drama and cancel culture

BCM241 AUTOETHNOGRAPHY DA

The last part of my research is focused on the drama that comes along with online veganism, and more specifically on the impact it has on influencers. With an influencers public decision regarding veganism comes a very public response. This can be in the form of a response or commentary video, comments, tweets and posts. Through this I aim to understand the effect that cancel culture has on social media influencers today.

Through observation, I was able to acknowledge that the response that influencers receive in regards to beginning or quitting veganism varies significantly, in both a positive and negative way, and these reactions can have a major impact on their careers.

Stella Rae and Yovana Mendoza are two ex vegan YouTubers who experienced an extremely negative backlash once they admitted they were no longer vegan. The comments under both of their videos were full of accusations of using the diet for views and fame, remarks about how disappointed their fans were of them and claims that they were unethical and deceitful. Many response videos by other vegans were made about them, including the one by Tofu Goddess who called Stella “egotistical” and said that she quit veganism for “no real reason.”

Once I did further research, I discovered why Stella’s fans were so angry. She had been lying about being vegan for over a year. She was still posting videos about her vegan diet, promoting the lifestyle and even selling vegan merchandise. Yovanna found herself in a similar situation when a video was posted of her trying to hide the fish that was on her plate. She finally admitted that she had been eating eggs and fish for two months while pretending that she was thriving off a vegan diet.

The effect of cancel culture is clear within these scenarios. Both Stella and Yovana admitted to be scared of ruining the brand they had created off of veganism and of the negative reaction of their fans, with Stella claiming that she hid it for so long because of “fear of judgement and seeing the backlash others received.” From an auto ethnographic approach, I am able to say that Stella’s action did cause her to lose many fans, including myself. Her videos were the reason I became vegan so once she no longer made vegan content, I unsubscribed.

Comparatively, I was surprised to discover that most response videos and comments about the majority of ex vegan YouTubers were sympathetic and factual. My field notes can conclude that this happens when there is no deceit involved. Some influencers just wanted to give it a go and it didn’t work out for them, so they are honest with their fans and in turn their fans are understanding. YouTubers such as Christie Swadling received positive feedback from her fans, both vegan and non vegan. They appreciated her honesty and wisher her the best in her future dietary decisions. Additionally, Tiffany Ferguson is an example of a vegan commentary YouTuber who makes educational and supportive response videos that aim to help these influencers remain healthy. Some may choose to “cancel” these YouTubers, but for the most part transparency has protected them from that culture.

Sometimes, YouTubers are able to use drama and cancel culture as a way to gain more fame. The unreliable and humorous nature of both Trisha Paytas’ and Nickocado Avocado’s veganism has encouraged a lot of negative comments and videos. Their comment sections are full of words such as “offensive”, “rude” and “shameful” and many response videos have been made about their diet. FreeLee the Banana girl is mostly well known for her brutal response videos, referring to Trisha’s and Nick’s diets as “disgusting” and calling them out for their dishonest ways. However, Nick has over 2 million subscribers and Trish has over 4 million, both of them gaining hundreds and thousands of views every video. This is an example of how it is possible to monopolize cancel culture and use the drama to gain more attention and thus more money.

In conclusion, veganism has proven to be an extremely risky area of the internet. Cancel culture is a significant part of social media and my research and autoethnographic reflection has proven that the severity of drama that follows a YouTuber’s decision to quit has a significant impact on their career, but can vary dramatically depending on their level of honesty and consideration.

why do influencers quit veganism?

BCM241 AUTOETHNOGRAPHY DA

The second part of my research is focused on the reasons behind an influencers decision to quit veganism and the drama that comes along with it. By looking back on the field notes I created throughout this auto ethnographic process, it was clear that there were a few overarching reasons I had noted down.

Veganism had taken over their identity
Lack of commitment or desire for attention
Health issues

Being an online persona will thousands of fans analysing every aspect of your personality would be extremely difficult. It is obvious that many of these influencers struggle with identity issues and being able to express who they truly are to the world. Through my research it became evident that many vegan YouTubers had quit the diet because they were losing themselves in the culture. Ex vegan YouTuber Raw Alignment (Alyse Parker) stated that veganism made her see food through a “tunnel vision” and that she made veganism the most important part of her personality. Similarly, Stella Rae stated that she became “obsessed” with the diet and felt guilty for craving animal products. Thus, many YouTubers quit veganism because they felt as if it was consuming their brand and lives.

The lack of commitment or desire for the attention they will receive from announcing they are no longer vegan is another current trend I acknowledged. As I touched on in my previous blog, Trisha Paytas and Nickocado Avocado are well known for using veganism as a trend and a way to gain viewers. Of course they are not going to be able to maintain the diet when they are not seriously committed and doing it for the right reasons. From observing comment sections and her YouTube videos, it seems as if Tana Mongeau among other YouTubers, was unable to maintain the diet because they just perceived it as a relevant trend to follow. Many of these influencers struggled with and eventually quit veganism because they did not do any research and were therefore not eating properly.

A massive reason behind influencers quitting veganism is because of health related issues. Sarah’s Day followed a raw vegan diet for 6 months before stopping due to constant sick ness and lethargy, losing body mass and discovering her allergy to soy. Similarly, Yovana Mendoza (previously known as Rawvana) quit veganism after 6 years after being diagnosed with SIBO and Raw Alignment claimed that veganism had caused her to experience brain fog and memory loss. By noting down these reasons in my field notes it was evident that these influencers quit veganism because they claimed that animal products immediately made them feel better.

Thus, my research has allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the unique circumstances in which influencers decide to quit veganism. I am able to conclude that these reasons are not all selfish and fame driven, but that these influencers are just humans too. These explanations do not point to one specific motive, but are rooted within many contexts, both respectable and insincere.

References:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324475#outlook

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzLQ_5hu5fuVSEHkMGEq7Vg

https://www.youtube.com/user/vlogmakeupbeauty

https://www.youtube.com/user/blndsundoll4mj

https://www.youtube.com/user/NikocadoAvocado

https://www.youtube.com/user/sarahsdayvideos

https://www.youtube.com/user/rawvanaeng

why do influencers go vegan?

BCM241 AUTOETHNOGRAPHY DA

First and foremost, I wanted to have a closer look at why influencers decide to go vegan in the first place.

Through observation I was able to acknowledge the most prominent reasons behind their decision to follow a vegan diet. By watching videos, reading comments on posts and examining accounts and analysing the way in which influencers and fans interact with each other, it became obvious that there were 3 main reasons (besides just wanting to give it a good ol’ go:

To gain attention and views
Following trends
Health concerns

Two of the most prominent personas within this research were Trisha Paytas and Nickocado Avocado, both YouTubers. They seem to be a very common topic of discussion within vegan forums and accounts, but not because of their inspirational role within the vegan community. Quite the opposite in fact. They have both been accused of using veganism to increase views and create drama in order to gain attention. Just by observing their channels, it is obvious that they treat veganism as a disposable term that they can use to create controversy and therefore gain fame.

Over the years, Trisha Paytas has claimed to be vegan, only to be exposed for lying or to quit soon after. She has done this on multiple separate occasions. She has also titled videos of her eating animal products as ‘vegan mukbang’, and filmed herself eating meat while wearing a ‘VEGAN’ shirt. Through my observation I was able to recognise that these videos did give her a lot of attention, albeit the negative kind, but attention nonetheless. Although they gained hundreds of thousands of views and earned her over 4 million subscribers, it was obvious that vegans, fans and random individuals had gone out of their way to call out her dishonest ways.

Similarly, Nickocado Avocado has also used this technique. He is known for constantly promising to go vegan, only to post mukbangs of him eating Mcdonalds and pizza the next day. This draws in his fans, the vegan community and those who are entertained or angered by his actions, therefore giving him the attention and that he desires.

Although it is very humorous, it is actually a prime example of the way in which influencers decide to go vegan as a way of becoming relevant within the media. These particular influencers proved my assumption regarding the use of veganism to gain attention and views.

Additionally, I discovered that keeping up with current trends is another main reason behind an influencers decision to go vegan. Through my observation, it became apparent that many YouTubers claimed that the emergence of a “raw food” and “high carb low fat” trend on social media influenced their change in diet. An ex vegan YouTuber, Bonny Rebecca, claimed that she chose to be vegan because “everyone was doing it, everyone was talking about it, a lot of YouTubers were promoting it” and that she “just got swept up in it.” This is just one significant example, but testifies to the many influencers who decided to go vegan to be apart of the current trends and therefore be relatable to more people.

Furthermore, health concerns, both heathy and unhealthy, were also one of the most prominent reasons why influencers went vegan. Stella Rae admitted that she had been dealing with an eating disorder before turning vegan, using the diet as an excuse to eat cleaner and have control over what she ate. She stated that her struggle with eating was disguised as a vegan diet to her friends, family and viewers. Similarly, Alyse Parker had dealt with binge eating and resorted to veganism as an attempt to control her diet.

Through this observational research I was able to determine these 3 reasons behind influencers going vegan. Through this, we will be able to analyse the relationship between their decision to quit the diet and the drama that follows it.

References:

What happened to Nikocado Avocado on Youtube? from vegan

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOu3SAozsyQyKE2wDAIJtdQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=bonny+rebecca+vegan&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjQva7Cm-jsAhX1nEsFHWPtB-UQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=bonny+rebecca+vegan&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQGDoCCAA6BAgAEB5QvRhYkh1gkSBoAHAAeACAAdgBiAGGCJIBBTAuNC4ymAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=4UOiX5DJLvW5rtoP49qfqA4&bih=618&biw=1046#imgrc=H-9sa8LxlW8lGM

veganism and the internet

BCM241 AUTOETHNOGRAPHY DA

Being a vegan myself, I am extremely interested in veganism and its role within the media. My research will analyse its online prevalence and investigate the intricacies of influencers and cancel culture in relation to this lifestyle.

When people ask me how long I have been vegan, they are surprised when my answer is 5 years. I believe this is because of the disposable way in which it is treated and perceived as online.

When people ask me why I decided to go vegan, they are surprised when I don’t go on a massive angry rant, but instead almost burst into tears, say “I don’t know” and then immediately change the subject.

They are surprised when they find out I am vegan in the first place, as I don’t seem to aggressively shove it down people throat like some vegan individuals and influencers do… ThatVeganTeacher. This article here is a great explanation of the impacts.

Obviously, there are more important issues in the world. But I do assume I am going to be judged or doubted, and I believe this is because of the way some vegan influencers portray themselves online. It seems as if it is not taken seriously due to it being used as a fad or for attention by various influencers who end up quitting it in the end.

But, the truth is, I do believe that veganism is important and essential for a sustainable and secure future.

Media and its influencers are such a significant part of our everyday and therefore hold great power over the way we think, act and make decisions. I believe the way some aspects of veganism are portrayed online prevent factual, helpful information from becoming easily accessible and understood. But, it goes both ways. The backlash that influencers receive from the online community regarding their diet and lifestyle further promotes a skewed version of veganism and helps cancel culture secure a permanent spot within social media.

Through my autoethnographic study I will be researching this phenomenon in order to better understand why influencers go vegan, why some stop, the impact of drama, and the effectiveness of cancel culture. I will incorporate several qualitative methods such as field notes, observation and network mapping to evaluate the prominence of this experience and draw conclusions about its relevance and meaning.

Here is a broad overview of what I predict to discover:

Some influencers become vegan because it was/is a popular social media trend
Some influencers stop following a vegan diet because they were never fully committed or desire the attention they may gain from quitting
Drama and response videos/posts will cause fans to be upset and for influencers to lose support
Cancel culture is extremely effective and may prevent influencers from being authentic

I have created a network map of relevant actors within this media niche, to help me kick off this research!

Through this I was able to determine that both influencers and fans hold great amounts of power over one another. Without each other, they would not have anything. This allows me to begin my research from a clear perspective, allowing me to highlight the importance of these connections and the relevancy of this discovery.

References:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSQoVxUf/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancel_culture#:~:text=The%20notion%20of%20cancel%20culture,a%20questionable%20or%20controversial%20manner.

Fight Climate Change by Going Vegan

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/zastokravemuucuuu

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/farm-animals-galore/56608257778

https://www.google.com/search?q=that+vegan+teacher+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjV1tKImOjsAhWahEsFHdUFC0cQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=that+vegan+teacher+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECCMQJzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzIECAAQQzICCABQmIIBWJiCAWCGhQFoAHAAeACAAbYBiAG2AZIBAzAuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=Q0CiX5WpGZqJrtoP1YusuAQ&bih=618&biw=1280&hl=en#imgrc=DwrK3MdoBAkHtM

BCM241 ETHNOGRAPHY PITCH

MEDIA ETHNOGRAPHY – PROJECT PITCH – VEGAN YOUTUBE DRAMA

As this project pitch explains, my media niche is based on the influence of both vegan influencers and the vegan online community. This project will allow me to analyse the impact that veganism and non-veganism has on the careers and power of the influencers themselves, and the fandoms associated with them. The concept of ‘Cancel Culture’ has become increasingly prominent among our generation and I therefore believe this media niche is worthy of exploring.

To complete this project, I will have to:

Search, discover and locate information
Observe, listen and participate in events
Remain ethical
Write, record, map and document
Think, reflect and narrativise
Communicate, report and mediate

My ability to problematize, conceptualise, contextualise, explore, compare and contrast my findings will determine how strong my project is and how beneficial it will be to my studies, my audience and myself.

There are many research methods and methodologies I could utilise within this project. However, it is important that I am able to acknowledge the ones that will be most appropriate. As I stated within my pitch, I plan to use interviews, observations and auto ethnography as they will work the best with my vision and goals. To conduct these, I will use:

Journals
Screenshots
Videos
Photos
Mapping
My own experiences
My connections to vegans and those within the online community

Through this ethnography, we will be able a gain a stronger understanding of the actions of those on each side of the drama and how this relates to all areas of social media and power.

References:

https://blog.issuu.com/niche-audience/#:~:text=A%20niche%20audience%20is%20a,for%20brands%20and%20their%20success.

Methods and methodology

https://methods.sagepub.com/book/autoethnography/i536.xml

https://www.google.com/search?q=research+method+vs+methodology&sxsrf=ALeKk03QT6zOEVm1HWFxJOYYdFXe_ugzVw:1599020899753&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=4kONtdzHtKwGnM%252CRCC96a6ZgGXWNM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kR_KBf1-7CUjmqqAC_haS9b-9aPSg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjhit-F0cnrAhWLzTgGHT6kC3cQ9QF6BAgHEAM&cshid=1599020966562029#imgrc=4kONtdzHtKwGnM

https://www.google.com/search?q=vegan+youtubers&sxsrf=ALeKk02ogPcNiVcwHON1bQxVPyxAbcELLw:1599021031068&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjv7q3E0cnrAhWx4jgGHQhnBrIQ_AUoAXoECA4QAw&biw=1192&bih=624#imgrc=TEAxKudZg00YfM

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/12/30/20879720/what-is-cancel-culture-explained-history-debate

BCM241 BLOG 4

MEDIA ETHNOGRAPHY – BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND ETHICS – VEGAN YOUTUBE DRAMA

The first goal of this blog post is to share the background research I have found and explain how it contributes to my understanding of the project and the results I may come across. I will use these sources to make sense of the different paradigmatic or theoretical frameworks I can implement into my work and how they are used to analyse my data and field notes. Although there are plenty of magazine articles, blogs and YouTube videos on the topic of vegan youtube drama, I have struggled to find a wide variety of actual scholarly and academic sources. However, I will combine both of these types of sources to ensure my research is as informed as possible.

Here are some of sources that have assisted me the most:

Intelligencer – What Is It With Vegan YouTubers and Drama?

By Madison Malone Kircher

This article touches on how common drama is within the online vegan community and backs up this information with specific examples, predominately focusing on FreeLee The Banana Girl. The source focuses on how vegan YouTubers are so quick accuse others of being unhealthy, fake, promoting eating disorders and claiming that the cause of testicular cancer is following a non-vegan diet! This source gave me insight into the extremities of the drama and encourages me to think about how this impacts the perspective and beliefs of viewers.

Observer – Why Is Vegan YouTuber Drama Always So Intense?

By Helen Holmes

This source explains that how being both vegan and having a prominent online presence is risky and comes with a lot of responsibility. It claims that a lot of these vegan YouTubers build their brand on tearing other down, and this is what is ultimately creating the drama within this community. The article also recalls times where drama has been created through false allegations and rumors, and points out how no longer being vegan automatically loses business. This highlighted the fact that viewers become fans and get attached to these influencers, therefore feeling betrayed when they change.

Voiceworks Journal Article – Bad Taste: The ignorance of internet veganism

By Ellen O’brien

This journal article investigates the influence of vegan YouTubers and the impact the the structure and delivery of their messages and videos has on viewers. It focuses on the guilt factor that is incooperated within some videos. This source allows me to consider the different emotions and experiences viewers and fans of these YouTubers have towards them and makes me question the reasoning behind wanting to get involved in this drama.

The second goal of this blog post is to acknowledge the different ethical issues that may arise throughout my auto ethnographic study and to ensure I know how to manage them.

Ethics, values and principles are what form the theoretical framework that helps us understand human behaviour. I need to apply these to my research in order to ensure everyone involved is safe.

I need to ensure I references my sources. I cannot take other’s work and claim it as my own.
I need to ensure everyone involved is fully aware of the nature of my research and what their information will be used for.
I need to ensure I have their permission to use their name, show their face, record them or quote them.
I need to ensure I stop immediately if someone is uncomfortable.
I need to ensure I respect everyone’s privacy and desire for anonymity.
I need to ensure I do not incorporate my own bias into the research.
I need to ensure all claims and statements are true and that I have evidence to back it up.
I need to ensure no harm is caused towards the participants.

References:

https://www.google.com/search?q=freelee+the+banana+girl&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjv6pLZt7rrAhWF6zgGHcFKChsQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=freelee&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECCMQJzoFCAAQsQM6BwgAELEDEENQ3C9YsDdgnz9oAHAAeACAAdgBiAHVCZIBBTAuNS4ymAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=iydHX6_5D4XX4-EPwZWp2AE&bih=624&biw=1280#imgrc=STOWWjIEOFXUOM

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/05/what-is-it-with-vegan-youtubers-and-drama.html

Why Is Vegan YouTuber Drama Always So Intense?

https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=046463388353413;res=IELLCC

BCM241 BLOG 3

MEDIA ETHNOGRAPHY – PROBLEMATIZING – VEGAN YOUTUBE DRAMA

In order to get my ethnographic research underway, I need to start problematizing my media niche. It is important to identify the problems within this topic before I attempt to create a research question and begin my investigation. If I expect to obtain interesting and informative results, I must recognise the most important issues within veganism and youtube. The issue is, I can’t decide on which area I want to problematise.

Analysing the impact veganism has on the careers of YouTubers and influencers. It would be interesting to examine how fame, fandoms, drama and cancel culture ties in with veganism and to solve how this affects their career. To better understand this niche, I would focus on these key issues:

Why they became vegan YouTubers
The impact viewers have on their decisions
How being vegan/not vegan has impacted their career
the effectiveness and prevalence of drama and response videos

However, I do not have easy access to big vegan and ex vegan YouTuber and therefore gaining this sort of information and perspective will be highly challenging.

On the other hand, focusing on the impact that YouTube veganism has on the fandoms and viewers may be a beneficial area to problematise. It would be interesting to gain an understanding of the prevalence of the online vegan community and how they perceive these influencers and the actions and messages they create regarding veganism. To better understand this niche, I would focus on these key issues:

The thought process behind either ‘stanning’ or ‘cancelling’ a particular YouTuber or influencer
The influence YouTubers hold over their audience’s opinions and actions
The power of fandoms
Cancel culture, response videos and online hate

This would be more accessible and suit an ethnographic study better. However, I feel as if it is not as interesting.

My expertise and knowledge from being a vegan myself will allow me to properly immerse myself in the study. This will help me relate more to the research and thus gain greater results. It is beneficial as I understand the content that is being discussed and I can therefore use my prior knowledge to generate innovative ideas.

By taking notes and exploring these problems, I will create a new insight and perspective that I will then be able to share with my audience. I am interested in sharing my results with anyone within the online community, as cancel culture and influencers play a massive part in all areas of the internet. I am interested in sharing my results with future employees so that I can prove my research abilities.

I will be implementing both observation and auto ethnography in my research.

I will spend time on vegan youtube channels, forums, blogs and social media accounts in order to observe how individuals within this niche communicate and interact with both influencers and one another. I will produce a field journal with taking note of specific accounts, channels, quotes, conversations and trends within this community and also add a participatory element to my research by engaging with this activity.

In addition, using the method of auto ethnography I will be able to compare my experiences and opinions on the topic and therefore create an autobiographical element to my research. Drawing on my beliefs and practices will allow me to be both emotional and analytical.

I will record my field notes through screenshots, interviews, note taking and bookmarking.

These processes and methods will lead me to a complete a descriptive analysis of my findings.

SCHEDULE:

WEEK 4: Decide on what specific area of this topic that I will focus on. I will analyse the accessibility, relevance and effectiveness of each topic in order to come to a conclusion.

WEEK 5: Start planning my project pitch. I will write a script and select the most important points to include in my video.

WEEK 6: Present project pitch.

WEEK 7: Do some additional background research. I will become familiar with the latest drama, popular YouTubers and where the online vegan community is most active. I will begin mapping and narrowing down my field.

WEEK 8: Subscribe to vegan YouTubers, join forums and start forming relationships and connections with the community. I will start to explore the intricacies of my topic.

WEEK 9-10: I will begin to acknowledge trends and where this research is taking me.

WEEK 11: I will start to compare and contrast my findings with other research in order to come to a conclusion.

WEEK 12: I will focus on assembling all data and presenting it in an appropriate and clear manner.

WEEK 13: Submit project.

References

https://www.google.com/search?q=problem+solving&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjIr76G8cHrAhUVB3IKHTbZDccQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=problem+solving&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIFCAAQsQMyBAgAEEMyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECCMQJzoHCAAQsQMQQ1D8D1iqH2CYIGgAcAB4AIABmgGIAeANkgEEMC4xMpgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=NQ9LX4jBFJWOyAO2sre4DA&bih=575&biw=1128#imgrc=pAXrjMpX3tNaDM

https://www.google.com/search?q=calendar&sxsrf=ALeKk02gly4imEq1JGVI9DNeXY8ii0-5MQ:1598754824750&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjv26Xr8cHrAhXczjgGHUhJDJoQ_AUoAXoECAsQAw&biw=1128&bih=575#imgrc=K7C2vnpmhp5g9M

BCM241 BLOG 2

MEDIA ETHNOGRAPHY – FIELD SITE – VEGAN YOUTUBE DRAMA

This field site assisted me in forming connections between all the relevant actors to my topic. It allowed me to create a network between all factors and help me recognise the relationship to one another.

Through this ethnography I will be able to enhance my ability to address social issues, acknowledge trends and create solutions to questions I am presented with. By ethnographically exploring vegan YouTube and the complexity of the personas involved, I will develop a greater understanding of the power of influencers as well the impact of the vegan community. This will help me analyse how these forces work together and will assist me in developing knowledge on how this topic is relevant in today’s society, both online and offline. Exploring this media niche will teach me how to effectively problematise, approach, explore and contrast the information and results I find. It will also strengthen my skills of being flexible and sensitive towards every project I do.

Presenting this subject as a digital artefact will allow me to develop the necessary skills of conceptualising, mapping and narrowing information, which is an essential factor in both the international studies and communications and media field. This artefact will demonstrate how academic work is composed and will allow me to clearly reflect on the project I have created.

Presenting clear and comprehensible work will advance my professional and social skills as well as preparing me for future projects. This digital artefact will encourage others to consider my ideas, and may therefore result in change within individuals and groups.

I believe my niche is extremely relevant to my future career, in both international studies and the creative industries. The consideration of animals rights and the environment is becoming extremely prevalent within all aspects of the media, including social media, youtube, television, film and news. The media is where everyone can access a multitude of information, statistics, reports and videos regarding veganism. However, lots of drama and distortion comes along with it. This phenomenon is becoming increasingly popular within the media and thus it is relevant and necessary to investigate.

It seems as if the findings of my research may interest anyone. People either love or hate vegans, and so this topic may be fascinating for many different groups. However, I do assume that the group who would take the most interest in these findings would be those who do follow a vegan diet.

As I have followed a vegan diet for 4 years, I do bring a specific perspective and personal experience to this project. I need to ensure that I remain unbiased and adopt the viewpoint of others. My experience may allow me to acknowledge certain types of behaviour and trends within the community. However, I am not an avid YouTube watcher and so I will have to try hard to see things from a fandom’s point of view.

In order to problematise this subject, I need to narrow my ideas down and identify the issue that has the most social, cultural and media relevance. I need to acknowledge how different aspects within this subject impact one another and then decide on what needs to be addressed. I will consider how this issue affects influencers, the vegan community, the online community and careers.

There are plenty of articles and YouTube videos regarding veganism and youtube drama, however I am yet to find scholarly articles. Hopefully further research will

BCM214 BLOG 1

MEDIA ETHNOGRAPHY – VEGAN YOUTUBE DRAMA

For my ethnography, I am planning on focusing on veganism, and more specifically on the drama surrounding the diet on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. As I have been vegan for 4 years, my level of expertise is somewhat high. However, I do not watch vegan YouTube, nor do I know too much about specific drama instances. This will make this ethnography insightful and interesting to myself as well as my audience.

*https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk00RGeajXb0M6PrQDJYRxipFLBv5ow:1596584240800&sourc*

I plan to focus on the power of the online vegan community and the influence they have over an individual’s online career. ‘Cancel Culture’ has become such a common thing and I therefore seek to explore the reasoning and mindset behind this phenomenon.

The content and spectacle of this topic most commonly occurs on YouTube, a platform that allows influencers to upload videos and viewers to comment, like, unlike and subscribe to this content. YouTube has a massive presence in todays society and is used by some of the most famous people in the world. This platform has created its own celebrities and has become one of the most popular forms of media. The nature of YouTube allows influencers to be highly responsive to their audience and has allowed them to create individual fandoms. Vegan YouTubers have a target audience of those who are vegan, but most do aim to reach those who are not vegan in order to spread their message further.

There is an extensive list of YouTubers who have stopped being vegan, many who have experienced response videos, exposés and online harassment because of it. This ethnography will question why were they vegan in the first place and why they feel a responsibility to announce their change of diet to their audience. Is veganism more than just a diet, is it a way to make money, fit in, avoid hate, sell products, attract fame or a result of online pressure?

Many very prevalent online personas have been involved in this type of drama, some with millions of followers and subscribers. Some include:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5ymak/rawvana-vegan-youtube-influencers-quit-veganism

Using the perspectives of viewers, I aim to assess why no longer being vegan has such a dramatic impact on the careers of these influencers. It is common for response videos and online posts to be made following these announcements, in which fans and other influencers shame, expose and undermine the actions or reasoning behind their decision.

Let me give you an example:

Vegan YouTubers such as Tim Shieff and Rawvana suffered a dramatic decrease in subscribers and followers once they announced they had incorporated fish and eggs back into their diet. Numerous response videos were made about their decision and their audience became divided. Tim, who is a freerunner, and Rawvana who was a fitness and health blogger who constantly promoted a vegan diet, experienced great damage to their reputation once their vegan diet ended. Thus, I will consider how no longer being vegan on the internet impacts an influencer’s career and appeal to their audience.

It would also be interesting to research how this impacts vegans online compared to offline; does it make viewers feel guilty for not being vegan? Is it even prevalent outside of the vegan online community?

Climate change, animal rights and environmental issues have become a more prevalent topic of conversation in todays society and thus, the values of veganism have become more popular. More people are considering what vegans have to say and vegan cafes, restaurant and substitutes are now very common. Overall, veganism is becoming increasingly prominent, however, it is still a very niche area of the internet as it isn’t something everyone can relate to.

This media niche should be considered interesting by others as veganism and the use of social media is only becoming more and more prevalent. This proves the power that fandoms and particular online communities have over creators and their level of transparency and overall presence. Through this ethnography, we will be able a gain a stronger understanding of the reasoning and actions of those on each side of the drama and how this relates to all areas of social media fame and following.

https://www.google.com/search?q=veganism&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjmzJ7324LrAhV7gGMGHeWeCdUQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=veganism&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCABQ35kBWJOhAWC7pAFoAHAAeACAAbABiAG6A5IBAzAuM5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=WPEpX-bAKvuAjuMP5b2mqA0&bih=617&biw=1280#imgrc=8PaQ8nxtk_COmM

REFERENCE LIST:

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism#:~:text=Veganism%20is%20a%20way%20of,ways%20to%20embrace%20vegan%20living.

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/12/30/20879720/what-is-cancel-culture-explained-history-debate

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBzE8s7espH9Esy0FO_iTSg

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG8rbF3g2AMX70yOd8vqIZg

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClWD8su9Sk6GzZDwy9zs3_w

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzLQ_5hu5fuVSEHkMGEq7Vg

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZMX5mnCXg8xfULwZBGedjA

https://www.youtube.com/user/JoeyGraceffa

https://www.youtube.com/user/sarahsdayvideos

https://www.youtube.com/user/steveo

IMAGES

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5ymak/rawvana-vegan-youtube-influencers-quit-veganism

https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk00RGeajXb0M6PrQDJYRxipFLBv5ow:1596584240800&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2hpvk24LrAhUYzTgGHeWeCQwQ_AUIECgD&biw=1280&bih=617&dpr=2#imgrc=rTmhTV_p1VaHyM

https://www.google.com/search?q=veganism&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjmzJ7324LrAhV7gGMGHeWeCdUQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=veganism&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCABQ35kBWJOhAWC7pAFoAHAAeACAAbABiAG6A5IBAzAuM5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=WPEpX-bAKvuAjuMP5b2mqA0&bih=617&biw=1280#imgrc=8PaQ8nxtk_COmM

migration and security

INTS207

This week in INTS207, we focused on the security of migration and the complexities of the causes and impacts of the global migration crisis the world is facing today.

The three main elements of this lecture included:

The reason why so many people are forced to flee their homes
The dangers of migrating
The various responses to migrants

In times of turmoil, people from all over the world are either forced to leave their homes to avoid persecution and violence, or decide to settle somewhere new in hopes of leading a better and safer life.

The rapid population growth in todays society is creating a massive strain or land and necessary resources. Developing countries including Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait are experiencing extremely rapid population growth, creating an increasingly high demand on resources. When countries can not provide enough food, water and shelter to keep up with these trends, citizens look elsewhere for a place that adequately satisfies these needs and where they can therefore lead a healthy and secure life. Similarly, many countries are experiencing intra-state conflicts and civil war, creating an extremely dangerous living conditions and putting citizens directly at risk. The United Nations has stated that the Syrian civil war has displaces 6.5 million people and forced more than 3 million to flee to countries including Turkey and Jordan in order to avoid persecution.

Migrating can be extremely risky. It is possible to get lost, go missing or drown during the journey, with more than 3770 people reported to do so 2015. Migrants and refugees are not offered any protection and are faced with threats of physical and sexual abuse, kidnapping, starvation and unsafe boat and on-foot journeys in open sea and conflict zones. The lecture provided information on some of the tragedies that occurred in 2015 alone:

Two boats carrying about 500 migrants sank after leaving Zuwara in Libya on 27 August
The bodies of 71 people, believed to be Syrian migrants, were discovered in an abandoned lorry in Austria on 27 August
A shipwreck off Italy’s Lampedusa island killed about 800 people on 19 April
At least 300 migrants are feared to have drowned after attempting to cross the Mediterranean in rough seas in early February

Each country has a unique response regarding the welcome and settlement of refugees and migrants. Most have strict border policies, including the US and Australia, where there have been attempts to prevent their arrival all together. Countries including Australia, Jordan and and Kenya have refugee camps, where those who arrive there are placed in indefinitely.

The refugee and migrant crisis is the greatest humanitarian issue in the world day. As Mansbach and Taylor stated in the textbook, between 1984 and 2004, the number of refugees almost doubled, and is only growing higher. The harmful stereotypes of refugees and migrants have prevented their ability to comfortably settle in a country, but realists have explained that we can turn the “differences that are perceived as a security issue into a potential to create more inclusive societies.”