THE DIGITAL DISCOURSE OF ROMANIAN SOCIAL MEDIA PROSUMERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbphilo.2022.4.03Keywords:
clicktivism, digital discourse, digitized practices, prosumers, debunkingAbstract
The Digital Discourse of Romanian Social Media Prosumers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Social media platforms provide the digital playground for users to manifest a strong form of clicktivism and, at the same time, a deep sense of belonging. In this digital space, users produce discourses with in-built ideologies which have a strong impact on society. Through digitized practices (following, sharing, commenting, posting), users become social actors who design and redesign their behaviour and life choices in relation to the individuals and groups which they follow online on a regular basis. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, through the use of social media, various users have become movers and shakers in Romania. This study aims to analyse the new media discourse showing the Romanian people’s attitude towards the Covid-19 pandemic in the time span of September-October 2021. As such, the linguistic manifestation of users (including micro-celebrities and public figures) was reflected in the polarization of Romanian society, resulting in people mistrusting authorities, and medical experts and giving voice to users who would not normally have a voice in the matter of a global pandemic.
Article history: Received 5 August 2022; Revised 8 November 2022; Accepted 14 November 2022; Available online 20 December 2022; Available print 30 December 2022.
REZUMAT. Discursul digital al prosumatorilor români de rețele de socializare în timpul pandemiei COVID-19. Platformele de socializare oferă utilizatorilor terenul de joacă digital pentru a manifesta o formă puternică de clicktivism și, în același timp, un sentiment profund de apartenență. În acest spațiu digital, utilizatorii produc discursuri cu ideologii încorporate care au un impact puternic asupra societății. Prin intermediul practicilor digitalizate (urmărire, partajare, comentarii, postări), utilizatorii devin actanți sociali care își proiectează și își reproiectează comportamentul și opțiunile de viață în raport cu persoanele și grupurile pe care le urmăresc online în mod regulat. În contextul pandemiei Covid-19, prin utilizarea rețelelor sociale, diverși utilizatori au devenit promotori și actanți în România. Acest studiu își propune să analizeze discursul noilor media care arată atitudinea românilor față de pandemia Covid-19 în intervalul de timp septembrie-octombrie 2021. Ca atare, manifestarea lingvistică a utilizatorilor (incluzând micro-celebritățile și figurile publice) s-a reflectat în polarizarea societății românești, ceea ce a dus la neîncrederea oamenilor în autorități, precum și în experții medicali și a dat glas unor utilizatori care, în mod normal, nu ar fi avut o voce în contextul unei pandemii globale.
Cuvinte-cheie: clicktivism, discurs multimodal, practici digitale, prosumator, demascare
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