Hannah, 16
Media Consumption: iPhone screen time about 10 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: iPhone
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My dad rarely uses his phone because he consciously tries to minimize his phone usage. My mom is the exact opposite because she uses her phone for work, and she is online all day. I use my phone pretty often to use social media and watch YouTube.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
During lunchtime, even though my friends and I are sitting together, we are all on our phones. This is probably because we are not that familiar with each other. My best friends are either in Northern California or in Japan, and we interact through social media applications like WeChat and Instagram. We use iMessage to text, too.
What do you use media for?
I use media for basic communication with friends. I also browse through Little Red Book (a Chinese app similar to TikTok) and Weibo (Chinese Twitter) to kill time. I like K-pop and C-pop groups, so I need to be caught up with trends.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Every coin has two sides. I guess my favorite and least favorite part about media is the same. My favorite part about media is that I get to stay focused and forget everything else. However, if I don’t pay attention, I waste a lot of time. It is time-consuming but entertaining.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/to interact with to know?
I think the founders of the applications don’t even use them. They should limit screen time for children and teenagers because they don’t have enough self-control.
What media are you using more now because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
2019 was so long ago, I don’t quite remember. I probably used TikTok more back then. Since TikTok is stigmatized in my friend group, I don’t use it anymore. Now I use Little Red Book more often as a substitute for TikTok.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about changes during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get information from my parents and friends. I seldom read the news. Even though Weibo posted some information about COVID-19, I don’t really pay attention to it.
What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during the COVID-19 pandemic?
I used WeChat and Little Red Book. One for communication, and one for entertainment.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic?
First, people should not go against nature. Second, human interaction is very valuable. I really miss those days when we could see people’s expressions on their faces and enjoy physical touches because it really makes a difference.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Without Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Canvas, schools cannot survive COVID-19. I am really grateful to those teaching technologies and social media platforms.
Interviewed by: Alice Deng, UCLA Student