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
Caleigh, 6
Media Consumption: 3-4 hours everyday
Favorite Media: Glee and YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
When I was a baby (12 months) I used to watch Peppa Pig everyday. Now I have my own iPad and iPhone that I use everyday. When I’m traveling in the car I watch Disney movies and when I am traveling on the plane I watch them with my dad and when I go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, I watch Glee and sing and dance to the songs they sing.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I call my friends everyday (Facebook Messenger Kids) and then I show them my toys. We also play Roblox and Toca Boca together.
What do you use media for?
I like to see all my friends since some of us go to different schools or live far away. I also like to watch YouTube. I like to play Toca Boca with them ‘cus it’s a lot of fun. I never play Toca Boca by myself but sometimes I play Roblox or find new games to play but my Daddy sometimes says no. He says no when it asks for his credit card.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about technology/media?
I like to watch people on YouTube play the games I like to play and also I like that I get to learn how to braid my hair and put on makeup but then I wipe it off because it looks sometimes crazy. I don’t like the adult games. Sometimes they show up when I am playing a game or watching Adley (on YouTube). And sometimes my friends aren’t home so they can’t pick up. I also like my iPad more than my phone because it has more internet.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I’ve watched Stranger Things before this one time at my mom’s house but it was just this one time that I can’t remember when and I didn’t like it. Also I know where Adley (YouTuber) lives. She lives in Utah and my dad told me that he lived there before.
What media are you using more now because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
"Oh, corona? Jesus died to save us from the corona." Later I learned from her dad that since she goes to a private catholic school they never closed during the pandemic and she wasn’t affected. However, her dad also mentioned that is when she started using FaceTime on her phone with the friends that went to a different school than her.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I ask Siri on my phone and then she gets it from the internet and tells me. Sometimes my teachers at my school or my dad talks to me about it too.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I like to use the Nickelodeon where I push the button and I say what I want to say and then it sends it to my friends and they do the same thing back. I have Nickelodeon on my phone (her father clarified this is the voice memo feature she uses when texting since she doesn’t know how to text yet).
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I learned that people can die from the corona and that’s why we wear masks.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I wear my mask more but I’ve used my phone and iPad my whole life but I am happy I get to talk to my friends and play games with them everyday using my iPad.
Interviewed by: Patricia Bryan, UCLA student
Ani, 11
Media Consumption: My daily average on my phone is about 5 hours. My daily average on my iPad is about 3 hours.
Favorite Media/Technology: I like my iPad because I can play Roblox.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We have Ring cameras all around the house and Apple tags. For the Apple tags, we use them in our cars, backpacks, and our bags, so in case they get lost we can track them on our phones. We also watch movies together on the TV.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We mostly use technology to message and call each other. We also play horror games on Roblox. Sometimes I use my iPad to draw as well.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use it play games and message my friends.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about media is all the people you can meet through games like Roblox. I think the bad thing is also all the people you can meet because sometimes people can be rude.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I think they should make apps more safe for kids. You can always report people but it usually takes a lot of reports to get someone banned. I think the moderators should read the reports and figure out what’s false and what isn’t and also to IP ban people. This would prevent them from making a new account at all.
What media do you interact with the most?
Probably Roblox where I can play games with my friends or message them. I also like Safari because it helps me with my homework sometimes.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
For me I would usually get it off the internet or I would get my information from my teachers or parents.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Probably YouTube since I can watch videos and that’ll usually get my mind off things, but I don’t always go on media.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I mostly learned about media and social platforms during Covid-19. When we were quarantined I learned a lot about media safety too.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Yes, I’ve learned how to use media safely during quarantine and I’ve learned to be careful about what I say and do online. I also learned that sometimes, it's better to have class in person because it’s more interactive. This makes it easier to learn and it’s more fun.
Interviewed by: Lily Simitian, UCLA student
Mary, 11
Media Consumption: On weekdays, about 2 hours per day. On weekends, about 6 hours online per day.
Favorite Media/Technology: My favorite media is TikTok, and my favorite piece of technology is my iPad
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We watch YouTube, television shows, and movies together. My mom uses social media, and my dad watches videos or whatever is on TV. We usually use a moderate amount of media, but we sometimes use a lot on weekends. However, we do not use any media during family bonding time or dinner.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I like to use media to interact with each other. We talk to each other on TikTok, Discord, FaceTime, and any other social app. I also like to play Roblox, which is an online game, with my friends. My peers seem to use social media a lot. As far as I know, everyone my age at school uses a phone and has at least one social media account.
What do you use media for?
I use media for educational purposes and entertainment. I look at YouTube to watch Math and History videos, especially when I don’t understand the concepts taught at school. I also watch arts and crafts videos, and I love watching documentaries with my dad.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing is that I can watch videos about things that I can’t even imagine. I get to see breathtaking scenes and travel all over the world just with the click of a button on my iPad. For example, through vlogs, I can travel to New York City and see Times Square. My least favorite thing is that you can get a lot of criticism online. People can anonymously condemn people and share negative comments that they would never say in real life. Media can be an ugly place when people are disrespectful and rude to each other.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I wish you would look out for our safety more. Kids like me shouldn’t be afraid of our photos or other things getting leaked. You should have more safety rules and frequently check if someone is doing something wrong online. For TikTok, you should pay more attention to what people write in the comments. For YouTube, you should stop putting in so many advertisements.
What media are you using more now because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I am using TikTok way more now because of the pandemic. More people have taken interest in TikTok during the pandemic and have posted tons of videos. So, there is a greater variety of content on that platform than before. Also, TikTok personalizes my feed, and I get to post videos and find audios I like.
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 my information from my mom and dad because the internet can be wrong sometimes. Also, my mom and dad talk about it during dinner. They usually mention anything big that happens, such as when the restaurants started closing or when the vaccine came out.
What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during the COVID19 pandemic?
YouTube, Roblox, and TikTok have been helping me stay calm. YouTube lets me watch any video I want when I’m bored. Roblox lets me escape into my own world, where I can build my own house or design my own characters. TikTok keeps me busy by letting me watch videos so that time goes by faster, which was especially helpful during the quarantine period.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I learned that I need to be more careful in the future because there are a lot of viruses and bad people in the real world. The world can be a dangerous place, especially with the increase in crime rates. I also learned to not believe everything I see on the internet. Some people can spread false rumors about things online, and many people will believe it.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Now I realize I need to be more cautious of the negative effects of social media. I learned that social media is not as cool as I thought it was. Before the pandemic, I didn’t really use social media that much; I only used Instagram a little bit. However, during the pandemic, when I used social media more, I started to see the dark side of it. I began seeing how easy it is to compare yourself to someone else.
Interviewed by: Sydney Kong, UCLA Student
Audrey, 8
Favorite Media/Technology: Roblox & YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I like how my family always texts each other and I’m able to text my sisters whenever I want. I like to play Roblox with my older sisters and watch scary movies with them.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
A lot of my friends play Roblox so we talk about it during school. I don’t text my friends because we all don’t have our own cell phones. We like to just talk about the games we play in person at school.
What do you use media for?
I like watching YouTube videos like unboxing videos because I want to see how the toys look before I buy them because I will be sad if the toy doesn't look how I imagined. I like watching YouTube prank videos because they’re funny.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about technology is Roblox because, in the game, I can dress up my character to whatever I want it to be. I can buy pretty accessories and jewelry to make myself pretty. I can also dress up my character to whatever I want and change the color of my hair to pink. The thing that I don’t like is that sometimes people can be mean online and scam me in Roblox.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID- 19)?
Roblox
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Sometimes on TikTok, there are videos about COVID. But my parents and sister usually tell me about COVID.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?
I learned how to use Zoom. Online learning isn’t that fun because I don’t get to see my teacher or friends in person.
Interviewed by: Evelyn Xiong, UCLA 4th Year Student
Presley, 12
Media Consumption: 7 hours/day (an increase due to pandemic)
Favorite Media/Technology: Roblox
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We all use it every day. My parents use it to work and it keeps my little sister busy during the day. My family has movie nights almost every weekend. We even have an Alexa Echo Dot! I seriously don’t know what we would do without it. I don’t believe it listens to our conversations. I usually just use it to set timers when we cook or ask what the date is. I get frustrated when it does not respond to me with an answer.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
My friends and I make videos together for fun and post them on TikTok. I also like playing Roblox on my iPad with my friends. It is a game where you can play with people all over the world, but I don’t share personal information unless I want to. I will play for about 1.5 hours or until one of us has to go. I like to play dress up in the runway game and collect treasure items. I text, call, and FaceTime friends all the time. That is the easiest way to contact and talk to my friends.
What do you use media for?
I use it mainly for social media. All of my accounts on social media are private, only my friends follow me. I usually post things I do or places I’ve gone to.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about the media is that I can pretty much do anything. I can play games, call people, text people, and draw. My least favorite thing is that I know people can post bad things like false information or spread rumors. I’ve never been cyberbullied but I am scared of it.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
I am very happy that I have media because I don’t know what people did 100, 200, 300 years ago. I am using the same social media as before, like Roblox, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, but I am on it way more because I am stuck at home all day. I do not think it’s bad that I am on it all the time because it keeps me entertained.
Interviewed by: Morgan Love, UCLA 2nd Year Student