William, 17

Media Consumption: About 8 hours per day

Favorite Media/Technology: WeChat, Instagram, Snapchat

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

Since I live separately from my parents, we mainly video chat each other via WeChat. There’s nothing much to talk about, so we only call each other when I have difficulties in life. The frequency depends on my situation, sometimes once a week, sometimes every day.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

We don’t use media when we are in person, but we do talk about things that we discovered on media. However, when we are not together, we talk to each other frequently and share interesting findings through social media.

What do you use media for?

I mainly use media for entertainment, sometimes I play video games to relax. I also use media to find a sense of belonging. I talk to my friends and post photos about my life. There are also chat groups that I join such as game groups, where we talk about our common interests.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

The thing I like about media and technology is that I can learn things from it. It is a source of diverse information, which allows me to see things other than what I see physically. What I don’t like about media and technology is that sometimes the information is incomplete and the source is unreliable, which may cause confusion and be misleading.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

Actually, I think it is fine now. The thing I would want social media to improve is to establish more rules on these platforms, like laws in the real world, so people have a guideline to follow and can be protected.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

I have been using more WeChat, Instagram, and Snapchat more. It is basically what I normally would use. However, since I am mostly staying at home now, I spend more time on these social medias. It is also harder to not use them now, because there are no other social activities that I can do.

Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?

I get information about the coronavirus from public accounts on WeChat and from my friends. I don’t read the news, but I think the information provided by the public accounts on WeChat are based on the news. I am not interested in knowing everything about the coronavirus, so I only read articles I find interesting or relevant on public accounts.

What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during this difficult time?

YouTube. I have been watching a lot of YouTube. There are some interesting videos that are keeping me busy and calm.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

I learned that rumors are terrible. Don’t fully believe what you see on the internet, there is no benefit in that.

Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?

I learned that people are dependent on the internet and the internet has infiltrated into our lives. Now that everyone is staying at home, all of the social needs are being satisfied online. We can actually live in our homes separately for a long time and still feel connected. That is the power of media and technology.

Interviewed by: Christy Wang, UCLA Rising 3rd Year Student