This talk focuses on the increasing use of image-macro “memes” as means of user-communication on social media sites.
Several authors and technologies are involved in the making of a meme which poses a challenge to the researcher who wants to study them. Photos (with no identifiable author), meme- generators; the news stream layout; and social media service algorithms combined with the cultural horizon of the meme-makers and meme-recipient are examples of the elements which goes into the making and understanding of a meme.
So how can we as researchers make sense of memes as important semiotic resources, taking into account both technologies and users?