I am Online, Therefore I Exist. New Media as a Sphere of Users’ Social Creativity

Abstract

This paper examines the social and creative practices of new media users, identifies their varieties from the point of view of the product and subject of this activity, analyzes their nature through the characteristics of the properties of the online space and through the prism of ideas about the network society. Creativity, in general, is considered in the context of the communicative approach, according to which the creative act involves not only the creation of a new, never-before-seen but also is realized when its result is included in the social context. In addition, social creativity is defined as an activity aimed at transforming social space, the product of which can be new practices, norms, values, and organizational forms of individuals. Ideas about the systemforming role of information and communication technologies in the structure of modern society allow M. Castells and J. van Dijk to characterize it as a network, whose members are included in many communities (including virtual ones) and discourses. Participation in mediated horizontal communications requires individuals to be socially active and creative. The environment of the global information network, its variability and novelty motivate the user to engage in social and creative practices. The work proposes a classification of the latter on two grounds: in terms of the subject, we can talk about individual and collective practices, in terms of the creativity result, practices are allocated to aimed at the production of digital artifacts, the implementation of socially-active activities or the creation of social samples. The author concludes that participation in creative practices allows the users to realize social and communicative needs and, ultimately, to declare their existence in the virtual world.

Factors Influencing Social Media Platform Engagement among Thai Students: A Quantitative Study

“…The findings indicate that social media and KM are closely associated, contributing to enhanced employee creativity and innovation in business operations. In addition, Ustyuzhanina [35] explored the social and creative practices of new media users within the network society context. It considers creativity a communicative act involving creating something new and integrating it into the social context.…”