This document discusses the PlusCity project, which analyzed data from Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and other social media platforms to document how public space and interaction changed during the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche arts festival in Toronto from 2010-2012. It visualized geotagged social media data in real time to map "buzz" around art installations. The project aims to understand how social media influences embodied action in urban spaces and help inform future urban planning and policy around arts, culture, and civic engagement. Hashtag content grew significantly year over year.

1. +City Faisal Anwar & Siobhan O’Flynn
Data Visualization’s Troubling of the Digital Public/Private Spheres

2. +city
• what is it?
• analysis of a collective digital psychogeography, documenting the
transformation of public space & public interaction during
Scotabank Nuit Blanche 2010, 2011 & 2012
• an archival tool analyzing twitter hashtag content generated
during the event & impact of digital communications on actions
• a series of data visualizations: mobile app & web-based
• a social experiment in participatory installation SNB 2012
• a granular qualitative analysis & mapping of traces of affect in real-
time & post-event in content uploaded to digital public sphere
• cross-referencing of content on multiple social media platforms:
YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, Instagram & Twitter

3. Nuit Blanche 2010
what is it?
- mass mobilization of a diverse public(s) actively
seeking art

4. patience.... play....
RT @mypaleskin: This is officially the worst G20 ever. #snbTO
by nparts via twitter at October 2, 2010 11:30:55 PM
EDT
Police officer says all is quiet. "Nothing ever happens at
these things."
by lisleong via twitter at October 3, 2010 1:45:27 AM EDT
peace.... Nuit Blanche 2010
Dundas Square

5. Nuit Blanche 2010
what is it?
- multi-pov / 360 photo/video time-lapse capture of
events
- dispersed across multiple platforms

6. Nuit Blanche 2010
what is it?
- catalyst for guerrilla art projects
- moments documented across platforms

7. Nuit Blanche
- 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 - close to 1 million people participate
- mass mobilization of public(s) networking via social media to
navigate urban space
- conventions of public behaviour change...
- relaxation and transformation of social norms
- changed experience of citizenship
learning outcomes valuable for ...
- understanding influence of social media on embodied action
- future urban planning and policy strategies for the arts & culture
in Toronto
- urban & cultural studies on the creative city
- suggest new methods of design for civic engagement & urban
planning

8. Nuit Blanche
2012 hashtags #snbto 10,000+ tweets
#nuitblanche 14,000+ tweets
2011 hashtags #snbto 8,000+ tweets
#nuitblanche 10,000+ tweets
Twitter as citation system
what does a hashtag signify?
- intention to communicate
with a ‘global’ public
- #snbto - ‘share your night’

9. +City early goal: Geolocate hashtag content in
real time - density/peak map of installation buzz
Invisible Cities Christian Marc Schmidt & Liangie Xia 2010-2011

10. March 2011.. geolocating curtailed

11. Mark Hansen
Ben Rubin
Listening Post
2004
Jonathan Harris
Sep Kamvar
I Want You To
Want Me
2008
prior conventions of ethical practice

12. NY Times Interactive - Cascade. April 2011

13. breaking
news

14. twitter content is hard to retrieve...
retroscraping... topsy.com April 20, 2013

15. SOCIAL MEDIA ARCHIVES
BEHIND THE PAYWALL

16. +city 2013 #HASTAC2013

17. +city 2013 #MIT8

18. Siobhan O’Flynn, PhD
PlusCity Design
University of Toronto
sioflynn@gmail.com
@Sioflynn
pluscity.me
Faisal Anwar
PlusCity Design
faisal.info@gmail.com
@fanwar
pluscity.me