User:Tash/grad testplay2

Introduction (30 mins)

My research

• the initial promise: social media as a tool of democracy
• the reality: a gendered and political space which rewards misogynists, supremacists and extremists
• freedom of speech online as a gendered issue

"While facilitating freedom of expression, social media also encourages users to practice their freedom to hate, where individuals exercise their right to voice their opinions while actively silencing others."
Source: Lim, M. (2017) ‘Freedom to hate: social media, algorithmic enclaves, and the rise of tribal nationalism in Indonesia.’ Critical Asian Studies, 49(3): 411-427.

Collective Reading

• An Anti-Social-Media Art Project by Sarah Ciston

Sharing is caring (15 mins)

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  Profile: 'Account closing service'. Bio: 'Admin is a Muslim sister / Facebook, Instagram, Twitter / Payment after.'

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  'Anti-selfie zone'

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  'Not ready to cover your aurat? Don't worry, there's still space in hell'

• 

  Blurred women's faces on a popular Muslim account

• What hostile spaces or communities do you have experience with online?
• What are the things that stop you from engaging / speaking out / expressing yourself? Online or offline? https://pad.xpub.nl/p/deletecomment

The Game (1.5 hours)

A critical multimedia game, which invites you to role-play characters on a social media platform, with the goal of infiltrating and disrupting its more hostile practices and spaces. Composed entirely of found techniques, scenarios and language used by the world’s most manipulative trolls, buzzers and campaign operatives, this game asks you to rebel, and rethink your own relation to the medium.

How to play

1. In teams of 2, you will be asked to role-play characters and perform different responses to trolling on Instagram, as a mode of exploration and an act of resistance.
2. To begin, either choose out of the list of available game characters, or decide to create your own character.
3. Then, open a new account for these characters on Instagram. On mobile, go to Settings > Add Account > Sign Up with Email. Follow each other's accounts.
4. Once these characters are set, one team begins by picking a card from the first deck. All teams have 5 minutes to perform the action.
5. The aim? To get as much attention and engagement as possible. Points are rewarded for likes, conversations, flags etc.
6. There are 3 decks, each with a different level of difficulty. Make your way through all three decks.
7. The team with the most points at the end of the session, wins.

Test questions

1. Format? Cards or tactical handbook?
2. Characters? Rather given or build yourself? What would make them more interesting?

Rules

• Stay in character
• Always say yes!
• Always screenshot your engagements in order of play
• Always tag / mention the game's main profile in your posts & comments, this way we can document your actions @raksasi1

Documentation (20 mins)

1. Evaluation pad: https://pad.xpub.nl/p/tash-testplay02
2. Each team should request profile data from Instagram. These will be sent as json files to the profile's email address. I will collect them for archiving on the wiki.
3. Send your screenshots to +31626791044 or tashberting@gmail.com
4. The raksasi1 account will aggregate all player's activities. This account will be scraped via an automated script, and the results will be archived on the wiki.