As I was growing up, the idea of privacy meant that I would close the door when I want no one to hear what I was saying on the phone. I was able to hear when someone else picked up the extension in another part of the house. The idea of safety and security meant locking your doors and making sure the house was secure from the outside.
The dawn of technology has increased and continues to soar. In my opinion, the focus has been on technology, phone, internet, and wifi speed instead of consequences or issues of human interaction with technology. As I was writing this blog “Sunday Today” had a spot on Unsocial Media how the age of connectivity has led to isolation. Safety is a huge concern for me because as a teacher, I see students withdraw or become depressed due to the interaction they receive on social media. Danah Boyd mentioned in her talk that when the series 13 Reasons Why came out, the crisis center saw a spike in suicide attempts. As a society, we are trying to catch up with the human aspects of technology. We are still trying to understand the negative consequences of being uninhibited with things we say or view. Social media is becoming a platform for users to become anonymous instead of dealing with human interaction.
We do not see the harm by posting our private information. With the ability to have free speech, we are giving those users who have ill intent the opportunity to enter our individual lives and interact with that information.
I received a Snapchat from my son asking why I have this platform. At first, I jokingly said I am missing out on my kids’ life, and I should download this app. Then it dawned on me after hearing Danah Boyd talk regarding teens’ use of social media. I was invading my children’s privacy by connecting to this platform. My youngest used this platform to have conversations with his siblings regarding “private” talks. The underlying concern of me invading his privacy conveyed through his postings. I had to reassure him that I was going to shut down Snapchat after this class.
Being a person who lived through no technology, I am a concern we are moving too quickly and not understanding the human aspect of this new way of life. My social media use is minimum. I would classify myself as a spectator rather than a participant. My use of social media is to view my family and friends post while being a passive observer. The posting of my life on social media is not something that I enjoy doing. Again I am more of an observer rather than a participant.