What Social Media Means to Me

What do you use social media for that is necessary for you to lead a good life? 
I use Facebook to share pictures with friends and family, create events or to get invited to events. It enables me to connect to one of my best friends that lives in Edmonton. Her sister recently had another child and she is continually posting pictures on Facebook. I'll admit that when I first signed up for Facebook and I didn't really realize what it was or how permanent items you post on the internet are, I would add and accept friends that I hadn't spoken to in years or just recognized from high school.

Currently, I have deleted half of my "friends" and only have people on there that I'm in contact with or may have contacts with in the future. I've deleted most of the photos I've been tagged in, deleted a lot on unnecessary content from my wall, and I even went as far as changing my first name. I've told other people that I've done this and they think that it's a little extreme, but I only use Facebook to connect with people that are in my life and I don't want to share information with people that I don't talk to anymore.

I ran into someone from high school that I never really spoke to begin with and they asked me how my trip to Texas was? The fact that they were "creeping" my Facebook page, kind of freaked me out a bit. I do not use Facebook to creep or stalk people that I'm not friends with and I don't really want to share my personal life with everyone on the internet. However, I do creep my friends pages because I want to know whats going on in their life and sometimes it's hard to continually stay in contact with everyone when you're working and going to school full time.




When and why did you start?
 In late 2007 I opened up a Facebook account. I had no idea at the time what it was, but all of my friends had it and insisted I should sign up. Before Facebook, there was Nexopia. I had an account but never really went on because it did not interest me. When I got an iphone last December I decided it was time to sign up for a Twitter account. I do not "tweet", however I just follow people or organizations that interest me. For example, I follow news sources like the province and CNN. This way, I can access all the information on one device instead of reading a news paper, using my computer, or watching TV.

Just last week I signed up for Pinterest, which is AWESOME! It enables you to share ideas and products with other users. I plan on moving out soon and Pinterest enables me to create a "board" and "pin" home products that I'm interested in buying. I will also have to learn how to cook when I move out...so I've been "re-pinning" recipes that other users have pinned to their boards.


How would you replace it if it was taken away?
If social media was taken away, I would probably have a mental breakdown. I don't just use social media to communicate with my friends and family but it definitely would change how I obtain or share other information. I'm extremely busy with school and work and Facebook and Twitter allow me to get information on the go that would take way longer if social media did not exist.

If Facebook didn't exist I guess I would have to send a mass text message out or call all of my friends to invite them to an event. Facebook allows me to create and invite friends to an event in less than 5 minutes...I remember the day when I would hand write invitations and mail them to friends....that never happens anymore. I got my friends invitation for her wedding by e-mail and you e-mail her back to RSVP.

 I do think that some people rely on social media too much to do thinking for them. I find that when a major social issue arises, people just go on a social media site, read someone else's opinion, and share that person opinion on Facebook or re-tweet it on twitter. No one is forming their own opinion, they're just relying on social media to do it for them.