A Qualitative Analysis of Facebook Micro-Celebrity: The Case of Qandeel Baloch A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies University of Regina By Shahrukh Hussnain Regina, Saskatchewan March, 2020 Copyright 2020: S. Hussnain UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Shahrukh Hussnain, candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in Media Studies, has presented a thesis titled, A Qualitative Analysis of a Facebook Micro-Celebrity: The Case of Qandeel Baloch, in an oral examination held on December 11, 2019. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: Prof. Wes Pearce, Department of Theatre Co-Supervisor: Dr. Christina Stojanova, Department of Film Co-Supervisor: Dr. Sheila Petty, Department of Film Committee Member: Dr. Philippe Mather, Department of Film Chair of Defense: Dr. Philip Charrier, Department of History ABSTRACT This thesis looks at how Facebook (FB) facilitates the transformation of micro-celebrities such as Pakistani social media micro-celebrity Qandeel Baloch, into embodiments of notoriety, and examines the mechanism through which the newly acquired fame destroys them. Predicated on the shifts and changes in celebrity culture in general, the micro- celebrity model constructed in this thesis, reveals how online self-presentation, facilitated by FB, has evolved into a set of behaviors, or celebrity performative practices, driven by self-importance and narcissism, resulting in the rapid proliferation of fame to non-exceptional people on FB. In addition to speculative techniques like intimacy, emotionalization, dramatization and self-sexualization, the thesis also examines the role of FB audiences in exacerbating the situation, particularly in cases of open sexual portrayals of toxic micro-celebrities, thus causing FB backlashing and resulting in dire real-life consequences. And lastly, in addition to using the constructed micro-celebrity model, this thesis looks at the attempts of FB management to control the damage specifically in the case of Qandeel Baloch. For this research, I examined 45 Baloch videos and over 1400 comments, posted on FB between 2014 and 2016. The data are analyzed based on a Qualitative approach. The principal findings of the study demonstrate that Baloch’s case could be seen as a textbook illustration of an infamous micro-celebrity who performed her desired identity as a controversial drama queen and became an embodiment of toxicity by posting notorious video content on FB. Baloch’s case also demonstrates i the significant role played by FB audiences in creating and sustaining her role as a notorious and toxic micro-celebrity. Audiences have consumed her content for entertainment, belittled her for fun, provoked her to post more sexual content, made her a top trending micro-celebrity, and have simultaneously marginalized her, and eventually petitioned FB to ban her for posting shallow and obscene content. The thesis concludes that FB bias played a significant role in causing Baloch’s untimely demise. While she followed the FB terms and conditions regarding her posted content, FB failed to uphold its end of the contract by not censoring the massive harassment against her, including a serious death threat ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Christina Stojanova, for her endless encouragement, mentorship, guidance and support during my study at the University of Regina. She made the writing process of this thesis so much easier for me, and I am truly thankful for her optimism, patience, and support at every step of the way. I would also like to thank Dr. Sheila Petty, who served as my co-supervisor. She truly is one of the best in her field of study, and it has been an honor working with her. And although she stepped in late as my co-supervisor, I am very grateful to her for providing me with the rigorous guidance I needed throughout the writing process of this thesis. I have been lucky to have Dr. Stojanova and Dr. Petty as my supervisors. Last but not least, I would like to thank Dr. Philippe Mather as my internal committee member for his valuable insights as well as to the Department of Film and the Faculty of MAP for my memorable time experience at the University of Regina. iii DEDICATION I am dedicating this thesis to my mother, Basharat Naseer, my sister Mahrukh Hussnain, my supervisor Dr. Christina Stojanova, and last but not the least, my boyfriend Jason Stone, whose help and unwavering support have made this thesis possible! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract …………………………………………………………………….… i Acknowledgment….……………………………………………..…………… iii Dedication …………………………………………….…………………….... iv .……………… Table of Contents …………………………………………………………..… v List of Tables……………………………………………………………..…... vi List of Images…………………………………………………..……...……... vii INTRODUCTION….……………………………………………………..… 1 Case Study of Qandeel Baloch.………………………......................... 5 …………Aim……... of the... Study……………………………………….……………... 6 Overview of the Study…………………………….….......................... 6 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY..……………….…..….......................... 7 The Celebrity and Celebrification………….………............................ 7 Facebook Affordances……………………………............................... 11 Participatory Culture on Facebook……………………........................ 13 Devalued Fame or Vfame ……………………………………...…….. 14 Gender and Culture………………………………………………...…. 14 CHAPTER I: Constructing the Micro-Celebrity Model…………………. 21 1.1 Micro-celebrity Practices…………………………….………....... 21 1.1.1 Performance of Self and Authenticity……….…………. 22 1.1.2 Mantainence of Fan Base………………………...…...… 24 1.1.3 Performed Intimacy………………………...………..…. 27 1.1.4 Affiliation to the Mainstream Celebrities.………...……. 30 1.1.5 Performing Sexuality……………………..………....….. 31 1.2 Facebook Audiences and Toxic Micro-celebrities....,.........….…. 34 CHAPTER II: Research Methodology…………………………………..… 3 9 2.1 Principal Research Methods……………………………...…..… 39 2.2 Data Collection and Approaches to Data Analysis…………..…. 40 CHAPTER III: Findings and Analysis…………...……............................... 4 4 3.1 Performance of Self and Authenticity ………..………...…...…. 44 3.2 Mantainence of Fan Base ………………..………...….……….. 47 3.2.1 Greetings and Dedications to Fans………………..…… 48 3.2.2 Responding to Haters…………………….……….……. 51 3.3 Performed Intimacy………………………………...……..……. 55 3.4 Affiliation to the Mainstream Celebrities……..…….……..…… 58 3.4.1 Proposing to the Mainstream Celebrities……..…..……. 59 3.4.2 Lashing out at the Mainstream Celebrities..………..….. 62 3.5 Performing Sexuality…………………………...……...……….. 65 3.6 Comments of Facebook Audiences…………..….……...……… 71 3.6.1 Participatory Culture……………….….……...…….…. 73 3.6.2 Mimicking Micro-celebrities……….……...……..….... 65 3.6.3 Hate Culture…………………..…………………..…… 77 CHAPTER IV: Discussion and Conclusion………………...………..……. 83 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………… 91 ….………… v List of Tables Table.1 Maintenance of Fan Base………………………………………….……... 47 Table.2 Affiliation to the Mainstream Celebrities……..……………………......... 58 Table.3 Performing Sexuality……………………………………………………... 66 Table.4 Comments on Baloch Videos………………………………………….….. 72 vi List of Images Image.1 Qandeel Baloch AKA Fouzia Azeem……………………………………… 44 Image.2 Greetings and Dedication to Fans………………………………………….. 48 Image.3 Greetings and Dedication to Fans………………………………………….. 48 Image.4 Greetings and Dedication to Fans………………………………………….. 48 Image.5 Responding to Haters………………………………………………………. 51 Image.6 Responding to Haters………………………………………………………. 51 Image.7 Responding to Haters………………………………………………………. 51 Image.8 Responding to Haters………………………………………………………. 51 Image.9 Performing Intimacy……………………………………………………….. 56 Image.10 Performing Intimacy………………………………………….…………... 56 Image.11 Performing Intimacy…………………………………………..………….. 56 Image.12 Performing Intimacy…………………………………………….………... 56 Image.13 Proposing to the Mainstream-celebrities…………………………………. 60 Image.14 Proposing to the Mainstream-celebrities…………………………………. 60 Image.15 Proposing to the Mainstream-celebrities…………………………………. 60 Image.16 Proposing to the Mainstream-celebrities…………………………………. 60 Image.17 Proposing to the Mainstream-celebrities………...…………………… 60 Image.18 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.19 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.20 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.21 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.22 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.23 Lashing out on the Mainstream-celebrities………..…………………...… 63 Image.24 Posing in Front of Camera…………………………………………..…..... 64 Image.25 Posing in Front of Camera……………………………………….….…..... 64 Image.26 Posing in Front of Camera……………………………………….….…..... 64 Image.27 Posing in Front of Camera………………………………………….….…. 64 Image.28 Music video titled “BAN” ……………………………………….…….… 64 Image.29 Striptease Teaser video. ………………………………………………….. 67 Image.30 Dancing on the Bed………………………………………………………. 67 Image.31 Dubmash of Baloch videos………………………………………………. 76 Image.32 Blocking of Qandeel Baloch’s Facebook Page…………………………... 81 vii INTRODUCTION In 2004, Facebook (FB) was launched with the highly publicized objective "to give people the power to share and make the world more open and