African American Girls on MySpace

This study examined 50 MySpace profiles constructed
by 14-17 year old African American females attending
a Los Angeles public high school during the 2007-8
academic year. The text, images and multimedia
applications found in these profiles were analyzed in
relation to gender and racial ideologies that
permeate popular mass media. These public profiles
function as intersectional digital bodies wherein
signs and messages used to communicate and socialize
with others are publicly broadcast on the Internet.
MySpace is a corporate entity ripe for viral
marketing and although advertising is part of its
social fabric, most profiles in this sample were
largely devoid of logos and did not link to corporate
profiles as friends within the network. These
profiles did reveal images and text that were
ideologically aligned with white, heterosexual love,
Western standards of beauty and constructions of
femininity. However, they did not transmit racist
or homophobic ideologies via images, text or
multimedia applications. Ultimately these profiles
represent the creative and multifaceted digital
identities constructed by a select group of young
African American females on MySpace.

Autorentext

Michelle earned a B.A. degree in Sociology with minors in WomenStudies and African American Studies from the University ofCalifornia, Irvine and a M.S. degree from the School of Justice &Social Inquiry at Arizona State University. She now serves as theAcademic Success Specialist for the Film & Media Studiesprogram at ASU.

Klappentext

This study examined 50 MySpace profiles constructedby 14-17 year old African American females attendinga Los Angeles public high school during the 2007-8academic year. The text, images and multimediaapplications found in these profiles were analyzed inrelation to gender and racial ideologies thatpermeate popular mass media. These public profilesfunction as intersectional digital bodies whereinsigns and messages used to communicate and socializewith others are publicly broadcast on the Internet.MySpace is a corporate entity ripe for viralmarketing and although advertising is part of itssocial fabric, most profiles in this sample werelargely devoid of logos and did not link to corporateprofiles as "friends" within the network. Theseprofiles did reveal images and text that wereideologically aligned with white, heterosexual love,Western standards of beauty and constructions offemininity. However, they did not transmit racistor homophobic ideologies via images, text ormultimedia applications. Ultimately these profilesrepresent the creative and multifaceted digitalidentities constructed by a select group of youngAfrican American females on MySpace.