Limits of Online Freedom

Image 1: Discovery (Olivares) 

Power is a strange concept, and one that I do not always fully understand. However, what has been made clear to me is that power “is not a thing” “power comes out of connection, out of relationships” (Kuttainen, 2017). How does a person then become empowered or disempowered by these relationships? One thing I have found through exploring my chosen virtual social network (Pinterest), is that proximity to power and perspective play a vital role in feeling empowered or disempowered by online spaces (Allen, 2003). 

When first exploring Pinterest, I felt like there was this exciting new space that needed discovering. It appeared limitless because I had not yet discovered who holds power in this online space (Allen, 2003). I felt empowered by Pinterest because it allowed me to explore, find and create ideas that appeared personal to me on my wall, and allowed me to connect to people who had similar interests. Much like how Turkle (1995) described the MIT student’s positive feelings towards the connectivity of the internet, I too felt empowered by the creation of these relationships. It felt like there were no restrictions, because I had not yet come across any impeding rules, or power plays. The more I explored however, the more it became apparent that this space was not limitless and was in fact swayed by authority and power of social norms.

Pinterest, much like many other virtual networks, has its own set of rules and regulations that must be adhered to. For example, on any pin that is put up on Pinterest you can report it and haves some higher authority figure decide if it is inappropriate for the site. Every person a part of Pinterest can be subject to a form of punishment for acting outside the rules and regulations. For me this inhibits the apparent freedom that was originally felt because it is now regulated by a power outside of my control. After becoming aware of this, I am now swayed by what I write, post, follow which can be related to Jeremy Bentham’s concept of the panopticon (Turkle, 1995). 

What I view on Pinterest is also limited based on the fact that it is a consumer based network insightcreative.com. Whilst anyone may post something creative, the power, in this case the number of followers, generally is kept with big corporations and businesses. The more followers you have develops a perception of power that is perfect for online consumerism. Whilst this opportunity of power is fluent, it controls what the individual like me will see. 

From my perspective now the proximity of power is much closer than what I originally knew it to be. As soon as I signed up to Pinterest there was always going to be limits because of the rules and regulations, however my lack of understanding of the virtual network let me feel a certain sense of freedom. These powers may or may not be a negative thing according to Gaventa (2003: 2) describing Foucault’s theory on power, however at the present time I find it disempowering and will need further exploration to view the positives.

Referencing

Allen, J. (2003). Lost geographies of power. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Gaventa, John (2003) Power after Lukes: a review of the literature, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies.

Kuttainen, V. (2017).  BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Morehart, E. (2012). The Power of Pinterest. Blog. Retrieved from http://insightcreative.com/blog/the-power-of-pinterest.html

Olivares, E. (2014). Self-Discovery (image). Retrieved from https://evelynolivares.com.au/journaling-for-self-discovery/

Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.