The World of Social Media and Technology

My first experience with social media was, probably to some extent, Neopets or Club Penguin. I was merely in elementary school and found enjoyment out of these games. This advanced into me making my first Myspace page in sixth grade. I was probably 11 or so when I made my first profile, diving head fist into the weird and ever-developing world of social media channels.

Myspace led to making my first Twitter account in 8th grade. Ever since that moment in 2009, my life has been documented in this kind of weird digital diary. Between my archive of tweets spread across two different accounts, my hidden Facebook albums and statuses that were never deleted and, of course, this blog, a majority of my adolescence has been tracked on the internet.

Throughout the years, social media has advanced so much. You can send money through these apps now. There are careers based in social media. This blog, in general, has social media to thank for existing. It's become something much bigger than itself, but technology still has a negative stigma.

Millennials are always pegged as addicted to their cell phones and laptops, too involved with technology that they neglect the real world. There's a negative connotation with technology and social media that just blows my mind. I can read books and articles on my phone, take and edit photos and videos, and keep in touch with friends and family alike.

Through my years on social media and creating this blog, I've made plenty of friends, friends who, if I didn't have technology, I would not have nor be able to keep in contact with. Sometimes, being stuck in one geographical location can be limiting, especially if you're from a small town or only explore a small portion of the city you live in. The internet gives you access and the ability to connect with people across the country, even across the globe, who have similar interests. It can expand your reach and give you the opportunity to meet, even if just virtually, in ways that you wouldn't have been before.

One of the other things I love about social media today is that it can keep us all connected and in tune with what's going on. So many news outlets report immediately to social media, breaking news before anything can go live on broadcast. This has its downfalls, as fake news becomes increasingly more prevalent today. But it also gives people who might not otherwise have a platform to discuss and share their ideas a place to do so. Which, again, can have its downfalls, but it also has its high points where unique experiences can be shared in order to broaden our knowledge on certain subjects.

Some people are going to love the idea of advanced technology and the ever-growing media landscape. They're going to see it as an opportunity for growth and as a positive aspect of communication and learning. And then there are going to be some who thinks it's rotting our brain and ruining all kinds of communication skills as if people weren't reading books and newspapers to avoid talking to people before.