Discussion Questions on Social Media

Step One: Read Chapter Seven, "Mass Media and Social Media," in the textbook. Review lecture notes for Chapter Seven.

Step Two: Answer each question thoughtfully and carefully. Use complete sentences.

Step Three: Upload your answers to Canvas by 11/5 at midnight.

Step Four: Bring your typed answers, printed out, to class on the first class of the next week, either 11/7 or 11/8 and be ready to discuss. This is an essential part of your grade.

This assignment is worth up to 25 points, depending on the thought and care you give to your answers and your participation in discussion.

1. How many hours of the average day do you think you spend looking at a screen? How much of that is interactive (texting, typing, etc.)? Do you feel like it's too much?

2. Which social media platforms are the most important to you and why?

3.      Over the years, how much effect has social media had on your self-image, especially your body image? How much effect does it have now? How is the image of yourself you project online different in different venues and from your Real World self? Is it important for you to be liked and/or popular online?

4.        Your generation (Generation Z) is the first to have access to social media all your lives. How do you feel this constant exposure to and participation in social media has affected your personality development? Mental health?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages for you for socializing through texting or other virtual forms of interactions vs. face to face? What are the advantages of either for your relationships?

6. Have you met new partners and dated online? How successful has that been for you?

7. Have you or someone you know experienced cyber-bullying? Do you think it’s a problem in general?

8. What are your most important sources of information about current events? Where do you go for reliable information?

9. Do you feel sometimes that you or those around you have a sort of addictive relationship to your phone, that you can’t live without it for too long?

10. Overall, how do you feel about online education as opposed to face-to-face classes?

11. Overall, what are the most important positive and negative effects of social media in your life? How has the Internet made your life better and/or worse?