Analyzing your consumption of social media
For this assignment, you will need to reflect on your consumption of social media. Select
one or two forms of social media that you consume on a regular basis. This could include
(but not limited to) Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, etc. Why do
you think you engage with these forms of social media? Is your sense of identity (in terms
of how you see yourself and how you think others see you) and/or ‘community’ (in terms
of feeling connected or a part of something) related to your use of social media? Explain.
Do you see yourself as an active participant in both the consumption and production of
social media? Why or why not? Lastly, are you at all concerned about your consumption
of social media? Why or why not?
Sample Solution
I consume two forms of social media on a regular basis: Twitter and Instagram. I think the main reason I engage with these forms of social media is to stay connected with friends, family, and current events. As someone who frequently travels for work (which has been put on hold due to Covid-19) it’s important for me to have an active presence online in order to keep up with what’s going on in my life and those around me.
My sense of identity and community are certainly related to my use of social media. Through both Twitter and Instagram, I am able to develop relationships over long-distance as well as build connections within my local communities that would otherwise be difficult without the ease of access provided by social media platforms. Additionally, through posting content like photos or stories, I am able to share pieces of myself that illustrate how I see myself and how others may view me - a process which can often lead to meaningful interactions between people who may not always meet face-to-face.
I definitely consider myself an active participant in both the consumption and production elements of social media usage. On one hand, when it comes to consuming content from other users, I enjoy seeing what they are sharing while also engaging/interacting via comments/likes as this allows me more opportunities for meaningful conversations beyond just “liking” something passively. On the other hand, when it comes time for producing content such as photos/videos or writing tweets/captions about things happening in my life or newsworthy topics - this provides me with a platform where I can feel free enough express whatever thoughts come into mind without worrying about judgement from those who aren't part of my immediate circle (this is especially true given that we now all live our lives largely online).
While there is comfort found within knowing that we all have some sort control over our own output via personalizing privacy settings, etc., there is still very real concern surrounding potential negative impacts due usage such as cyberbullying or even data harvesting by companies outside one's knowledge; however this does not necessarily prevent us from using these platforms since most people recognize their usefulness when used responsibly. For example personally speaking while I do try limit how much time spend scrolling through feeds each day so that it doesn't become overly addictive behavior; overall I'm satisfied enough that given its many benefits outweigh any potential drawbacks associated with its unchecked use - making it still worth using regularly nonetheless