Doing Cultural Studies in Hong Kong

    Activity: Conference/talk/lecture/symposium/speech/workshop, etc › Event organized by non-HKBU units

    Description

    Self-image in the Age of Anxiety: A Study of Noise-Cancelling Technologies and Self-Desirability

    Noise-cancelling technologies are today largely available in smartphone photo cameras to automatically eliminate unwanted visual noise, e.g., skin stains, wrinkles and acne. By 'intelligently' reconstructing parts of an image, these technologies offer users a noise-free version of themself. However, although they provide individuals with solutions by freeing them from unwanted disturbances, they also affect their perception of the self by determining sociocultural models of beauty and body-related anxieties. A case in point is the increasing number of Snapchat dysmorphic cases in Hong Kong—and more recently, that of Zoom dysmorphia—characterised by prolonged staring and rumination upon users' self-image. This presentation aims to investigate noise-cancelling technologies in relation to youth self-desirability and body-related anxieties.
    Period6 Dec 2022
    Held atChinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    Degree of RecognitionLocal