What's the distinction between user-generated and user-circulated content?
The distinction between user-generated and user-circulated content is its movement and possibly the point of view. One, user generated content, is derived from a place and stay, but the other moves from place to place taking up the meaning of whichever page it lands on.
User generated content occurs when the user is the one to create an object. User generated content can be any item yet it doesn’t have to be the first of its kind, because for each person, that item may be their first point of contact in which they can add value to it. For instance, if someone were to create a video and post it to YouTube it will be user-generated yet it will not be the first video to ever be uploaded.
This is similar to Memes a user generated meme occurs on a platform that offers the resources to create and generate a different version of a meme. These platforms seem to appear “sticky” and what’s produced is “spreadable”. The spreadable item would fall under user-circulated item for e.g. memes, GIFs, videos etc. This is so because user circulated items are meant to, move on multiple platforms with ease and are designed in such a way to make that easier.
What do each of these practices reveal about the people who engage in them?
The practices reveal that the audience prefers to be engaged in a conversation instead of being spoken to. They believe that the meaning of the message is better transferred once it has been recreated because they are reintroducing it through their eyes.
It also shows that there is no such thing as ownership in concepts and expression. That we are co-authors of the messages and the website used to generate the memes and Gifs allows the users to put their signatures on the messages.
What do your "sharing" habits say about you?
My sharing habits say that I am definitely a circulation chick. I spread the information without contributing to the conversation. It’s not personal, it’s just that there isn’t much to say sometimes, that hasn’t already been said. Also to some extent the genre of these platforms have changed. It used to be for fun, but it has evolved a personality of its own. User generated content sometimes seems like a dangerous thing if you’re not careful, it’s safer to be user circulation friendly.