How lurkers influence the online world

Transforming Society podcast

English - May 22, 2024 09:31 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MB
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Lurking, or reading the comments in an online group without writing a comment, is a common practice. But what does it mean to be a lurker?

In this podcast host Jess Miles speaks with Gina Sipley, Associate Professor of English at SUNY Nassau Community College and author of Just Here for the Comments. Gina challenges our assumptions about lurking, revealing it to be a complex and valuable form of online engagement.

They talk about the psychology of online behaviour, how lurking can be a form of resistance and social activism and the surprising value lurking brings to the world.

Gina Sipley is Associate Professor of English at SUNY Nassau Community College. Sipley is a first-generation college graduate. Follow her on Twitter: @GSipley.

Find out more about the book: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/just-here-for-the-comments

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/05/22/podcast-how-lurkers-influence-the-online-world/

Timestamps:

1:09 - Where did the title, 'Just Here for the Comments', come from?

2:19 - Who did you study, and on what platforms?

8:30 - Why does lurking have such a bad rep?

11:35 - What grassroot actions are lurkers taking, and how does it challenge traditional ideas of online participation and activism?

17:56 - Lurking as a privileged act

20:11 - What value does lurking bring?

23:36 - Who would you like to read the book, and what impact do you hope it will have?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax