#stemfie: reconceptualising liveness in the era of social media

This article demonstrates ‘the stemfie’ to be an interesting current example of the enactment of liveness within media practices. The photo taken of oneself while (or just after) voting and consequently shared with others via online social networks, connects us to an event that is important to us as it unfolds, enacting the two core features of liveness: immediacy and affinity. Furthermore, it provides insight into the ways in which media user, media content, and media technology interact within current media practices. The particular approach of liveness as a construction of user, content, and technology that is introduced in this paper, provides scholars and media professionals alike with a durable model to reflect on changes in the media landscape.