fsos3105

[fsos3105]

Blog post 3

In 2018, Pew reported that a majority of people in the U.S. disagreed that the internet has been good for society. What do you think, and why?

Because internet use is so prevalent in our society, there is a lot of debate on the value of being so frequently exposed to it. Having such an open source of information and communication at our literal fingertips carries risks such as breaches of privacy and addiction while also giving people the ability to connect with others and learn new things about themselves and the world.

I believe that overall the internet benefits society more than it causes harm. For instance, the internet is an increasingly useful tool for parents. From a study done at the University of Hong Kong, parents who were better educated on parenting practices reported more engagement with their children's online activities, a greater ability to talk to their children about the internet, and higher satisfaction with their children's behavior. I believe that the incredible access to knowledge can make parents more effective and give them the power to learn and improve at their own pace.

In my own life, I think that the internet is a really positive force on society for social justice. I am able to learn about issues as they happen because the news, independent analyses online, and personal stories are available to me at any time as a result of social media and the internet as a whole. Without the internet, my access would greatly depend on television, written word, and word of mouth. None of these methods are as fast as or supply as many points of view as the internet does.

Although we experience many positive impacts of internet use, many people feel that the negative effects overshadow them. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of adults believe that the internet has been a positive force on their lives and on society. However, the percentage of people who feel this way has decreased over time. Issues such as reported increased isolation, misinformation, and cybersecurity concerns are cited as factors for a decrease in faith in the benefits of the internet on society.

These are important to address and are not impossible to fix. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the internet has been an incredible tool for connection, just not in the way that people may typically think of it; social media and video calling are both widely used for connection when in-person connection is not possible or as convenient. Fact-checking software and methods for protecting personal data are becoming increasingly popular and available.

I think that further research on youth's opinions on internet use and society would be a really valuable part of this discussion. Because Gens Z and Alpha are growing up with the internet, I believe that they would inherently link the internet with society as opposed to older generations seeing it as a force on society.

“Declining Majority of Online Adults Say The Internet Has Been Good For Society” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (Publication date) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/04/30/declining-majority-of-online-adults-say-the-internet-has-been-good-for-society/

Yu Cheung Wong (2010) Cyber-Parenting: Internet Benefits, Risks and Parenting Issues, Journal of Technology in Human Services, 28:4, 252-273, DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2011.562629

[fsos3105]

Technology Log Analysis

In my FSOS 3105 class, we were asked to record our use of technology for a full day. Following the completion of this log, I analyzed what kind of technology I was using, the duration, pros/cons, and how I felt about it. Here are my findings :)

Technology Log Analysis 

The night before I began my technology use log, I decided I wanted to estimate what it would look like based on my perception of how much technology I use on a daily basis. I took into consideration that it would be a Saturday and I would not be on my laptop or iPad as much as I would on a day I had school or work and that I would likely be on my phone more because I would have more free time. I also thought that most of my time actively using my phone (screen on and interacting with it as opposed to having music on in the background) would be on social media. Additionally, I knew I was going to a football game and that being there would probably cut down on my screen time. In the end, I estimated that I would spend about 5 hours using technology. 

As I was recording my technology usage throughout the day, I felt a little alarmed by how frequently my phone was in use. I tried not to alter the amount of time I was spending on it to keep my data as accurate as possible, but I did notice myself resisting the urge to check my phone more often than I would if I were not recording how much I was using it. I also noticed that a large portion of my technology use seemed to be for music. I found this to be a little relieving because I feel like my technology use is most detrimental when I am glued to a screen and mindlessly scrolling on social media or watching Netflix. 

In addition to what I was using and the duration of it, I also tried to pay attention to how I felt when I was using technology. I found that every time I opened my phone, one of the first things I would do was look to see if the guy I have been dating had texted me. My mood definitely fluctuated depending on whether or not he had texted me back. The intermittent reinforcement made me want to check my phone constantly and I had to stop myself from keeping it in my hand all of the time. Similar to findings from Duran et al. (2011), I found that I was often frustrated by the lack of connection due to his inconsistent communication via text message. 

When I was on social media, I enjoyed connecting with my friends and seeing what people were up to. I saw that one of my high school classmates got engaged and then I spent a while texting my friends about it. We bonded over feeling weird that people our age, 19 and 20, were getting married and having children. Over text, I bonded with my friends and solidified plans with my parents for them to pick me up at the airport for Thanksgiving break. I felt relieved afterwards that we were able to figure everything out. 

After totaling up the amount of time I had spent using technology, I was very surprised to see that I had racked up eight hours of use over the course of my day. A third of my 24 hour long day was directly impacted by some form of screen time. When I looked closer at what I was spending my time on, I noticed that a lot of that time was spent on Spotify and my phone was not turned on nor was I looking at my phone. After disregarding the time I was not actively looking at a screen, my use came down to about 5.6 hours which was much closer to what I had thought I would end up with. Still, that is almost a fourth of my day interacting with technology and half of the time that I was actually awake. 

Looking at those numbers, I have to ask myself if all of that time interacting with my screens was worth it. The amount of time I spent working on assignments is justified and I still could have spent more time doing that. Texting and planning with my friends and family was useful and necessary for safety and for being able to meet up together. The 35 minutes on social media is, truthfully, much lower than it would have been if I had not been at the football game that afternoon. In a different setting with my friends, such as in my apartment or getting coffee, I would have spent much more time on social media apps such as Twitter and Instagram. The amount of time I spent on Netflix could have been excessive. I like to use it to wind down and get ready to sleep but I think that the amount of blue light I am exposed to is not helping with the quality of my sleep and contributing to a cycle of not sleeping well, being tired and stressed during the day, and then watching T.V. to unwind. 

From observing my own screen time, I can see that listening to music and keeping in contact with my friends and family are the most beneficial forms of my daily technology use outside of school and work. I enjoy these activities, they do not keep me on my phone excessively, and do not disrupt my life. When applying this to families, it makes me think about how they could integrate the use of technology for connection and minimize negative effects such as becoming withdrawn or disconnected from each other. 

Because playing video games as a family has been shown to foster connection in families (Voida & Greenberg, 2012), I believe this could be extended to other types of technology use within a family. Similarly to my experience by myself, sharing and listening to music as a family could be an effective way to use phones or computers to bond with family members without having to be constantly interacting with a screen. That way, people with concerns about the amount of time they are using technology such as parents of young children and anyone who is conscious of their technology use can interact with members who are more inclined to use it.

Overall, I am a little surprised about the amount of time I spend using technology in one day. However, I am not necessarily displeased with how I spent that time. A large chunk of my time was schoolwork, music, or purposeful connection with friends and family. Because most of the things I was doing were beneficial for me academically and socially, I feel like my overall usage was positive.

Sources

Robert L. Duran , Lynne Kelly & Teodora Rotaru (2011) Mobile Phones

in Romantic Relationships and the Dialectic of Autonomy Versus Connection, Communication

Quarterly, 59:1, 19-36, DOI: 10.1080/01463373.2011.541336

Voida, A., & Greenberg, S. (2011). Console gaming across generations: Exploring intergenerational interactions in collocated console gaming. Universal Access in the Information Society, 11(1), 45-56.

[fsos3105]

Blog post 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a tool, called The Family Media Plan, to help families create a plan for their children’s use of media. This tool can be a real help as families negotiate the amount of time children spend with technology and screens. Yet is it realistic to expect that families would be able to follow through on this plan? Why? Or why not?

With the ever-increasing amount of time we spend using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in our every day lives, making guidelines for ourselves and our families regarding the who, what, when, where, and why of the ICT we use is a reasonable goal. I believe that the American Academy of Pediatrics' Media Plan tool could be a great tool for understanding what they want and their values regarding technology, but that it falls short in being able to help families adhere to what they want to do.

In order to understand how this tool works, I decided to create a hypothetical family and go through the process of filling out the plan. As I understand it, the goal is to sit down as a family and go through the ideals and values listed on the plan, talk about them, and select the ones that you want to focus on. At the end, you are given a printable list of the plan you made and are encouraged to place it in the home (Radesky et al.). It is free, does not use complicated jargon, and utilizes icons that could make it more engaging to children.

I think that this would be useful for identifying what values and ideals you have as a family in regards to screen usage. The list format and ability to choose which items are important gives people a place to start if they have not spent much time thinking about what they want their technology limits to look like. The plan also includes reasons for their suggestions and gives examples of ways they can be implemented. For example, under "prioritizing creative, educational, prosocial and positive media", AAP notes that "positive media and apps help children learn new skills like coding" and suggests that parents use "regular video chats with loved ones" as a way to use ICT positively (Radesky et al.).

While there are many positive attributes of this tool, I wonder if parents would potentially feel overwhelmed from the amount of suggestions and internalized fear of judgement from their peers, pediatricians, and others. I notice a lack of reassurance and support for the parents where they could be telling the parents that it is okay to have their children use screens. It is a very normal part of our world and parents may need to choose between the lesser of two evils. As an example, the practice of "mom-shaming", the hyper-criticism experienced by mothers, is incredibly prevalent both in person and online. In a place where parents are going to try their best for their children, wouldn't reassuring them that they don't have to be "perfect" be beneficial?

According to one study, 61% of mothers reported feeling criticized in their parenting choices (Türe). I think that looking at how the increased judgement among parents who let their children have a higher screen time affects parents' confidence in their ability to raise their children. Because of how common and evolving ICT is in every age group, it would be a unique aspect of life to study.

SOURCES

Radesky, J., Moreno, M., & Tomopoulos, S.. Family Media Plan. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx?_ga=2.102538498.2018930592.1667185559-1186986715.1667185559&_gl=1%2A1r51zgv%2A_ga%2AMTE4Njk4NjcxNS4xNjY3MTg1NTU5%2A_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ%2AMTY2NzE4NTU1OC4xLjAuMTY2NzE4NTU2My4wLjAuMA..#/finish

Türe, D. (2021). MOTHER-SHAMING MEMORIES: THE ROLE OF MATERNAL SELF-DISCREPANCY ON NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND SHAMING EXPERIENCES OF MOTHERS

[fsos3105]

Blog post 1

Reflect on the ways in which your ICT (Information and Communications Technology) use shifted (if at all) during COVID-19. For most of us, the time of quarantine between March 2020 and June 2021 had significant influence on our lives and our use of technology. What was good about this time, relative to your technology behavior? What are you not as happy with? From the perspective of the time in which you’re reading this, did your shifts in technology use during COVID-19 continue?

Like many people in my generation, I have grown up with advancing technology and I consider myself someone who has been using ICT almost constantly for a large part of their life. From educational TV shows as a toddler, to my first iPod touch, to taking college courses online, ICT has been a big part of my life and it is only increasing as time goes on.

The amount of time I spent on my phone and other technology I use daily increased dramatically at the onset of the pandemic. Being stuck at home in the cold early spring was incredibly isolating and like many others, I used technology to try to feel any sort of normalcy. For me, this meant a dramatic increase in screen time and social media usage to stay connected to my friends and what was happening in the world.

Studies have shown that social media usage increases during times of crisis (Venegas-Vera et al.) and this was very true for me. I felt like my life had been completely uprooted and I needed something that made things feel more stable. Being able to maintain communication with my friends was vital for me. Because my high school went online and asynchronous that spring, for months I really only spoke to non-family members online until it was warm and safe enough to find places where we could hang out.

I also used the internet frequently in order to keep up with and try to understand what was happening in the world. Google searches, Twitter threads, Youtube and TikTok videos tagged "World Health Organization", "Covid-19 rates", and "Vaccine" were constantly pulled up on my phone. Having access to scientific data from the world's best immunologists and epidemiologists at my fingertips gave me some sense of control. It also helped me stay up to date with the current health recommendations to keep myself and my family safe.

Although I experienced a lot of benefit from the increased ICT use, it also became very detrimental for me, often on the same platforms that were giving me positive experiences. I engaged in a lot of doom-scrolling early on in the pandemic. Defined as "when one becomes caught in an unending cycle of negative news", I found myself in an obsessive cycle of reading one upsetting thing after another in order to feel up to date on the happenings of the world (Buchanan et al.). In retrospect, I did not need to be as up to date as I was, but I truly felt like I needed to know every piece of information I came across.

As I was doom-scrolling, I noticed that I was reading things that did not seem right to me. I read people's thoughts on the origins of Covid-19, whether or not they thought the virus was truly serious, and other things that felt off to me. I realized that I was encountering dangerous misinformation mixed in with the real information on media sites such as Twitter (Venegas-Vera et al.). A lot of these false posts contained racist, antisemitic, and other forms of hateful content. The prevalence of this content made people who did not consume media critically more vulnerable to joining hateful groups.

As I reflect on my experience with ICT and the pandemic, I wonder more about the longer term effects of doom-scrolling have had on people. I think that a lot of people could have drastically adjusted their morals and values after an intense span of time consuming scary news media, both falsified and real. I would like to know more about how their political leanings have changed as well.

SOURCES

A. Verner Venegas-Vera, Gates B Colbert, Edgar V. Lerma. Positive and negative impact of social media in the COVID-19 era. Rev. Cardiovasc. Med. 2020, 21(4), 561–564. https://doi.org/10.31083/j.rcm.2020.04.195

Buchanan K, Aknin LB, Lotun S, Sandstrom GM (2021) Brief exposure to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Doom-scrolling has negative emotional consequences, but kindness-scrolling does not. PLOS ONE 16(10): e0257728. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257728

[fsos3105]

Introduction:)

Hi, my name is Lauren! I am a 2nd year undergrad student at the University of Minnesota studying Family Social Science. I am especially interested in couples relationship and sex therapy.

For my Technology in Parenting and Family Relationships course, I am writing a blog talking about what we are learning and my own thoughts and analysis. I'm really excited to have a space to think more about the content of the class and be able to share it!