Interview 3:

Marisa: Is it okay if I record this call? You will… remain anonymous.

K: Yes.

Marisa: Awesomesauce. Ok, this whole interview is going to be about social media... um, so how

would you characterize your own use of social media?

K: I would say for the most part I don't actively engage on most of the apps. I'm mostly there to

consume and not really put things out there.

Marisa: Real. What platforms do you use and how often?

K: If you mean use by actually put things out I would just say Instagram, but overall I use

Instagram... TikTok probably the most... um, and then if I had to give a third one I would maybe

say Snapchat.

Marisa: Um, which do you prefer to use and why? Just in terms of, like, general use it doesn't

have to be specifically posting.

K: Yeah, I like TikTok because I like the… there's, like, so many different things that can come

across it, which I guess is also true for Instagram, but TikTok is where people are, like, they don't

care to, like, post some true selves it's not really catering towards the image and also the wide

range of things to your For You page, too. Like, I had that whole sob fest because my For You

page turned into Hope Core for an hour. And then, like, the next morning, it was back to my,

like, everything else. I like how, yeah, I can, like, I feel like I have control over my algorithm a

little bit based on, like, how long you sit and watch things and how you like it. Um, yeah.

Marisa: Uh-huh. Okay. Awesome sauce. Describe your opinions about social media platforms,

about these social media platforms. Do you just trust these sites?

K: What?
Marisa: So... the Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat that you mentioned, what are your opinions of

these sites and do you trust them?

K: Instagram? Yeah, I kind of said it with the last one, but Instagram is where people go to

present themselves, I feel like. It feels a lot more... um, professional maybe a little surface level,

um, because people sort of cater what they want to see when it comes to like brands or news or

things I relatively trust it I mean if it's from… it depends on the account that posts it obviously,

um, I'll usually like follow the source of where it's from like if it's a news station or studio or

something that I like, um, as far as Instagram goes. TikTok I would say the same thing, yeah it's a

lot more unserious there's a lot more variety, um, shockingly I get like the fastest news from

TikTok, like and same thing, I tend to believe it more if it's from a, you know, credible account or

business or, like, outlet.

Marisa: Uh-huh.

K: And Snapchat, that's Vietnam. If you, like, if you swipe into the, like, the social section where

a bunch of, like, different outlets, accounts, influencers will post their, you know, stories or

whatever. The cover slides or clickbaits for those are, well, they clickbait and they, yeah, some of

them are either just straight up, um, like fake to get attention and clicks and some of them,

Marisa: Real.

K: Yeah.

Marisa: Do you do anything to protect your privacy online?

K: I mean, besides the obvious of having private accounts, except on Instagram now because I'm

trying to, I don't know, grow my followers or whatever Seven said about a narrative. Yeah. I

think I just, I just be careful about what I am posting, especially on Instagram. Now that I am

public, I am always thinking of, like, the impressions I'll have on the different followers that I
have. Um, yeah, I think just being mindful and considerate of your profiles in general and what

you put out if you do.

Marisa: And then do you do anything to avoid scams or misinformation or preserve your mental

health?

K: Let's see. Avoid scams and misinformation. I don't pay attention to random accounts that DM

me. I usually have them filtered or blocked. And I even get texts from delivered or phone bills

that aren't even my provider. And I immediately just delete and report junk, which is a nice

feature that Apple has now. What was the last one?

Marisa: How do you preserve your mental health in regards to social media? Oh, how do I do

that? I honestly... Kind of how I go on TikTok. I have special saved folders where I'll like the

helpful content. As silly as it may sound, it's very grounding and it makes me feel better about

life sometimes.

Marisa: That is true. I do like helpful content.

K: The brain rot that is the internet.

Marisa: Yeah.

K: And also just putting the phone down and taking a walk.

Marisa: Real. Touching grass. Okay. How do your friends use social media and is there anything

you'd recommend they not do on social media sites?

K: I have friends that solely use Instagram and are not on TikTok, but instead they...

Marisa: Who could that be?

K: ...use the features that have kind of... Oh, you. I was also thinking of Alex.

Marisa: Oh, yeah.

they find... They end up doing the same things. You know, they scroll through Reels... Other than

that, I would say they're pretty similar to me because we, the people that I know that use social

media, they use it like me to, you know, post themselves, occasionally promote some things at

school or work. I also have friends that use social media to upload music that they write. It made

me feel like I would already be doing that for my career, but I also don't want to do that, which is

also my justification.

Marisa: Uh-huh.

K: Anyways, sidetracked, what was the second part?

Marisa: Is there anything you'd recommend they do not do on social media?

K: Put out music. Just kidding. I... Oh my god, I'd recommend they don't use the social page on

Snapchat because I know Serena loves to do that.

Marisa: I've totally forgot about that.

K: But in all seriousness, speaking to that, I would say, you know, trust... Only trust the right

sources. Don't take everything at face value.

Marisa: Yeah.

K: Not believe everything at first glance.

Marisa: Real. Do you have any thoughts in general on what people choose to post or not post on

social media?

K: It's kind of deep. I think my thoughts on what people choose i don't know because i would say

like i think my thoughts on instagram like yeah everybody just uses it to promote themselves but

also what else are you going to do on it if you're not a business or just a person that's um that's
fair yeah my thoughts I think everybody does it everybody on the platform of what the goal is for

the person using it. Instagram, self-promotion, TikTok, being funny, Snapchat, freaking it.

Marisa: Okay... And then what are your feelings about how people use social media today in

general?

K: I feel like it's… It's kind of becoming a lot, especially with businesses. Like we were talking

about in VOVE, [Alison Ball] was telling us like, you need to be on it, you need to be posting so

many times a day. I think it's just becoming more and more involved is what I'm thinking. And

it's kind of changing how businesses like marketing strategies are run over time. Um, I already

forgot the prompt.

Marisa: Um, it was just, what are your feelings about how people use social media today? Did

you have anything else to say?

K: Uh, no. It just kind of matches my opinion of the last question.

Marisa: Yeah.

K: You know, promotion, reaction, presenting, performing.

Marisa: Performing. And then I just have to get some demographic questions and then we'll be

done. So first one, gender.

K: Male.

Marisa: Year of birth?

K: 2004.

Marisa: Current city of residence?

K: Simi Valley.

Marisa: How long have you been using social media?

K: Since 2012.
Marisa: I'll do the math for that later. Um, any college experience?

K: Um, how do you mean?

Marisa: Have you been in college ever?

K: Oh, yes. I thought you meant with social media.

Marisa: Oh, no, just in general. Um, approximate number of hours spent each day on social

media.

K: At least 7.

Marisa: And then that's all the questions I had.

Interview 4:

Marisa: Are you ready for this?

F: Yeah.

Marisa: OK. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and discussing your opinions about

sharing information online. Can I record this conversation? And you'll be anonymous.

F: Yes, of course.

Marisa: Cool. How would you characterize your own use of social media?

F: Frequent and delirious.

Marisa: Delirious?

F: Yes.

Marisa: Okay... In what way is it delirious?

F: The constant bombarding of information. of like positive and negative views.

Marisa: Okay, cool. What social media platforms do you use and how often?
F: My most frequent social media platform is Instagram. I typically use it maybe like five to six

hours a day, give or take.

Marisa: Real. So, then, is that your favorite one?

F: It is. I guess if you can categorize. Yeah, it's my most used. I don't know if I would say

favorite.

Marisa: Do you have a favorite?

F: Um, no. I hate all social media pretty much. I am addicted to it, so it's not like I can just easily

give it up.

Marisa: Fair enough. What are your opinions about these social media platforms? Do you trust

these sites?

F: Oh, absolutely not. Absolutely not. I think it's a fantastic way to like stay connected to an

extent and, you know, see how globalization is rapidly shared and whatnot. It's just like, the only

reason I say that is because it's a topic we constantly talk about in my class. So I'm like slightly

more aware.

Marisa: Mm-hmm.

F: of like the dichotomy and all, so forth and so on.

Marisa: Real. Do you do anything to protect yourself online in terms of online privacy?

F: Oh yeah, I always turn off like my location and like I always do request that they don't sell my

data, which is like a little bit more of a step because they kind of fight it under so many different

things.

Marisa: And then do you do anything additionally to protect your reputation, avoid scams, and

preserve your mental health?

And then I feel like I am very, I'm like somewhat knowledgeable to not get scammed and like

protect my identity.

Marisa: Okay, cool. Um, then how do your friends use social media? Is there anything you'd

recommend that they not do on social media sites to avoid negative consequences?

F: Um, my friends use social media like very different than I do. They typically use it as like a

way to promote their music, which is like their livelihood. So I don't think it's like fair that I can

compare it the same. Um, I think... I think the closest I can tell people who do use it is that I don't

think they should close it, post every second of their lives, but change their own.

Marisa: Real. Do you have any thoughts in general on what people choose to post or not post on

social media?

F: I think it's becoming a little bit more normalize to like post every aspect of social media which

is not like my favorite thing in the world because like you know parents newborn or new parents

are sharing faces of their babies and we know you don't know what can be used of those

photographs especially like the rapid use of ai um because you're posting it publicly we're

working on their assumption this is all public you know accounts and whatnot So, um, it's just, I

think it's being a little bit more aware of like the consequences of your action, which is not to say

you shouldn't like post anything ever, but you know, there's gross people out there, man.

Marisa: This is true. Um, then I just have some like last demographic questions and then we're

done. Um, gender.

F: um non-binary if you want to do it like that

Marisa: Yes. Year of birth?

F: 1999
Marisa: whoa

F: i know i'm old as hell and you're young as hell i know

Marisa: um current city of residence

F: uh los angeles

Marisa: how long have you been using social media like years wise

F: um How old am I now? Oh my god, like 10 years?

Marisa: Wow, you're old.

F: Shut up. Oh my god.

Marisa: Any college?

F: Yeah. No, I just do this for the fuck of it, man. Oh, sorry. I had to... wait. Oops.

Marisa: It's okay. I'll forgive you. No. I do have to make a transcript of this though, so that's

going in there. Because I might also end up sending a recording... Approximate amount of time

spent on social media each day?

F: Uh, like five to six. Like, I think I like, because the one I only frequently use is Instagram, and

then I occasionally use Blue Sky, but I kind of really hate it. But, um, I would refuse to, like, use

Twitter again.

Marisa: Uh-huh. Fair enough.

F: So five, five, six, six, seven, maybe. Six, seven.

Marisa: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I thought. Be ashamed of that one. Okay, that's all I had for

you. Thank you.