We currently live in the digital age where we daily use online media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. As Couldry and Hepp states, these online platforms allows us to easily choose how to portray ourselves accordingly to how we want to be perceived as. (Couldry and Hepp, 2017)
Goffman states people tends to choose specific mannerism and appearance to leave the best impression on others. He describes this as people putting on a “performance” on a theatre (the world). The front stage is where we actually “perform”, showcasing certain aspects of ourselves to meet expectations from others. While, the backstage is where we can act our “true selves” as no one is here to judge us. (Goffman, 1959)
This goes for both real-life and digital world, making us to manage two separate “performances”; one online and one in the real world. (Couldry and Hepp, 2017) It’s common for online users (e.g. Youtubers) to showcase the good and glamorous aspects of their lives (even if it’s exaggerated) to be perceived positively by others.
However, when certain aspect of our identity from the backstage (e.g. personal life) is exposed to the front stage, it can be worrying as it was not in our plan. It becomes chaotic if that aspect of ourselves exposed is perceived as malicious behaviour by society.
Colleen Ballinger is a YouTuber who was widely known for her funny online persona expressed through her YouTube videos and was generally well received by the YouTube community. She’s been portraying this comedic online persona for several years with positive receptions from fans. Although, this was undermined when allegations emerged which accused her of secretly carrying out inappropriate behaviours with underaged fans. (Quintana, 2023)
The online persona Colleen created for her YouTube videos was her front stage “performance”, where she acts funny so she can be perceived as a comedic and light-hearted person by her audience. Yet, once a dark aspect from her backstage (her personal life) was exposed to the front stage, her audience were left enraged and even felt betrayed. Not only did it show how ill-natured she was personally (on the backstage), it was also the exact opposite of this kind-hearted online persona she portrayed for nearly a decade.
Colleen uploaded a response video (shown above) to address the allegations and claim that she’s innocent. However, the video was heavily criticized by many as they couldn’t tell if Colleen was even serious about the situation at all. Throughout the video she playfully sings and plays the ukulele while addressing the allegations which are no laughing matter.
The “performance” Colleen showcased was perceived as ingenuine. Even if she truly was being serious, not many believed her since the playful singing and playing the ukulele doesn’t match the sensitive tone of the issue present. Thus, the video which was intended to defend herself and gain support from her fans backfired and further worsen Colleen’s perception online.
In short, we should always be mindful when viewing online personas (e.g. Youtubers) as who they claim to be is a “performance” and we don’t know if their backstage is great like the front stage. Also, be aware on our approach of expressing ourselves online as they might not be taken as intended by others.
Reference:
Couldry, N. and Hepp, A. (2017). The mediated construction of reality. Cambridge, Uk ; Malden, Ma, Usa: Polity Press.
Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Anchor Books.
Quintana, A. (2023). How the Miranda Sings/Colleen Ballinger Scandal Went Off the Rails. Vanity Fair. Available from https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/07/miranda-sings-colleen-ballinger-explained
I strongly agree with the view that “most people’s images in the digital world and in real life are different.” People tend to show a more attractive side on social platforms, such as Colleen Ballinger you mentioned. But I think there is another situation that some people are more willing to express their feelings online than in real life, because they don’t want to release some emotions in real life.
Your blog synthesizes Goffman’s arguments very clearly and I like how you illustrate them with a real-life case that many of us can recognize. I also wanted to highlight your conclusion, which is extremely relevant today; I think that, with the rise of social media, parasocial relationships are more prominent than ever, but fans need to remember that what they see online is curated, and is a performance.
Colleen Ballinger is such a good example of Goffman’s arguments, with her “apology” video being a literal performance piece! It is interesting that she mostly rose to fame due to a character she played as well despite also having a personal platform where she tried to make herself look better than she actually was. As well as this it’s interesting how the character she played and her real persona would end up colliding with much of the content she produced under Miranda Sings showing how the things she did were both at times inappropriate and bigoted.
The example of Colleen Ballinger and her persona ‘Miranda Sings’ works well in explaining Goffman’s theory in today’s society. I love the fact that you incorporated her ‘apology’ video, which perfectly encapsulates how she uses her online persona in a way to try to sway people’s beliefs on her, even though it didn’t work well since people couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not. Good job
Nice blog!Every time you post a blog, the content is very interesting. In fact, as you mentioned, there are many situations where these bloggers, as public figures with traffic, should pay more attention to their image. After all, many bloggers earn their income through short videos, and sometimes if they make mistakes, they may lose their jobs as a result.
Your insight into the nature of online identity, and the case of Colleen Ballinger, skilfully highlights the difficulties faced by content creators. I agree that maintaining authenticity in social media is crucial. In addition，it’s a consideration for producers to consider how they can blend a carefully crafted persona with a personal touch.
I like the way you mention a current on-going topic – Colleen Ballinger. You are right in saying that her situation relates to Goffman’s theory.