You may have heard of the term produsage before, but is it merely another buzz word invented by new conventions of the digital age; or does it represent something much more? Rapid innovations of technology and the increasing prominence of the internet in our current digital age have given rise not only to an evolution of digital platforms themselves, but also to new concepts of how information or content is actually created and shared.
Produsage
merges the role of a producer and user into one
seamless entity, allowing
individuals to both create and utilise information simultaneously (Bruns,
2007).
The most common online platforms are:
- Blogs
- Wikipedia entries
- Online forum communities
- Within the virtual realms of video games through player avatars
Every day we also encounter forms of produsage through social media platforms such as:
Most social media users are engaging in produsage constantly - whether they read forum posts, research the blogosphere or browse other Facebook users photos, they are essentially feeding off this exchange of information (whether that’s for inspiration, ideas or a second opinion) before producing their own unique content. This network is believed to operate in a fluid hierarchy where people are encouraged to contribute (Bruns 2007) and add value to projects by inputting their own interests, knowledge and personal skills.
 |
| (Source: n6884717, 2009) |
Produsage has it's benefits and faults as the image above shows. It can stimulate the discussion of alternative views and
opinions about culture, religion and politics, which can help to facilitate a
better breeding ground for ideas. On the other hand, it raises moral and
ethical issues about people sharing misinformation or attempting to twist
stories (such as the war in Iraq) to their own agenda.
So, why does produsage even matter? As intelligent individuals, we should be constantly questioning our media sources...produsage allows us to do that and gives us the opportunity to become one of those media sources (Stewart, 2012).
Bye for now,
Lisa
Reference List:
Bruns, A 2007, 'Produsage.org: from production to produsage: research
into user-led content creation', accessed 9 February 2014,
<http://produsage.org/>
n6884717 2009, 'Wikipedia: Academia in Action', N6884717's blog, wordpress.com, 9 May 2009, accessed 9 February 2014, <http://n6884717.wordpress.com/>
Stewart, B 2012, 'What produsage is and why it matters', The Theory Blog, cribchronicles.com, 3 July 2012, accessed 9 February 2014, <http://theory.cribchronicles.com/2012/07/03/what-produsage-is-and-why-it-matters/>
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