Task 1 – In your blog list all the social media apps
Nick Gellatly – Digital Media Production Student – Year 1, Semester 2
Q1: In your blog list all the social media apps you use in hierarchical order (favourite at the top).
I use quite a number of Social Media Apps – mainly on my phone. The first one I signed up to was Facebook – more than 10 years ago – and the most recent (that I *actually* use) is TikTok which I joined five years or so ago but it has become my favourite app in more recent times having begun using it during the 2020 Covid 19 lockdowns.
So, my hierarchy is:
- TikTok
Q2: Write a sentence of what you think the impact of web 2.0 is, use any online app, website etc to help you.
I’d never heard of Web 2.0 before this morning but I now understand that it is a phase of the internet where ordinary web users like me can create, share, and remix content rather than just passively consume it and I’m looking forward to finding out more. From what I understand about it from some brief ‘Googling’, it is a powerful tool to raise the profile of marginalised voices, building inclusive communities, and challenging harmful narratives. It enables grassroots activism, mutual aid, and solidarity across borders. At the same time, I am aware of issues like harassment, misinformation, and polarisation, so I feel a responsibility to use these platforms ethically, listen carefully, and create safer, braver spaces whenever I am online.
Q3: Write a sentence of what you think long form and short form content is, use any online app, website etc to help you.
Short-form content is any piece of media that can be quickly consumed and understood, like a tweet, TikTok, or short blog post, while long-form content is more in-depth and detailed, such as a podcast episode, YouTube video, or long article – such as The Guardian’s ‘Long Read’. Short form content will generally focus on a summary of an issue or single aspect while long form content is more likely to look at a question in depth and is more likely to offer more in depth discussion and detail.
Q2: In your blog express your opinion of TikTok, useful?, not useful?, utter sh*t?, entertaining? etc. Give one or more examples why? What do I think about TikTok?
I love TikTok! I resisted downloading the app to begin with worrying about the influence of the Chinese state but eventually succumbed to it during the lockdowns of 2020 when its fun dances and viral videos became an interesting, and diverting, activity in a miserable time for many.
Since then I have used the app in every increasing amounts – there is scarcely a day when I don’t spend an hour or so scrolling my FYP (for you page). I enjoy the political content – which paradoxically appears to cover the items of less interest to the billionaire news and media corporations. I also like the content which is on the cusp or entertainment and information/education – particularly on topics of personal interest such as history, therapy/psychology, cycling, Scotland and so on.
I think it is a tool which, in spite of its potentially negative aspects, is an app which helps to democratise content – a little like Web 2.0 might achieve – in that it allows each of us to publish our thoughts, opinions and, indeed, talents to an audience we would not otherwise fine. For example, I recently published one of my sermons on TikTok – there were 25 people in the congregation but the video has been seen by a few hundred people. Good for my message but perhaps, if I’m honest, also good for my ego!
Task 3
Q1: In your blog find 4 examples of digital content creation covering: Branded goods, •Personal Stories, •Educational tutorials, •Brain rot content.
I chose to focus on Scottish digital content for this exercise:
- Branded goods – Chloe Donald, a Scottish YouTuber whose gaming, unboxing and lifestyle channel regularly features brands like G Fuel, Ray-Ban and Bershka in both short- and long-form video. https://youtu.be/za9M6E-xPnk?si=XuRC28fsxqfRQ5Yq
- Personal stories – “Your Voice, Your Story”, a Scottish Book Trust digital storytelling programme where participants create short audiovisual pieces narrating lived experiences such as illness, recovery and everyday life in Scotland. https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading-and-stories/digital-storytelling-landing
- Educational tutorials – SAE Glasgow’s content creation and digital marketing courses, which use video, podcast production and social media projects to teach practical skills for making engaging online content. https://www.sae.edu/gbr/?utm_campaign=SAE-GBR-UDT-SALL-PSE-LDGNR-GGLBRANDSRCH-CDNOTSET-20250801&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=151482149506&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20409207103&gbraid=0AAAAAp9TCIAAwmqDZHUZDKIR1efe4OfaW&gclid=CjwKCAiAj8LLBhAkEiwAJjbY76ywRiTbedH2NMTDYvR_WO-6IiwOlQfS8ccmp4iEODzLzARQUANfQhoCmw8QAvD_BwE
- Brain rot content – Scottish “brain rot” meme clips on TikTok under tags like “Scottish brain rot”, combining rapid-fire edits, in-jokes, and absurd humour tailored to Scottish slang and culture. https://www.tiktok.com/discover/scottish-brain-rot?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Q2: In your blog analyse one of the examples and write a sentence to include the following: Broader cultural or societal implications. Target audience and engagement strategies. Long form or short form. Effectiveness in delivering key message(s).
For the “Your Voice, Your Story” digital storytelling programme: It targets adults and service users seeking reflection and healing, using empathetic workshops and participant-led narratives to drive engagement; the short-form personal stories balance emotional depth with accessibility, effectively communicating key messages about lived experience and resilience while contributing to wider cultural conversations about mental health, care, and the value of marginalised voices in Scottish society.
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