Abstract

Gamification’s progressive inclusion in social media is shaping the new standards for online social interaction among billions of people worldwide. It has become increasingly difficult to imagine social media platforms without gamification elements such as points, e.g. Likes, rewards or badges. Yet, is Social Media turning into a game? If so how do people play the game and how do they hack it?

This talk presents my ongoing research on the use of gamification in social media as well as its reception and appropriation by Viennese adolescents. Firstly, the gamified features currently used by Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat will be outlined. Following this, Snap Streaks – Snapchat’s massively successful gamification element - will be examined closer. Qualitative interviews data will provide an insight into the ways Viennese adolescents play the Snap Streak “game”, and into the ways they hack it. Last but not least, the field of tension between the gamified affordances of social media, and the users’ practices of navigating affordances will be examined. This tension will be explored as a dance of co-creation and co-evolution of social media and its users’ practices.

About the speaker

Dayana Hristova, PhD student

University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology

IMC Guest