“Homo Reactivus” debates the impact of social media and cyberculture

On 30 April, at Lusófona University - Porto University Centre, the presentation of the book “Homo Reactivus: Consequences of Cyberculture for a New World” took place, an initiative promoted by the FCAATI to introduce the academic community to the latest work by Pedro Rodrigues Costa.

Luís Miguel Loureiro, journalist and lecturer at the University of Minho, was also present at the session.

During his presentation, the deputy director of the Master’s in Communication, Networks and Technologies explained that Homo Reactivus explores the relationship between digital technologies, social networks and online platforms, focusing on the strategies used to capture and retain users’ attention. The author analysed how these mechanisms may contribute to processes of psychological manipulation and to new ways of controlling the contemporary digital environment.

The transition from traditional models of social control, centred on the body, to forms of influence exercised through digital platforms and attention management was also discussed. According to the lecturer, digital technologies incorporate techniques for user engagement and retention which, although widely disseminated, remain concentrated in the hands of a small number of technological and economic agents.

The debate that concluded the open lecture enabled participants to discuss the social, cultural and ethical impacts of cyberculture, reflecting on the challenges posed by the growing presence of digital platforms in everyday life.

View the Event Photographs on ULusófona’s Facebook Page

Text
Bruna Pereira

Photography
Paulo Renato