This chapter examines the results of a longitudinal study based on data from three surveys (fielded in 2010, 2014, and 2017) that reflect developments in the practices and demographics of “configurable culture” in the United States over a period during which Internet usage changed radically, including the widespread proliferation of mobile and app-based access, and the rise of social media as a dominant platform for socializing and information-sharing. there has been a significant drop in nearly all forms of configurable cultural engagement, across nearly all demographic segments, between 2014-2017, after a steep climb in the first half of the decade, suggesting that “remix culture” has waned as digital media and culture have become more mainstream in recent years. The second principal takeaway from our survey data analysis is that historical social inequities, including those defined by age and gender identity, are exacerbated by the mainstreaming of digital culture in ways that aren’t readily apparent on the surface.

Reference: Rosa, F. R, Clifford, M., Sinnreich, A. (2021) The More Things Change: Who Gets Left Behind as Remix Goes Mainstream? In Eduardo Navas, Owen Gallagher and xtine burrough The Handbook of Remix Studies and Digital Humanities, New York: Routledge.  Full access