Question for Jeremy Birnholtz's talk on "Self-Presentation in Sociotechnical Life: How We Present Ourselves to Each Other in a World of Digital Platforms"

[jamesallenevans]

Questions for Jeremy Birnholtz regarding his talk: Self-Presentation in Sociotechnical Life: How We Present Ourselves to Each Other in a World of Digital Platforms. "Self-presentation, rooted in Goffman’s classic work, is the fundamental social process by which people shape their public personas and play the social roles (e.g., teacher, student, lesbian, doctor, etc.) that structure our everyday interactions. Today’s social platforms and communication technologies, however, complicate this process in ways that Goffman could never have anticipated. Specifically, the “physics” of how information moves in the environment have changed and can vary widely from platform to platform. And we lack a systematic framework for discussing these differences and how people cope with them (and their consequences). In this talk, I will discuss a book manuscript Michael Ann DeVito and I are working on to address this gap. I will give an overview of the framework, our focus in particular on LGBTQ+ populations, and how we can use this work to better understand and describe important social behavior in a range of online contexts." Birnholtz_Macapagal_2021.pdf

[yiang-li]

Thanks for sharing your work. How does the proposed framework help in understanding the unique challenges and strategies of self-presentation for LGBTQ+ populations on digital platforms? Can you provide specific examples or case studies that illustrate the effectiveness of this framework?

[Aiwen-Xiao]

Thank you for sharing your work! Considering the impact of generative AI and the diverse nature of social media platforms on users' digital identities, how might future research adapt its methodologies to comprehensively study the evolving landscape of online self-presentation, particularly for LGBTQ+ communities across different platforms?

[KekunH]

Thank you for sharing your work! My questions are how do the temporal affordances and audience engagement features of platforms like Instagram influence the self-presentation strategies of marginalized groups, and what are the implications for designing research methods in highly qualitative studies focusing on individual experiences while ensuring validity?

[yuy123337]

Hi, Dr.Birnholz. Thank you very much for sharing! The study shows the importance of features such as followers and likes to social media users. Even if future designs hide these numbers, followers will still play a big role in how people perform online. Thus, I am wondering how could the findings in the article change how people perceive the relationship between those who post on social media and those who view their content?

[yunfeiavawang]

Thanks for the amazing paper! What we present on social media is the combination of our subjectivity and imagination of other's perceptions. I am curious about how people balance the two sides, and what features influence their emphasis on self-expression or catering to other's expectations.

[iefis]

Thanks for presenting this very interesting work! I would like to learn more about the visibility mechanism discussed in the paper. How would we expect to see changes in the visibility mechanisms given the interactions with audiences?

[Daniela-miaut]

Thanks for the presentation. Your research makes me thinking of embodiment. Do you think the self-presentation on social media also changes people's embodiment in such environments (and in their daily life)?

[essicaJ]

Thanks for sharing your work! Could you provide some examples of how different online platforms influence the self-presentation strategies of their users, particularly those from LGBTQ+ communities?

[66Alexa]

Thanks for sharing this meaningful topic! Given the rapid evolution of digital technologies and social platforms, how do you see your framework adapting to future changes in the sociotechnical landscape? Are there any emerging platforms or technologies that pose new challenges or opportunities for self-presentation research?

[adamvvu]

Thanks for sharing your work. Have you found differences in the temporal dynamics of self-presentation between GBM and non-GBM people?

[cty20010831]

Thanks for sharing! I am wondering what are the potential implications of this framework for understanding the negotiation of identity and privacy by marginalized groups in digital spaces?

[schen115]

Thank you for your insightful sharing! Given the evolving nature of self-presentation in the digital age, particularly among young gay and bisexual males on platforms like Instagram, how can we further explore the nuanced strategies individuals employ to manage their online identities across different temporal dynamics and audience engagements?

[Yunrui11]

Thank you for the presentation! Given the evolving nature of social technologies and their impact on self-presentation, do you see potential implications for how individuals develop and maintain their self-concept over time, especially in the context of young GBM individuals?

[mingxuan-he]

Hi professor Birnholtz, I'm particularly curious about how state censorship and propaganda impact online queer identities. How does state level anti-queer content moderation in e.g. China, Russia, and Middle East impact people's online identity? Moreover, is there a connection between social class and queer identity expression under such moderation schemes?

[Adrianne-Li]

Thank you, professor Birnholtz, for your insightful talk on digital self-presentation. Your work on updating Goffman’s theories for the digital age, especially focusing on LGBTQ+ experiences, is incredibly important. I'm curious about how your framework addresses the impact of algorithmic biases and platform design on self-presentation for marginalized groups. How do these technological factors influence the way individuals navigate their online identities? Thank you for your time!

[HzSeaski]

Thank you for sharing your work! I’m wondering to what extent platforms should give users granular control over behavior visibility to ensure user autonomy and to avoid problematic self-presentation management, which potentially causes privacy breach or reinforced stereotypes about GBM population?

[xiaowei-v]

Thank you for your interesting work! I find the research into the self persistence really fascinating. However, considering the complexity of the identity of LGBTQ +, I wonder whether to some degree the visible behaviors are capable of fundamentally changing people's self-identity and how we can separate this influence from information (people change their labels due to being exposed to new information)

[erikaz1]

Thank you for sharing your insights, Prof. Birnholtz. I have several questions: What does “platform physics” look like exactly? How is it similar/different from “policing” and online moderation? And what might be the extent of ensuring that the “right attention” exists in the right thread or group (will this be a mechanism to protect minorities or could this also be applied elsewhere?)?

[Huiyu1999]

Thanks for sharing! The study focuses on Instagram as a medium for the online self-presentation of young gay and bisexual males. Given that individuals often use multiple social media platforms simultaneously, each with its unique set of affordances, how do young gay and bisexual males navigate their self-presentation across different platforms? Are there strategies or aspects of their identity that they choose to emphasize or conceal more on one platform compared to another?

[YutaoHeOVO]

Thanks for sharing your research. I have one question on some exogenous shocks in self-representation: many people will choose to erase their instagram profile from time to time. And between these shocks in information erasure, could such self-representation change?

[Brian-W00]

In the context of using Instagram for subtle self-presentation among young gay and bisexual males, how do these individuals navigate the risk of misinterpretation or misunderstanding when they rely on subtle cues and symbols to communicate their identity?

[MaxwelllzZ]

Thank you Prof.Birnholtz. I have a question that intrigues me : In your research on self-presentation in digital environments, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals, have you observed any patterns or trends in how these self-presentation strategies influence their social interactions and networking opportunities, both personally and professionally?

[Kevin2330]

Thanks for sharing! My question is: Can you discuss some of the coping mechanisms people use to manage their self-presentation online? What are some of the consequences—both positive and negative—that arise from these strategies?

[lim1an]

Thanks for sharing! Given the strategies adapt to emerging technological trends and affordances for LGBTQ+ groups, what should the platforms pay attention to when announcing new technologies or functions?

[hantaoxiao]

Thanks for sharing, Could you elaborate on the theoretical framework you and Michael Ann DeVito are developing? How does it account for the unique dynamics of self-presentation on various digital platforms?

[ZenthiaSong]

Thank you for sharing! What future research directions do you see as critical for further understanding the nuances of self-presentation in the evolving landscape of digital communication technologies?

[beilrz]

Thank you for sharing this amazing research. I am highly intrigued by the insights that have been uncovered regarding the role of temporality in shaping a temporal, persistent image and identity of GBM on Instagram. I wondered how the interaction pattern would differ on other platforms, where ephemeral is less of an option. Also, will Instagram users with more followers behave differently than users with fewer followers since people may have a better memory or archive about popular users on Instagram?

[aliceluo1]

Dear professor Birnholtz, I am wondering how do different digital platforms' design and affordances influence the strategies users employ to manage their self-presentation and the visibility of their identities?