Leen, 13
Media Consumption: 4-5 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram, Snapchat, Netflix
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I text my mom through iMessages or Snapchat and I text my dad through iMessages when we need to. With my younger sister, I use Snapchat. We don’t really interact together with media so we all do our own thing.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I talk to classmates through Google Classroom and Discord for school-related things. With closer friends, I use Snapchat and Instagram to text them. We also use Snapchat to send each other pictures and Instagram to post about ourselves.
What do you use media for?
I use it for entertainment by watching videos and talking to my friends online. I also post a lot on my social media accounts, but mainly on the accounts with close friends.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is being able to have something to do. It keeps me from feeling bored and I am able to talk to my friends easily. My least favorite thing about media is any negative posts and comparing myself to other people.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I would like social media like Instagram and Snapchat to have better security. I have times when I get scared that my information will get leaked and I would like to have more privacy options. I also do not want to see hateful posts or comments so blocking them would be good.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with social media more. I post pictures on Instagram and Snapchat and keep up with my feed. I also stay in more contact with my friends by texting them through DM’s. I also watch on Netflix and find myself scrolling through the list of shows to watch.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Sometimes, they just pop up on my for you page on Instagram or I search it up myself. My friends also share informational posts on their stories so I find them there.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I would say Instagram because they have the reels feature and I find myself scrolling through it. That is also why I don’t have TikTok since they’re the same. It becomes addicting, which is very bad. Netflix has also helped me with all the shows I watch.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I’ve learned that too much screen time is bad for you. I found myself using my phone too much, mindlessly scrolling around trying to find something to watch. Taking a break from my phone and going out would be better for me.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I would say I learned how I use media to entertain me when I am bored. I also spend a lot of time talking to my friends online which is nice so we can stay connected when we can’t see each other. But, I also find myself caring about how others see me and I focus a lot on my social media feed which is toxic behavior.
Interviewed by: Tasneem Elsayed, UCLA student