Final Blog Post

 My Personal Relationship with Technology

Technology is such a big and important part of my life to the point that I don't even realize how many different forms of it I use on a day to day basis. My generation has a bit of an advantage because we were born with tablets, phones, computers, etc. right around us and they are only getting more advanced as time continues to pass. As a teenager, I find myself on different social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and most recently Facebook. My parents, mostly my father, are very involved with technology due to my dad being a tech guy that consistently works on computers, and my mom is a teacher so she uses online programs and services to not only enhance her teaching on a day to day basis but to also find a way to keep the children engaged with learning while also doing something they thoroughly enjoy. Although I have various forms of social media, I myself tend to not post a whole lot because I am not a big fan of sharing information and a lot of pictures of myself, but it is just as entertaining to watch and observe others online. It is truly fascinating to see how some people have no regard for what they are willing to put out on the internet for other people to see which also brings up other interesting points regarding how that can impact other people. My parents have always warned me about being extremely active in social media and sharing information on apps and services just because of how easy it is now for people to steal it and use it which is why I think I am so careful about what I post and share. I do use Twitter personally as one of my main news sources on my phone because it's personalized to give me the specific types of stories I enjoy reading and am interested in while still being able to explore new things.

Dictionary.com defines a digital footprint as, "one's unique set of digital activities, actions, and communications that leave a data trace on the internet or on a computer or other digital device and can identify the particular user or device" I try to always take this into account before I post something online because once it's out there then it's out there forever, and I don't want to have a chip on my shoulder when I'm trying to apply for a job or something in the future and I am denied because of something I did 10 years ago online.  I think about TikTok so often because that seems to be the most popular form of social media as of right now, and so many people are willing to post the most outrageous and wild things without even thinking twice just for likes and views which I find interesting and find myself question quite often in today's climate.

 Although there are many reasons to be cautious about the internet and social media, that does not mean that there are not also quite a few positives. Having the opportunity to connect with friends and family and having the chance to meet new people is always fun and being able to see other people and what they are doing is always fascinating. Social Media also acts as a place for me to unwind and turn my brain off for a bit sometimes just so I can relax and unplug from reality for a short amount of time. The world is also becoming more technology based so I think it is important to understand how these platforms and services work because they are starting to be integrated into different jobs and some of them allow you to make a career out of the app itself. 

The videos centered around AI were also eye opening for me while thinking about my relationship with technology because they helped me think even more about how important it is to ensure that your privacy and information is secure because it is so easy for people to access that kind of information now. They also made me weary about what kind of people I talk to on the internet as well. Between the two videos we watched, one being optimistic while the other one focused on FOMO and loneliness were both quite interesting, but I feel that the truth lies somewhere in between. I myself have experienced both positive and negative outlooks on life and I feel everyone has, but you have to learn how to get by in life and look at the best possible parts you can find rather than focusing on what is negative. 

I feel that going forward into the future we will continue to grow and add new social media platforms and extensions, and I am happy to have been born during this age, but I do know now that I need to be more careful with certain things I trust on the internet. I feel it is important to just remember that we have technology for a reason and it is fine to use it as assistance, but we should not fully rely on it so we do not go down a negative path.