Understanding social media's 'shades of grey'

Alison Dance

2 June 2014:The role social media plays in a changing media and cultural landscape is at the centre of University of Canberra assistant professor in media arts and graphic design Sam Hinton's debut book Understanding Social Media.

"We're trying to dip into a whole bunch of issues which relate to social media and look at things as not black and white but as shades of grey," Dr Hinton, who co-wrote the book with Larissa Hjorth from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said.

Sam Hinton, co-author of the book Understanding Social Media. Photo: Michelle McAulay

He said he became interested in social media as "an obvious point at which society, culture and technology come together."

"There's something really interesting about how social media affects so many people, how it's just part of their lives. It's gone from being something that's really niche to something that everyone does," Dr Hinton explained.

The book provides a useful toolbox for exploring the evolution and practices of social media and examines such issues as control, empowerment, citizen journalism and user-generated content.

"On one hand you can argue that social media is empowering us but on the other hand you can argue that it is taking control away from us," he said.

The book also includes a chapter on social media gaming, drawing on Dr Hinton's previous research.

"It's really interesting the way social media games like Farmville - where people can build their own 'farm' with the help of their friends on Facebook - provide a kind of social space to reinforce social relationships."

Read more about Dr Hinton's book in the latest Monitor magazine, which is available in hard copy around campus or to view online.