Wolf, 13
Media Consumption: ~8 hours a day
Favorite Media/ Technology: Snapchat
How do you and your family interact with media and technology?
We don’t use it as a family ever. Whenever we are just together we don’t use our phones. We pay more attention to each other. Except when we are watching TV because we are watching together.
How do you and your peers interact with media and technology?
We mainly use it for jokes. We talk all the time about everything, and we also use it for helping each other do our homework.
What do you use media for?
People are constantly snapping you, I am constantly snapping everyone, and you can see everyone's locations. I can tell when my friends are lying to me or when my sister is lying to me because I can see where she actually is.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
It gets really annoying when everyone wants to talk to me. My phone is always receiving Snapchats from everyone, and I never get a break. Sometimes I just really do not want to talk to anyone.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Not really anything. What would I want to tell them? I don't know.
What media do you interact with the most?
I think Snapchat, but also YouTube. I am constantly using Snapchat all day but when I get home I like to use YouTube for gaming videos.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world?
My parents and my teachers. We always talk about what is happening whenever we watch the news together, and in class they tell us bigger important things.
What media helps you stay busy/calm during challenges?
Sometimes when I am stressed I go on YouTube instead of doing my homework, but then it makes me more stressed. I like to not be on my phone when I am busy, that helps me stay calm.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I got my iPhone right before the pandemic so it was pretty awesome and I was able to have stuff to do while staying at home. Family is important though. We spent a lot of time together at home all the time. It was good we all had phones to avoid each other when needed.”
Interviewed by: Marjorie Gray, UCLA student
Samuel, 16
Media Consumption: Instagram and TikTok. I recently deleted TikTok because I was wasting time and because it wasn’t useful and I would procrastinate other duties (like school and after school activities). I keep Instagram on my phone and average between thirty mins and an hour a day in usage.
Favorite Media/Technology: My favorite media is video games because with online video games I can connect with other people like people everywhere, even people who don’t live where I do. But, I only play during school breaks, like winter break. My favorite video games are Monster Hunter or Halo.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We don't. I use it to view others, I don’t post much. Just to see how people are doing and stuff. We interact with technology as a resource, not too much as to post to let other people see what we are doing. We do watch TV, movies, and order things off of Amazon on the computer. Sometimes I text my siblings to send them memes. Since my brother and sister are away in college I have to text or FaceTime them when I talk to them.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We don't really text much, we prefer to see each other in person. We only text to set up a date and time. Or if it's urgent like I forgot something at school, or a last minute ride.
What do you use media for?
Communicating with others and catching up with them to see how they are. Most of the time I use it when I am bored.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing is that it allows me to communicate with others. My least favorite is that it is very addictive. Like on Instagram, it sends you notifications of who posted or dm’ed you.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want them to know that they shouldn’t portray ideas on the youth that they are. Ideas like your body should be perfect, or a lot of political ideas that children shouldn’t be thinking of at the time. Children the ages of anywhere between from when they first get their phone to at least 16/17. They usually get their phone around 5yrs old or middle school. But by the time they complete high school they already have it. Political ideas are corrupting our youth into thinking that they should be agreeing with the media. People who share political ideas are advertisements that pop up or influencers like YouTubers. Influencers like instagram models, give people an image that they should look like that.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with Instagram the most.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Instagram reels or accounts. Especially like Visalia Stringer (the home town page). My mom and dad put the news on in the morning and on the weekend I get to listen to it.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
Media doesn’t help me stay calm, it makes me anxious. There's a lot of negative stuff going on and even the positive stuff makes me anxious because I never know if it's real or if they are lying. Spotify does help me though, whenever I listen to it, it helps.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I learned to give myself opportunities and to not be so hard on yourself and on others. Since at that time, I didn’t have a phone and social media, I learned about taking care of myself. Like exercising regularly, drinking enough water, mentally taking care of myself, making sure I am eating healthy enough. I came to realize that if I could do something about something, I shouldn’t worry, and if I can’t do something about it I also shouldn’t worry. Just accepting the fact that things are out of my control has brought me a lot of peace.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I mostly learned how to use media due to the examples that my siblings have given me. I saw how they would post and I would do that, or how they kept Snapchat and how they kept up with their friends. So I did it too.
Interviewed by: Daniela Noricumbo, UCLA student
Lucy, 17
Media Consumption: Almost 3 hours a day for social media which is a weekday, weekends were an hour and half more. Feels as though when she is not doing homework or is not busy that she is checking her phone every 30 minutes.
Favorite Media/Technology: Her phone; Snapchat and TikTok are the platforms she likes the most.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I got my phone a lot later than a lot of my friends, which was 6th grade. For the first year that I had my phone, I was supposed to plug it in in the kitchen, but eventually my parents shaved up on that rule since I would break it a lot. Since I have older siblings, I got social media before I had a phone.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We are constantly on it and I do not like it. All of me and my friends have each others location on Snapmaps and we are constantly looking where one another is and what one another is doing. Some of my closest guy friends, I don't even think I have their phone number, that’s how we make plans that's how we see how we are all doing.... sitting in a room where 10 different people are communicating with other people on their phone.
What do you use media for?
Personally, I use media for entertainment and to connect with my friends.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about technology is that it provides an easy way to communicate with friends when you are not with them. My least favorite thing is that it creates fomo. It makes things seem more fun than they actually are.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Snapchat: should have never created snap maps, sucks for younger kids when they don't have a set friend group yet and it causes people to feel left out. And for TikTok I would say it is so addictive I hate it but I love it, I don’t even know what I would say... you made way too addictive of an app.
What media do you interact with the most?
Snapchat and TikTok. A lot of my friends are on instagram a lot but I do not like Instagram as much as they do.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I get most of my information about what is going on in the world from my family, and also from TikTok (but I take everything on there with a grain of salt ).
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
If I’m looking to stay calm I honestly find it best to stay off of social media, but I would say I would probably go on TikTok if I had to pick when to keep myself busy because I can scroll for hours and not even notice. I find Snapchat and Instagram to stress me out when I’m already having a bad time. It normally gives me fomo or something of that sort. My favorite thing to do when I need to keep calm is read!
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
I have learned that I need to be okay being alone, I shouldn’t always have to be surrounded by friends to be happy. I have also learned that everything in life is temporary and can change so fast so not to worry about the future before it comes.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
During COVID I used social media to connect with people I was unable to see, but also as a distraction. I was 15 during the pandemic and spent so much time making TikToks and following the trends on there to keep myself distracted.
Interviewed by: Tiki Feldman, UCLA student
Finding Your Spark in the Digital Age
Growing up in the American school system, my English teachers always obsessively praised Shakespeare as the greatest playwright to ever exist, assigning his plays as part of our required reading. Whether it be Othello, Romeo & Juliet, or Hamlet, I often struggled to grasp the content and message of his plays. However, one quote from Shakespeare has always stuck with me. In the play As You Like It, Jacques says “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
The Digital Age
In today’s digital age, we are constantly performing for each other every moment of every day. Social media has blurred the line between audience and performer. We stare at our small rectangular screens for affirmation and self-worth, constantly comparing ourselves to the accomplishments and livelihoods of others. What do we want more than to lie in our bed at the end of the day and just watch our life as a satisfied audience member? Whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, we are constantly reminded that there are people who are more attractive than us, who are more accomplished than us, who are better than us. Now, these platforms aren’t inherently bad. We are more connected with our friends and family around the world than ever before. Information has never been more accessible. However, the algorithms have created a system where we aren’t the consumer, but the product. This can take a toll on an individual, especially in a capitalist society that demands that we perform as a measurement of success. We’re constantly questioned by teachers, neighbors, friends, and family about what we want to be when we grow up. Is it a realistic and sustainable goal? How can you actively pursue it? Do you have a back-up plan? And the consequences are considerable. As the pandemic continues, the number of people reporting anxiety and depression nationwide is at an all-time high, hitting young people the hardest. Thus, content creators and industry decision-makers have a moral responsibility to address these issues, as what we view on-screen reaches beyond entertainment into the topics of mental health, identity, and purpose.
My Experience
When I first went to college, I began having panic attacks for the first time in my life. Moving away from home and becoming independent was something I was not prepared for. I just felt overwhelmed by all of these expectations and responsibilities to perform. Still, the stigma around mental health especially in the Asian community dissuaded me from seeking help. I powered through it on my own, with some successes and many failures along the way. However, by my junior year, the panic attacks became so unbearable that I knew it was time for the last resort and I decided to seek therapy. And I’m glad to say that it’s been of tremendous help. Don’t get me wrong, I still get anxious, but I’ve slowly begun to learn to take everything one step at a time, to appreciate the little things, and most of all, to not align my self-worth with my accomplishments. Being an avid film lover, I wondered if there was a movie that captured my lived experience but could not find one that truly spoke to me. Then, on Christmas Day, Disney+ released their latest installment to the Pixar canon, Soul.
Finding Your Spark
While movies are meant to entertain, I’ve always been drawn to films that inspire. Soul accomplishes both by treating its audience not as mindless zombies but as capable, intelligent beings with articulate thoughts. Its central theme is that finding a purpose or passion isn’t what makes someone a person — just existing, and living, makes you a person. True fulfillment can only be found when we stop performing for others and find beauty in the everyday things that life has to offer. It can be the effervescent glow of sunlight as it gleams through our bedroom window, the taste of morning brewed coffee, the sound of laughter with a loved one, or the smell of the sky after a night of pouring rain. Getting through a tumultuous 2020 is an award in itself, you shouldn’t feel self-critical if you didn’t get your dream job or GPA. Having goals is normal, but don’t let your dreams and the desire for success distract you from the beauty of life, otherwise, you’re at risk of it becoming an obsession and you may become like one of those monsters in Soul, withering your life away filled with regret once death comes knocking. Your spark isn’t a passion, it’s the very essence, or soul, that indicates a human is a human and you are ready to live.
In Pixar’s previous film Inside Out, Riley has an imaginary friend named Bing Bong who I consider to be the greatest Disney Pixar character ever. He represents the spirit of childhood within us all, and he sacrifices himself so that Joy could get back to headquarters, causing Riley to forget him in the process. It represents that we must lose our childhood innocence to function in society, but I argue that it’s that exact childlike wonder that holds the key to our fulfillment. Life itself is simply meant to be lived, so enjoy the little things and be grateful for what you already have instead of longing for what you don’t. As creatives, you can teach your audience through your content to learn more from young people, maintain that youthfulness in your soul, and most importantly, never forget your Bing Bong.
Actionable Insights
Treat your audience with intelligence and don’t be afraid of weighty themes
Write characters that don’t tie their self worth with their passion/career, and instead live a balanced lifestyle
Start a conversation about using social media responsibly, emphasizing the content rather than the screen time
Emphasize in plot points the importance of actively living every day with gratitude, finding joy in the little things, and not comparing one’s self to others
Provide resources and supplemental material for children and adolescents seeking help
CSS Intern