Welcome back to Trial by Wire! My name is Denton, and today, we're talking about everyone's favorite Internet media: social media! Love it or hate it, social media is a huge part of the way people use the Internet today, and it's had a major impact on the world outside of the Internet as well. By the end of the episode, you should be able to identify a few major social media outlets, what they're used for, and some of the ways that it's used for better...and for worse. Let’s get started!
So what is social media? Merriam-Webster defines it as "forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, and personal messages, and other content (such as videos)." The point behind social media is being social through sharing media. People use social media sites to share events going on in their lives; discuss hobbies; talk about current events, whether local or global; and view things that others have shared. The idea is to create an online "community" of people that isn't defined by a particular location; rather, by a shared interest or desire to communicate.
This definition is pretty wide, and intentionally so; a lot can fall under the realm of "social media". One way to try to categorize these platforms is to think about them on a spectrum between "public" and "private" platforms.
"Public" social media platforms are places for users to blast out content to a multitude of people. Instead of directly pushing content to individual people, you put it out there and say "everyone come look at this!" Some, like X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, and Reddit, have historically allowed you to see content from anyone in the world, even if you’ve never made contact with them in the past. Others, like Facebook and LinkedIn, drive you toward making connections with people via a mutual request before you can see their content. Of course, these lines have become blurred over the years as social platforms learn from one another; almost every major platform now offers the X option to "follow" people as a one-way request to view their content without requiring them to acknowledge you. But the idea remains: you push content to your "network", not to an individual person.
"Private" social media platforms focus on conversations in smaller concentrations of users. If you've ever downloaded a messaging app like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal, you understand what I'm talking about. These are all platforms for exchanging private messages between individuals and groups, kinda like texting. The difference is that instead of taking place over a cellular network like texting, these go out onto the Internet. Private social media platforms aren't what people usually refer to as "social media", but they still kinda fit the definition. Users can make groups with whomever they would like, including random strangers, focused around a topic. You might join a Discord server for people interested in your favorite sports team or an interesting hobby you have. Many public social media platforms offer a messaging service as a private option as well.
Social media sites also have different purposes and intended uses. Instagram and Pinterest are primarily geared toward sharing photos. YouTube and TikTok are for sharing videos. LinkedIn is for business use. X and Threads typically focuses on users' thoughts around current events and activities. Facebook is designed for you to connect with friends and family. Discord and Reddit create communities focused around particular shared interests or topics.
Social media sites are great ways of sharing information and learning. However, they also come with their fair share of issues. Let's talk about how to use social media sites well.
## Part 2: Protecting Yourself
Social media can be overwhelming; you have access to a ton of data at your fingertips instantly, which can be a lot to handle. Let's talk about how to mitigate those issues.
Number one: be careful with whom you connect on a social media platform. Even though most major platforms have rules against impersonating other people, they also don't perform any kind of identify verification for the average user. If you sign up and say that your username is Taylor Swift, that's your name (assuming that it's not already taken). Now, getting someone to actually believe that you’re Taylor Swift is more difficult than that since she already has an extensive online presence. But getting someone to believe that you’re your neighbor down the street is a lot easier, especially if they don't already have a social media account. If you get a friend request online from your friend, especially if you were already connected with them on that platform, try to text, call, or talk to them face-to-face independently to make sure it's them. If you get an unexpected message from someone you know on a social media platform asking for money, do the same thing. Phishing scams are alive and well on social media, so don't fall for them.
Second, don't believe everything you read on a social media platform. Remember that social media platforms are just that: platforms. Anyone can get on there and say anything. You may be familiar with the terms "misinformation", "disinformation", or "fake news". Lying online has always been an issue, but now that so much happens online, it's a bigger deal. You may see or hear things about politicians, celebrities, business owners, or even your neighbor that aren't necessarily true. For bigger stuff, some sites have started to implement "fact checking" online, but even fact checkers need to be checked occasionally. If you see a claim that's important to you, try to independently research it from trusted sources before you take it as truth or a lie. A new development in this area is something called a "deepfake video", where someone uses computers to generate a video of a person saying something that they didn't actually say. We'll dive more into deepfakes and generative AI in future videos.
Third, be careful what you say on a social media platform. Anything published onto a social media site, even into a private space, can be captured, shared, taken out of context, and possibly used against you. Retweet and share buttons are there on large platforms for a reason, and many people know how to take what's called a "screenshot" or "screen capture" to put the current contents of their screen (i.e. your message) and share it. Once upon a time, someone (probably my mom) told me to pretend that everything I post on the Internet is the equivalent of me shouting it into a crowded room. If you have 500 Facebook friends and you make a post, think about it as you yelling it to all of them at once in a basketball gym. There is such a thing as oversharing, and just like in face-to-face conversations, the things that you say may have consequences. You can do a quick search online (see Episode 6) to find tons of examples of people getting fired over stuff they posted on social media. We also talked in Episode 4 about how if you put enough information online, bad actors can use it to make a profile of you to try to get into your accounts or impersonate you online. Always think through a social media post before you put it out into the world, and be careful not to put too much out there.
Finally, find ways to limit the amount of time you spend on social media. Social media is designed to be addicting - it makes money from you viewing others' content. According to a Forbes article, in 2020, Americans spent an average of 1300 hours on social media. Granted, that was a pandemic year, so usage may have been up, but the point stands. The more time you spend scrolling social media, the more anxious you may get about how your life stacks up against others. Social media shows us the moments in life people choose to highlight in their lives; a highlight reel, if you will. When you stack up someone else's highlight reel against the mundaneness of your everyday life, it doesn't feel so great, right? Social media gets connected to things like anxiety and depression in academic studies pretty regularly. It also sucks up your free time from the other stuff in life you want to do, and everyone's free time is valuable. That doesn't mean you can't use social media at all - just be conscientious about the amount of time you're spending, and prioritize the people you want to check in on, whether that's your family, your friends, or your favorite influencer.
Like most technology, social media is great when used well. The challenge is navigating it at the same time as everyone else! For today's homework, I want you to think about two things: what are some positive things social media has done in your life, and what are some not-so-great ones? Weigh the pros and cons, and see how much you want to use or not use it. Be proactive about it, and your life will be better for it. Think about that, and I'll see you next time!
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