Over the course of this semester, we formed into groups to create a project with a purpose. For the final iteration of the Cancel Culture digital artefact, I chose to collaborate with my original team, while also working individually. This report will discuss the original cancel culture project and outline my individual plans for the future of this digital artefact.

The focus of this project is to explore the emergent future networks of anticipatory spaces and online tribes as this project is about modern society’s current perception of cancelled culture. Initially, the purpose of our project was to showcase to our audience how social media spreads gossip and ultimately amplifies cancel culture. We established an Instagram account where each group member would create carousel posts about a celebrity or influencer who had recently been cancelled and what they are doing after being shunned out of the group and experiencing public backlash. On our Instagram page, we also post fake celebrities and influencers generated by AI technology who have been ‘cancelled’. The objective was to gauge whether the public would blindly accept this misinformation without verification. This has worked on one of our fake posts about an NFL player. Our overarching goal was to shed light on the intricacies of cancel culture, urging individuals to employ critical thinking in their online interactions as our project is about opening up conversations. We emphasised that the repercussions of cancel culture transcends virtual platforms and has consequences that affect people’s lives and careers.

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Additionally, I launched a website called Cancel Culture Central. The project itself is sustainable has cancel culture appears to remain prevalent. To ensure our projects sustainability, our site features a chat platform that allows people to discuss celebrities and influencers who have been cancelled, as well as upload their own false information to observe if others interact and believe it. The website also ‘sells’ our merch t-shirts that represent cancel culture. Our merch designs are also available for free download to allow people to create their own art and projects. My role throughout this project has included conducting research, creating and publishing Instagram posts and developing and updating the Cancel Culture Central website.

However, despite our efforts, this project was found to have various challenges such as struggling to receive consistent engagement on our Instagram page. This indicated that our project was not working as well as we hoped as we wanted people to use our social media account as a space to voice their opinions on such matters. We also found it hard to keep sustainable as we were running out of recent celebrity and influencer cancellations to discuss. Therefore, this resulted in our group posting less and less.

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For the tangible aspect of this project, the goal was to create merchandise that featured the term ‘cancel culture’. Our aspiration was to transition online dialogues about cancel culture into real-world conversations. To do this we hoped to make our merch trendy like white fox jumpers to start that conversation and become a recognisable statement within society. To create our merch, Payton and I conceptualised designs featuring the words ‘cancel culture’, and then Laura used the sublimation printer and heat press to transfer our designs onto t-shirts. However, we are uncertain if our merch will be effective in aiding the purpose of our project.

However, I want to reframe this project to highlight the notion that cancel culture is not a new phenomenon. I decided to continue working with my team as although I know I was allowed to change groups it goes against my nature to leave something I have previously committed to as it feels like I am abandoning my group members. Taking into account the feedback we received from Travis and the class I wanted to change the purpose of this project and how we produce our information for our target audience. 

Cancel Culture at its core is a mob mentality of like-minded individuals and communities who want retribution for perceived wrongs without allowing for justification or reasoning. That is why I want to change this project to highlight how cancel culture has always been prevalent throughout history and it is an act we have not yet learnt from as

“History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce”

Karl Marx

Rather than focusing on contemporary celebrities who have been cancelled, I propose that I make TikToks that juxtapose modern cultural incidents to significant historical events, such as Ostracism in Ancient Athens, the Salem witch trials and even Galileo Galilei. I selected TikTok as the primary platform to produce this content because it is becoming increasingly popular within our target demographic and its popular short-form video content will allow me to make videos explaining this information more engaging. TikTok also allows for higher audience reach as its algorithm ensures that content reaches a wider audience. This idea is inspired by the TikTok niche of creators who break down true crime cases into short story videos. (note this link may contain disturbing and upsetting content)

I will also change the merch from our current cancel culture designs to creating funny historical memes that are popular with the younger generations. By developing merch that invites humour it will make the topic more approachable, encouraging broader public engagement. I would also expand the product line so that the designs can be printed onto t-shirts, jumpers and tote bags. I believe that the idea of merch is likely to still work in bringing the conversation of cancel culture into the physical world as by changing and developing our designs and products it could become popular, in the same way people buy merch from their favourite artists.  

To ensure the projects sustainability, I will offer the meme designs for free download and introduce a new chat forum on our website. This forum will facilitate discussions on parallels between historical and contemporary instances of culture, highlighting that while technology has advanced, societal values may have stagnated. Retaining the website also allows us to provide deeper insights into historical episodes of cancelled culture, catering to those who are interested in delving further into specific historical events. 

In conclusion, our project has evolved significantly since the beginning of the semester as our group has continuously utilised creative iteration to develop this project. I am also optimistic about my individual plans for the future of this digital artefact and think they would prove to be successful. 

Finally, upon reflection, I enjoyed working with my group and completing my individual blogs yet I feel I lost motivation towards the end of the semester and ultimately lost my passion for this project. Ultimately, I believe this project could continue to be improved by someone who is highly passionate about this topic.