialisation: Learning norms through the digital "mirror."
- Identity: Building our "online self" in virtual communities.
- Control: Being watched by data companies (Zuboff) and judged by peers.
- Crime: The rise of cybercrime as a new form of deviance.
You've got this! Sociology is all about seeing the patterns in the things we usually take for granted. Keep questioning what you see on your screen!