Social Media Movie

     Today in class we watched a movie about former developers or employees that worked for big social media companies like Google and Facebook. They talked a lot about the harm that is being done by addiction to social media, and there was a story to go along with it showing what they mean in a real-life example. 

    It was very interesting to me because almost everything they talked about was negative towards social media. They talked a lot about the impact on the younger generations and I agree with some of it. I think that getting too addicted can really be a problem. Obviously, the suicide numbers back that statement and is something that is terrible. However, that doesn't mean that social media is some monster out to kill young people. There are just young people that are still learning and some can get too caught up in what goes on while they're on their phone.

    I think the most important thing to teach younger people is that the digital world is not everything. Taking phones completely away from kids is not the answer because then they will feel left out. Limiting makes more sense. Once someone understands that things they see online or conversations they have online are not always what they seem then it is easier to shield yourself from harm. 

    The easiest way to get off of devices, at least for me, is to remember that experiences in person are more fun. When you are just talking with your friends in person it is much more genuine than people chatting online. For me personally, I tend to think about what I say more on my phone than in person because conversations are usually paused for a few minutes before you can even respond. I wish it felt more natural, but I guess it's a good thing I like talking to people in person more.

    Another important topic they talk about in the movie is how AI doesn't care about your feelings. It is just designed to get as much engagement out of you as possible. I've never thought about it like that, but it makes sense. I think that if you try to be careful of what you believe on social media, it is easier to avoid addiction. 

    In the end, social media is so complicated with so many factors that play into it. No one can expect to understand everything, so there won't be a specific solution. My most important take away is to try to not let AI control your actions.