Social Media

Be honest: Are you social on social media?

Initially, social media focused on connecting with people you knew.

Today, many social media platforms operate more like interest media than social media:

• Content is shown based on what you watch, like, and engage with

• Algorithms prioritize interests over relationships

• You often see posts from strangers before friends

We are watching social media evolve right before our eyes! 

Social media has become less about who you know and more about what captures your attention.

This shift has implications for:

• Information exposure

• Digital Bubbles

• Mental health and attention

• Digital ethics (which you’ve already explored)

Before looking at the data, make a few predictions.

In your notebook, answer:

1. What three platforms do you think are most popular?

2. Are those platforms growing or declining?

3. Which platforms dominate different generations (age groups)?

4. Do factors like gender, income, race, or political affiliation affect usage?

Now compare your predictions: Pew Research Social Media Statistics 

Social Media: The Impact

How has social media affected society positively or negatively? 

Reflect in your notebook: 

• List potential benefits

• List potential drawbacks

Then explore what research says on Google Scholar

Social Media: Addiction?

Take the “Am I Addicted to Social Media?” quiz by clicking here. 

Reflect in your notebook:

• Do you agree with the results?

• Do you have social media habits you want to change? 

• About how many hours per day do you spend on social media?