Media Consumption
How are we impacted by the media?
We are impacted by the media in different ways depending on our placement within the world we live in. Many people around the world are currently looking at their media in several different formats, which also changes the way they are impacted by it. Here in the United States of America, we face a lot of corporate obstruction and legal loopholes that allow our media to be infiltrated and tainted by the wants and needs of the government and American business leaders. It’s important that when we take in any media, that we are conscious of where it's coming from and what exactly it means for us.
Many of us are watching harmful political tactics, attacks on our peers, war zones, genocides, and more on our phones, shared by others or the media. When we think about how this impacts us in the long run, we need to be thinking about how our reactions to this type of media have been ingrained or patterned in us. How do each of us handle the impact of the media and how do we handle it differently from one another?
What will possibly change in terms of our media?
Tiktok Ban will go into effect January 19th, 2025, the day before the inauguration which will likely be a loss of income and social media source for over a 3rd of Americans nationwide. We hope that this doesn’t impede people’s motivation to get in touch with the people in their community, or advocate for the change we need. However, we understand that with the loss of this online community, many may feel alone, in-crisis, or without further direction on these efforts. Interacting with the media on a platform in this end-state, like Tiktok, includes downloading important content, finding your favorite creators on other platforms, and prioritizing the privatization of your media on those platforms.
Taking Caution when looking at Media:
Engagement Away from the Real Strategy/Issue
We know that the media is often posting stories faster than a person could even absorb the information of all of it. A lot of times the corporations and sources of media take the time to strategize their presentation of media so that it causes certain feelings or engagement from their audience. It’s important that when we are engaging with these forms of media that we are able to do so with our conscious judgement as well. We know that there are forms of fear-mongering, biased attacks, and damaging rhetoric being spread through many platforms of media. It is our job to make sure that our perception of this media does not allow us to be perforated by harmful rhetoric.
Looking at the Media for Safety & Guidance
Sometimes when we are experiencing the media around us, we are able to take it in and use it as a strategy. This strategy is based on reminding ourselves what others are seeing and are led by, so that we can better prepare ourselves for the judgement, harassment, and unknowns of others around us. It’s good for us to take in the media with the lens of looking for the truth in between all the information they give to us. Making sure that we are not taking too much of it to heart, and researching for more information before we become permanently positioned on a topic, will allow us to have a better understanding of everything we see. Instead of having stances on certain pieces of media that are fixed or permanent, we should prioritize having a more fluid stance on media we are presented with, which allows us to continue to gather information in order to make a more solid stance. Having fluidity in how we accept and understand media, can allow us to take in more objective information from subjective media, while still holding our intuition and knowledge in hand.
Protecting your Mental Health
from Media
When preparing ourselves to be cautious looking at the media, the first thing we should focus on is prioritizing our mental health and that of those around us. We don’t need to share everything, but at the same time we want those we care about to hear the news that we are, especially if it concerns us in any way. Sometimes we have to take a step back and allow the media to become archived by us, and shared consensually with those around you. For a lot of people the constant news and media can become unhealthy and harmful to their mental health. It should never be our intention to ask anyone to engage with media or information that they are not in a healthy position to accept.
The loss of TikTok:
With the recent loss of TikTok on January 18th, 2025, we are faced with a lot of the harsh realities around us, and our means for creativity and escape seems harder to find or less satisfying. Many people are choosing to also leave the META apps (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.) as well, to stop the business growth of META, the company that lobbied millions of dollars to ban TikTok. It's important that we have extra grace and patience both with ourselves and others in the coming months as our usual outlets and social spheres are changing. Many of us may find ourselves needing the access to social media through META apps, because it will be one of the only forms we have access too. It is vitally important that we don't judge each other and our abilities to stay away from specific companies for their social media. Whether or not we like it, Social Media has become a very integrative aid in everyone's lives differently with a goal of bringing us joy, happiness, and the news. We have to be cautious about the how, who, when, where, what, and why, we consume media and it's changes and functions.
The SCOTUS held up the ban against TikTok, allowing for the policing of media and propaganda across all forms and types is now constitutionally protected right of our government against us, breaking our first amendment right. The first landmark decision on the right to free speech, and press, that denied the American citizens that right.