Logging On: Our Media Worlds

Mark Zuckerberg standing in front of his Facebook profile almost every social media site asks its users to create a profile outlining who you are and why youre a member of the site. Facebook and LinkedIn have elaborate profiles with many options for defining ourselves, while sites like Twitter keep self-descriptions extremely short and to the point. Whatever style they use, the profile has become the basic unit of social interaction in new media, allowing individuals to check each other out, learn something about the people they are communicating with, and search for like-minded friends and colleagues. How do you describe yourself online?

Discussion Questions

Before you begin, be sure you have read Chapter 1 of Baym (2015), and Botterill, Bredin, and Dun (2015). This activity aligns with module outcomes 1 and 2.

Using at least three of the seven key concepts from Chapter 1 of Baym, how would you describe and explain the media you use most often? For example, how interactive are your favorite sources? What is their temporal structure
Compare your media use to the findings reported by Botterill, Bredin, and Dun for Millennials media usage. How is your use of traditional and new media similar or different? What do you think are the factors that make it similar or different?
In your response to classmates, explain how your experiences were similar or different.  What factors contributed to your similarities or differences?