I think I have managed to successfully submit the full paper into the Internet Research 9.0 conference system (no confirmation messages, so I cannot be really sure). Here is the revised short abstract — see you all in Copenhagen!
Play in the Mobile Internet: Towards Contextual Gaming
Frans MäyräAbstract
As use of Internet from broadband-enabled mobile devices is becoming more common, studying the particular characteristics of mobile usage gains new importance. This paper discusses the role of services like Flickr and Facebook from the perspective of “contextual gaming” – the appropriation of mobile and networked media for playful purposes in a social context. Applying Roger Caillois’ distinction between paidia and ludus, the paper will introduce both free-form and improvised, as well as more rule-bound and competitive developments into playful, social media. The paper will conclude with both some criticism of the increasingly pervasive and continuous entanglement in socially charged technologies, while also welcoming the empowering and liberating potentials in this process.
frans goes blog 