The Influence of Social Media
This weekâs video âWeâve Been Sneaking Into Your Brainsâ by Max Stossel was extremely eye-opening when considering the topic of social media use. As Stossel mentioned, social media platforms are businesses with entire teams behind them helping the app rise to the top by creating processes that attract and keep our attention for longer periods. When I spend hours scrolling through TikTok at night, I am doing exactly what the appâs owners want me to do, which is distract myself for as long as possible, giving them revenue through each ad I pass through. Throughout the video, Stossel touched on several of the negative aspects of the Internet that I relate to. First, he mentioned that much of what we see on social media comes from automated processes that ârecommendâ posts to users, without any human influence. This means that apps can push convincing, but false, information to the public that is readily consumed, even despite lacking a basis in reality, like the Flat Earth argument Stossel mentioned that had risen to popularity. Stossel also talked through another important aspect of social media use which is communication. When feelings or important information is involved, talking through the phone or computer can change an entire experience for both communicating parties as thoughts can easily be misinterpreted. A great example of the nuances of chatting with others through social media or via text that Stossel discussed was the use of periods and how some people see periods at the end of sentences as harsh, rather than as functioning punctuation marks. Above all, from Stosselâs video, I gained an understanding of how important it is to be intentional with regard to oneâs use of social media because without intention, consumers can become a pawn in the game played by social media giants.
Emma Rathboneâs article âBefore the Internetâ was a perfect reminder of what it was like to be a child, living without Internet access and social media influence. Many of the examples Rathbone mentioned of activities one could do without the Internet are things I did throughout my childhood, such as drawing pictures and playing made-up games. As the article mentioned, I too asked my parents questions about concepts I did not understand, before I could head to Safari myself and ask, which at times led to some uncomfortable conversations about the meaning of words I had no business knowing or using. In all, Rathboneâs article helped remind me of what life was like before my phone was attached to my hand, almost, and before social media profiles had any impact on my life.
In my daily life, social media acts as both a distraction and a method of communication. I often catch myself spending hours scrolling through videos on TikTok at night, not even fully watching any of them, just to follow this with YouTube content. When I âcanâtâ study anymore, I turn to my phone and the endless timelines to take my mind off of reality. Once Iâve opened these apps, I find that can be extremely difficult to regain the motivation to finish my tasks. In this way, I often use social media to distract myself, or blame social media on being distracted, from other priorities, such as schoolwork, quality of sleep, and just generally not being behind a screen. Despite diverting my focus at times, social media allows me to communicate with friends and family members in different locations. For example, through Snapchat, I regularly talk with a friend living in California. On Instagram, I often interact with the posts of a friend who moved to Europe years ago. Of course, I could text or call these individuals to keep up to date with them, but social media allows us to more conveniently share quick thoughts, pictures, videos, and comments. While it can definitely be a distraction, social media also has a positive influence on my daily life by allowing me to connect with friends across the world.
Having the Internet constantly available has several positive and negative impacts on oneâs life. First and foremost, access to the Internet means access to information, both factual and false. Using the web, important research can be gathered and used to make useful discoveries; however, in the same vein, I could spend five minutes researching a cold symptom and end up mistakenly concluding that I have a terminal illness. The Internet also allows us to communicate with others instantly, which can be good and can be bad. When thought isnât put into what is being sent, instant reactions can be misinterpreted and cause drama. Finally, constantly having the Internet available makes it easy to compare oneself to others, comparing by physical looks, material possessions, and what the person posts on social media. I have found that these comparisons can be extremely toxic as it feels like chasing âperfectionâ, as these influencers edit their photos, videos, and lives to present only the best material. Overall, having the Internet available at all times has both negative and positive effects on my life, depending on how I use it and how much thought I put behind my actions.
Thinking of times when I havenât had access to the Internet for an extended period of time, brings back incredible memories of camping and going on vacations. I actually did not purchase myself a phone until I was 17 years old, so I had an iPod, that used only Wi-Fi, before! During all of my adolescent trips, including a camping trip in Wyoming and a trip to visit my father in Europe, I did not have access to the Internet for the most part. With social media being newer and more exciting to me at the time of those vacations, I recall being upset before going that I would not be able to chat with my friends throughout my time away from home. However, when I got to the destinations, I donât even remember thinking about social media, as my memory fades into beautiful recollections of time spent walking, talking, eating, taking pictures but not posting them, and just being with my family on these trips. Coming home always felt so refreshing, having been away from social media for a while and carrying with me experiences that make life worth living.
After watching the film, reading Rathboneâs article, and reflecting on my own social media use, I would like to make several improvements to my personal routine involving technology. First, I have noticed that I get on my phone right after I wake up, and I stay on my phone for a while before getting out of bed. As this immediate urge to check my phone feels unhealthy, I would like to instead check my phone only after Iâve left my bedroom and started my day, more officially. In addition, I would like to be more mindful about when I use my phone. Rather than checking my phone incessantly, waiting for a notification, I would like to only check my phone when I plan to use it or respond to someone. Finally, I have noticed how much of a negative impact being on oneâs phone during times with friends and family can have, with conversations being missed and other people in the conversation feeling neglected. For this reason, I want to leave my phone aside, in my pocket or elsewhere out of sight, when I am spending time with family and friends. I have actually already been working on implementing this change within my life and have seen positive results, enjoying time with family and friends more and catching myself realizing I havenât checked my phone in hours. Successfully executing each of the improvements Iâve described, including cutting down on time spent on my phone in the morning, when its unnecessary, and when Iâm with other people, will allow me to be more intentional about my personal use of technology and will produce beneficial effects within my life.
Alamy. Everywhere you look people are starting at their phones as if their lives depended upon it. 2017. The Scottish Sun, https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/387408/its-time-we-put-down-the-mobile-phones-and-started-paying-attention-to-each-other/
Rathbone, Emma. âBefore The Internet.â The New Yorker, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/26/before-the-internet
Stossel, Max. âWeâve Been Sneaking Into Your Brains.â Vimeo, uploaded by Center for Humane Technology, 31 October 2019, https://vimeo.com/370135963. Accessed 3 Nov. 2021.Â