Informing Socially Conscious GSNAs : A Collaboration with Bumble

Geo-social networking applications (GSNAs) are quickly and radically impacting our cultural landscape in terms of gender identities, sexual practices, use of public space, commerce, and quality of life. GSNAs, like Bumble, use cell phones and satellites to create computer-mediated communication whereby users exchange a series of electronic messages and participate in different relational activities via cyberspace, often leading to in-person meet-ups for dates, sexual hookups, etc. Despite their immense popularity, scant research has explored the impact of GSNAs on individual and cultural influence. This project uses a cyberqueer theoretical framework and employs appnographic methodology to conduct qualitative interviews and focus groups in order to assess how GSNAs impact gender and sexual identities, ideologies, and sexual social practices.

Faculty Supervisor:

Corey W. Johnson;Diana C. Parry

Student:

Partner:

Bumble Canada Enterprises Ltd

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: