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Producing Prod-Users: Conditional Participation in a Web 2.0 Consumer Community

Olsson, Tobias LU and Svensson, Anders (2012) In Javnost 19(3). p.41-58
Abstract
Is contemporary media ecology an ecology that offers unprecedented freedom for producing participators, the "prod-users," or could it also be understood as an ecology in which various forms of user participation are in fact conditioned, or manufactured, by professional producers? Considering the increasing research attention paid to various notions of user participation, these questions become important. This article critically discusses the theorising of mediated participation by illustrating and analysing ways in which users' participatory practices in fact can be both conditioned and formatted by producers making strategic use of participatory opportunities. By drawing on an ethnographically inspired case study of a web company,... (More)
Is contemporary media ecology an ecology that offers unprecedented freedom for producing participators, the "prod-users," or could it also be understood as an ecology in which various forms of user participation are in fact conditioned, or manufactured, by professional producers? Considering the increasing research attention paid to various notions of user participation, these questions become important. This article critically discusses the theorising of mediated participation by illustrating and analysing ways in which users' participatory practices in fact can be both conditioned and formatted by producers making strategic use of participatory opportunities. By drawing on an ethnographically inspired case study of a web company, Moderskeppet, this analysis reveals how the actual possibilities for participation thoroughly are conditioned by producers. The paper also analyses strategies and techniques applied by the producers to create a sense of participation among users. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Javnost
volume
19
issue
3
pages
41 - 58
publisher
European Inst Communication Culture
external identifiers
  • wos:000310925800003
  • scopus:84871211160
ISSN
1318-3222
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
35b66775-1966-491f-9e0f-79673df7b4f9 (old id 3252202)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:18:20
date last changed
2022-02-19 18:17:45
@article{35b66775-1966-491f-9e0f-79673df7b4f9,
  abstract     = {{Is contemporary media ecology an ecology that offers unprecedented freedom for producing participators, the "prod-users," or could it also be understood as an ecology in which various forms of user participation are in fact conditioned, or manufactured, by professional producers? Considering the increasing research attention paid to various notions of user participation, these questions become important. This article critically discusses the theorising of mediated participation by illustrating and analysing ways in which users' participatory practices in fact can be both conditioned and formatted by producers making strategic use of participatory opportunities. By drawing on an ethnographically inspired case study of a web company, Moderskeppet, this analysis reveals how the actual possibilities for participation thoroughly are conditioned by producers. The paper also analyses strategies and techniques applied by the producers to create a sense of participation among users.}},
  author       = {{Olsson, Tobias and Svensson, Anders}},
  issn         = {{1318-3222}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{41--58}},
  publisher    = {{European Inst Communication Culture}},
  series       = {{Javnost}},
  title        = {{Producing Prod-Users: Conditional Participation in a Web 2.0 Consumer Community}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}