What I think about Social Media: LJ1

 Prompt 1:

    Social Media has changed a lot over the years and has taken different shapes and formats. However, there are some blanket dos and don'ts that people should follow when using any social media platform. Whenever I use social media, I try to be careful with what personal information I share, such as my name, address, or workplace. I would rather be safe than sorry, as anyone can use personal information that you post against you. Growing up, I would only use social media to watch videos and like posts. I was too afraid to post my own content and didn't really care to use social media in that manner. Nowadays, I post different videos or pictures here and there and try to get more involved online. I currently use Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok to name a few. Starting out, I was very nervous to leave comments or posts of any kind. If I could change anything from back then, I would have interacted with people more and not been as timid out of fear of judgment.

Prompt 2:

    Social media has both good and bad aspects. I feel as though there are many opportunities and outlets for self-expression, such as posting one's artwork or any works of creativity. Many people can get the recognition that they deserve from online interactions that they wouldn't be able to otherwise. When it comes to selfies, I have mixed opinions. On one hand, I think people should be able to post whatever they want, but I think that when it comes to selfies or pictures of one's self that there is a lot of photoshopping and editing that occurs. Because of this, people get unrealistic expectations of beauty and what they look like and I think body dysmorphia and other negative things happen as a result. Online image goes in hand with this, as people care too much about what others think and post fake versions of their lives online, which snowballs and causes others to do the same. As a result, what ends up happening is everyone posts inaccurate versions of their lives and nobody feels as though what they experience or post is good enough because they compare themselves to others. When it comes to rules or criteria for posting, I think that there should be some baseline and common sense rules, such as no bullying or harassment. I like the way that Reddit handles rules, with different subreddits having their own etiquette. Lastly, I think that the decision to quit social media can be a good thing, as focusing on yourself and avoiding the toxicity online can improve your mental health.

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