Abstract

It is necessary to establish a specific education from school and with the family collaboration about massive information which is sent by mass media, particulary television and Internet, which are preferred by children and young people. The information broadcast by mass media influences future personality and, in the case of sexual stereotypes it will take part in future interpersonal relations. Therefore, we need to analyse and lead information in a critical sense in order to get a real vision of it. It should also be pointed out the big importance of advertising spread by mass media because it is the most influent phenomena regarding on these specific stereotypes.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of adolescent selfpresentations in Fotolog. The images which these adolescents create and share through the Net focus on the construction of the Self. Here gender and sexuality become the main structuring factors of representation. Results point to the fact adolescents selfpresentations mirror some of the categories defined by Goffman in his study of gender hyperritualization in advertising. Moreover, other gender expressions are found in the sample, such as the lesbian pose or the erotization of bodies which Gill also detects in advertising. Despite the fact that the images that adolescents upload in Social Networking Sites reproduce gender stereotypes and patriarchal patterns based in advertising, it must be said that they also elaborate a relatively varied repertoire of pictures and are able to conceive original creations. These creative selfrepresentations are the outcome of a process of negotiation of gender and sexual identity which occurs in these settings, as well as in other adolescent media practices. To avoid a thoughtless reproduction of gender stereotypes and contribute to a critical negotiation of these representations, media education is needed. This media education should take into account the way in which adolescent practices are shaped by other media consumption.