‘Defacing’ in photography and ‘blocking’ on social media: changing ways of navigating personal memories

Abstract

This paper focuses on how individuals cut out unwanted members from their social circles, as seen in photo albums, and how this compares to practices on digital platforms. The study reflects on two distinct practices: ‘Defacing in photography’ as the practice of manipulation, distortion, and defacement of analogue photographs, and ‘blocking on social media’ as the practice of decision-making and content management on digital platforms, and discusses the similarities and discrepancies between them. Research draws on both in-depth analysis of various visual texts and structured interviews conducted with 22 participants of various ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds in relation to their personal experiences of these two acts. The findings show acts of defacing and blocking are often driven by desires for self-empowerment, self-awareness, and self-defense. The study draws attention to the coexistence of both restrictive and liberating potentials in the acts of defacing and blocking. The article proposes that, through its engagement with these two distinct acts of negation, individuals develop tailored strategies to satisfy their emotional requirements when interacting with traditional photographs and online social networks. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.