Week 15-Online Presence
MY ONLINE PRESENCE
I first joined social media on my 18th birthday and have been a social media user for a year and a
half now. Initially, my online footprint was not that large, as I had only joined Facebook, Instagram,
and Snapchat. I've expanded my online footprint over the past year though, as I recently established a
Twitter and Blogger account, specifically for academic purposes.
As I reflect back on my adolescent years, I am amazed at how I made it through middle and high
school without social media despite that everybody around me used it.
Of all my social media sites, I definitely use Instagram and Facebook the most. I mainly use
Snapchat to either message my friends or view other people's stories, but I have not posted anything on
my Snapchat story in over a year. Over the past few months, Facebook and Snapchat have taken a
backseat to Instagram, which has become my most favorite social networking site.
My Instagram account was public when I first created it, although I later switched it to private
because I did not want strangers following me. My profile picture is a photo of myself from last
summer, posing in front of a fountain at High Point University, which is where I am currently a
sophomore. For my caption, I included one of my favorite quotes, which is, "Self-Confidence is the
best outfit, rock it and own it."
My Instagram, for the most part, entails photos of exhilarating events in my life, such as my high
school graduation, school related activities, as well as meaningful moments with my friends or family.
My Facebook includes the same content along with my perspective on social issues, such as the Black
Lives Matter Movement, police brutality, voter suppression, etc. I've also provided links to several
sources, including a YouTube video of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, as well
as websites that address the issues of racial injustice and voter suppression.
Visitors viewing my social media pages would probably gather that I am a person who loves life,
cares about people and wants to uplift and inspire others in any way I can. I think people would
formulate a positive perception of me from viewing my social media sites because I conduct myself in
a noble and intelligent manner.
I am conscientious about who I disclose my personal information with, as I am fully aware that
there are many online predators and scam artists. In my info section on Facebook, I've provided my
birthdate and telephone number in case any conflicts were to arise and Facebook needed to contact me
or vice versa. This information, however is private, which means it is only visible to Facebook and
myself.
I only posted my email address on my LinkedIn, which I believe is beneficial so that I may receive
information regarding job opportunities, summer internships, and also establish connections with other
aspiring professionals. I also feel that it is safer for me to post my email address on LinkedIn,
considering it is business-oriented networking site, unlike Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
MY COMMENTARY
I personally feel that social media has increased levels of depression, loneliness, and isolation
because it has changed the way we perceive the world and interrelate with others. As technology has
evolved tremendously over the past two decades, we have become so addicted to our mobile devices
that we rarely take time to enjoy the world around us.
While I agree that the advantages of social media outweigh the disadvantages, it is still critical to
examine the downsides of it. For instance, many people, particularly adolescents, base their value and
worth on the number of friends or followers they have on social media. Furthermore, there seems to be
a false notion that social media photos are an accurate depiction of people's lives as a whole, which in
turn creates pressure to try to follow the crowd.
People need to realize that their worth is not dependent on how many online friends or followers
they have, but rather who they are in God's eyesight. Secondly, social media photos, which are often
edited, only feature small glimpses of other people's lives. Nobody lives a picture-perfect life, so
people should instead focus on embracing their authenticity and becoming the best version of
themselves.
I think my relationship with technology is somewhat healthy because I am not addicted to social
media, nor do I idolize the lives of other people, many of whom I know nothing about. I also use
technology for educational purposes, which has helped broaden my knowledge about the world and
people who have made historical contributions to society.
On the other hand, I do at times feel like I spend an exorbitant amount of time on my phone, which
as a result distracts me from doing productive things to enhance my growth and development.
Therefore, my mission going forward is to devote more time to fulfilling my purpose in life, which I
believe will be far more rewarding in the long run.
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/pros-and-cons-of-technology/
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