Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
UK’s Clubbing Culture Social Site
Chappell Russell
Internet Studies
Dr. Stanovsky
October 11, 2011
UK’s Clubbing Culture Social Site
DontStayIn is a European clubbing social site that bases information off of events and social life in the UK. Its site currently has 430,000 verified members who are encouraged to upload pictures and profiles of the 185,000 lists of events and venues they have attended, hosted or contributed towards in some way. From 2006 to 2008, DontStayIn, or also known as DSI, was ranked in the top three websites of the UK by Hitwise in Entertainment Nightlife. DSI’s website offers videos of upcoming events and new music for clubbing fans as well as, pictures and blogs of music artist, celebrities, and shots of clubbers doing what they do best. The home page has easy access to music reviews, news, competitions, and different social group. It also shows off a gallery area where clubbers can find their own pictures. Site viewers are prompted to join a live chat or find a “hot topic” they wish to read about.
If live music is the passion then DSI has sells tickets to live shows and tours going on at the time. It also offers information on how to attend and where to attend the live events. The site becomes personalized by provided a “free guestlist”, “find your photo”, “upload pictures,” “find event,” “find your friends,” or “add an event.” All of the aspects of the site allow people to become a part of something bigger. It gives them a chance to see who shares common interests in music and parties as well as, getting to know these people and having the opportunity to see what the event looked like from pictures and video clips.
Through exploring the site, viewers will find that DSI allows itself to become connected to Facebook. It gives the option of setting a profile up manually or choosing to link up with Facebook. Promoting through Facebook expands its advancement throughout the Internet. Because Facebook have over 19 million active members the chances of adding members through Facebook connecting are more likely.
Author of the book Remix, Lawrence Lessig, might suggest that the web site DSI would be infringing on many copyright laws. On the home page alone, the site shows music by artists who own rights to the song and video. It also places pictures of album covers, which is sometimes considered artwork, therefore bordering on copyright infringement.
Because this site is so popular with UK clubbers and music fans, Lessig would argue that the site is developing through the culture. DSI has many focuses on techno, dance, pop, hip-hop and a few other popular genres that are well liked within Europe. Lessig might say that DSI does not formulate toward permission culture. However, though there are pictures and music videos and images to be considered art, many of which DSI shows are promotions of bands, artists and fans. This is what Lessig would consider Remix.
The “culture is a culture where the public is free to add, change, influence, and interact with their culture.” Opinions are easily changed or influenced by the idea of one mind. This is very different from the idea of Read/Write culture, where the owner is the one developing ideas for the reader. Clubbers add pictures and comment on all aspects of DSI. They are the ones shaping the culture of Night Life in the UK and a few other places. This feature is what allows the web site to become social. Society wants to see what everyone else thinks is best and to become apart of it. With DSI allowing people to comment on the events they attended it will later contribute to who and how many will attend the next event. In example of this facet, a person attends a techno rave in which they really enjoy as well as, a country music tour where they did not have as much of a good time. When that person goes to upload a video or comment on the event site, they will write one was good and one was bad. Other people interested in similar events will see this and think that maybe they ought to skip out of the country music tour and only attend the techno rave. Therefore, society’s music preference has been shifted by one person’s ability to comment on a blog through the Internet on the DontStayIn web site.
Lessig realized that the world is become more and more dependent on one another and most importantly technology in itself. Without this technology the knowledge of DSI would not exist. In chapter nine of Lessig’s text he discusses several reforms to which DSI follows and thrives itself off of. It is simple. It easily explains what the site is about and how it is used to benefit music and party lovers around the world. It has tabs that allow the viewer to easily access what they are looking for. Also, DSI promotes linkages to other famous web sites, like Facebook, that allow for more promotion and visibility on the world web.
However, when first looking at DontStayIn, the title is slightly unclear of what it is referring to. Lessig suggest using a clear title for web site to better advance the sites viewings. Facebook, on the other hand, does not refer to anything in particular but seems to be upgrading with more members every second.
With many reasons that Lessig discusses in his text, DSI could improve upon so it can stay around longer and make more money. When it become well-known the entire Universe will be using it for event planning. However, at the moment it is growing and evolving into an upcoming advancement with worldwide clubbing and music events.
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