Abstract
Social media has begun to play a key role in developing relationships between fans and producers yet it has also afforded the possibility for those relationships to develop in both positive and negative ways. This chapter explores the darker underbelly of fandom and social media by examining three key case studies: (1) the EL James Twitter Q&A, which was overtaken by tweets criticizing James for her Fifty Shades of Grey series; (2) the online reaction to the 2016 Ghostbusters remake, focusing on racist attacks aimed at star Leslie Jones; and (3) the Gamergate controversy, a sustained attack on feminists which began on Twitter and led to multiple rape and death threats. The chapter examines these through the lens of antifandom, arguing that each instance, though very different, emerges from and engages with similar discourses of dislike and hatred as well as a complicated relationship with ethics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | A Companion to Media Fandom and Fan Studies |
| Publisher | John Wiley & Sons Inc. |
| Pages | 415-429 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781119237211 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781119237167 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Keywords
- Antifandom
- Fan studies
- Hate
- Misogyny
- Racism
- Social media