1. FRIENDSHIP & SOCIAL MEDIA
Garret McAlpine
CMS 298
Social Media Presentation
7/23/13

2. SOCIAL MEDIA TYPES

3. 21ST CENTURY FRIENDS
Concept of friendship still the same today, the
fundamental principles have not changed.
So many ways to share and update loved ones
instantly, beyond e-mail.
Social media fulfills the need to be “in the know” for
many of us.The thought of not being connected
means we’re missing something.
Social norms are changing with the technology of the
day.

4. 21ST CENTURY FRIENDS
Friendship is redefined by current standards. Not
everyone is “friends” with the people they choose to
befriend and interact with online.
Social media has it’s conveniences and headaches.A
certain level of responsibility comes with the ability
to access so much information so quickly about
other people.

5. EVOLUTION OF MEDIA

6. EVOLUTION OF MEDIA
Time and distance not as much of a problem with today’s
technology. Friends and family can communicate with each
other worlds apart from the palm of their hand.
The ability to connect instantly nullifies physical borders.
The more information we consume, the more we feel
connected and “in the know”.
The fundamental structure of friendship is still the same, but
media adds a new layer via various methods of consumption.

7. IDENTITY NEGOTIATION
Technology has caused the way teens develop and
navigate the concept of friendship.
While the core practice
itself hasn’t changed,
friendship today is beyond
physical boundaries. How
we connect with each other,
share and dissect
information today is faster
than ever before.

8. THE MIRROR OF MEDIA

9. THE MIRROR OF MEDIA
“...Social media mirror, magnify and extend every day
social worlds...”
What takes place online is reproduced and discussed
offline.
Teens and young adults today use media to move
seamlessly across formats of connection and
communication.

10. FORMATION OF IDENTITY
The formation of an online persona differs from real
life.
Information online is cherry picked to be shared, and
most people focus on only the positive aspects of their
lives to share with others.
Who you are and who you project yourself to be are
two different things entirely.
Can lead to feelings of self-doubt, jealousy, anger or low
self-esteem by constantly comparing yourself to others.

11. OPEN ENDED CONTACT
“Social media have the potential to radically alter
friendship making processes...Most teens use these
tools to maintain pre-existing connections, turn
acquaintances into friendship, and develop
connections through people they already know.”
The ability to connect with those we know already
and some we don’t opens lines of communication
across platforms.

12. CONSTANT CONNECTIONS
The more we connect, the more we can learn but also
share. It’s a double edged sword for those unaware of the
risks of sharing too much information.
Teens should be
both informed and
educated about the
risks and dangers
of sharing too
many details about
themselves online.

13. DEFINING BOUNDARIES
ONLINE
Pre-teens and teens today must be able to determine
their own boundaries online.
This begins at home with a good foundation of right
and wrong, fully understanding the consequences of
their choices.
Once it’s on the internet, it’s always on the internet.

14. DEFINING BOUNDARIES
ONLINE
The definition of privacy has changed as technology
becomes more widespread.
There are as many dangers as their are conveniences
to modern communication platforms.
Being conscientious of what to share online is a really
important thing to drive into your kids heads.

15. FRIENDSHIP HIERARCHY
Social media creates hierarchy within social circles that are
normally unseen or unimportant in the physical sense.
IE- A few years ago when MySpace had introduced the
“top friends” list, it took an implicit concept and made it
explicit.
Essentially, you’re ranking your friends in a way that you
never would in real life.
This can create both social drama and tension within
groups of friends.

16. DANGERS AND RISKS

17. DANGERS AND RISKS
Cyber-bullying is a real problem when kids don’t
understand the consequences of threatening behavior
and language.
Friendships are often validated through online
interaction, reinforcing roles and determining the
hierarchy of social circles. friends defending friends
during social media arguments etc.
Teens are exerting a certain level of independence,
away from parents and their control.

18. CONCLUSIONS
Constant connection both changing rules and societal
definition of friendship. Friend requests and lists, the
abliity to “block” others from contact, control over
who sees any detail you choose to share online.
Technology today plays a vital role in the ability to
share information, ideas and emotions with one
another.
Both positive and negative interactions are intensified
through social media.

19. CONCLUSIONS
Methods change, expand, improve.Tools become more
high-tech and user friendly. Upgrades never stop coming.
The more we access, the more responsibility we have.The
fundamental aspects of friendship still require physical
validation and confirmation through personal interaction.
One thing is for certain, as technology evolves to adapt
with us, we adapt to it.And with that comes the change of
our expectations of one another in all matters of
friendship, intimacy and relationships in general.

20. SOURCES
Itō, Mizuko. Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2010. Print.
Powers, William. Hamlet's BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age. New York: Harper Perennial, 2011. Print.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/why-does-privacy-matter-one-scholars-answer/27351/
http://gizmodo.com/tag/privacy
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/21/teen-privacy-online/234392
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/2/do_teenagers_care_about_online_privacy_partner/