For this task I was required to reflect on a documentary we viewed in class , called "Generation Like"as well as answering one of various given questions to us.
Reflection
The video discussed the different significant effects that the attention and potential fame can have on social medias users. It went into detail on how the most regular people could get famous and be whisked away into the life of fame, simply by getting viral on one social network. Also the strategy of turning your consumers into producers which I found relevant as the tactics they used were explained on how producers of certain brands or products are more than happy to make their fans advertise for the product with miniscule awards that aren't tangible ; though they convince their consumers of the worth of those prizes. How getting "likes" on social networks influences the way the youth views and more importantly values itself was portrayed by addressing teenagers themselves where interesting discussions were held based on their opinions. How producers and celebrities use their fan base and consumers sympathy as a way to advertise products as well as collaborating amongst each other to pass on the fame was demonstrated. The video provided an insightful exhibition of all mentioned aspects.
2- Empowerment- a word you hear a lot when kids talk about social media. Does social media really empower people?
Depending on how those children interpret the meaning of "Empowerment" in relation to social media, the answer varies. Assuming that , as told in the video , the majority of them views public appreciation through the social media as empowerment ; I would have to disagree. Their idea of being empowered is distorted and narrowed down by the unrealistic perceptions that society has imposed on them. Getting a lot of likes for a selfie these days is what the youth regards as an achievement that empowers them, makes them superior to anyone whose likes are below that, or even the amount of positive comments. It inspires them to alter the way they prefer people to be conscious of them. Only sharing positive events of their lives or editing their status on the reality of their feelings on those activities is one way teenagers create a new flawless social profile. Those actions may seem of little consequence, however the impact it has on them gradually backfires as they become dependant on this specific kind of attention. They will go to any lengths in order to catch the viewers attention. Statuses become shorter and lighter ; so do their clothes. Negative attention can affect them haphazardly , as that is the only opinion available to them. This is a very critical point to consider as at this point of their lives teenagers are at the peak of their insecurities and at an all time low of self confidence, as options to chose from in terms of receiving positive feedback on their actions acks in depth and variety. Constantly exposing themselves to social networks, wether the feedback is positive or negative ; the mere action of it makes them vunerable and often raises or lowers expectations of themselves , away from balance. Often the initial message is changed to whatever is socially acceptable , which inflicts some kind of pressure on kids that feel obligated to abide by those invisible rules.
On another note, getting famous through the fame on social networks and acheiving not only a lot of committed fans but also earning money certainly can be seen as a form of empowerment. Having a lot of people emit similar positive opinions and being affected by your character wether it is genuine or not, is empowerment. It is a skill that ony a few are capable of and many take a lot of hard work to have that.
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