My Online Media Presence

There have been a few times where I've wondered what about me is actually out there for anyone to see. I've thought about the media presence I've set for myself in the past, especially since my career will put me even more in the public eye online. The online footprint I've made for myself so far has already made an impact, and I know there's more to come.

I use social media almost daily, through Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, FaceBook, TikTok, and YouTube. I don't use every one of these sites daily, but more than often I'll use at least two of these throughout the day each day. I use privacy settings on these sites, but my profiles are still accessible to anyone through Google.

I've been very cautious and responsible with the content I post online, and I was not necessarily surprised by any of what I could find from my name online. The content attached to my name is information that I did not feel the need to edit and that I feel represents myself in a positive light. I also have been cautious of my media presence since I have known that I will be involved in the media industry in my future through my career.

When I actually Googled my name, I was not super surprised by the results. There were some results that were from other people who share my name, and then there were links to some of my social media accounts, my LinkedIn account, and a profile picture from my social media account, pictured above. If someone who were considering me for a job in the future were to Google me, I feel confident that I am well represented as the positive person I believe myself to be.

Media plays a huge role in my life. The way I create content and watch content be made is what has helped me to grow and discover my passions for entertainment and content creation. I am continuously using my media platforms to creatively express myself and to find inspiration from other media creators. I continue to use media platforms for my professional development in school as well, through LinkedIn, YouTube, and podcasts. 

Digital footprints and social media have their downsides. Without being careful, it's easy to create an image of oneself that is not an accurate representation of character through one post that will remain online forever. Social media also leads to possible feelings of loneliness or low self-esteem. 

The video of the "Mad World" remix shows the emphasis of where social media and technology can cause feelings of loneliness or FOMO. The video of the Futurama ride shows the positive possibilities of technology and how it could advance and help our world rather than hurting it. 

Which is the most accurate? I talked a lot about my use of social media and technology and it was mostly in a positive light. I feel that I have this positive experience with the role of social media and technology in my life because it's what you make it. These technologies in themselves are not destructive or evil, but rather the way people chose to use them could be. Because of this, I find the Futurama video to be more accurate. The incredible potentials and possibilities with technology today are some of the greatest of all time and they have truly helped to make life easier and to advance the way we live our lives daily.

Regardless of the cautions with putting yourself on the internet, or how people view the media, with the career field I aspire to go into, it is almost inevitable for my information to be online. Something that I will be able to control however, is how in depth the information is and how it can affect me and my future career. I currently do and will continue to prioritize my safety, especially through my online footprint. What is out there online about someone could make or break their career, and can even cause privacy issues, so while I still plan to be in the public eye, I will prioritize my private life.