Integrating the Theory of Communication Visibility to Understand Digital Contexts of Violence

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

Violence, and lethal harms, involving digital contexts have been engendered in various cases like criminal selfies, image-based sex crimes, circulations of school violence videos, and so on, raising debates on digital platforms’ impacts on curating/spreading violence and associated victimization. Here, we introduce the theory of Communication Visibility (CV) from the field of Computer-Mediated Communication to help systematically address digital contexts in studying violence.
Communication Visibility (CV) refers to formation of digital traces from mediated communication between various actors, and thus characteristically involves multi-layer variations in actors, viewers, and socio-material environments. We propose and differentiate two, typically coexisting, formats of CV realizations involving violence - Communication Visibility of Violence (CVoV), and Violence of Communication Visibility (VoCV). We believe this differentiation is critical to recognize violence and harmful outcomes with digital contexts.
Specifically, visual representations of violence do not necessarily guarantee harm, as a street fight video attached with top condemnation comments could form anti-violence CVoV for viewers. VoCV, on the other hand, is an innovative form of violence specifically molded to digital contexts; it thus resists predictability and recognition. For example, anonymous online communication encouraging self-harms do not necessarily involve visual representation of violence, but may generate intentional lethal harms.

Authors

• Z. Georgie Shao, Rutgers University

• Jeffrey Lane, Rutgers University

• Elizabeth Griffiths, Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice