Advanced Platform Physics

Tobias Ehrhardt
Design, Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
2025W, Lecture with Practical Exercises (VU), 2.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S05615

Description

Platform Physics:
The ways in which a medium’s design (UI) and its limitations/affordances determines a piece of content’s nature, it’s “natural motion” through a network, its recipient’s response, as well as various nth order effects.
Caroline Busta and Lil Internet

 

In this course we will look at the relationship between the structural constitution of various social media platforms and its influence on the shaping of their content.

Together we will approach key concepts like:

-Algorithmic Culture
-Attention Economy
-Dark Forest Theory of the Web / Cozyweb
-Flattening of content
-Platform Realism / Generative Images
-Enshittification of platforms
-Dead Internet Theory
-Digital Community-building

and their implications for contemporary image-production and distribution.

Examination Modalities

-Immanent
-80% presence
-Active participation
-Presentation

Comments

The course will be held in english.

Max. 14 participants.

Key Words

Social Media, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Photography, Content, Internet, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models

Dates

Tue, 21 October 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 28 October 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 11 November 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 18 November 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 25 November 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 02 December 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 09 December 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 16 December 2025, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 13 January 2026, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 20 January 2026, 11:45–13:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media
Tue, 27 January 2026, 11:00–12:45 Department Applied Photography and Time-Based Media

Course Enrolment

From 01 September 2025, 09:00 to 01 October 2025, 12:00
Via online registration

Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (1. Section): Artistic Basics: Contemporary Artistic Methods 626/102.05

Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (2. Section): Artistic Basics: Contemporary Artistic Methods 626/202.05

Co-registration: not possible

Attending individual courses: not possible