How modern media changes our lifestyle

As I put together this presentation,
I compulsively checked my phone. I wasn’t expecting anything of importance. But this compulsion to check, check, check media and social media has become normalized, an everyday occurrence. Or perhaps more accurately, an every minute one.

The media, including social media,
has changed my life and pretty much the lives of everyone I know in profound ways in recent decades. The way I socialize, collect information, find out about my hometown, communicate important events with friends and family has all been shaped by media. So what are some of the ways that media has shaped you?

Warm up questions
How has social media changed since you began using it?

Warm up questions
Compared to your parents' lives how do you use the media differently? How do you think media has impacted their lives?
Compared to people younger than you?

Warm up questions
How do you get information?
How and where do you look for it (social media, traditional media, websites, radio, WhatsApp, friends)?
How do you think this has changed compared to when your parents were students?

We often think that we’re conscious of what we’re doing online
and we often think of it as separate from our offline behavior. What I’ve found is that the reality diverges somewhat from what you imagine you’re doing.

We often think that
what we do online and offline are two separate behaviors, but in fact there is a lot of overlap

Just as I would nod my head
to show a friend in real life that I am paying attention to them in the middle of a conversation, I will like their post. And just as I would attend an event they are putting on to show my support, I will comment on their feed. I’ll often like things that I find funny or interesting.

Can you see the clear separation between:
Online life
Offline life

Article 1 questions for discussion
Do you read articles all the way through or do you instead “browse” information these days?
Do you agree with the author that is easier now to miss stories because there’s so much information out there?

Article 2 questions for discussion
Which of the pros do you agree with?
Which of the cons do you agree with?
How can some of the “cons” be improved or fixed?

Try to think about changes in media and technology over the last year

Has anyone held or participated in a “watch party” online?

Watching movies and tv together on social media
Watch parties have picked up steam a lot in the last year
One website says, “Movies are most fun when you watch them with other people. However, it isn't always possible to watch movies together if your family or friends don't live in the same place and can't come to visit.”

Watching movies and tv together on social media
All sorts of features that enable you to “chat” your way through a movie, provide running commentary, and basically feel not alone
Watching a YouTube livestream presentation and commenting as you go along

Watch parties involve a virtual component
Can include watching movies together online
Watching a breaking news event
Art exhibit
Lectures
Workshops

A lot of things have gone online this year and people have adapted
Are they here to stay or is this temporary?

Livestreams have also gained in popularity

A livestream is defined as
“multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider”

Livestreams
One of the most accessible features of social media has to be the ability for an ordinary person to livestream
It also enables different media to reach their audiences instantly
What do you think of livestreams? Can you recall an event you were able to attend because of a livestream?

Closing questions
How do you think the media will change in the next 10 years?
What are some things that went online this year (that normally were held in person)?
Have people gotten used to this switch?