My favourite daytime drama: Facebook
With the advance of technology and the efficiency of the internet, sharing your 2 cents has never been easier. Too many times, I’ve caught myself thinking how would I word that into a Facebook status or what instagram effects to apply on my photo to achieve the most ‘likes’? Since the launch of social media, there is a popular trend of online communication. This also include the old fashion emails, blogs (and now vblogs), podcast and forums. The down-side of online communication is that we lack body cues that would otherwise help us get the full picture of the message. It is times like this when we could get a bit stuck.
Have you ever come across a post on Twitter or Facebook where it triggered a nerve in you? Messages online could easily be misinterpreted and tension could occur into real life relationships. This is because we don’t see the reaction of our audience, this makes us ignorant of the impact things we share online have on others. On the other hand, if we are discussing a deep and at times embarrassing issue, it helps to not have that face-to-face contact. There are definitely pros and cons to social media, what other ones could you think of?
It is important to be able to utilise online communication in a safe and effective manner. What happens online could potentially cut and paste into our real lives. So on Monday 3rd of June 8pm AEST, we will get together and discuss the issues around social media. What impact does it have on us as social beings? Are we benefitting from being in cyberspace all the time, or are we missing out on present day life? What do you think of people who tweet about a fire in the building when they should be evacuating it? I want to hear your thoughts!
See you all there!
If you have a friend/family/colleague who is new to social media, what would be the top 3 things that you'd tell them to do, so to look after themselves online?
1) Beware, it is addictive. Be conscious, don't blink, blink and you are hooked (ok bad Dr Who reference)
2) Make sure you still meet up with people face to face. Online does not substitute offline!
3) I am here to talk, if fb gets too boring for you ❤️ 😄
Thank you all, I think young teens before they jump on the internet should know this so that the stay safe so last question everyone
Thinking about all the positives we've mentioned, what's the one positive thing about social media and mental health that you'll take away from tonight? will you do anything differently?
I think one positive thing I'll take away about mental health and social media is that we as the audience have the oppourtunity to walk away if we feel affected or triggered. I don't think I'd do anything different to what I'm doing now. I already try to not post when I'm feeling really down (unless I'm working to improve my mood - eg Turning Negatives into Positives ect) and not over react to things. A big thing is think before you post 🙂
@Sagira: It can be so hard at times, and it's great that we have sites like RO & crisis webchats to help us along the way 🙂
I agree, there is people I have on my facebook who you mention mental illness of any kind and they just don't understand, because there is not physical sight to see you're hurting they don't understand...
Thanks for tonights session Ruenhonx, Sophie and Doris! 😄 really enjoyed it 🙂
Hey guys!
This'll be hard since I don't use facebook or twitter but, if this and my emails counts then I do spend at least a few hours on them.
@Sophie I have made two facebook accounts in the past. both because my friends nagged me too and then I dumped them because I think that people waste too much time on things like facebook and twitter and bad things, really bad things, can stem from it. In english my friend and I are doing youth idenity and have chosen self-harm as a topic and we thought of something to discuss which is the cut4bieber thing that happened whenever it did. I just don't think that people should be so relient on websites. I mean, I get it, I use my emails, but the obsession people have with facebook is just ridiculous. In my opinion anyway.
What do you do when you see a post that is triggering or offensive?
It bothers and affects me. But I ignore them, merely for the fact people are way to opinionated and get really rowdy and defensive on an online forum, as opposed to real face-to-face confrontation. You will find yourself getting worked up and getting nowhere.
I blog an awful lot. I have a journal...but sometimes I really do overshare. But if I don't feel comortable writing about something I usually don't tend to. Or yes...delete it soon after posting it.
For mac users out there. 😉
It really helps when you need to get things DONE! Without distractions. 😉
@Doris with my emails, I usually go on them to check for any important messages since that is how the school communicates and my personal. That actually only takes a few minutes. I go on here all the time because I get bored sooo much. I also hack into my mum's facebook account sometimes to check up on family members and such. Or change her language to pirate. (I never send messages or anything although I did delete an embarrasing video of me...)
@_sagira_ there is actually a website that can block other websites from your browser for those non-mac users (like me). There is this one for windows, it blocks facebook but I can't remember the name of the website.
Have you shared too much online? How did you feel after?
When I share things online, I don't mind. I don't think I share too much but then again, I do. I just try to make sure I don't make anything really obvious.
Have you shared too much online? How did you feel after?
I actually never have. I've always been pretty switched on in regards to privacy and overhsaring.
I do remember once I briefly posted a facebook status which went a bit more in to feelings, and it didn't make me feel any better so I decided that it wasn't the type of thing I'd do again.
Although sometimes I'll stumble across old things I've said on forums when I was a young teen, nothing that's that bad but it can make me feel a little embarrassed for a moment.
In a couple of places I've put my name or a picture up (like normal head pic), then as I got older I realised that I didn't really want such stuff just in random places online, it annoys me for a moment that I ever put them up.
Do you reckon it shows you have changed and grew more mature about things you share?
@Rue - that is interesting. I dont use Twitter, but I would have thought Twitter and fb are almost similar in commenting and putting on statuses
@Doris - Facebook is personal and when u post people u know will tend to reply with are u okay and all that but with Twitter it is not as much people just share how they feel all the time to strangers and retweet what they like I guess.
@ruenhonx
Yes I agree with the whole twitter thing. I don't have that many friends on twitter, so I can be more open and honest with whatever I want to say. I used twitter as a venting tool. I only post more positive, interesting things on FB.
