Social Media Use in the Bronx: New Research and Innovations in the Study of YouTube's Digital Neighborhood

Abstract

YouTube has surpassed other social media platforms on a massive scale in application and influence, and has recently begun to impact the way people seek out and use information, learn about the world, and share their own unique perspective often with an international audience. However, this ubiquitous form of social media is perhaps the least scholarly researched form of social media, particularly when it comes to so-called underrepresented and underresearched populations. Generally speaking, formalized social-media theoretical tools and systematic measurement have been lacking as well. YouTube exemplifies the tension between an empowered user and powerful commerce-driven creators in the battle for media control and demands scholarly analysis.

KEYWORDS:

• Bronx
• Internet
• social networking
• surveillance
• YouTube

Notes

Note. From Crick (2010), with permission. Sig., significance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matthew Crick

Matthew Crick, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Media Production at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. His current research interests focus on social media, storytelling, and power and surveillance in online environments. He has directed and produced a feature-length documentary, and directed, edited, produced, and shot a documentary short, and he is currently editing a second feature-length documentary that he co-wrote, directed, and produced.