Social Medi 24-Hour Media Blackout

Are we abusing social media? Can we live without it for an hour or two? Is it a must to be on social media ever day? Or why can’t we just give it a break? On a normal school day, I wake up at 6:00am. Firstly, I give thanks to God for a brand-new day. Immediately after prayers, I search for my phone which is usual underneath my pillow or covers. I browser through my notification tabs to see what I missed while sleeping. After replying to all my notifications, I go onto snapchat and twitter to post my good morning

Can you imagine life without your cell phone? Does the thought give you anxiety? These days, technology plays a huge role in our everyday lives. You can do just about anything on the web and a smart phone provides instant access. In her article “Growing up Tethered,” author and founder of MIT Initiative on Technology and the Self Sherry Turkle discusses the attachments people have with their cell phones, the web, social media, and technology all together. Turkle speaks with numerous high school students about the relationship they have with their phone and the issues that arise from being tethered to it. We learn that communicating through mobile devices and the web takes the personal emotion out of the conversation, and real life interactions

Cell phones and the computers are similar to each other in many different ways. One of the most common similarities is the internet aspect. With everyone connected to the internet, the adverse effects can spread throughout like a virus. “A Nielsen study released in 2010 indicated that texting was the primary reason for purchasing mobile phones and that text communication had become a "’centerpiece of mobile teen behavior.’" The modern smartphone of the 2010s is a powerful computing device, and the rapid and ongoing development of new applications provides users with a growing number of ways to use mobile phones for recreation, productivity, and social communication” (Issitt 2016). In the following Issitt states, “however, as smartphones have become more common, concerns about the detrimental effects of smartphone use have also increased.” (Issitt 2016). Issitt expresses the large growth of people with smartphones has its positives and negatives. The positives being the ability to communicate, but the negative being the effects on relationships with one another. An example of the negative side of things is the lack of interaction with people. People are more likely to call or text instead of interacting with one another. The lack of interaction can ruin relationships, or make people feel unwanted. In the article “Eurasian Journal of Educational Research,” the writer states that the internet, “can transform into an addictive instrument in excessive usage situations.” (Gunduz 2017). The statement explains the issue of the unnecessary use of the internet as a growing addictive process that is taking over more and more

Technology and Social Media In the essays, “Technology Taking Over?” by Yzzy Gonzalez, “The Parent Trap” by Clive Thomas and “This Is Not About You” by Andrew Santella, each of the authors write about the impact technology and social networking have on our schedules and the images of ourselves. How technology and social media can be a big part of our life distraction, we put more attention to our cell phones. Half of the time when we are doing homework, talking to our parents or in class all we do is be on our phones, we won’t pay attention to what we supposed to do or not end up listening.

They’re selling your attention span.” (Are You Addicted to Your Phone?) Instead of reading books and finding hobbies, youth today are absorbed in social media. We are so addicted to it, we created a new phobia, the fear and anxiety of being without a phone. These mindless distractions turn us away from what’s happening in the world.

I am constantly on my phone almost every second of everyday; texting friends, scrolling through Instagram, tweeting, or sending ugly snapchats of myself. All behind a screen, I felt connected to my friends, my followers, and the world. However, I was actually slowly losing my grasp on reality as I indulged myself in the world of social medias. Reality hit when parents came to Wellness Committee with concerns about their children’s overwhelming use of technology. As the Director of the Wellness Committee, this issue became my focus because I realized that constantly being on technology was unhealthy. It was also affecting the connections I made with people in real life; I was always too busy on my phone to make conversation with the those around me. I wanted my peers to be aware of this and to encourage them to disconnect from technology and connect with the real world. Therefore, I organized an informative community block and a no-technology lunch with the Chair of the Wellness Committee.

Sherry Turkle, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, acknowledges the effects media possesses in her book Growing Up Tethered. Today’s adolescents have an excessive want to feel connected, and not alone, which is why they turn to the connections they feel media provides. Roman, eighteen, so badly wants to stay connected that he will actively be on his phone while driving and doesn’t even care about all of the lives that could potentially be in danger just because he needs to read a new Facebook message. Kids will do everything in their power to not feel alone. Cell phones can stunt an adolescent’s maturity by providing too many opportunities to stay connected and never getting out on their own. Other kids use their cell phone

When I was 16 years old, I spent a summer at a Christian camp as a server. Although I was excited at first, I was nervous because while at the camp, you were not allowed to have your phone. The first couple days were hard, I struggled with the idea that I couldn’t talk to my friends all the time, but by the time the camp was over, I lost my desire to use my phone. Even after I left the camp, I began to use my phone less and less. I was able to put my phone down for hours at a time without having the desire or need to check on it. It wasn’t until college that I started to be on my phone all the time again. The fact that I was once again away from my friends and family created a constant desire to be on my phone to keep tabs on them. When I joined a sorority freshman year, all of our announcements and information about events were posted on facebook which made me redownload facebook and become addicted like I was in middle school. I am constantly checking all forms of social media several times a day because in my mind I am “in the know” and have a firm grasp of what is going on with my life. On Tuesday, November 14th I decided to download the app and have it track my media use for a few days before I did the social media fast. I found that I was on my phone for about 4 hours a day and had about 115 pickups. I wish I could say I was shocked, but because I am constantly checking facebook for sorority updates and talking to my friends via text and snapchat, I am not surprised

Though it started out as a way to keep in touch with friends and family members, social media has become an addiction for so many people. In fact, many people make it a point to detox from social media at least once or twice a year. Many people check their social media apps before

It was only when I had no access to social media that I realized how often I turn to it. While attempting to study, I reached for my phone to check for notifications automatically, almost like natural reflex, every 5 minutes. I would describe it as torturous for me to not be able to access Internet browsers even when I am on my laptop, to resist the temptation and to go against my habits. Although I knew that it was going to be a difficult task for me and planned ahead of time to make sure I had a friend by my side during those 24 hours, it was still extremely difficult, especially when my friend still gets access to the Internet and would occasionally text and check

Watching television with my family, the movie Bug’s Life comes to mind when that bug is attracted to a neon light which it is warned to not look at it since it is a bug repeller and will harm it. That scene and the result of the bug still coming toward it has stayed with me through all my child and become a moral recently. During the weekend, I often found myself clicking on another YouTube video, staring at the shiny screen and ignoring the world around them yet it was not until I realized that isolating myself in a digital word leads to me acting differently and being tired most of the time. Recently, an incident occurred involving social media that led to wondering about the link between aggressive behavior and an over dependence

There is a high probability you are 1 of the 211.39 million of Americans who are social network users (Statista). This number is the highest it’s been and on the rise for years to come. It’s considerably difficult for you to not have a social network platform. There is hardly a person who does not have a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account. Social Media is typically used for communication and entertainment, from direct messaging, uploading photos and videos, reading articles about various topics and playing video games. Today’s generation of Americans check their accounts periodically throughout the day trying to read messages from their “friends” or look at the new photo they uploaded. Most without hesitation

On October 10th, I successfully completed the arduous task of not using any media for eight hours. Before I started the media fast exercise, I thought this was the most horrible thing that could happen to me. The entire summer, I was on my computer and phone communicating with my friends and watching videos. Being a college student who has a lot of reading homework, I was angry that we could not read because I wanted to read the books for my classes so I would be able to do some of my homework. As I said before, accessing the media is very typical of teenagers and college students. My generation has lived with technology our entire lives. Growing up with technology accessible to us made this exercise so much harder. I later thought about how I worked at a summer camp in the mountains for three summers. At the

On my way home I found I listen to the radio but not as closely – singing along to some songs, shazming ones I may not know. I get home and relax by watching television. I will continue to browse Facebook (and admit to my addiction to it), look up recipes on pintrest. This past week I’ve been super focused on Superbowl food as I am hosting a Superbowl party. I also have done research on the Seattle Seahawks as of late as they are my boyfriend’s favorite team and I want to sound like I know what I am talking about. These pintrest recipes are having me go out and purchase the food required – as they have in the past for other events. This form of media is possibly where I make most food decisions. Pintrest has also provided me with different wardrobe ideas and trying to imitate them on a cheap, affordable level. The best part of my Facebook addiction is the easier contact I have with friends who live in other states. Though I could text or call typing on

In today’s society almost every individual has some type of social media, whether it is Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, or Twitter, People have accustomed to utilizing these types of social media and it has become part of their life and daily use. According to the essay “Students Addicted to Social Media” by the International Center for Media and Public Agenda, the study from the University of Maryland claims “American college students today are addicted to media” (Signs of Life in the USA 403). The university discovered that when these students are restricted from using media it is similar in terms of drug and alcohol addictions. During the study that the university conducted, students discuss how boring it is without media and how it gives them anxiety about not receiving information through social media. Other students claimed that texting and IM'ing gives them comfort and if they do not have these items then they feel alone and isolated from the world ( Signs of Life in the USA 404). Students are not the only ones who have an addiction of media but also parents and non-students. However, the International Center is accurate in some aspects and the responses students gave are very relatable which some people can agree with.