Caught in the Web

Social media has made great strides, and the possibilities of connecting people have expanded at once. As today’s society becomes increasingly digitized, many concerns arise regarding the circulation of fake news, cyberbullying, distance learning, and online relationships. As with any tool, the Internet’s net positives and net negatives mainly depend on the user responsible for their own decisions. The often unclear boundaries of the Internet touches on modern difficulties with real communication and networking.

As the Internet becomes ingrained in our lives, so does the bit of propaganda, bias, and opinions that follow and subconsciously affect people’s minds. How can they separate themselves from real-life to the Internet world when the two collide so often?

Furthering the questions of fake news is the issue of cyberbullying. What are the boundaries and rules often not undiscussed in the discourse of online arguments and interactions that affect the connections of billions of people? People’s perceptions of one another are significantly impressed by the digitalized pictures on Internet profiles and popups within millions of images and videos that flood users’ feeds.

Today’s generation has grown up with technology and social media presence, and it has become a necessary identity in their living. The ongoing pandemic and digital learning have amplified the many deep-rooted societal issues as students face the difficulties of quarantine and the lack of in-person interactions.

The lockdown has also opened doors for the Internet to be utilized as a communication tool for long-distance and virtual relationships. The demand for constant connection with texting, video chatting, and numerous communities to share interests and hobbies have facilitated the opportunities for people from all backgrounds to expand their social connections.

As evident in the many benefits and drawbacks to the Internet, this article aims to feature the experiences of students with the technology and how it can be applied to our lives today.

On April 30, 1993, the world changed. It was the day that the internet went public. Back then it may have seemed like any of the other numerous technological advances at the time, but it unknowingly changed our way of life forever.

Today, the internet plays a large role in everything from how people get entertainment, to how their brains learn and retain information. Whether this technology has made a beneficial or detrimental impact on society depends on what kind of learner one is.

“The internet has changed almost every aspect of our lives. It has made it easier for us to communicate with one another, which has brought us closer together and expanded our social networks,” In the article “How did the Internet Change the way we Learn?”  technology education expert, Mae Demdam said. “Probably the most obvious way that the internet has changed the way we learn is that it has made us more self-sufficient learners. No longer do you need to be associated with a university or have a large collection of books to be able to study a specific topic. Instead all you need to do is punch in a search to Google and read a few articles or watch a few videos.”

Because of the internet, schooling is no longer a “one size fits all” system.

“One of the big breakthroughs in education in the last few decades has been the realization that students learn in very different ways.” Demdam said. “Some are visual, others are auditory, and others are verbal, and so on. Yet up until now we have had no other choice but to teach students roughly the same way. But the internet is making it easier for us to teach in different ways. Teachers are now able to upload a diagram, a video, and an article to their virtual classroom.”

Nowadays amidst a pandemic, technology has become more prominent in the educational field than ever before.

“It is now easier than ever for students to work together, even if they can’t meet in person. Some may say that meeting face-to-face is better, which it may be, but it’s not always possible, especially right now.” Demdam said. “Of course this doesn’t mean internet-based learning is without its flaws, but, in general, it allows us the opportunity to learn in more ways, making us smarter and more prepared to deal with the challenges of the future.”

Although there are many contributions the internet has made to the learning environment of today’s society, there are also many drawbacks.

“Human beings are social, and we learn best in situations that allow us to develop relationships and be social.”  English 10 teacher Virginie Guillemette said. “If it were just a matter of getting information we needed, we wouldn’t need teachers. Students could just complete a predetermined curriculum and teach themselves. But it doesn’t work that way, you need a teacher who can see students’ individual needs, and who can create memorable experiences that help students remember what they learn. It’s also so important that students experience other people’s ideas and interpretations, and not just their own idea bubble.”

Studying information solely online can also have an impact on the type of learner one becomes. It also is no surprise that looking at a screen for long periods of time has negative effects on your health.

“It’s so easy for students to be ‘invisible’ online, and become passive versus active learners. On top of that, kids already get an excess of screen time, which we know is not healthy emotionally or physically. Adding learning to that screen time obligation is just so bad over the long term.”

Students also find that learning off of a screen requires much more responsibility and more self discipline. This individual learning may work well for some students, but for others, it is a struggle.

“For me, learning information online is way harder than learning in-person from a teacher.” Sophomore Delaney Higa-Rivera said. “I do not find online learning to be beneficial because I often get distracted and can be unaccountable and unmotivated when trying to learn,”

Because of the individualization that the web provides, it has shaped the way of thinking in our society.

“The internet is changing the way people think about and remember information. We could be looking at a whole new generation of thinkers in the near future.” Demdam said. “Although there are negatives to the use of technology in education, I believe that the internet just gives society more options to expand our thinking as well as our knowledge.”

One of the first priorities for a teenager when they wake up is to check their phones. Whether it’s messages from friends, or checking social media, they are bombarded with information immediately. Most of the time they don’t pay attention to what they are reading, instead they just believe it and move on with their day. This is leading to our generation having to work harder to seek out reliable and truthful information. Consequently, the current generation is neglecting to check if everything they are digesting is actually factual, or just another bot or troll spreading misinformation.

“A lot of students our age believe what they see on the internet because they are easily influenced by popular creators, as well as the popular opinion,” freshman Alayna Bliven said. “Most adolescents do not take the time to effectively educate themselves, and instead just believe the first thing they see on Instagram or TikTok.”

Teens have grown up with all major news sources being online, but many still don’t take the time to check if they are even dependable in the first place. Just scrolling through Instagram news accounts does not provide young adults with well rounded, or even correct information. Social media can butcher an interview or image to tell the story they want, and most of us will believe it without question.

“I think that getting my news from social media can butcher the truth based on biased opinions, and honestly all news can be like that,” Bliven said. “It’s very important to understand the reliability of sources, and to make sure that they are unbiased so you can get the full story. However, I believe that the most effective way to get news today is online, especially in this day and age. We cannot experience things first hand, and we base our opinions on what we see online.”

Government teacher Joseph Juliano has to teach students about finding reliable news sources while researching.

“I actually have a checklist to see if a story or article is reliable. Like to start off a click bait type story, so if the headline is in all caps with exclamation points, that’s probably click bait right away,” Juliano said. “If the story is something huge, like aliens landing on earth or something, that’s going to be literally on every news site in the world. Also, stories that get you overly emotional, if you find yourself getting really angry reading a story there’s probably some bias. Those types of techniques and being mindful of what you’re reading and what the story is doing to you.”

Local reporters, such as Alexsandra Appleton of the Las Vegas Review Journal, work hard to earn their readers trust. But it can be difficult when fake news spreads.  

“Just to first briefly define fake news: the deliberate misinformation and conspiracy theories shared for either hyper-partisan purposes, or as clickbait by scammy websites, as I feel that term has itself been corrupted and used as an attack on legitimate journalists over the years,” Appleton said. “The most immediate effect on my day-to-day career is my interaction with people who consume this misinformation, namely, in their accusations that we’re lying for printing a fact like ‘COVID-19 has killed 400,000 people in the U.S.’ or ‘Joe Biden won the 2020 election.’ Sometimes it’s distressing, the language can be hateful. Sometimes I’ll read through my story again to make sure that I was accurate. Most of the time, I’m able to take a breath and move on with my day. When I do respond with links to sources, I usually don’t get a reply.”

The struggle against fake news is an ongoing battle for news providers all around the world.

“I think there are some really important guidelines and guardrails all newspapers follow. The most obvious is to vet all sources and information thoroughly, which happens at multiple points in the reporting process, then again in writing, and again in editing,” Appleton said. “Also important in my opinion is the openness to being proven wrong. One pattern you’ll notice with misinformation and conspiracy theories is that even when presented with contradicting evidence, they tend to disregard it or find a way to explain it that fits their purposes. So being willing to correct yourself and to present multiple points of view. I would say it’s a big problem for our industry and the country as a whole because of the erosion of trust in trustworthy news sources and the subsequent creation of echo chambers.”

Getting all news and/or information about current events from just one website or social media post is extremely dangerous in a technology based time. Finding truthful information online can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

“Fake news and stuff like that is definitely affecting students because they’re not looking beneath the surface,” Juliano said. “Even if it is real statistics, sometimes they just take it so out of context, like with memes and things like that where you could actually have like a real stat but the way that it is presented can completely misrepresent the larger picture so I think a lot of students come in with a limited understanding of an issue. And then they’re like using one story to base their whole opinion on it. The proliferation of the internet and especially social media is people are just using social media as their main news source, there’s just so much information out there and it’s really hard to navigate.”

More teens have access to technology in this generation than ever before, making the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information effortless. A part of that is social media, which has become ingrained in the lives of teens with platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat being used constantly.

“Social media is something I use all the time,” sophomore Amir Rostamzadeh said. “Whether it’s to keep up with my friends, get my news, or reach out for help with school, it’s really a part of my life.”

With the increase of technology, such as social media being used to share ideas; the threat of online aggression increases too. It can start in the most unexpected of times, especially when browsing through the internet. For Rostamzadeh, it started with a comment.

“They called me a terrorist,” Rostamzadeh said. “As a Muslim, there is always the fear of being ridiculed because people have this social stigma associated with my religion. It was unexpected, but going after someone’s religion is crossing the line. I guess they were ignorant enough to just want to put me down.”

Having used social media platforms like Instagram frequently to keep in touch with friends and family, Rostamzadeh has noticed a lack of regulation from the social media platform on the comments made on his posts.

“To be honest, I think the sites that we use regularly make it easy to bully others online. You can go onto someone’s Instagram or Snapchat and say something absolutely terrible and with no consequences,” Rostamzadeh said.

He believes that the lack of regulation on social media sites is to blame, but others like Physical Education teacher Mark Bly believe that it’s also the sense of anonymity that gives rise to cyberbullying.

“I think the problem is that every person has a belief within themselves that they can say whatever they want and that’s absolutely false,” Bly said. “The thing about social media that differs from back when I was in school is that people are more bold because they are behind a screen. The words that someone might say behind the screen can’t be said in real life because they know that if they said those things, then there would be a confrontation. And more likely than not, they would be more afraid of that confrontation than the words themselves.”

The veil that social media provides along with the lack of regulation combine to make a perfect platform for teens to harass their peers online without fear of serious repercussions.

“Because these accounts are anonymous, you don’t really know who’s behind the screen,” Rostamzadeh said. “Sure, you can block the account, but the bully can just make another one and continue to harass you. There’s really no way to stop it unless the platform itself steps in, and that isn’t guaranteed to happen.”

Because of the anonymity, preventing cyberbullying online is difficult. However, for sophomore Tracen Gartrell, it’s as easy as shutting down his laptop.

“Social media platforms are not necessarily doing their best, but it’s also very hard to completely prevent it,” Gartrell said. “I can understand that bullying is hard to fight against if it’s physical, but when it’s online, you can always do something else. We have measures on social media for a reason. You can block people, you can go offline, and even restrict people. There’s no reason to treat it more than an issue not worth much.”

Having dealt with a similar situation himself, Gartrell advises others to educate themselves on the topic of cyberbullying and to solve their own problems instead of leaving the responsibility to social media.

“Social media is a hard thing to regulate. They’re not going to do everything in their power to prevent cyberbullying,” Gartrell said. “Generally, the defences that they put up give us a way to avoid bullying. But a lot of the time, it’s either confront your bully, take it to the authorities, or fix it yourself. There’s no reason to put that responsibility on social media. People should educate themselves on how to prevent it because, at the end of the day, these are big companies and they don’t care a whole lot.”

The evolution of technology has opened doors for a wider variety of communication methods such as video chatting and instant messaging platforms. As long-distance relationships and technology-based communication tools become increasingly widespread among the younger generation, technology has changed how people relate and influence each other. Assistant Professor of Interpersonal Communication at the University of Nevada Natalie Pennington believes young people today have benefited from access and knowledge that older generations may struggle with.

“Growing up with communication technology can change one’s relationship to it,” Pennington said. “This can be a double-edged sword, but a lot of work actually suggests young adults are particularly savvy in a way older adults aren’t— I’d probably be more worried about my mom making a misstep online that is consequential versus my niece. I do think that, again, the potential for things like social comparison and the need to engage in constant connection and, as a result, impression management can, for many, be difficult, especially when you are young and still learning who you are. I think this is a good reminder that no one is infallible, and giving some leeway to learning and growing up in a virtual environment is valuable.”

Easy access to video chat programs such as Skype and Discord has allowed young people to connect directly from their devices and maintain social ties regardless of geographic nearness. Unlike telephone communication, video chatting helps partners feel close through audio and visual signals, mimicking in-person communication more accurately than any other technology. The ability to use a rich communication tool, like video chatting, allows for natural speech, immediate response, many communicative signs, and personal focus, enhancing conversation and improving communication.

“I think that chatting online really benefits us by keeping in touch and staying close and up to date with each other’s lives,” sophomore Tala Andrade said. “It makes the time we have together a lot more special because we get to cherish it since we don’t have the advantage of being together all the time. So, it definitely has strengthened our relationship both online and in-person.”

Long-distance couples may feel genuinely connected because video chatting mimics in-person communication closely. However, partners can still manipulate the communication in their favor by, for instance, promising to stop smoking but smoking off-camera. Suppose reality proves these ideas as made-up upon reunion. In that case, the realization that the fantasy does not match reality may result.

“It’s different when you’re actually there with them,” sophomore Randiana Casimiro said. “In-person interactions—you’re fully exposed to them, while in texting or video chatting, you can cover and change things up and filter what you don’t wanna show.”

Additionally, physical separation, limited field of view, and connectivity issues automatically reduce audiovisual signs and richness of video chatting. These interferences prevent people from clearly seeing and reading one another’s facial expressions and body language, limiting the partners’ abilities to communicate.

“Communication can be very difficult and frustrating, especially if one person doesn’t voice their opinion on things; it can really hurt the relationship,” freshman Amy Andrews said. “You never really know if they are telling the truth or not, and that’s probably why a lot of long-distance relationships don’t work out; it’s hard for it to last long because you can’t make memories or really bond with the other party.”

Though video chatting may not fully replace in-person interactions, any glorification that may result from video chatting encourages a positive attitude during the separation. It can help couples minimize disappointment after the reunion, bring partners closer, and have more open, refined conversations—a distinct advantage over other communication options like texting, emailing, and phone-calling.

“A long-distance relationship is not ideal, but video chatting makes it a little bit better,” Andrade said. “My cousin and I are the closest that we have ever been, which may be because of our age or because we can chat and communicate over the phone whenever we want to. Communication over the phone is challenging, but it makes in-person interactions much better and more worthwhile.”

Video chatting is also useful in the context of gaming. Even if people are miles apart on a political or geographical scale, video games can connect strangers, broaden perspectives and build new communities. Discord is only one of many platforms designed as a means for such purpose of easy communication while playing games or other activities together.

“Social media platforms have been a huge help in reconnecting me to old friends and more,” sophomore Cameron Narciso said. “In the middle of the pandemic, I decided to reach out to friends from elementary school and asked if they wanted to join my Discord server. It actually started as a server to play the popular game “Among Us’, but it eventually grew into a small community of sixty-plus people. It’s one of the first places I go to talk about my hobbies or when I’m in need of serious help for school or personal problems in general. We have specific channels for things like art or fashion, where we can send pictures of our art or our daily fits.”

There are many other popular chat sites and new ones popping up every day for users to “stay close” through numerous communities. Advanced communication tools such as emails, instant messaging systems, chats, video conferencing, and social networking apps help people connect and manage the distance in a relationship.

“I think communication technology has facilitated the opportunity for more communication, allowing relationships to sustain that might otherwise have faded away,” Pennington said. “Even as early as the telegraph, you saw instances where that technology was used for interpersonal reasons, not just work. Obviously, there is a work element, too; during a pandemic, the ability to work remotely and take classes online points to just how much things have changed over the years. I think it has really created a sense of proximity that people might lose otherwise.”

Internet technology has changed people’s fundamental living in everyday society. Its ability to connect people worldwide has allowed for more communication and information, expanding people’s thinking and knowledge. Online connections can develop into relationships and communities, erasing the physical boundaries of geography and emotional barriers of politics and religion. Though the Internet is a powerhouse of information and data, its abundance, in turn, has made it quite a challenge for users to find reliable news sources. People can quickly believe and share stories without proper research, leading to assumptions and opinions based on false knowledge. Electronic connections and groups also have problematic sides, such as cyberbullying from lack of accountability and protection against the act. These problems emphasize the great importance of user responsibility and navigation skills in the digital world.