Locating technology and algorithms in the social milieu – An Introduction
Social media platforms are often advertised for their role in promoting modernity, freedom of speech and expression, and the quick dissemination of information. However, in a capitalist society where profit is the primary objective, it is difficult to believe that social media algorithms are not influenced by profit-driven intensions. Moreover, these algorithms may also be influenced by the unconscious biases of their creators, which can result in over-acceptance and high visibility of objectionable content that perpetuates discriminatory attitudes and behaviours. To address this issue, adopting a power-based approach can be useful in exposing algorithmic biases in social media, particularly when it comes to representation of marginalized identities. The present article focuses on objectionable videos that denigrates marginalized identities and are shared on social media apps under the guise of humour. By highlighting the harmful impact of such content, the article underscores the need for greater awareness and accountability in how social media algorithms are designed and used.
1.1. Reproduction of Misogyny in Media
Media plays a crucial role as a carrier of culture, heavily influencing the (re)production of gender relation. Let’s take online misogyny as the starting point of our discussion. Misogyny, typically defined as contempt of women, is an integral part of living in patriarchy. According to Johnson (2014, p. 60, as cited in Molony, 2018), misogyny is not an individual flaw but a cultural phenomena that fuels men’s sense of superiority, justifies male aggression, and work towards keeping women in their place. It is pervasive not only in face-to-face interaction but also in the virtual world, where it is propagated by heterosexual, cisgender men seeking power and domination.
Virtual social spaces best demonstrates how gender is not inherent but performative. Molony and Love’s concept of virtual manhood acts explains this. They argue that just like in-person manhood acts, virtual manhood acts enforce gender norms, oppress women, and keep men ‘in the box’. However, virtual manhood acts, unlike in-person manhood acts signifies masculine selves without using their physical body which is the absolute marker of manhood. Instead, the hegemonic ideas of manhood are enacted through technologically facilitated textual and visual cues.
- Objectionable content on social media: addressing the gap between legal frameworks and societal behaviour
A cursory glance over YouTube shorts and reels on Instagram/Facebook can provide numerous examples of virtual manhood acts that subjugate and tyrannize women, queer people, and people with marginalized caste or ethnic identities. When it comes to casteist humour, however, it is not only limited to men but savarna women are also known to engage in such behaviour, perpetuating caste hierarchy under the guise of humour in media.
This type of humour not only denigrates the subaltern castes but the working-class individuals as well. For instance, comedian Sumukhi Suresh playing the role of “maid” named Parvati Bai where her statements are saturated with casteist slurs and remarks on the sexuality of domestic workers. Short clips of such comedians’ shows are often shared on reels/shorts on media platforms and before any critical engagement with the content can be made, millions of views and shares are on their behalf, thereby, reproducing and legitimizing casteism. Furthermore, videos of men engaging in physical contact with women during the festival of Holi, without their explicit consent, are often accompanied by Holi songs or laughing voiceovers in the background. These videos as well are widely shared and given significant visibility on users’ feeds, effectively normalizing and perpetuating such inappropriate behaviour. Other examples of objectionable content presented as humour on social media include mocking gay men, physical violence against trans women, sexualisation of women at gyms, making fun of women driving motor vehicles, police aggression towards ordinary citizens, and so on.
The endless stream of offensive content on social media is disheartening. It’s alarming that despite the fact that these acts, particularly those perpetrated against marginalized communities, are considered criminal and civil offenses with legal consequences under Indian Constitution and Indian Penal Code (IPC), they continue to be widely available on social media. Users are constantly bombarded with such content as they mindlessly scroll through their feed, which ultimately desensitizes them to behaviour that would otherwise be considered unacceptable and legally punishable. For instance, against misbehaviour on any occasion, including Holi, can be filed under Section 354A of the IPC that defines sexual harassment as the unwelcome physical contact, asking or demanding sexual activity, or making sexually explicit remark. In the context of castiest humour, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 provides protection to Dalits from various forms of discrimination and violence. Any act of intentional insult or intimidation with intent to humiliate a Dalit, in any place, in public view, is considered a punishable offence. However, while such a law is a necessary tool in combating caste-based discrimination, it must be coupled with efforts to change societal attitudes and promote awareness to ensure its effective implementation. On similar lines, physical violence against any individual, regardless of their gender identity, is criminalized under several provisions of the IPC; such laws ideally should be implemented with force especially when it comes to discrimination against sexual and gender minorities as they are among the most vulnerable groups susceptible to face violence in a heteronormative society like ours.
It’s noteworthy that social media apps have brought to light the gap between legal frameworks and societal behaviour more prominently. Although such disparity has always existed, the ease and ubiquity of social media has made it more apparent and pervasive, exposing the limitations of legal remedies in curbing harmful behaviour.
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Humour and power imbalance: A sociological interrogation of humour in social media
The use of laughter voiceovers or ‘jokes’ in textual forms on objectionable short videos serves as a powerful tool in downplaying the gravity of verbal, physical or emotional violence. According to Sev’er and Ungar, (1997, p. 87), jokes are not just “events” that are funny or harmful. Instead, joking implicates “a dynamic process where the characteristic of the joke teller and the audience interact with the embedded meaning of the joke. It is the interactions among these factors that determine whether efforts to be funny are acceptable or not” (p. 87).
The authors also point out the hierarchal nature of joke telling which reflects “codes of privilege” that allow some to use humour while inhibiting others from doing so. One of the highest-rated, most popular comedy shows on Indian television, Kapil Sharma Show, which bases itself on mocking marginalized communities, can be a good example of this.
Gender based humour reflects apt use of power differential approach. Research suggests that men tell more jokes and tell them more frequently and prefer more gender-based jokes than women. Furthermore, in a patriarchal set up, for example, who benefits from the joke is also shaped by the feminist versus patriarchal belief systems of the audience; people with pro-feminist attitudes will be displeasured by a sexiest humour, which suggests that gender awareness and sensitivity differentiates the response of audience towards humour.
It can be thus inferred that humour shields power imbalance. It has the potential to reinforce old belief systems, restrict social change, and preserve inequality. Kapil Sharma Show and humour in general in India, reflects the nexus of caste and gender as crucial in building what Waghmore calls the “standard humour” which entails making fun of “women, homosexuals, fat and dark people” (Waghmore 2016, p. 159, as cited in Shivaprasad, 2020). According to Waghmore, such standard humour “reinforce and recycles” dominant views of Hinduism and values around caste. This can be done through language use – regional language abuses. For example, caste-based abuses and phrases in Marathi become the basis of humour for the upper-castes rooted in systematic insults to Dalits.
- Algorithm biases in social media
Shadowbanning in social media is one way to understand how algorithms and technologies are not as ‘neutral’ as they are perceived to be. Brown (2021) writes that shadowbanning amplifies some voices while curtailing others. It hides or blocks some users’ content without their knowledge. It removes content from hashtag search and Instagram’s explore pages diminishing one’s visibility. Several creators and entrepreneurs have reported sudden drops in their engagement even without violating Instagram’s Community Guidelines. Brown further explains this by arguing that the unconscious biases of the developers are embedded in the systems they create. This is so because the majority of AI developers for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc come from homogeneous group (white, male, Americans of Silicon Valley) resulting in historic bias, prejudice and discrimination of that group which gets implemented into our systems.
Furthermore, Kayla Gogarty, disinformation researcher, looked at how fast TikTok directs users to hate speech and far-right content. She found that as a person engages with transphobic content; the platform recommends more transphobic, homophobic, misogynistic, and racist content. As social platforms expand on sensational media and several right-wing groups capitalize on this fact, it makes these sites harmful to LGBTQ people and other disadvantaged groups.
- Conclusion
The advent of social media has facilitated communication and information sharing, but has also served as a platform for discrimination and marginalization of vulnerable groups. The inherent biases in social media algorithms and profit-driven motives of corporations have led to the promotion of objectionable content that perpetuates discriminatory attitudes and behaviours.
Individual responsibility is the key in creating a more equitable society. Everyone must be aware of the content they consume and share on social media platforms and take responsibility for the impact of their actions on others. By working together towards a more inclusive and respectful society, we can ensure that everyone is valued and respected regardless of their gender, race, sexuality, caste, or other identities.
References
- Moloney, Mairead & Love, Tony. (2017). Assessing online misogyny: Perspectives from sociology and feminist media studies. Sociology Compass. 12. 10.1111/soc4.12577.
- Shivaprasad, Madhavi. (2020). Humour and the Margins: Stand-Up Comedy and Caste in India. IAFOR Journal of Media, Communication & Film. 7. 23-42. 10.22492/ijmcf.7.1.02.
- Sev, Aysan & Ungar, Sheldon. (1997). No Laughing Matter: Boundaries of Gender-Based Humour in the Classroom. The Journal of Higher Education. 68. 10.2307/2959937.
- Maaranen, Anna & Tienari, Janne. (2020). Social media and hyper‐masculine work cultures. Gender, Work & Organization. 27. 10.1111/gwao.12450.
About the author …
Shefali Bhatia is a graduate with Masters degree in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Her research interests entail history, urban sociology, gender and sexuality, migration, media studies, and sociolinguistics among others.
An indepth analysis of social media and its role in shaping the society…
Thank you for taking out time to read Aravind. Means a lot!
Well knit article with duly substantiated arguments. The observations and examples are perfect, presenting a picture with minute details and a call to pay attention to the content presented on social media, bidding adieu to absent minded consumption of content.
Thanks a lot for reading it in such depth, Bhuwan!