Russell Ku

SocSc180i - A-Q1
Final Paper - Tufekci

In A Networked Public, Tufekci offers the analogy of “the cramped seat in the middle row” to describe
what the “digitally networked sphere” can do. Through this analogy, it exemplifies how the sphere “helps
people reveal their (otherwise private) preferences… and discover common ground” with different kinds of
publics present in a controlled setting. Tufekci’s introduction of the “networked public sphere” displays the
impact of digital technologies in the evolution of the public that has helped democratize and coordinate
movements through a “complex interaction of publics” from all walks of life. Such has already helped
topple authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

This prompts me to think of my own analogy for the public sphere as I understand it. What I imagine to be
the analogy of Tufekci’s “networked public sphere” would be alike to when a celebrity is currently in a
livestream that is being watched by fans but is also monitored by the label she is signed into and their
managers. The particular celebrity in question is currently in conflict with her company but the discord
hasn’t been publicized by the media. Similarly, fans have voiced out their concern for the label’s
mistreatment of their artists. The celebrity cannot be able to do anything that directly voices out her
disdain for the label as that will put her into further legal and moral trouble. During that particular
livestream, one fan commented “clap if you hate your label” while the celebrity was telling an unrelated
story. The celebrity sees the comment and while narrating her story, she suddenly and subtly claps once
in response to the comment. After this, she moves on telling the rest of her story.

I think this analogy makes sense of the public sphere as despite the presence of authority to present fear
and dominance to its constituents as social cues and subtle gestures are being used to combat pluralistic
ignorance which are private preferences that are common but remain unspoken. Also, the use of the
livestream also displays Tufekci’s argument of how digital media blurs of private and public areas and
individual and collective action. This can also help coordinate sentiments among different publics and be
able to coordinate more strategic actions. In the analogy I gave, with the sentiments of the celebrity, the
fans can be able to take more precise, holistic, and coordinate actions that will help support the celebrity
but place pressure on her company for better treatment.

The rise of the networked public sphere has become a threat to repressive regimes as innovations such
as social media helps dissenters disseminate information not only to those who believe in their ideology
and beliefs but those who may be apolitical or disagree on certain issues and may awaken constituents to
the actual conditions in their area. This has also helped them find innovative ways to spread information
and coordinate action without the need to compromise their identity. This has been recently displayed in
countries such as Hong Kong and Thailand where social media gave rise to advocate for change in the
streets and subtle hand signs are used amongst the protest crowds to coordinate help and information to
evade and counter police force.

SUMMARY: Overall, the analogy I came up with the celebrity subtly voicing her disdain with her company
shows how the networked public sphere gave rise to innovative yet widespread methods to collectively
voice out dissent.