NAME: SAYAT, REIAN C.

DATE: NOVEMBER 27, 2022

SECTION: 2CPE-A PSY100: THE DIGITAL SELF

“INTERNET’S GOLDEN RULE”

As individuals belonging to Generation Z, we are meant to use social media in our daily
lives, to follow trends, and to be followers, but the question is, are we born to be influencers?

I was never into social media when I was in junior high. Perhaps because I am
concentrating on what I consider to be more important, my academics. Not until I was a senior in
high school, time when my mother bought me my first brand-new smartphone for online classes.
Because the ones I had previously were only a phone passed on to me by my elder brother.
COVID-19 occurred in the middle of my senior year of high school. As a result, all face-to-face
events, including our classes, now are prohibited. Everyone went through and experienced being
on lockdown as the local government implemented it. So, in order to communicate with our friends
and neighbors, we urged to use social media.

During my very long vacation, I believe I spent nearly 80 percent of my daily routine on
social media. Chatting, scrolling through feeds, and posting stories are all big parts of the routine.
And I have to admit that as a result, my insecurities and anger issues have increased. Especially
to those who are privileged enough to be enjoying the lockdown while others, including myself,
are fearful of going hungry because my mother, my family's primary source of income, has lost
her job. As a result, we must save what is left for us. Thereby, I don't have enough money to keep
up with the trends that are popular in the midst of the pandemic. I'm envious of my friends'
Instagram or Facebook stories and posts, and even people in my neighborhood who seem to be
happy despite the lockdown.

But then I realized, as Dr. Brian mentioned, that what if we turned that negativity into a
positive? And believe that our family can be happy in our own special way, with or without financial
stability. And I also believe that what is important in the present is that we are all healthy, which
has turned my envy into gratitude. To sum it all up, I believe that we, as internet users, have the
freedom to communicate with anyone, particularly on social media. What isn't mentioned is the
ethics of utilizing it. For us to become a more socially responsible internet user, we must be
cautious and aware of our online activities. Sensitive enough to realize that the person we are
interacting with or influencing to the opposite side of the screen are also human with feelings like
us. So, it extremely essential not only to me, but to everyone to always think before we click.