“Girls Online: An Investigation of the Creepypasta Phenomenon from Slenderman to ‘We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,’ and ‘Host’”
Moderator Caroline K. Kaltefleiter will join a panel of communication, media and cinema studies students to discuss how the digital age ushered in a new era of cultural phenomena, with the internet serving as a breeding ground for the proliferation of viral content and the emergence of unique subcultures. That includes the “creepypasta” culture, which refers to the online phenomenon of user-generated, horror-themed short stories or urban legends that are shared and spread across the internet (Brennan, 2015). Panelists will give short presentations to give context to a historical trajectory of the creepypasta phenomenon as grounded in the films “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” and “Host.” Both films explore the incorporation of new media into digital livelihoods that illuminate a (re)structuring of socialization, particularly among teen girls.