First of all, I had no idea how important mass media was to our society. I now know about screen time and it worries me about how much time I am consumed in my phone. My average from last week was 2 hours and 26 minutes and that is 25% lower from the week before when I first found out. I tried to only use it to look up things and in crisis when I’m walking and don’t want anyone to talk to me (we all do it.) I learned how dependent we are of them. We use them as our safety blanket.
It is insane to see how people are actually glued to their phones. I tried this game where if I am out to eat with my team, I don’t pick up my phone and every time no one speaks because they are on their phone, I take a chug of water (to help me drink more, I need something to encourage it.) I drank 3 glasses before our food even got to the table. I learned how people would rather scroll through a feed than create conversation.
In another aspect of media, I came across a show on Netflix called “You.” I binge watched it and learned a couple things. If you don’t know what it’s about, it involves a guy who works at a bookstore and has love at first sight with this girl and he stalks her through her media and following her around. Certain red flags went off because of how easily he found out all her information. Locations, privacy on accounts, using a pictures background to find where someone is, mutual friends and finding even more pictures not on their profile. I mean it doesn’t stop. I thought about how much information we put out there without even realizing it.
A while ago, I heard something about facebook hearing what you are saying and will pop up ads for you to purchase them. I got scared because a lot of the stuff that pops up on my instagram feed will be similar. All I talk about with my friends are how much I want a ring and puppy. I kid you not, I get websites for engagement rings, fashion rings, and rings trying to give stuff away. I mean it doesn’t make sense. I looked it up and read about someone having the same experience and it was spooky! (https://medium.com/@damln/instagram-is-listening-to-you-97e8f2c53023) I learned that if you talk about something enough, Instagram or facebook will find it for you lol.
After finishing “You,” I thought about how in a way, we all stalk people. I mean once we meet some one we like or want to get to know, what do we do? Go straight to their social media! I can know their birthday, where they from, where they work, their hobbies (that they choose to show), they style of clothing, and so much more. I stalk immediately even if I don’t know their social media, I’ll just look up their name. Now I wouldn’t consider that stalking but if we all do that, doesn’t it take away things to talk about like on a first date? I mean, I feel like we don’t even do that anymore. People just text and kind of “talk” and then date. I don’t understand. I learned there is a line in knowing things about people online but at the same time, if you didn’t want people to know, why put it out there for anyone to see?
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