Workshop Statement
This workshop will be offering the participants both a theoretical and practical introduction to interactive narratives in ‘419-fictional environments’ created by scammers and scambaiters. We seek to understand different sides of online fraud and through creative storytelling reflect on issues like online privacy, virtual representation and trust within networks. We also draw parallels to other practices and cultures like: gaming, transmedia storytelling or creative activism. Through a participants take the first steps of creating their fictional characters and infiltrating a scammers storyworld to observe and interrupt their workflow. We explore how persuasive narratives are setup, how characters are designed and how dialog is exchanged to build trust between the acting parties. We will use social media and various content generators and other tools to orchestrate internet fiction, creating entrance points to a story world and spreading traces of information online. By reflecting on scam bait experiences we enter a discussion around the topic of interactive narration connecting to the participants’ and their general work in this field. Duration: Half Day
- Linda Kronman, KairUs and Danube University, Krems, Austria. I work as a independent media artist and designer. Since year 2000 I have worked as Graphic Designer, Art Director and Animation Designer and taken part in several multidisciplinary Research & Design projects. In my artistic work I explore interactive and transmedial methods of storytelling with a special focus on digital fiction. In connection with my studies at the MediaArtHistories program in Danube University Krems, I was focusing on participatory ways to experience and archive social media fiction. I am interested in participatory art and design practices, specially in connection to creative activism. Since 2010 I have worked together with Andreas Zingerle forming the artist collective KairUs working around the theme of Internet fraud. kairus.org
- Andreas Zingerle, Teaching and Research Assistant, University of Art and Design, Linz, Austria. Andreas is a media artist from Innsbruck, Austria. He is a PhD candidate at the Timebased and Interactive Media Department in Linz (Austria). He is researching scambaiting strategies and implements their mechanics in interactive narratives and media competence trainings. In the last years he worked on several installations exploring a creative misuse of technology and alternative ways of Human Computer Interaction. Since 2004 he takes part in international conferences and exhibitions, among others Ars Electronica Campus, Siggraph, Japan Media Arts Festival, File, WRO Biennale.