Adam, 5

Media Consumption: About 3.5 hours a day

Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube on his iPad

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

I have my own iPad, and Jasmine (his sister) has her own. This is mine. I like YouTube and I watch stories about Red Riding Hood and play games. This is my game on Fortnite.

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

I like to play Fortnite with my friends and my cousins. Sometimes I play soccer on the Xbox when my friends come to my house.

What do you use media for?

I like watching stories on YouTube and hearing the songs. I also really like to go on the Instagram and look at pictures.

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

I love YouTube and Fortnite and Instagram because they’re really fun. I don’t like it when I have to share my iPad with Yasmeen because she didn’t charger hers.

Interview By: Rema Khalifah, UCLA 4th Year Student

Aiyana, 3

Media Consumption: 2 hours per day

Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube on her iPad

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

My grandpa bought me this iPad that I love and Grandma lets me watch it while I eat breakfast. Sometimes Daddy lets me watch YouTube before I sleep, too.

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

I FaceTime my cousins when I miss them. When I can’t see my cousins, I can call them!

What do you use media for?

I love to watch YouTube and see Wendy and Jannie. They have so many toys. I love them.

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

I don’t like when I have to wait to press ‘the thing’ [Skip ad button on YouTube].

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

I want to tell them thank you for letting me spend time with my friends on YouTube. Oh, tell them too that I love watching girls like me sing!

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

YouTube. And Grandma bought me ABC Mouse, but I only play that with Grandma.

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

Grandma is scared of Coronavirus. We can’t touch anything because the germs, remember? And you can’t take your mask off! I have a pink mask with kitties on it. It’s so cute.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

Coronavirus says you have to stay inside. I play outside in the backyard, but we can’t go to the park.

Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19? I can only play on the iPad when someone lets me, but we play outside more now.

Interviewed by: Danielle Rivas, UCLA 4 th Year Student

Carlotta, 8

Media Consumption: 2 hours a day during week, 4 hours on weekends. 6 hours per day during holidays

Favorite Media/Technology: iPad

What devices to you use/interact with and what do you use them for?

I have an iPad for games and an iPad for school, so I don’t play games when I have to do homework. I also have a little phone that I can’t use in the week just like my iPad. Only during the holidays, I can use it during the week for 2 hours. On my phone I can play games and I use it to call my mom and dad when I miss them. I watch a lot of TV during the holidays. 4 hours, I think. When I have guests, we decided that I can’t use electronic devices.

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

I really like that you can play and learn and look up stuff like words. But I don’t like that you have to charge it or the ads because when I play then the ads interrupt. I think it’s really stupid because I have to pay money to make it go away. Does that seriously have to happen? And sometimes these scary ads come with the shooting people and guns for 17 [year-olds] and then I just quickly put the iPad away and x-out of it when I don’t hear the sounds anymore.

What do you use media for?

For playing games and learning. I play a Barbie game but they want me to pay €7 for a membership every month, and I don’t understand why. For learning I use the app Seesaw and my teacher sends me work. Sometimes it teaches me how to draw a dragon and it shows you how to do it step-by-step. But sometimes I want it to be slower. I use kids-YouTube too but I am not allowed to put anything on it.

How do you learn about media?

Well, I learned a lot about internet safety, like if you get an unknown message then you are not supposed to open it because then your computer can get a virus and then it gets worse and worse and infects others. I learned it through my app BrainPOP Jr., and Moby and Anna are so funny and they explain it. I got the app from school.

How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?

On the weekends I can play as much as I want. During the week I can’t and I have to do all my work on Seesaw and oh my God it is so much work. But sometimes my teacher gives me funny tasks to do, but sometimes the instructions don’t make any sense at all and then I don’t know what to do. We have class on Zoom, but sometimes it’s a little annoying because everyone takes over each other because they haven’t seen each other in person. I prefer in person because it’s better and easier to focus, and harder to listen to on Zoom.

Interviewed by: Emma Kollmorgen, Occidental College Rising 2nd Year Student

Jake, 8

Media Consumption: 2 hours a day

Favorite Media/Technology: iPad and TV

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

I play video games with my dad. My favorite ones to play with him are Call of Duty and Clash of Clans. I also like to watch movies with my family, unless me and my dad are watching Lego Masters or Star Wars.

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

I love to play video games with my friends online. Our favorite game is Roblox and we play that one a lot.

What do you use media for?

I use it to play with my friends to play Roblox. I also like to use technology to play games when I’m bored and watch Family Guy.

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

My favorite thing about technology is being able to play with my friends and I also like using the internet to help solve class problems. I don’t really have anything that I don’t like about technology.

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

I would like to have more Roblox money so I can have my character wear different and more fun clothes.

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

I use my computer a lot more because that’s how I go to class now. I also use my iPad more to look up questions for class and play video games.

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

I hear about most of the information about coronavirus from my parents. I think my teachers will talk about it once we go back to school.

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

I have liked using my iPad mostly because I can still play with my friends and play Roblox.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

I’ve learned that staying home is important even though it’s difficult sometimes. I also learned that I really like Family Guy and Roblox.

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

I like to play video games with my friends more than playing video games by myself. It’s more fun to talk about the game with other people and if I play by myself, then there’s no one to talk to.

Interviewed by Luke Johnstone: UCLA Rising 4th Year