The tools that YouTube presents to the community can be interpreted as a form of corporate convergence, by which they shape the different flows of media. The way the community appropriates these tools (the flagging feature in particular) is a grassroots convergence that shows a strategy and demand for greater participation. Exemplifying how technology can be a determinant factor in participation, on which point I disagree with Jenkins. Jenkins shows a technological deterministic view by contrasting ‘participation’ with ‘interactivity’; according to him ‘interactivity’ is determined by technology and has a predetermined outcome and ‘participation’ is determined by social and cultural factors and has a more open outcome, more fully shaped by consumer choices. I have shown that users can appropriate given technological tools and make them their own in order to gain more control and participation on YouTube.
I do agree however with Jenkins’ concept of convergence and how this changes the roles between the corporation and the community. Taking this one step ahead on YouTube by proposing a redesigned model of the existing flagging system in which I add a reputation system and a meta-moderation logic, which potentially eliminates the existing issues and creates a democratic open environment. And thereby empowering and stimulating the grassroots convergence in participating and shaping the community, which ultimately benefits YouTube as well.
