Scholars frequently assert that participation is a key feature of our interaction with digital media. For example, Mark Deuze argues that ‘[p]articipation must be seen as a defining principle of digital culture’ (2006, p. 67). Increasingly accessible and manipulable digital media formats – and means of publication – point toward expanding opportunities for participation in what scholars have called ‘cultural citizenship’. Does ‘digital culture’ facilitate an enhanced opportunity for ‘cultural citizenship’?
Digital Culture has been called many names by different theorists, cyberculture, information culture, internet culture, virtual culture in cyber society (Deuze, 2006) and so on. It is important to note the though they may have diffenet names and have been conveived by different theorists, they all refer to the same thing. Digital Culture or Cyberculture refers to the culture and society that is emerging from the use for networked technologies for communication, education, business and entertainment (Manovich, 2001). It is not a function of either humans or machines but an expression if a individualized society in a globalized world (Dueze, 2006). It can also be refered to as the “global village” (McLuhan, 1962). As stated by McLuhan, technology has reduced the world to a village, bringing together social and political functions. It is the shared value systems, practices and expectations used to make an identity. It is an expression of individualization, postnationalism and globalization (Dueze, 2006).
In this instance, Dueze uses online journalism, Indymedia and blogs to study digital culture. He suggests that there are three elements that contribute to the digital culture, he calls them; Participation, Remediation and Bricoalge. Digital media allows full connectivity and give the people the ability to produce and share content. Digital or online content can be created by anyone and...