Now that quarantine has been going on for over three months, we at Digital Tattoo thought it would be a good idea to look back over the past few weeks and take stock of how quarantine has impacted our digital identities. For me, this has meant increasing my use of social media almost exponentially. Not only that, this increase in social media use has been completely intentional.
Social media is everywhere, and it can be tough to escape. (Source.)
Let’s start with the reasons most people are trying to cut down on social media time.
- It’s an endless log of terrible news from around the world.
- Social media is known to decrease overall happiness.
- It is a breeding ground for fights and conflict.
- It is often filled with misinformation.
- Social media-based interactions are often surface-level, and it does not encourage the deep and meaningful connection that can help people manage feelings of stress and anxiety.
- It is emotionally overwhelming to deal with all of the above, all of the time.
These are all very valid concerns, and the reason that a lot of people are trying to cut down on their social media time. Between the endless reports of anti-Black violence coming out from all over the United States and Canada, and the continued stresses of life during a global pandemic, there are many good reasons to try to curate and limit our social media intake in order to minimize all of the above concerns.
And yet, I find myself on Twitter endlessly scrolling, and getting into lengthy discussions with strangers on Facebook comment threads. Why?
Social media keeps me connected to people, and I really need those interactions. (Source.)
In short, it’s keeping me from drowning in boredom. In my pre-quarantine life I regularly engaged in riveting conversations with friends and colleagues. These conversations kept my brain moving. While video chats are a great fill-in for catching up with friends, these hangouts lack the spontaneity of bumping into someone in the hallway and having an unexpected and wonderful discussion. Being on social media allows me to enjoy spontaneous interactions, from learning about something new to sharing a joke with people (often strangers) in a comments section. I didn’t realize how much I valued spontaneous conversations before quarantine made them basically impossible, and I’m very grateful that they’re such an integral component of the social media experience.
It’s true that social media is always filled with terrible news these days, but I have always used social media as a news source, and bad news isn’t particularly new. While keeping up with the news can of course be heavy, it’s personally important to me to keep myself updated as often as possible. It’s a quirk of mine that I am less anxious hearing terrible news than not hearing it and wondering what terrible news is developing, and it means that spending lots of time on social media and getting frequent updates is helpful for me.
Social media can absolutely spread misinformation, but there are lots of resources out there to help you determine what is and isn’t trustworthy news. Check out this one on fact checking from Digital Tattoo! As for the conflict which can breed online, I try to pick my battles and just forget about the other ones. For example, I will absolutely debate with a stranger about something I care about, like reproductive rights. A debate about how my favourite TV show should have ended? I’m less likely to take that on.
I know it’s unusual that I am enjoying and benefiting from increased social media use these days. Lots of people are on social media more than they have been in the past, but aren’t enjoying it at all. What’s most important is that we understand ourselves, our limits, and what we get out of social media use. Being aware of your usage and your goals online can help you determine what level of engagement is best for you.
Perhaps you’re like me, and increased social media usage is helping you during these wild times. Maybe you’re like Ese, who is also has an article up about the importance of digital detoxing. She has decreased her social media engagement these days for her own well-being.
Let us know where on the scale you fall, and what strategies you use for limiting your social media intake (if need be). We’re interested to know!
Written by Samantha Summers
Edited by Eseohe Ojo
Feature Image Social Media Icons With Paint Splash Effect, by Lewis Ogden
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