(Anti) Social Media
In this day and age with the accessibility of smart phones, tablets and computers we face many challenges with the new ways in which we communicate. Social media provides us with many benefits, however are these popular platforms driving us away from traditional face to face communication?
The use of the internet now is so popular according to the Pew Research Centre, “A canvassing of experts by the Centre suggested that it might make sense in the near future to stop asking people if they “use the internet” because it will be so ubiquitous. Those experts predicted that the internet would become “like electricity” – almost invisible to users, yet more deeply embedded in their lives.” (P. Hitlin, Sept. 28th, 2018).
The most popular social media apps being used today are Facebook, with almost 2 billion users, instagram with over 150 million users, Youtube with 1.3 billion users and Twitter which has 261 million users. (J.Pavlik, S.Mcintosh, 2018). Snapchat with 400 million users and Pinterest with 250 million users are also some of the largest photo/ video sharing apps. These platforms offer people a chance to hide behind their computer screens and project a fake lifestyle to the masses online. This gives people who would be too shy or anxious in the real world a chance to be social. These platforms are making social networking so easy that a common question may be asked, “are all your friends on Facebook really your friends?” (J.Pavlik, S.Mcintosh, P. 214, 2018). Is social media really social?
“In her book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, MIT professor Sherry Turkle examines how in many ways social technology has separated us from one another. It gives us the illusion of greater connections and communication but actually makes us emotionally lazy and able to disengage from relationships easily.” (J.Pavlik, S.Mcintosh, P. 214, 2018). It’s now common to see a couple out for dinner not talking but just scrolling through their phones. It’s to the point now where people are using social media apps to carry out full on relationships. “By expanding our ability to communicated be social in a virtual world, social media have made developing and maintaining relationships more complex, especially romantic relationships.” (J.Pavlik, S.Mcintosh, P. 214, 2018).
“A Pew Research Centre study in 2015 revealed that 57 percent of teens in the United States say they have made at least one new friend online. The vast majority of teens (88%) text their friends at least occasionally. Whether these digital connections ultimately build long lasting relationships is a question some scholars have raised including Turkle, and it continues to be a matter of great debate.” (J.Pavlik, S.Mcintosh, P. 214, 2018). The one take away from this issue would be to use social media, but take it very lightly and understand when it’s time to put the phone down and use traditional face to face communication.
Sourced From:
(Paul Hitlin, 2018)
John V. Pavlik, Shawn McIntosh Converging Media, A new introduction to Mass Communication 6th Edition, 2018
I’ve had Facebook, Snapchat off and on, and Instagram for 7 years. I am an avid photographer. Instagram was fantastic. This is true until social media networking sites consume you and your life. It often causes people anxiety. Without it the related anxiety would be gone. I deleted Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram over two months ago. Its’ been life changing. I don’t think I will ever sign up for these platforms again. Not only time consuming, but people are not the same online as they are in person or over the phone. The Internet is today’s society. As some would say, 15-25 years ago the internet was a source to escape from life/reality. Today interpersonal communication and the outdoors are the escape from reality, the internet.
ReplyDeleteMy interest in media and journalism stems from a hatred of it to be honest. I took this program for many reasons but one was to try to get a better understanding of the psychology and inner workings of the world of social media.
ReplyDeleteI too find it anxiety inducing, distacting and generates exponential negativity and jealousy and a lot of other bad things that the good don't outweigh. Turkle knows exactly how to articulate it and I am hoping to incorporate my negative interpretations of modern media in my writings as well.
Great post!