When it
comes to my online footprint, it is larger than I would like it to be. Yet, without
an online footprint, in today’s world, one almost seems nonexistent. The more
apps that are created, the more accounts one must make and individualize. For
instance, in my generation it is considered “weird” if one is not found on
Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter. I’m guilty of having an account on each of
these apps, but I do not necessarily enjoy them. Snapchat has lost a bit of its
momentum over the years, but no one seems to have deleted it off of their home
page, including me. Thanks to FOMO, the “Fear Of Missing Out,” those in today’s generation
are terrified to be ostracized. In fact, Justin White, addresses in his article
“Research finds links between social media and the ‘fear of missing out’,” that
“Psychologists say fears about missing out may be a type of cognitive distortion,
causing irrational thoughts – such as believing that friends hate you if you
didn’t get an invite to last week’s party – associated with depression.” As much
as I like to believe that social media does not hinder my mental health at
times, it does.
At
the beginning of quarantine, due to the Coronavirus, I had way too much time on
my hands. During most of this time I found myself on social media, which then lowered my levels of happiness. It felt like I was the only one in quarantine, and
everyone else’s lives were completely normal. I have never considered myself a
jealous person, but at that time I was. Recognizing this change in myself, I
turned off my notifications for Instagram and Snapchat. I didn’t need to be in
constant contact with my friends, nor did I need to know what everyone was
doing at each moment of the day. All I have to do now is take a look at my screen
time per day to know that I was, and still am, wasting four hours and twenty minutes of my day
caring about what others think of me. Sarah Motter points out in her article, “Teens may be increasing social media use during COVID-19,” that “A
report done by a Chicago children’s hospital is showing that 63% of parents
have seen their teen’s social media use increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Now I may not be a teen, but my actions mirror those who are.
Without the ability to physically see others, social media was my immediate
back up plan.
Since
social media and video chatting is how most humans are adapting to COVID-19
restrictions, our accounts and the information we provide are the only ways others
can get to know us. For example, companies, especially in today’s climate, depend
on the social media accounts that their employees and potential hires have. Social
media accounts are now considered a pre-interview before the actual interview.
Since most jobs are hiring through applications online, instead of in person
today, each individual must be aware of what they are posting on their social media. Personally, I
attempt to keep my profiles clean and positive. I want to make sure the company
I am applying to work at knows that I can be trusted to provide a good image. Saige
Driver emphasizes the idea in her article “Keep It Clean: Social Media
Screenings Gain in Popularity,” that “While they might not be searching for
anything negative, more than half of the employers who were surveyed (57%) said
they found something during their social screenings that led them to not hire
someone.” All it takes is one mistake with alcohol, drugs, or profanity, for your
potential boss to immediately discard your application. Social media is meant
to be personal, but some things do not need to end up online, especially for your
own sake.
Overall,
I may not be extremely proud of the size of my online footprint, but at times it is necessary
to be online. As a family member, friend, and potential employee, I must keep
myself available on various applications. Yet, I know when to take a break, which is a healthy thing to do. While it is important to be social, it is also important
to remember that one can always log out.
Works
Cited
Becker, Brent. Job
Profile. 26 Jan. 2018. Pro Resources Staffing Services,
www.proresources.com/2018/01/26/social-media-profile-negative-effect-job-search-auburn-in/.
Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
Driver, Saige.
"Keep It Clean: Social Media Screenings Gain in Popularity." Business
News Daily, 23 Mar. 2020, www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html.
Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
Krales, Amelia Holowaty.
Screen Time. 17 Sept. 2018.
McCoy, Aisling. The
BigFoot Digital app and discussing the online presence.
Motter, Sarah.
"Teens may be increasing social media use during COVID-19." 13WIBW,
27 Nov. 2020,
www.wibw.com/2020/11/28/teens-may-be-increasing-social-media-use-during-covid-19/.
Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
White, Justin.
"Research finds link between social media and the 'fear of missing
out.'" The Washington Post, 8 July 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/research-finds-link-between-social-media-and-the-fear-of-missing-out/2013/07/08/b2cc7ddc-e287-11e2-a11e-c2ea876a8f30_story.html.
Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.
