Platforms, Data and Society
15.0 ECTS creditsThe course introduces students to central perspectives on digital media, platforms, data, and society. It examines how digital media content is produced, circulated, interpreted, and analysed, and how platforms organise communication through data, algorithms, interfaces, metrics, and business models. The course combines theoretical perspectives from media and communication studies with introductory analytical methods for studying digital media texts, images, videos, platform interfaces, digital traces, and user practices. Special attention is given to questions of democracy, identity, gender, diversity, inequality, artificial intelligence, media industries, and research ethics.
The course provides students with foundational knowledge and skills for further studies in digital media and analysis. It introduces key concepts and methods that are developed further in later courses in the programme.
Module 1 Communication and Data (7.5 credits)
The module introduces students to digital media formats, genres, and communicative practices, including text, image, video, audio, social media posts, memes, and platform-specific forms of expression. The module presents basic theories of representation, meaning-making, media use, visual culture, and digital communication. Students are introduced to qualitative textual analysis, visual analysis, and basic content analysis, and conduct short analytical exercises using contemporary digital media materials. The module also addresses how gender, diversity, identity, and cultural context shape digital media content and interpretation. Students also discuss research ethics in relation to the collection, storage, analysis and presentation of digital media materials.
Module 2 Platforms, Datafication and Society (7.5 credits)
The module examines how digital platforms structure communication, social interaction, media production, and public life. It introduces key concepts such as platformization, datafication, algorithms, affordances, metrics, artificial intelligence, and platform economies. The module discusses the political, economic, cultural, and organisational contexts of digital platforms and media industries, with attention to democracy, inequality, surveillance, regulation, and ethics. Examples may include social media platforms, search engines, streaming services, news platforms, app-based services, influencer cultures and AI-based media technologies. Students are introduced to basic methods for analysing platforms, interfaces, digital traces, and platform-based user practices, such as mobile method and digital ethnography.
Course Literature and Other Teaching Materials
See separate document.
The course provides students with foundational knowledge and skills for further studies in digital media and analysis. It introduces key concepts and methods that are developed further in later courses in the programme.
Module 1 Communication and Data (7.5 credits)
The module introduces students to digital media formats, genres, and communicative practices, including text, image, video, audio, social media posts, memes, and platform-specific forms of expression. The module presents basic theories of representation, meaning-making, media use, visual culture, and digital communication. Students are introduced to qualitative textual analysis, visual analysis, and basic content analysis, and conduct short analytical exercises using contemporary digital media materials. The module also addresses how gender, diversity, identity, and cultural context shape digital media content and interpretation. Students also discuss research ethics in relation to the collection, storage, analysis and presentation of digital media materials.
Module 2 Platforms, Datafication and Society (7.5 credits)
The module examines how digital platforms structure communication, social interaction, media production, and public life. It introduces key concepts such as platformization, datafication, algorithms, affordances, metrics, artificial intelligence, and platform economies. The module discusses the political, economic, cultural, and organisational contexts of digital platforms and media industries, with attention to democracy, inequality, surveillance, regulation, and ethics. Examples may include social media platforms, search engines, streaming services, news platforms, app-based services, influencer cultures and AI-based media technologies. Students are introduced to basic methods for analysing platforms, interfaces, digital traces, and platform-based user practices, such as mobile method and digital ethnography.
Course Literature and Other Teaching Materials
See separate document.
Progressive specialisation:
G1N (has only upper‐secondary level entry requirements)
Education level:
Undergraduate level
Admission requirements:
The course requires only high school-level prerequisites.
Selection:
Selection is usually based on your grade point average from upper secondary school or the number of credit points from previous university studies, or both.