In this docudrama, the fictional character(s) dramatize the lure and trap of social media, especially for teens.

1. Does this ring true for your own experience growing up (and watching others grow up) with social media? Why or why not?  In particular, describe what aspects of Ben’s engagement resonate or contradict what you may have directly experienced or witnessed?
2. What, as art educators, can we do to minimize the harmful effects of social media and even harness positive aspects?
3.  Overall, what did you learn (if anything) from watching this docudrama?

I have seen this film twice. My first time seeing it I remember being disgusted not only by how invasive companies are but also that i have such a reliance on my phone and that companies are more to blame than I thought. So yes, I did/do have a similar experience, but I certainly don’t try to prevent this dependence. Ben was obsessed with others interacting with him and I feel that I am constantly checking my phone for new messages too. He got very irritable being away from his phone and I feel that I would get anxious too. I also feel that some insecurities that I have are related to social media use and beauty standards that are promoted through these platforms. I am very proud of the growth I have made in developing self-confidence. From middle school to early high school years I used to be extremely insecure about my acne. I am still insecure, but I used to cover my face with foundation every day, even on days I stayed in. It wasn’t until a friend challenged me to go an entire summer without concealer or foundation that I began to sort of embrace it. Now there are days I don’t bother covering it, something I would have never done.

This film had made me a lot more aware of some of the tracking and manipulative ways companies try to get you back online. Prior to unfollowing my ex on Instagram, I would get a notification anytime he posted something. Yeah, sure Instagram sends notifications all the time, but I think it was no coincidence I was getting all of those notifications directly after we broke up.

My questions are how do we effectively give ourselves boundaries from our phones? How can we minimize within education? This movie taught me about the exploitation, but not necessarily how to eliminate. Also, it is difficult to disconnect yourself from your phone because our whole lives are woven into them. What if there is an emergency, or what if I need to be contacted for work purposes? I think it comes down to self-regulation. In the classroom there may need to be some kind of limitation for phone usage, but would this cause students to be more distracted out of anxiety and not knowing? Another way that to prevent harmful effects is to discuss them. This could be integrated by utilizing artists whose art focuses on this issue. Ai Weiwei’s “Hansel and Grettle” exhibition or Mike Campau’s “Antisocial” series would be good examples.