Brian, 12
Media Consumption: Mainly consumes media through computer, smartphone, and tablet mostly every day, at least 6 hours a day.
Favorite Media/Technology: His favorite type of media is video games, but also Instagram and TikTok.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We have a family group chat called, Kakaotalk (Korean texting app), where we text, call and send pictures or videos to each other. This is our family’s daily messaging app.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I use my laptop or phone to stay connected with my friends. I use social media (Instagram, TikTok) to share short videos like “reels” with others and keep each other updated. Also, I use FaceTime to call and talk with my friends.
What do you use media for?
I use media to socialize and see what is trending throughout the time. For example, I watch TikTok to see what new events or incidents are happening around me. Also, I watch funny memes, sports, and play video games. When I play video games, I use FaceTime to talk with my friends live while playing.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about the media is I feel connected with my family and friends whenever. Also, I can search for everything on the internet which is convenient. My least favorite thing or negative effect would be I use too much phone during the day. I can’t live without my phone even a day which is kind of sad to think about.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I hope the computer does not freeze whenever I play video games especially when I play with my Korean friends who live in Korea. I know it is obvious that the game could be lag but I don’t want my computer to be crashed. Also, I don’t want to spend my real money to buy items in the game. I think it’s unnecessary to spend “real” money in the “fake” game world.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with my phone the most. I watch YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram all through my smartphone.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I watch TikTok or Instagram to see incidents or news that is happening recently. I think those two are the fastest social media to receive news today.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
YouTube has been helping me to stay calm during challenging times. I love watching YouTube because it makes me laugh and forget about challenging things going on around me.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that going to school was thankful because I get to see my friend and hear my teachers’ lectures in person. I don’t like using Zoom because sometimes it’s hard to hear the teacher and I can’t learn properly. Also, I learned that my phone is important to stay in touch with my friends.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I didn’t know I spend this much time on my phone but I realized that I spend even more time during the pandemic because there was nothing to do other than watch my phone. So, I started to use my phone less than before.
Interviewed by: Dana Lim, UCLA student
Sebastian, 16
Media Consumption: I listen to a lot of music throughout the day but I also will sometimes leave my phone going on in the background if I’m making food or doing homework. But, on social media or watching YouTube, I probably spend 3 hours, sometimes more. I don’t not spend as much time on my phone as I used to. My favorite form of media now is video games, which I spend 1-2 hours on on weekdays and maybe 5 hours on weekends.
Favorite Media/Technology: My favorite form of technology nowadays is video games that I play on my console. I used to spend more time on my phone watching movies and when I was younger I did not play games at all but since getting the console I really enjoy playing them.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
The way my mom interacts with the media is mostly through Facebook but I don’t know what other social media she has. I mostly contact her through her phone but she also has a computer.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Most of my friends have social media, like Instagram and Snapchat and a decent amount are actively on it.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use social media to reach out to specific friends or I’ll look at Instagram just to see
what someones been up to lately. You can just look at someone's Instagram and see how their
life’s been going.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Technology is a really easy way to lose everything, like money because you can get scammed really easily through emails or credit cards. On the internet all your information is just easier to get. My favorite thing is that it is easy entertainment, you can just sit down and watch a movie or game, or FaceTime people that are far away that you can’t see. It is good for entertainment and communication.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I don’t know one thing I’d want people who create media to know, I’ve never really thought about that. I can’t change it; it will always be changing.
What media do you interact with the most?
I think I probably use media like Spotify the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I probably get most information about what’s happening in the world from school. In one of my classes I have a teacher that believes it’s important for us to know what’s going on, which it is.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I don’t really use my phone as a way to comfort me, I just use it to contact people, listen to music and watch videos, movies and shows. I don’t think those really help me stay calm but video games don’t really make me stay calm; they help me stay busy and plugged in.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I don't really know, that not a lot of people care about getting better. Like with COVID, it’s been years and i can’t believe, like my school, doesn’t even care about masks, like masks are nonexistent these days.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Yes I have learned that using technology in moderation is important and balancing that by doing things outside of technology is important. I used to use technology a lot before bed and late at night but I learned to limit the time on them because being tired isn't fun and I have to wake up cause I have to walk my dog.
Interviewed by: Daniela Noricumbo, UCLA student
Selina, 16
Media Consumption: 8-12 hours/day
Favorite Media/Technology: DouYin (Chinese version of TikTok)
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I live with both of my parents and my grandmother. My grandmother only watches TV and doesn’t own a phone. However, my parents and I spend a lot of time on media. We usually watch TV or a show on our computer while we are eating and we also spend a lot of time online before bed. My parents are very generous on me using media, they don’t really restrict the content and the time usage.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We like to share funny videos to each other, and the jokes of these videos are often brought up in our daily conversations as well. We also contact a lot after school on our phones as well. When we see somewhere fun and interesting, we’ll also share it to each other and go there during the weekends.
What do you use media for?
I use media mainly for communication and entertainment. I chat a lot with my classmates after school and I also keep in contact with my middle school friends through chatting softwares. I also like to play games and watch random videos for leisure.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is that I can find other people satisfying my needs in things that I can’t do. For example, I absolutely love dogs and always dreamed of getting a dog. However, my mother is deadly allergic so I can’t get a dog. Thus, watching other people owning a dog and playing with their dogs through videos online really satisfy me. I also watch some “mukbang” videos where people eat junk food to satisfy me as well.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want people that are dog owners and create cute videos of dog to know that I really enjoy your content. However, please also take good care of your dog off camera as well. I’ve seen news on a few pet owners abusing their pet to create a good scene simply for camera.]
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with DouYin (Chinese version of TikTok) the most for entertainment, and I use WeChat the most for communication.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of this information from my parents and the Internet. DouYin sometimes feed me videos of breaking or interesting news. In addition, my parents and I sometimes discuss what’s going on in the world as well.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I play a game called XiaoXiaoLe (Chinese version of Candy Crush), it really helps me to stay calm during challenging times as the game is very simple and I don’t have to think much about it. It is kind of like an escape mechanism.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that online education doesn’t work at all especially for younger kids like those in elementary school and middle school. It’s so hard to have motivation to finish your work and watch through all the lectures without a classroom environment. I am super happy that I get to return to school and meet friends.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
My media consumption has definitely boosted significantly during COVID-19. I used to only spend 2 hours per day on my phones after school, but during COVID-19, I spend up to 12 hours each day for both learning and leisure. I learned that media consumption is indeed entertaining but also horrible after a certain point. To a certain point, I was just aimlessly scrolling through my phone because I had nothing else to do.
Interviewed by: Yuting Wang, UCLA student
Violet, 16
Media Consumption: 7 days a week, 8 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, iMessage
How were you introduced to technology and social media?
I received my first iPad and Ipod Nano at the age of 4. I grew up surrounded by technology with a father involved in the Tech and Telecommunications industry. Through his access to tech, I recieved my first smart phone in fifth grade. After moving across the country and abroad, I was able to keep in touch with friends and family because of technology, whether it be sending each other Instagram memes or chatting on FaceTime.
How did the pandemic affect your social media consumption?
Once the pandemic hit, I downloaded TikTok and have been an avid user since. I started spending 8+ hours a day on the application. Now that school is back in person, I have cut back on my use, but still spend hours on the app over the weekends.
What was and now is your favorite type of media to consume?
I first explored YouTube and later delved into watching more reality television as well as TikTok. I discovered YouTubers like Bethany Mota, known for her day in the life videos, beauty tips, outfit inspiration, and meal ideas. I fondly remember sneaking in hours of YouTube, and binge-watching Bethany’s videos with my older sister in elementary school. My initial impressions of the videos were fond. I always looked up to people like Bethany who always had the trendiest room decor per holiday season and had the latest Bath and Body Works seasonal products in her bathroom. Now, I like to watch other TikTok influencers like Sandra and Alix Earle, U Miami seniors known for their get ready with me makeup videos.
How do your peers interact with social media?
I think unrealistic beauty standards on social media have led to excessive photo retouching and the fear of missing out for my peers. It has normalized applications like FaceTune and oftentimes my peers use this application to minimize acne, look tanner, and appear thinner. In real life, it manifests itself into girls feeling pressured to cake their face with makeup and look like an airbrushed doll; they even seem afraid to go to the beach without makeup sometimes, especially if they know boys will be around. Although I am good at ignoring these expectations, I sometimes feel less confident, and succumb to the pressure of editing my own appearance on social media to look “better.” This leads to unrealistic expectations that my age group has to attain, creating a ridiculous beauty standard that nobody is able to reach.
How does social media influence your own age group and those who are younger than you?
Children younger than myself are being influenced by these college-aged girls like Alix Earle, contributing to the sellout of some of her beauty essentials. Some 12 year olds are buying out drunk elephant bronzing drops to be on trend when they don’t even use it. When I was 12, I think I dipped into your drugstore makeup but never high end product. In general, younger generations want to look up to role models and trends which may not be targeted at them. I think they are doing it to be accepted and “on trend.”
How does social media affect communication?
Social media has altered reality in making people feel socially awkward. Some people are unable to have normal conversations in real life and sometimes hide behind their phone because they don’t have the ease of speaking over text and FaceTime. When I spend quality time with my friends, I usually avoid being on her phone because I value real relationships more than my online connections.
Interviewed by: Grace Hillabrant, UCLA Student
Stefano, 18
Media Consumption: Every day for approximately 5 to 10 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My parents don’t really use social media unless it’s for their business. However, I do enjoy sending videos through Instagram or TikTok back and forth with my siblings.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I interact in the same way that I do with my siblings, we all enjoy randomly sending each other videos. We see it as a way of keeping up with things that we choose to follow on social media. We also use Discord to voice call when we have free time and want to play video games together.
What do you use media for?
I mainly use media to keep up with the lives of the people that I’ve followed. I also follow soccer and Formula 1 to keep myself updated. I’ll occasionally see highlights of other sports, but I don’t care as much about them.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite aspect about media is the possibility of discovering something new that I like and seeing if I can add it to my day-to-day life. I also really love just being able to see something, note to myself “hey, that’s cool,” and then be able to move on. My least favorite aspect would be the rabbit holes that you can go down (on all platforms but especially YouTube). With TikTok, if you’re just scrolling through your For You page, it has gotten to the point where the videos are displaying so much randomness that it really shows the change in people’s attention span. It’s steering away from what I like (a good storytelling video), and it’s changing to just very short, attention grabbing visuals designed to maximize views.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I remember reading that, from day 1, even Mark Zuckerberg didn’t allow his kids to use social media. Regardless of whether that’s still true to this day, we still choose to scroll through media on our devices despite knowing how detrimental it can be. I would want the creators to know that we shouldn’t be scrolling through their content but we still are.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with Instagram the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information from Instagram.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Instagram helps me stay busy/stay calm during challenging times.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that nothing beats human connections. It was so easy to deprive myself of those connections and just be on my computer/phone during the pandemic, and after realizing that, I started to wonder why wasn’t I outside playing soccer? It was getting to the point where I was using the stay-at-home order as an excuse to never go outside; I wouldn’t even want to go to the store with my parents. It challenged me to ask myself why I couldn’t just go outside and go for a walk. Overall, the pandemic really helped me realize that I was overusing technology.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During the pandemic, I was using technology at an extreme level because of school. It was getting to the point where I couldn’t wait until I could finish my work and be able to get away from staring at a screen. Now, I really try to prioritize going outside and moving my body over being on my computer/phone.
Interviewed by: Kevin Nguyen, UCLA student
Ryan, 18
Media Consumption: Daily, for multiple hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: Discord, Gaming Websites, Social Media, YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We are pretty involved from a social media standpoint. My father watches a lot of television, Facebook, and other platforms. My sister is very into her Instagram persona and Snapchat. I personally use the computer a lot and play games with my friends. I use Instagram and social media so we all heavily use it on a daily basis to interact with people. We use iMessage and follow each other on Life360 and on social media.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Typically, we use a lot of messaging apps to get a hold of each other and organize stuff. We use messaging apps like Discord, Snapchat, or iMessage to contact and get in touch with each other or to talk to each other on a video or phone call to play games.
What do you use media for?
I like to use it to kill time, if I don’t have something to do, I will go on social media. I play games with friends, watch videos, and scroll through feeds, all just ways to kill time.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
I like the speed at which you can contact other people or send a message or let other people know that you have done something. Almost like the speed of interaction. I don’t like the need to have some sort of presence or popularity based on what you post and how well you are able to post on social media and frame yourself.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
As people got more intertwined with social media, the type of content has gotten more and more short-form which puts emphasis on shortening attention spans, but I think the best kind of videos that interest me is stuff that has rewatchability where it is an interesting concept played out in a well thought out manner. It isn’t meant to just be a quick video to get a view, but I want longer content that can keep me engaged but still has a concept that was interesting. I wish the content was interesting and not just looking to get a view. TikTok has incentivized creators to get pointless mind-numbing views but I would like the return of longer videos that look to grow because they are well made.
What media do you interact with the most?
I watch a lot of science people because I think their videos are interesting, I also watch hour-long Family Guy videos for background noise so even though I don’t watch TV in the normal sense I watch clips on YouTube. I also play games with my friends on Discord and hang out with them virtually.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information from social media, different news sites, YouTube or my parents. I like doing my own research to form my own opinions on news topics.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I relax and use social media to kill time. I will also talk to my friends or play video games with them online. Sometimes we hang out outside of media too and go get lunch or ride our bikes around town for exercise and get out of the house.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned how much friends and interactions with others matter to me. I know now how important hanging out with people and socializing is and I don’t want to ever take that for granted.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During the pandemic, the biggest change was the use of media in education with Zoom calls as classes. It also helped to be able to video call people who couldn’t go out. Even though that has died down, there are still residual effects from the way institutions change like using Canvas instead of school loop with more generalized usage. There are remnants of media use that are still influenced by the pandemic. I spent more time using media during it since there were fewer things to do so I could kill more time. Now, I think I am on it a little more but most of the effects have worn off. It is about the same.
Interviewed by: Peyton Carranza, UCLA student
Sarah, 17
Media consumption: 8 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram and TikTok
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We watch TV together. TikTok I use on my own, but like TV shows or reality shows, we’ll watch together. We’re also friends with each other on social media.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I use Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter for memes. We send each other TikToks.
What do you use media for?
I use media to talk to my friends and for entertainment. I follow celebrities, my friends, mental health, and food accounts because they are fun to watch, and I learn too.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is that it is very entertaining, and I can find out a lot of celebrity drama through it. My least favorite thing is media can get really toxic, and it makes me compare myself to others. Especially when I look at all the other girls online, and it makes me compare my body to theirs. I don’t really like to post anymore because people can judge and think I’m not cool or fun. They can be really mean to other people online.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Know that your audience can be very young, so it is important to be careful with what you say and do because that can influence me and other people a lot.
What media do you interact with the most?
I spend the most time on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Sometimes my parents tell me about important things, but I find out a lot from social media because people always post about important news.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I like to watch TikToks because there is so much content, and it’s really easy to keep scrolling. I also like that I can find people with similar interests or people I can relate to.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned how to be more considerate of other people and also how important socializing is because school was really hard when it was online. Social media helped me stay in touch with my friends.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that I spend a lot of time on my phone and watching videos, but I think I spent more time on it because there wasn’t a lot to do.
Interviewed by: Michelle Shin, UCLA student
Samuel, 16
Media Consumption: Instagram and TikTok. I recently deleted TikTok because I was wasting time and because it wasn’t useful and I would procrastinate other duties (like school and after school activities). I keep Instagram on my phone and average between thirty mins and an hour a day in usage.
Favorite Media/Technology: My favorite media is video games because with online video games I can connect with other people like people everywhere, even people who don’t live where I do. But, I only play during school breaks, like winter break. My favorite video games are Monster Hunter or Halo.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We don't. I use it to view others, I don’t post much. Just to see how people are doing and stuff. We interact with technology as a resource, not too much as to post to let other people see what we are doing. We do watch TV, movies, and order things off of Amazon on the computer. Sometimes I text my siblings to send them memes. Since my brother and sister are away in college I have to text or FaceTime them when I talk to them.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We don't really text much, we prefer to see each other in person. We only text to set up a date and time. Or if it's urgent like I forgot something at school, or a last minute ride.
What do you use media for?
Communicating with others and catching up with them to see how they are. Most of the time I use it when I am bored.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing is that it allows me to communicate with others. My least favorite is that it is very addictive. Like on Instagram, it sends you notifications of who posted or dm’ed you.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want them to know that they shouldn’t portray ideas on the youth that they are. Ideas like your body should be perfect, or a lot of political ideas that children shouldn’t be thinking of at the time. Children the ages of anywhere between from when they first get their phone to at least 16/17. They usually get their phone around 5yrs old or middle school. But by the time they complete high school they already have it. Political ideas are corrupting our youth into thinking that they should be agreeing with the media. People who share political ideas are advertisements that pop up or influencers like YouTubers. Influencers like instagram models, give people an image that they should look like that.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with Instagram the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Instagram reels or accounts. Especially like Visalia Stringer (the home town page). My mom and dad put the news on in the morning and on the weekend I get to listen to it.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Media doesn’t help me stay calm, it makes me anxious. There's a lot of negative stuff going on and even the positive stuff makes me anxious because I never know if it's real or if they are lying. Spotify does help me though, whenever I listen to it, it helps.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned to give myself opportunities and to not be so hard on yourself and on others. Since at that time, I didn’t have a phone and social media, I learned about taking care of myself. Like exercising regularly, drinking enough water, mentally taking care of myself, making sure I am eating healthy enough. I came to realize that if I could do something about something, I shouldn’t worry, and if I can’t do something about it I also shouldn’t worry. Just accepting the fact that things are out of my control has brought me a lot of peace.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I mostly learned how to use media due to the examples that my siblings have given me. I saw how they would post and I would do that, or how they kept Snapchat and how they kept up with their friends. So I did it too.
Interviewed by: Daniela Noricumbo, UCLA student
Polin, 18
Media Consumption: 2 hours/day
Favorite Media/Technology: phone/Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My family and I interact with social media by watching TV shows and movies together. Even when we are having a family night playing board games, we have the TV on in the background. Also, my mom and I always send each other Instagram posts or TikToks that we think the other would enjoy.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I interact with social media by posting on social media platforms and liking or commenting on each other's pictures. We also send each other videos or posts that we think the other would like.
What do you use media for?
I use the media to keep in touch with people that I haven’t talked to for a while. People will post vacations that they went on or the schools that they got into. It’s like a life update for people that you haven’t talked to for a while. I also use media because I enjoy taking pictures and sharing them.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about social media is that it can be addicting and waste a lot of your day. I have noticed that especially on TikTok, I'll be scrolling for a very long time because you are always wondering what the next video is going to be. My favorite part includes being able to catch up with my friends and also having a temporary escape when after I have had a difficult day.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want them to know that there are positives and negatives when it comes to media. Based on Instagram, it is nice to see what my friends are up to and hear from them on my posts. However, there are also cons which mostly have to do with people posting what others might want to see. A lot of people, whether they are friends or celebrities, hide behind their screens and make it seem like their lives are perfect. This false idea leads to negative effects for people who are feeling insecure or are dealing with life problems.
What media do you interact with the most?
The media that I interact with the most is social media on my phone. If I do not limit myself, I could be scrolling for hours.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
The platforms that I get my news from are from Instagram news accounts, Twitter, or the Citizen app that gives news on your neighborhood. My parents, however, get their news from the news channels on the TV.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
The media that helps me stay calm or stay busy during challenging times is social media such as TikTok or VSCO. TikTok helps me get distracted and forget about challenging times or stress that I might have from work or school. On VSCO, I edit pictures and put together collages that help me remember good memories to distract myself from challenging times.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
A lesson that I have learned from the pandemic is how distracting and addicting social media can be. I learned this when I checked my screen time and it was progressively going up. There are so many hours in the day that I could be using to be productive and instead I was on my phone scrolling on social media. It seems that during challenging times it is common to look for an outlet which usually ends up being social media.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned that during the pandemic, along with challenging times where I am stressed, I look to social media to distract me. It is an outlet in which I can momentarily forget about the challenges around.
Interviewed by: Sarine Auvazian, UCLA student
Roxana, 16
Media consumption: Approximately 4 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My family interacts with technology regularly, the whole family has the social media platform Instagram, and we all post stories and photos regularly and there aren’t really any restrictions as long as there’s nothing bad I am hiding, but at the same time both my parents follow me on Instagram so they know what I’m up to and I’ve never really hidden anything bad so I feel like I have much their trust having social media.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Me and my friends are on social media a lot, we use Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok regularly to post videos, photos, or just chat and see what other people are up to. Pretty much everyone has some form of social media so it’s easy to keep it touch.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use media to post photos and to keep in touch. I like to post videos or stories to memorialize the moment or certain places I went with certain people or specific events. Partly I feel like I do this to show things I’m involved in or have planned.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Honestly, my least favorite thing about social media is how downgrading it can be on your mental health. I know I can easily be caught in the current of TikTok or Instagram and end up scrolling for hours and then realizing that I wasted my time on nothing. But like at the same time I know many adults talk about this, but honestly it is kind of true, but when you’re on social media, you easily find yourself comparing yourself to like others on the Internet and what they’re up to or how they look like and certain items they own.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing that I would want someone who created the media is to know how dangerous Snapchat is. At my school we had a lecture of a kid’s mom whose son went through I think fentanyl poisoning from some dealer on Snapchat. I know and I would like anyone reading this to know I don’t do drugs or alcohol or anything but it’s scary to think the developers of this may know what’s going on but don’t wanna fix anything about it. But like it’s pretty scary media platforms can change people’s lives and things like that.
What media do you interact with the most?
The media I interact with the most is Instagram. I like to have a profile up to show what I’m doing and places I’m going to.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Most of the information I get about what is happening in the world is from either from the radio, parents, friends, news, school, or Instagram.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Honestly, Instagram is probably the social media platform that keeps me busy during challenging times because I can watch something for a bit or cruise around on people profile to see what they’ve recently posted.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
When COVID-19 happened I was in seventh grade so I feel like the lessons that I learned coming out of it was that I had to become more self-aware and I was maturing and becoming into a woman so I had to always be aware of my surroundings what I would say, how I would appear to other people.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
So, during COVID-19 I used social media a lot to connect with people but once I came back to school, I kept using social media as much but then over time my usage of it declined a bit. Now I am a sophomore in high school and I really like lowered my usage of Snapchat and TikTok. I mean I’m still on them a lot, but I don’t really focus my time on it as much as I used to. But I have realized that I use social media a lot when I’m in my house by myself or when I’m honestly pretty bored and have nothing better to do. Which then relates back to the question of my use on social media it feels like I’m mostly on social media when I don’t have anything to do or anyone to hang out with or when I’m mostly bored, which parallels how I felt during COVID-19.
Interviewed by: Pedram Bazargani, UCLA student
Lucy, 17
Media Consumption: Almost 3 hours a day for social media which is a weekday, weekends were an hour and half more. Feels as though when she is not doing homework or is not busy that she is checking her phone every 30 minutes.
Favorite Media/Technology: Her phone; Snapchat and TikTok are the platforms she likes the most.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I got my phone a lot later than a lot of my friends, which was 6th grade. For the first year that I had my phone, I was supposed to plug it in in the kitchen, but eventually my parents shaved up on that rule since I would break it a lot. Since I have older siblings, I got social media before I had a phone.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We are constantly on it and I do not like it. All of me and my friends have each others location on Snapmaps and we are constantly looking where one another is and what one another is doing. Some of my closest guy friends, I don't even think I have their phone number, that’s how we make plans that's how we see how we are all doing.... sitting in a room where 10 different people are communicating with other people on their phone.
What do you use media for?
Personally, I use media for entertainment and to connect with my friends.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about technology is that it provides an easy way to communicate with friends when you are not with them. My least favorite thing is that it creates fomo. It makes things seem more fun than they actually are.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Snapchat: should have never created snap maps, sucks for younger kids when they don't have a set friend group yet and it causes people to feel left out. And for TikTok I would say it is so addictive I hate it but I love it, I don’t even know what I would say... you made way too addictive of an app.
What media do you interact with the most?
Snapchat and TikTok. A lot of my friends are on instagram a lot but I do not like Instagram as much as they do.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information about what is going on in the world from my family, and also from TikTok (but I take everything on there with a grain of salt ).
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
If I’m looking to stay calm I honestly find it best to stay off of social media, but I would say I would probably go on TikTok if I had to pick when to keep myself busy because I can scroll for hours and not even notice. I find Snapchat and Instagram to stress me out when I’m already having a bad time. It normally gives me fomo or something of that sort. My favorite thing to do when I need to keep calm is read!
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned that I need to be okay being alone, I shouldn’t always have to be surrounded by friends to be happy. I have also learned that everything in life is temporary and can change so fast so not to worry about the future before it comes.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During COVID I used social media to connect with people I was unable to see, but also as a distraction. I was 15 during the pandemic and spent so much time making TikToks and following the trends on there to keep myself distracted.
Interviewed by: Tiki Feldman, UCLA student
Miles, 19
Media consumption: iPhone/iPad/Macbook everyday
Favorite media/technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I usually watch TV in the living room to catch up on college football games. My family and I are big college football fans.
How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
I communicate over social media like Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat. I use group chats with my guy friends. Groupme conversations for my fraternity.
Were you exposed to media/techonology during your childhood? If not, how early on were you exposed to them?
My parents were relatively relaxed about media use as long as the devices were off by 10pm. I used to watch Nickelodeon shows with brothers on TV. My parents are also big college football fans so I was exposed to TV culture early on during my childhood.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Favorite thing is that I can communicate freely and easily with my friends and family. Least favorite thing is how distracting social media and TV is from doing my class work.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use social media to keep in touch with my friends and family. I mostly use technology, like my phone and iPad, to do homework or to do Zoom meetings.
How did you use media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
I have noticed that I used social media to communicate with my friends more during the pandemic because there was limited in-person interactions. I participated in Zoom classes and Zoom meetings during the pandemic and still use Zoom to do my internship over my computer.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/ interact with to know?
Media plays a huge role in day-to-day life even in ways that people don’t realize. Therefore, one thing people who create the media should be more aware of is the rapid spreading of information over the internet and create a more safe and welcoming environment for adolescents.
Interviewed by: Julia M. Park, UCLA student
Max, 19
Media Consumption: everyday in a variety of contexts (work, school, to relax, etc.)
Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
To keep in touch with my family, we typically text or call each other. My dad's a big YouTube buff while my mum is all about Facebook. And yeah, they keep tabs on me through Life360, which lets them see my location.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Usually with my friends I will call or text them. I rarely go on social media anymore. But when I used to I would send funny videos or photos to them and they would send some back to me.
What do you use media for?
I'm really into using different types of media to promote my music and get my name out there. On top of that, I'm the social media manager for my internship, which eats up a good chunk of my day. Of course, I also use media to relax and stay connected with loved ones, not to mention tackling all the schoolwork.
What is your least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media is how these platforms are wired to foster confirmation bias, creating a self-reinforcing echo chamber. They do not encourage critical thinking or challenge existing beliefs. The algorithm pushes an unending stream of like-minded individuals who validate and reiterate those beliefs.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing I would want them to know is that I am in love with the stories and worldbuildung that they make. It’s truly incredible.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with YouTube the most mainly because it is a the platform allows for the kind of in-depth commentary and analysis that is not possible in shorter TikTok videos.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I mainly keep up with current events by reading articles or tuning in to news podcasts on Spotify.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
If I find myself in a public space or prefer a quieter morning routine, I usually end up scroll through Instagram. When I have a bit more free time to unwind, I turn to YouTube. For the few night I have off I watch a movie on my TV or laptop. I’m fully relaxed and get to escape from the stresses of the day.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
You know, COVID-19 really opened my eyes to the sheer volume of online content that's out there. It's kind of daunting to think about just how much media is available to consume, and yet someone is always consuming it.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Well, I was actually quite lucky during the COVID-19 outbreak, as I didn't need to rely too much on the media. You see, in Florida, the restrictions were pretty chilled out, which meant that I could head down to the beach a lot, just like so many others did too. So, yeah, I pretty much spent most of my time at the beach, soaking up the sun and splashing around in the waves.
Interviewed by: Caleb Kalu, UCLA student
Marissa, 10
Media Consumption: A lot, like everyday
Favorite Media/ Technology: Tablet/iPad
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My family and I use digital media and technology to communicate with each other and stay connected.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I also use media and technology to communicate with each other and stay connected. We also use media and technology to FaceTime and play games with each other.
What do you use media for?
I mainly use media to watch videos, movies, play games, and make TikToks.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media/technology is the ads that pop up on certain games and websites. They appear frequently and are very annoying.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I watch movies and shows on Netflix a lot, and I want the creators to know that it’s a great app. Some of the other media that I use are Toca World, and Roblox, and I want their creators to know that they are really fun games.
What media do you interact with the most?
I use Toca World, Roblox, and Netflix the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
In the mornings, my mom plays the morning news on the television and I listen to it, and I get most of the information about what’s happening in the world from that.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times? Why?
Disney+, Toca World, and Netflix help me to stay busy and calm during challenging times because they help me get my mind off of things that cause me stress.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned to stay clean from germs, and to be mindful of each other, and elders especially because they are more at risk when it comes to COVID-19.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I noticed I use media and technology much more. We also look things up and use our laptops in class all day long.
Interviewed by: Jazlyn Zendejas, UCLA student
Kayla, 11
Media Consumption: 3-4 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Discord & Nintendo Switch
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I spend a lot of time with my family watching movies or playing video games. We usually watch animated movies because of my younger sister, or play games like Super Smash and Animal Crossing.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I communicate with my friends after school using Discord to chat, since I don’t have any other forms of social media. We also all use technology for homework assignments.
What do you use media for?
I mainly use media to watch random YouTube. I mainly watch content that is related to my interests, like percussion and skateboarding. I also play Minecraft when I’m bored.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
I don’t like how media makes us have shorter attention spans and less present in our daily lives. We’ve also learned in school about how information online can be misleading and not-credible, which is scary. I do like how technology makes it easier to communicate and makes doing homework faster, because it allows me to type everything out.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I don’t like all the YouTube ads. I swear there used to only be one ad in the beginning of videos but now they pop up so often.
What media do you interact with the most?
I spend the majority of time on my laptop or iPad watching YouTube or listening to music.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information from peers or videos online. Whenever I tell my Dad about something I learned he immediately Googles it because he doesn’t trust my sources.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Listening to music helps me to relax and unwind.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
The pandemic taught me how to entertain myself. There were times when I was bored at home, so me and my sister had to get creative in how we would preoccupy ourselves in ways that didn’t only rely on our devices.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I struggled to adapt to doing school online at first. I even missed a few assignments because I didn’t know how to check when things were due. Now, I’m more comfortable with using technology and COVID has forced me to learn quickly.
Interviewed by: Amelia Weintraub, UCLA student
Karo, 10
Media Consumption: I watch 2 hours of my favorite gamers on YouTube every day
Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube on my iPhone
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
The way my family and I interact with media is they give me a 2 hour limit to watch my favorite gamers on YouTube everyday, but only after I have finished my homework. My dad sometimes watches them with me.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I usually watch the same gamers, but their parents have different rules for them.
What do you use media for?
YouTube on my iPhone.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about technology is I can use it for video games, videos and help with homework. My least favorite thing is the ads on the videos.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing I want people who create the media I like to watch to know about me is they help me with playing games and make me laugh.
What media do you interact with the most?
The media I interact with the most is YouTube on my iPhone.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I don’t really read anything about the news. I just hear my parents talk about it.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
The media that helps me stay busy during challenging times is my phone and Xbox.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Lessons I have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times is to stay calm and let it pass because tough times go away.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned how to be a little more careful with what applications I open and my parents also turned on parental controls, so I do not read or see anything I am not supposed too.
Interviewed by: Daniel Tashchyan, UCLA student
Jennifer, 20
Media Consumption: 3 hours per day, 2 and ½ on weekends
Favorite Media/ Technology: TikTok, medium, and Reddit
How do you and your family interact with media and technology?
We occasionally show each other more entertainment-based media by sharing it in the family group chat, or through social media apps. When we are far from one another we text each other with minor updates about our day.
How do you and your friends interact with media and technology?
I mostly text message friends though it's hard for me to keep up with people, I prefer to send funny videos through apps such as TikTok.
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about media and technology?
Favorite: How much it amplifies communication with others, we can easily send them a text or funny video to have something to laugh about and share while strengthening our communication.
Least Favorite: The chokehold that media has on users making their life significantly only about someone online (chronically online users) not directly about media, but occurs due to media.
What do you use media for?
For a variety of reasons, some of these include laughing, gaining more knowledge, and communicating with friends and family.
How did you use media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
During the pandemic, I was online learning so I would watch class recordings live via Zoom, and read articles and YouTube.
What is one thing you want the people that create the media you like to watch, play and interact with to know?
This is something that is already happening, but I would like for media to become more personalized to each individual person. Thanks to stored data a lot of videos we see and articles that we read they are becoming more personalized. I think that is a good thing, I believe that influencers and other professionals should make media more human, individuals should not be afraid to say what they think but rather say the truth instead of trying to appease everyone. The more human type of media. Influencers try to portray a life that “everyone” wants, showing that it's not just a straight path forward.
Would you want to live in a world with or without media?
With media, although the overconsumption of media can lead to several harmful mental and health factors, the only one who can control how much media you consume is yourself. If you are disciplined enough to moderate how much media you consume and that it's valuable to you, it should not affect you as much. I was able to gain so much knowledge based on the internet as a limited and extracted valuable information that would help me in the long run.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I usually get my information from the Internet and my parents.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
During challenging times I enjoy taking a day for myself while watching humorous media on TikTok or YouTube.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned that we should enjoy every moment, though it may be going outside and getting a breath of fresh air, that is a moment in time that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned that I consume too much media and technology, so I have learned to set limits for myself.
Interviewed by: Ashley Flores Gracias, UCLA student
Jen, 19
Media Consumption: 8+ hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Twitch Live Streaming Service
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I know that my family uses the media as a main source of news, and that’s basically how they are fed information. A lot of the time they’re buying into propaganda because they don’t know what sources are reputable. Beyond the basics, I don’t really know exactly how they interact with the media because I don’t live with them anymore, but sometimes my mom and I send each other some silly GIFs and memes. They just kinda send me news articles and texts updating me on their life, and that’s all I know.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I are on TikTok and send each other stuff every day! I find some things funny and others educational, and I like to share them with my friends so we can all see the same information. We also use Snapchat as our main form of communication, and sometimesInstagram as well. Yeah, I think I tend to use these forms of social media as my main method of communication rather than your typical SMS text message.
What do you use media for?
As well as connecting with family and friends, I’ve mainly used the media for profit. I’ve never worked a traditional in-person job, and so all the money I have earned up ‘til now was through the use of media. That included creating and selling it - monetizing my media use! I’ve done a lot of content creation, which is something that is definitely new to this day and age. That is my main source of income. I’ve also done writing for a journalism website - most of these things had to do with video games. I helped grow a network of YouTube channels which now have around 700,000 subscribers, which is great. So I’m able to monetize the YouTube videos I create and other brand deals like sponsorships. I also created an online community based off of my video game streaming and was able to monetize that as well through different modes such as ad revenue from the streams, brand deals and sponsorships, and selling merchandise.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
I definitely think my favorite aspect of the media is the ability to stream. Streaming was my favorite job for sure and for like, obvious reasons. Of course it's gonna be better than other jobs because you have your direct community and you are your own manager. The whole thing felt like fun. None of it was work for me. I loved streaming because it was very different from a traditional job. I think for one, this happened at an age where I couldn’t just walk into a Starbucks and get employed, so I was able to start fairly young and that was great because I was able to start earning my own money at a very young age. Overall, I enjoyed the freedom that the media was able to give me. It gave me a lot of creative freedom and freedom with my time in a way that a traditional job never could’ve. I think streaming using the media was my vehicle to be able to gain independence at a young age, which was incredible. There were definitely negatives, of course. I think my least favorite aspect of the internet was that it made me grow up way too fast and lose parts of my childhood. I think unrestricted access to the internet as a child was, uh, not great. I can't say that I regret it because it definitely gave me the opportunity to make money at a young age and therefore move out of a toxic home and whatever. But yeah, I could definitely see how it affected me and made me grow up a lot faster than you might have 40 years ago. I think it gave me access to inappropriate information and you know, as a child you're very inquisitive and want to understand everything presented to you, even if you don’t know that it’s bad. I was also given access to and accessed by, um, dangerous people at a young age. It was definitely a safety issue and stripped a lot of my childhood. Even now, I’m still being confronted with dangerous situations online, yeah. There's creepy men everywhere.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
If I had the ability to speak with the creators of Twitch, I would definitely want to let them know about the somewhat toxic environment they’ve created. I think streaming had a very positive boost to my self-confidence, but in a seemingly toxic way. I was in this cycle of getting validation from strangers, which is unnecessary when you have your own intrinsic self-worth. But I was starting to base this worth off of other people's views of me since I was in the public eye and receiving comments about my appearance and my personality every single day. When it came to views and stuff, I wasn't like competitive, but I think you do become hyper aware of the different metrics. Um, when you see it on your screen, you're definitely aware of it. Like, it'd be a lie if I said like, ah, I don't care how many people are here right now. Even though I tried not to let that flood my mind, the way the system was designed was to make us competitive, which is definitely a negative. I feel like very, very, very recently have I tried to start to unlearn this like hyper-sexualization of myself because from the very beginning, from probably the first day that I had access to any sort of media, I saw women like me, even at a young age being portrayed in this very, very sexualized way. And it felt like you had to portray yourself in that way to succeed in that environment. And, you know, speaking of metrics, you did see, uh, a shocking difference on days where I’d dress more promiscuously versus a day where I'm in more comfortable clothing. There is a glaring difference in how many people are going to be there to watch you. Um, it sucks. It made me base my worth off of how sexualized I was by other people. And I wish the creators would do something to address this, because otherwise Twitch is a wonderful platform.
What media do you interact with the most?
I definitely spend most of my time on Twitch or making Twitch-related content, such as on Instagram or TikTok trying to make posts, advertise, connect with my audience, and things like that. It takes a lot of work and time to run a channel, so this is mainly what I spend my time
doing with the media.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I’d say I get my information from my friends and from social media. Current events, historical events, and just daily news all tend to come from these sources. I would say Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok are what I mainly see information on, and I don’t really use Twitter. I don’t think these are really reputable sources, but if it’s important, I make sure to fact check on Google with some primary sources. I tend to look out for videos of current events because that tends to be reliable. That’s usually my first stop for confirmed reputable information, but I mainly use social media on the day to day.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Definitely TikTok. The whole app is just mindless scrolling and distraction from the hard times. The algorithm is so much better on TikTok than on other apps, so it feeds me more interesting and personalized media. I don’t have to think about challenging things when I’m distracted by TikTok, you know? I think it’s sometimes unhealthy to use it as a distraction because there’s certainly much better mechanisms out there to to cope with. I try to limit it, but at the end of the day, using TikTok is sometimes more healthy than the alternative mechanisms I might try.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
COVID really taught me a lot about life and how you really never know what’s going to happen. Everything can change in a minute, and it literally did! I think it showed us how important communication is, even online communication, because that’s truly what got a lot of people through the challenging times, including me. Life is sacred and we really shouldn’t take it for granted.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I think the COVID-19 pandemic caused us to focus on the internet and media because we were so restricted from the outside world. It made us hone in on the media as our way of communication and as a platform to make money, because there was no other way to do things! Personally, the isolation made me turn to online activities which I was then able to monetize, like my streaming career. It obviously benefited me quite a bit and I’m very grateful for it being an available option, but it did make me feel a lot more detached from interpersonal communication in real life, which is so important. Do I think it’s harmed me in many ways? Yes, but I really think the positives outweigh the detriment I’m still working through.
Interviewed by: Melanie Piper, UCLA student
Evan, 18
Media Consumption: Very often/Every day
Favorite Media: Movies/TV, Music
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I interact with media/technology every day. I use my phone for social media, games, and technologies like videos and photos. I use my computer for schoolwork, internet searches, and access to media sites and shopping. I use these materials every day to entertain and support myself in my daily life.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I mostly use it for entertainment purposes. Apps like TikTok, Clash of Clans, and Snapchat are what my peers mostly use; apps that help them connect with their friends and family and pure entertainment apps that help my peers pass the time. We also use media and technology for school. Online class sites as well as Zoom and Microsoft Office are all sorts of mediums that we use.
What do you use media for?
I personally use media mostly for social, school, and entertainment purposes. This includes social media, like Instagram and Snap, Netflix and Amazon Prime, and Canvas and Microsoft word. These are all technologies that I use in my daily life.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about it is how much access it gives us. The ability to look up literally anything, the ability to see or learn about anything in the world, and the ability to connect with people far away in an instant is my favorite part of technology. My least favorite thing is how addictive it is. It’s so easy to get lost in its features and videos and binge-watch that it becomes an extremely easy addiction. The highlights and colors and algorithms are meant to keep users entertained and that sort of dedication to obtaining viewership is my least favorite part about technology.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Stay creative. There are so many inputs and opinions in today’s world of media that everything is starting to blend together into the same thing. Uniqueness is hard to find these days so when artists come along with new creative ideas it really keeps the media that I interact with fresh and entertaining.
What media do you interact with the most?
I probably interact with social media the most. I’m always on my phone and constantly checking the apps I have and I tend to get lost in them. Apps like Instagram, Tiktok, and Snapchat use up most of my screen time and media use.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get it the most from social media. Influential accounts are also posting newsworthy things so I tend to get a lot of it through social media. News accounts on my phone also help keep me updated.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Mostly entertainment media, like games and movies/tv shows. They are a source of pure entertainment and transport me to a world that is calm or busy instead of our challenging times. They offer an escape and a source of fun and joy in the troubles of real life and even a sense of control. The fantasies and thrills of TV and video games are definitely the go-tos in challenging times.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
That sitting still in the same place doing the same over and over doesn’t work for me. New experiences are needed to help grow the mind and there was a huge lack of that throughout COVID and other challenging times. This repetitive cycle of negative behavior draws one down and keeps them from doing other things in life that are beneficial. Pursue the things that interest you and you will be able to break the cycle of isolation and difficulty that challenges like COVID put on people.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Not to get too invested in the glamor of social media. After all that time spent on my phone during the pandemic, I saw so many highlights of people's lives. And yet I knew the reality that most people were living in and considered that the filtered world I see on my phone isn’t as positive as the posts make it seem. I also learned that social media can be addictive and depressing and that too much time spent consuming likes, comments, and videos can be detrimental to human health and mindset.
Interviewed by: Melanie Khashadourian, UCLA student
Cate, 16
Media Consumption: Average 6 hours on weekdays, average 11 hours on weekends
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I’d say that me and my family don’t really communicate or interact with each other a lot online because we don’t use that platform as a main form of communication. It's a very distant relationship but we use family group chats to share good meals or to update each other.
How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
I would say we interact with each other a lot on social media because it is where we have a lot of our conversations when we’re not in school, we talk a lot about drama and our lives and stuff that’s going on or we use it to complement each other on each others posts just to interact in general.
What's the most used media among your friends?
Definitely Instagram because that’s where everyone is at, everyone has the app and like honestly that’s where people like to stalk you with. That’s where everyone shares aspects of their lives and you can directly communicate with people from Instagram.
What do you think about Instagram removing likes?
I 100% like it, I think that it’s a great thing they did that because I know people are always concerned with likes and honestly since they removed the feature I don’t care what I post anymore as long as I like the post I post it without thinking or without having the concern that oh I'm going to take this down because I don’t have a lot of likes.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing is that it's a big distraction, I've become dependent on my phone it removes my focus from other important things that I need to get done.
What do you use media for?
I use media mainly for entertainment I like staying in the loop for pop culture, shopping, watching movies or shows and I also like sharing aspects of my life, my accomplishments with people who follow me and friends and stuff.
How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
It was different in social media because in social media, I deleted all my media platforms because it got very toxic for me during COVID since I couldn’t go outside and interact with people. All I was exposed to was online and so I took steps to delete it because it got really unhealthy because it was all I was focused on but in technology I used Zoom a lot to attend classes online but on social media I didn't have any.
What was toxic about it?
I think because everyone was at home it just got boring all the time and so being on it and seeing all my other friends hanging out when I couldn’t go out was very sad to me and I didn’t want to see it altogether, so I just deleted it.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/ play/ interact with to know?
For developers, I feel like they need to have more regulation on what gets shared on media platforms because there's a lot of dangerous subjects, a lot of dangerous people online that people get exposed to and it's also just really affects their own personality and wellbeing. There should be more regulation on what gets shared online and what the type of people can have access to online but for influencers and content creators I would say, be honest in the content that you are creating, be careful what you share and don’t create some false reality to people who watch your content because if you're just doing it for the views then it's very toxic and if you're gonna be promoting items that aren’t good for your fans knowing you have a really big following look up to you, be more aware of what you post and be honest with your following.
Because you’re a teenager, how do you think media affects you differently? Do you feel like technology and media satisfy development needs like romantic relationships, belonging or do you feel like media makes it worse and doesn’t satisfy those needs?
It definitely hurts your wellbeing because when you’re really young you compare yourself a lot. You're at a stage where you're not really developed. Social media has affected my well being because I compare my life with other adults and 16 yr olds. It makes a downward comparison because you compare your life with others online and it creates a negative outlook on what you have and make you really ungrateful and not seeing things for how it is because you’re comparing on what other people choose to share when it's not what their real life is like.
If you were a parent, what age would you give your child access to media and how would you guide them, would you be strict or not?
At 15 or 16 I would give them access to media because I wouldn't have a phone if I was 12 because I would post really embarrassing things and just thinking about your digital footprint just save yourself from the embarrassing posts. I would give them access when they are older, mature and more sure of themselves to use it. I wouldn’t be too strict. Our mom raised us with a lot of privacy and freedom and I would want the same for my kids as well like maybe following them is the most I would do but regulating what they share I wouldn’t be strict because if I was a parent I would teach them the dangers and hope they apply them as they navigate the digital world.
Interviewed by: Cassandra Rabaya, UCLA Student