Indicative essay structure:
Introduction:
Background and significance of social media surveillance
Rationale for selecting the Small Red Book platform as the study subject
Objectives and methodology overview
1: Theoretical Framework of Social Media Surveillance
1.1Definition and classification of social media surveillance
1.2Application of surveillance practices on social media platforms
1.3Relationship between social media surveillance, individual privacy, and societal control
2: Surveillance Practices on Small Red Book Platform
2.1Overview and characteristics of the Small Red Book platform
2.2Data collection and personal information management mechanisms
2.3User behavior analysis and personalized recommendation algorithms
2.4Targeted advertising and social influence assessment
3 Case study: Influencer analysis on the Xiaohongshu platform:
3.1 Select an influencer in the beauty and lifestyle segments on the Little Red Book platform
3.2 Describe the influencer’s profile, content style and audience engagement
3.3 Examine the monitoring methods used by the influencer and the platform
Results and Analysis:
3.4 Identify monitoring behaviours observed from the influencer’s content and interactions
3.5 Analyse user attitudes towards surveillance behaviours, including perceptions of privacy and autonomy
3.6 Discuss the impact of surveillance behaviours on user experience and the digital culture of the Little Red Book platform
4: Ethical and Legal Implications of Social Media Surveillance
4.1Challenges and impacts of surveillance practices on individual privacy rights
4.2Effects of surveillance practices on social equity and justice
Conclusion:
Summarize surveillance practices on the Small Red Book platform and their impact on everyday life
Discuss the significance and challenges of surveillance practices for individuals and society
Use the concepts:
Foucault:
1.The uses of social media can be viewed as a quest for emotional intensity that manifests itself in brief focused moments of attention. Within the framework of the attention economy, attention is discussed as a valuable commodity, whereas distraction involves pleasurable entertainment and a disconcerting sense of disorientation, associated with cognitive overload and lack of concentration.Attention and distraction should not be understood as opposites, but rather as two sides of the same coin.
2.In a widely watched society, people will self-watch because they know they can be observed at any time. Social media reinforces this.
3.Defining what is the ideal body shape through health and beauty standards, which in turn leads people to follow a certain lifestyle and consumption pattern。
Feminist：
1.Through social media, women are able to redefine their image and thus move away from the (mis)representation that has long been criticised by the advertising and entertainment industries. In addition, social media have created alternative spaces for women to explore their identities, build shared experiences, and engage in political discourse. These women’s spaces often place the issue of the ‘body’ at the centre of their feminist practices through social media, based on the idea that the ‘personal is political’. Through social media, women have been able to challenge the traditionally clear distinction between the ‘public’ and the ‘private’ and to situate their personal experiences within the wider context of women’s shared experiences.
