Abstract

In this public lecture, Lauren will be presenting an element of her wider doctoral work which outlines the cyclical nature of social media engagement. The wider parameters of this research have supported the design of addictive and habitual cycles of social media use, conceptualised using a critical realist-zemiological framework. The identity embodied by social media users will be considered in relation to the intersecting identity(ies) assumed by users depending on the way that they utilise social media platforms. This lecture will draw upon existing research surrounding the “prosumer” in consumer and content creator dynamics in cultural spaces online, including influencer culture and diet culture in contemporary society. The findings of this research draw upon lived experiences of social media users who outline why they continue to engage with social media despite recognising specific ‘harms’ they are exposed when using it.