Marissa, 10
Media Consumption: A lot, like everyday
Favorite Media/ Technology: Tablet/iPad
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My family and I use digital media and technology to communicate with each other and stay connected.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I also use media and technology to communicate with each other and stay connected. We also use media and technology to FaceTime and play games with each other.
What do you use media for?
I mainly use media to watch videos, movies, play games, and make TikToks.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media/technology is the ads that pop up on certain games and websites. They appear frequently and are very annoying.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I watch movies and shows on Netflix a lot, and I want the creators to know that it’s a great app. Some of the other media that I use are Toca World, and Roblox, and I want their creators to know that they are really fun games.
What media do you interact with the most?
I use Toca World, Roblox, and Netflix the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
In the mornings, my mom plays the morning news on the television and I listen to it, and I get most of the information about what’s happening in the world from that.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times? Why?
Disney+, Toca World, and Netflix help me to stay busy and calm during challenging times because they help me get my mind off of things that cause me stress.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned to stay clean from germs, and to be mindful of each other, and elders especially because they are more at risk when it comes to COVID-19.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I noticed I use media and technology much more. We also look things up and use our laptops in class all day long.
Interviewed by: Jazlyn Zendejas, UCLA student
Amy, 18
Media consumption: 5-6 hours a day
Favorite media/technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We use media and technology often. My mom is on Facebook everyday and my dad watches the news through TV everyday.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My peers and I interact through technology. We send each other TikTok’s and Instagram posts regularly, and it is one of the most popular ways we interact with each other, especially with my friends who are at schools far away from me.
What do you use media for?
I use media for entertainment purposes which is mainly to pass time, I search for cooking recipes, workout-related content, I communicate with friends, and I use it for Netflix.
What is your most favorite/least favorite thing about technology?
My most favorite thing about media is where I find my entertainment. Certain posts that you come across make your day because it’s so funny. My least favorite thing about media is that it is so toxic for young people because you can get influenced so easily, but not everything applies to everyone, and people end up falling into a trap.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I would want the people who create the media to know that there are a lot of people out there who are scarily swayed into doing things they see on the internet. Although I understand that it is one of the main purposes for making them, I believe that creators should be extremely careful with what they choose to post.
What media do you interact with the most?
The media that I interact with the most are TikTok and Snapchat.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world?
I obtain most of my information about what’s happening in the world through people I am close with or through social media.
What media helps you stay busy/ stay calm during challenging times?
I feel like scrolling on TikTok is nice for me to unwind during challenging times or before going to bed. It takes one’s mind off of things and it is an easy watch.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
One of the important lessons I learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that human interaction is very important for people. A few of my friends who were already introverted became even more introverted, and lost a lot of social interaction skills because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
My dependency on social media for entertainment increased because I was at home, and I did not have much else to do during my free time.
Interviewed by: Osheen Abnous, UCLA student
Chloe, 9
Media Consumption: 1-2 hours a day on my iPhone
Favorite Media/Technology: Using iPhone for YouTube and Roblox games
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My dad goes on his computer to play games and my mom likes to use her phone to look at Facebook. Sometimes my mom and I watch Netflix shows together like, Full House, but other than that I am not allowed to watch shows with inappropriate scenes like Wednesday Addams, because it has violence.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I love texting each other or playing Roblox games together, I am not allowed to have social media like Instagram even though some of my friends do use that. When I am bored I usually FaceTime one of my friends.
What do you use media for?
I mostly go on YouTube and watch reaction videos where people watch funny or cringey videos and react to them. I also like playing games on Roblox. Sometimes I play with snapchat filters on my mom’s phone because I am not allowed to have Snapchat on my phone.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is that I can talk to my friends outside of school or keep in touch with friends that don't live in the same area as me. I also love how I can be creative on apps where I make my own filters stickers, which I use on my pictures. I don't like how addicting using media can be at times. Sometimes I just want to keep staring at my phone and I don’t know how to stop. I am also scared of how much artificial intelligence is becoming used and if it can control people one day.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Some of the YouTubers I watch make really cringey videos and are really dramatic for views and attention. I want them to know that it's pretty embarrassing when they make videos like that and they should stop click-baiting people.
What media do you interact with the most?
I use YouTube or TikTok the most to watch different videos, but my mom does set a time limit for me or else I will keep scrolling and streaming.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I don’t really keep up with the news, I just hear it from my parents when they talk about it to each other.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I like watching shows on Netflix with my mom. We look forward to our watch parties together.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned that sometimes there is information online that may not always be coming from a known source with evidence and it's not always good to trust everything you see or hear.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times
I realized I actually used media more during COVID-19 than I do now because I was bored at home with no one to play with. Now, I like to play with my friends more and go to the park.
Interviewed by: Sara Gharibian, UCLA student
Michael, 20
Media Consumption: 4-5 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: Texting
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I interact with media/technology through interacting with my family in a family group chat as well as watching television shows and movies with them.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I interact with my friends through media/technology by texting/calling, social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram, as well as playing video games almost every day with them. I communicate with my friends through media/technology all day, every day.
What do you use media for?
I use media most to watch shows/movies on Netflix. I also have several social media accounts and I find it cool to stay connected with my friends, family, and my favorite celebrities. I have recently enjoyed spending time watching TikTok.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media/technology is that people oftentimes portray themselves to be someone they are not. I don’t like that people feel that they need to pretend to be what others would think would be viewed as “cool.”
Interviewed by: Erin McCaffrey, University of Cincinnati student
Tanmay, 18
Media Consumption: 5-6 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: Netflix
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We use it a lot for news and watching streaming services to pass the time.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I call my friends every night, sometimes to play games, other times just to hang around and talk. Me and my friends use it for social media and things such as Netflix party.
What do you use media for?
Along with talking to my friends, I also use technology to make music, call family back in India and build my career. I honestly use it for either self-advertisement [as a music artist] or advertising for causes I care about.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing is how easy it is for everyone to have a voice, but that’s also my least favorite thing because there is so many differing opinions that clash and make it hard to form my own views.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I think I want the people who run social media to know that there is an insane amount of information being put out about the world today and we should be able to control it so that it’s all accurate only.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
Definitely FaceTime and Zoom, since not only do all my classes happen on them, but I also call friends and play games with them through them.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus?
Though I do watch the news and get quite a bit of information about COVID-19 through that, I try to do my own research on the matter to make sure that I am well informed.
What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during this difficult time?
When I am stressed, I make music. I wasn’t always good with instruments, but I really have been improving at mixing and making songs. Especially since I’ve had lots of help.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?
2 Family is really valuable. I have a younger brother and my two parents, and more than before, I realize how much I love them and want to do everything I can to make sure that they are safe. Even if that means going to get groceries and doing chores once in a while.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?
I have realized how dependent I am on technology. Whether it be talking to my friends, taking classes, or even cooking. Staying at home and seeing it all in use has really made me see it more clearly.
Interviewed by: Himanshu Chaudhary, UCLA 4th Year Student