Hands-On Assignment 2: Definition of Social Media

 In my opinion, media at its core deals with communicating the ideas of the creator. The term media encompasses anything from books, art, and websites to tv shows, movies, newspapers, etc. Similarly, to me, social networking deals with the sharing of these ideas. Both of these concepts combined create the modern-day version of social media, which goes a step forward and allows users to collaborate and create new ideas. 

The batch of social media platforms I currently utilize include Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and occasionally Reddit and Tik Tok. I use Instagram and Twitter exclusively for entertainment purposes. I use YouTube, Reddit, and Tik Tok similarly but I also use them to find information and learn new things.  I make use of Reddit and Tik Tok the least. I probably access them two to three times a week. Whereas I use Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube daily for hours at a time.

In general, I view social media in a positive light. I enjoy the connectedness of it all. I am constantly being exposed to new ideas and concepts from people worldwide. My social media platform of choice is Instagram. On this platform, I have a small following composed of genuine friends and family who I feel very comfortable being my authentic self in front of. This is why I enjoy it the most.

However, I do have to acknowledge that there is plenty of baggage that can stem from social media usage that can be detrimental to users. Examples of these include misinformation, bullying, unrealistic beauty standards, and overstimulation. The best way I’ve found to mitigate these side effects is to keep in mind that almost everything on social media is edited/filtered in some way. In general, most users attempt to showcase the best sides of their lives. I also believe that it is important for users to take breaks from social media when needed. 

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