Net102 - Essay 1

My 1st essay in Net102. This is an unedited copy of a submitted and marked essay. Please do not copy the essay, it is plagiarism.

My focus was on Health, and how through the internet, pregnant women are empowered by the information they now have access to. I received a credit for this essay.

Throughout the course of their life women experience many health related changes from puberty to menopause and potentially pregnancy. This essay will analyse how women accessing Internet sites providing information on pregnancy has the potential to alter the way in which women experience and understand pregnancy. It will argue that pregnancy experiences change for women when they are able to access online material directed towards expectant mothers that are diverse and that enable women to gather up and redefine their pregnancy experiences in empowering ways. Women are at the forefront of information gathering online, research showing that women are more likely than men to search for health-related information (Sarkadi & Bremberg, 2005). Haythornthwaite (2002) explains that the Internet has indeed been routinely incorporated into almost every aspect of business, educational and leisure activities. This incorporation of activities is one aspect of how everyday life is being experienced through the Internet-mediated activities of information and communication. 

Pregnancy is part of everyday life. As a mother and/or parent the period of pregnancy is spent furnishing for a life role not currently inhabited. The nine months of gestation is a time of creating a new 'habitus' (Fiske, 2002) as a parent, a mother. Through communicating and collaborating in online communities, one is able to create an online identity of a pregnant women, through 'the weaving of one's own richly textured life within the constraints of economic depravation and oppression’ (Fiske, 2002, p160). Thus reaching out to other women who are also using the Internet to begin ‘constructing, and therefore exerting some control over, social identities and social relations' (Fiske, 2002, p160). To an extent, a mother to be, regardless of economic status, creates an idea, creates the outlines of the life they want for their child, and that they want to lead as a parent. They are using the online tools available to them to extend control their pregnancy and collaborating with other women who are undergoing the same changes to their everyday lives.

Online communities are a source of collaborative reassurance for many pregnant women. They enable women to communicate across physical boundaries, time zones and cultural differences. Through online communities, many women form online mothers groups with whom they continue to communicate with beyond the end of their pregnancy. (Ley, 2003) Online social networks and communities also have the potential to disempower women through the creation of unnecessary stress. Women experience their pregnancies differently and have a myriad of conditions and histories that contribute to the way they experience pregnancy. In this instance, not all information shared is information that empowers. Being able to communicate with other women online does allow the opportunity to engage in relatively anonymous discourse with other women experiencing pregnancy at the same time. This discourse enables ritualization of particular milestones throughout pregnancy, such as discovering the sex of the child and discussing symptoms. (Wu Song et al, 2012) 

The Internet and its applications hold the collective intelligence of all who use them. It is this information online that many women search to access while pregnant. Through the collective knowledge of many, women are embracing the empowerment of gathering information about the changes occurring within them during pregnancy. Collective intelligence may be powerful, persuasive and formed through global collaboration; however, this is information is not individualized. Eyesenbach (2008, p3) states ‘the health professional is an expert in identifying disease, while the patient is an expert in experiencing it’ (Davidson & Pennebaker, 1997). Recognising that the consumer of healthcare is the expert in experiencing their condition empowers one to take control of their health, however, limiting professional contact in exchange for online access to unendorsed information has the potential to negatively affect a woman’s pregnancy journey. Pregnant women are discovering information online that they perceive to be reliable but are not always choosing to discuss these findings with a health professional during scheduled antenatal appointments (Larsson, 2007). The information gap between face-to-face discussions and that gained from online searches needs to be minimized, limiting the amount of irrelevant and potentially harmful information pregnant women believe. Patients want their health professionals to provide them with guidance on useful Internet sites regarding their specific health problems (Salo et al., 2003), ensuring that collaborative discussions form part of each visit with a medical professional will assist women in making empowered decisions throughout their pregnancy.

Due to work outside of the home commitments and living far from family members, women who are pregnant have less time and fewer opportunities to receive support from offline friends and family (Ley, 2007). These changes from local family based communities to global online communities help fill the void for emotional support. It is the process of validation within a like-minded community that is a major source of this support (Lowe et al, 2009). Online-communities also help to share the anecdotal information that is traditionally passed between women during the time of pregnancy. This anecdotal information is often not medically endorsed, however, being involved in familial discourse may help a pregnant women self monitor her pregnancy and provide a feeling of reassurance and empowerment in decision making throughout her pregnancy. The opportunity to collaborate online with a midwife or other endorsed medical professional would add an endorsed layer to the advantages of online intelligence. 

Nettleton, Burrows & O’Malley (2005) have shown that consumer use of the Internet supports the idea of media convergence, in which traditional trusted information givers (in this case official health information sites) are highly valued online. In part, due to this, the Internet has become a valuable source of information and support for pregnant women as they navigate the changes in their everyday lives. Decision-making processes for women are enhanced when they are able to access online material directed towards expectant mothers that are diverse, enabling them to redefine their pregnancy experience in empowering ways. The information that is retrieved online ‘should then be discussed during antenatal care visits to ensure that new knowledge generates understanding, empowerment and a sound preparation for childbirth and parenthood’ (Larsson, 2005, p19). The support of online communities is invaluable, particularly for those without an offline support group in close physical proximity. Through the Internet-mediated activities of information and communication pregnant women are empowered to access the Internet for information and support throughout their pregnancy.

Reference List

Eyesenbach, G. (2008). Medicine 2.0: Social Networking, Collaboration, Participation, Apomediation, and Openness. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 10(3) e22. doi:10.2196/jmir.1030

Fiske, J. (1992). Cultural Studies and the Culture of Everyday Life. In L. Grossberg, C. Nelson & P. Treichler (Eds.), Cultural Studies ,154-173, New York: Routtledge.

Haythornthwaite, C (2002) The Internet in Everyday Life. American Behavioral Scientist, 45(3), 363-382 

Larsson, M (2005) A descriptive study of the use of the Internet by women seeking pregnancy-related information, Midwifery, 25(1), 14-20

Ley, B. L. (2007), Vive Les Roses!: The Architecture of Commitment in an Online Pregnancy and Mothering Group. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, (12), 1388–1408. 

Lowe, P, Powell, J, Griffiths, F, Thorogood, M & Locock, L (2009) Making it all normal: the role of the internet in problematic pregnancy, Qualitative health research, 19(10), 1476-84.

Nettleton, S., Burrows, R. & O'Malley, L. (2005), The mundane realities of the everyday lay use of the internet for health, and their consequences for media convergence. Sociology of Health & Illness, (27), 972–992.

Salo, D., Perez, C., Lavery, R., et al., 2003. Patient education and the Internet: do patients want us to provide them with medical web sites to learn more about their medical problems? The Journal of Emergency Medicine 26 (3), 293–300.

Sarkadi, A., Bremberg, S., 2005. Socially unbiased parenting support on the Internet: a cross-sectional study of users of a large Swedish parenting website. Child: Care, Health & Development, 31(1), 43–52.  

Wu Song, F, Ellis West, J, Lundy, L & Dahmen, N., (2012) Women, Pregnancy, and Health Information Online: The Making of Informed Patients and Ideal Mothers. Gender & Society doi:10.1177/0891243212446336

that Fiske reading again...

It has been playing around in my head and here is another thought, a thought more closely related to my essay 1 topic...

I might change the direction altogether and try to relate the concepts Fiske uses to the way women form a 'new' everyday life when expecting a child, particularly, their first child. I think this time in a woman's life (and to an extent her partner) is a rare time where one's 'normal' patterns of everyday life are shifting. The idea of 'expecting' a child, leads me to the concept of 'expecting' your everyday life to no longer hold the patterns of your previous life. The period of pregnancy is spent 'furnishing' for a life you do not lead yet. 9 months creating a new 'habitus' as a parent, a mother.
'the weaving of one's own richly textured life within the constraints of economic depravation and oppression, are not just ways of controlling some of the conditions of social existence; they are also ways of constructing, and therefore exerting some control over, social identities and social relations.' (Fiske, 1992) To an extent, a mother to be, regardless of economic status, creates an idea, creates the outlines of the life they want for their child, and that they want to lead as a parent. They are using what control they have over the life they have and the life their child will have, thus creating the basis of an identity, of an everyday life to be.
Maybe? I know, not related to the online world at all!!

cheers
Sarah

Fiske, J. (1992). Cultural Studies and the Culture of Everyday Life Cultural Studies (pp. 154-173). New York: Routledge

Power & Economy

Woah! Power & Economy. Not really top of my list in topics I feel a natural warmth to, however, when looking at them from the angle of the Internet, perhaps, just perhaps, I can glean some comprehension of these drivers of society.

My discussion board posts this week, went something like this:

What is the political economy of new media? Use Mansell to assist you in your answer.

The political economy of new media refers to the power and authority over the access to information and products and how then this relates to all through economic ties. The studies on how the Internet influences politics and power have been limited thus far. It is important to study this power and influence as many assume equality online, however, due to the influence of large organisations there is now a disconnect between that assumption and reality. There are a large number of studies into the products and services of new media, these studies do not delve into the powers "that are embedded within them" (Mansell, 2004, p97).
Economically, power is created through managing the scarcity of the resource. Within the parameters of new media, scarcity to formed through ‘the use of copyright, promotion of obsolescence, creation and sale of audiences and favoring’(Mansell, 2004, p98) The Internet is also controlled through fiscal means, creating spaces that need to be paid for to access, effectively ‘walling off’ (Mansell, 2004, p98) real estate online, inadvertedly (or not) created spaces that only people with the right knowledge/money/power can access.
Mansell, R. (2004). Political economy, power and new media. New media and society, 6 (1), 96-105.

Why must we be aware of power and institutions when studying the internet?

We must be force our awareness of power and institutions when studying the internet to ensure we recognise that the internet is not a "non-hierarchical economy and culture" (Mansell, 2004, p101). The Internet has created opportunities for many people but rarely do the main players within powerful institutions offer these opportunities in an altruistic way. For major media companies, people's interest, ideas and information are necessary for them to grow, we are the commodity and are now very easy to access.  It is important to be critically aware that the even though each individual now has the power to publish themselves online there is "unequal participation and power in the open source communities" (Mansell,2004, p101). All people are not equal online, and much like traditional offline culture, powerful companies hold power online, and with that the ability to effect public opinion, political movement and access to information.
Mansell, R. (2004). Political economy, power and new media. New media and society, 6 (1), 96-105.


Web 2.0 - Facebook, twitter, Instagram - gathers a significant amount of users - of what use is this to advertisers? 

The data collected via these web 2.0 applications is like a goldmine for advertisers. Users give data for free to the site, once the information is on the site it belongs to them. Once given freely, your data is then used to target advertise to you specifically, creating sales, and buzz, more 'likes' for the advertiser etc. . More than that, the application you gave that information to for free makes money off that free information. In a previous unit, one of the students asked on the blackboard 'would you pay for Facebook if that meant no advertising and data collection?'. I still think this is an interesting question - to keep your data within your control, would you pay for that service?.
Beyond Facebook, twitter, Instagram there are many 'word of mouth' online marketing companies who count on the general publics interest in sharing their opinion to help promote their clients products. I was recently sent a box of kids vitamins to 'share' with other mums. Through this online medium savvy marketers are finding and then adapting to the flexible delivery methods now available to them.


So, yes, it was an involved week. I have lost my way a little on Essay 1 and am questioning if I have involved the reading from Fiske at all. Perhaps I need a paragraph on 'everyday life' and what that actually means.....hmmmmm.....Must read and respond to the Gilbert reading for this week also.

cheers
Sarah

Heavy reading - Fiske

Part of our reading list for Net102 is Cultural Studies, John Fiske. It's dense and tricky and I really want to be able to glean understanding of his theory of everyday and be able to it apply it in some way to my upcoming assignments.

I was struggling along, and then LIGHT BULB!

I considered bloggers as I was reading through Fiske at 6.30am this morning.  The space a blogger inhabits online is also part of their everyday life. They 'furnish' their site, they use the concept of 'texturing' to create a space that they feel comfortable in in order to share their words online and also a space that people can be welcomed into. Often bloggers decorate their blog with items/images/videos of personal meaning to them, not so unlike the idea from Leal (1990) of the 'entourage' or mini-environment.

I have more of the reading to go, however, just being able to translate some of the reading into a context that I can get amongst has helped me immensely!

How did you feel about the reading?

Back on topic, the essay and how the Internet has or has not altered the way women make decisions and gather information durning pregnancy.

cheers
Sarah

Fiske, J. (1992). Cultural Studies and the Culture of Everyday Life Cultural Studies (pp. 154-173). New York: Routledge.