Imgur is a photo sharing website that allows users to share, explore and create content for millions of people to enjoy. Yi-Fu Tuan states “Space and Place are basic components of the lived world; we take them for granted. When we think about them, however, they may assume unexpected meanings and raise questions we have not thought to ask” (Tuan p.3). Imgur and the community that uses it turns into a space for individuals to express themselves. Tuan defines “Space and Place as familiar words denoting common experiences” (Tuan p.3). This essentially means that Space needs a Place and Place needs some Space. Users on Imgur can feel empowered to express themselves or yourself, If you like woodworking there is a subsection if you like gaming, there is a subsection for you and so forth. Imgur continues to grow and keeps creating space for the users of Imgur to continuously create and evaluate each other posts based on their beliefs.
Tuan helped define Space and Place in today's society and more importantly the tools of communication that are used today known as social networks. Without Tuan’s help developing this theory or concept many of the communication styles that we use today would become irrelevant and unneeded. Tuans Research into this matter has helped shed light on the troubling issues of social privacy as well. In a vast place such as the internet, it is hard to keep track of what sites you are on and how many passwords/usernames you have. This, in turn, means that your security is easily compromised simply by the large space of the internet.
All in all, Imgur is a social networking site trying to make its way through the vast space of the internet. Tuan’s opinion on space and place has significantly affected how websites and companies change the way people perceive security on a large and mainly unknown area we know as the internet.
References
Tuan, Yi-Fu. (1977). Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. London: Edward Arnold
Image referenced from http://imgur.com/
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