FRIENDSHIP & SOCIAL MEDIAGarret McAlpineCMS 298Social Media Presentation7/23/13

SOCIAL MEDIA TYPES

21ST CENTURY FRIENDS

Concept of friendship still the same today, the fundamental principles have not changed.

So many ways to share and update loved ones instantly, beyond e-mail.

Social media fulfills the need to be “in the know” for many of us. The thought of not being connected means we’re missing something.

Social norms are changing with the technology of the day.

21ST CENTURY FRIENDS

Friendship is redefined by current standards. Not everyone is “friends” with the people they choose to befriend and interact with online.

Social media has it’s conveniences and headaches. A certain level of responsibility comes with the ability to access so much information so quickly about other people.

EVOLUTION OF MEDIA

EVOLUTION OF MEDIA

Time and distance not as much of a problem with today’s technology. Friends and family can communicate with each other worlds apart from the palm of their hand.

The ability to connect instantly nullifies physical borders.

The more information we consume, the more we feel connected and “in the know”.

The fundamental structure of friendship is still the same, but media adds a new layer via various methods of consumption.

IDENTITY NEGOTIATION

Technology has caused the way teens develop and navigate the concept of friendship.

While the core practice itself hasn’t changed, friendship today is beyond physical boundaries. How we connect with each other, share and dissect information today is faster than ever before.

THE MIRROR OF MEDIA

THE MIRROR OF MEDIA

“...Social media mirror, magnify and extend every day social worlds...”

What takes place online is reproduced and discussed offline.

Teens and young adults today use media to move seamlessly across formats of connection and communication.

FORMATION OF IDENTITY

The formation of an online persona differs from real life.

Information online is cherry picked to be shared, and most people focus on only the positive aspects of their lives to share with others.

Who you are and who you project yourself to be are two different things entirely.

Can lead to feelings of self-doubt, jealousy, anger or low self-esteem by constantly comparing yourself to others.

OPEN ENDED CONTACT

“Social media have the potential to radically alter friendship making processes...Most teens use these tools to maintain pre-existing connections, turn acquaintances into friendship, and develop connections through people they already know.”

The ability to connect with those we know already and some we don’t opens lines of communication across platforms.

CONSTANT CONNECTIONS

The more we connect, the more we can learn but also share. It’s a double edged sword for those unaware of the risks of sharing too much information.

Teens should be both informed andeducated about therisks and dangersof sharing toomany details aboutthemselves online.

DEFINING BOUNDARIES ONLINE

Pre-teens and teens today must be able to determine their own boundaries online.

This begins at home with a good foundation of right and wrong, fully understanding the consequences of their choices.

Once it’s on the internet, it’s always on the internet.

DEFINING BOUNDARIES ONLINE

The definition of privacy has changed as technology becomes more widespread.

There are as many dangers as their are conveniences to modern communication platforms.

Being conscientious of what to share online is a really important thing to drive into your kids heads.

FRIENDSHIP HIERARCHY

Social media creates hierarchy within social circles that are normally unseen or unimportant in the physical sense.

IE- A few years ago when MySpace had introduced the “top friends” list, it took an implicit concept and made it explicit.

Essentially, you’re ranking your friends in a way that you never would in real life.

This can create both social drama and tension within groups of friends.

DANGERS AND RISKS

DANGERS AND RISKS

Cyber-bullying is a real problem when kids don’t understand the consequences of threatening behavior and language.

Friendships are often validated through online interaction, reinforcing roles and determining the hierarchy of social circles. friends defending friends during social media arguments etc.

Teens are exerting a certain level of independence, away from parents and their control.

CONCLUSIONS

Constant connection both changing rules and societal definition of friendship. Friend requests and lists, the abliity to “block” others from contact, control over who sees any detail you choose to share online.

Technology today plays a vital role in the ability to share information, ideas and emotions with one another.

Both positive and negative interactions are intensified through social media.

CONCLUSIONS

Methods change, expand, improve. Tools become more high-tech and user friendly. Upgrades never stop coming. The more we access, the more responsibility we have. The fundamental aspects of friendship still require physical validation and confirmation through personal interaction.

One thing is for certain, as technology evolves to adapt with us, we adapt to it. And with that comes the change of our expectations of one another in all matters of friendship, intimacy and relationships in general.

SOURCES

Itō, Mizuko. Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2010. Print.

Powers, William. Hamlet's BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age. New York: Harper Perennial, 2011. Print.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/why-does-privacy-matter-one-scholars-answer/27351/

http://gizmodo.com/tag/privacy

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/21/teen-privacy-online/234392

http://www.salon.com/2013/05/2/do_teenagers_care_about_online_privacy_partner/