Front stage vs Back stage

Definition: The concept of front stage vs back stage as explained through social media use focuses on how communications flow and present themselves. A front stage communication is all those that can be seen publicly, such as Facebook posts or Twitter posts. A back stage form of communication are all those methods that keep communication secret and unexposed to the public eye, some examples might be texting, email, messenger apps, etc.

Example: To understand the concept further you can apply this to any form of communication using social media. A Facebook post that allows several people to view it openly, and comment openly, is a prime example of a front stage communication. Back stage communication  would be anything from a Facebook private message to texting, because they aren't posted openly.

Example from text: The example from the text goes on to define the terms further, "studies have mainly tackled the digital frontstage of social media (Twitter streams, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, etc), but largely overlooked the interactions in the backstage, such as, for instance, discussions within Facebook closed groups and chats, Twitter direct messages, and instant messaging conversations." (Trere).

Work Cited 

Treré, Emiliano. "Reclaiming, Proclaiming, and Maintaining Collective Identity in the #YoSoy132 Movement in Mexico: An Examination of Digital Frontstage and Backstage Activism through Social Media and Instant Messaging Platforms." Information, Communication, and Society 18.8 (2015): 901-15. An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. Taylor and Francis, 18 May 2015. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.