Help! I am turning into a robot
For me, I was fortunate enough that digital technology has always been available in my household and schooling. By the time I went into high school, the progressive use of digital technology in schools became extensive, and became a vital role in my education and online social identity.
Being introduced to digital technologies at a young age, I’ve been able to see the growth within my generation in using digital technologies and the growth of the digital technology industry. Although studies argue that digital media time may have a negative impact on childhood psychological development (Ruest et al. 2019), I have found that digital technology has assisted me in active learning, reaching my academic goals, improving my social interactions and has empowered me to explore new ideas and concepts that would not have been otherwise available to me.
During my teenage years digital technologies influenced me a great deal. Many would say, especially my mum, that I had an unhealthy relationship with using digital technologies. However researchers, such as Tapscott (1998), identify that today’s digital technology is different from the purely passive medium of the television era, and gives its users advantages in communication, perception and learning (Buckingham 2013). My technology agenda as a teenager was all about my image and how I portrayed myself on these social platforms. As a teenager I had profiles with many social media pages such as; Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tumblr. I think subconsciously I was aware that social media could create a negative construct of who I was meant to be and how I should perceive myself, however I found that rather than doing that these platforms empowered me to discover who I was and to be proud of myself regardless of any perceived deficiencies I thought I might have.
Entering into my adulthood, I’ve now started to use my social media in different ways. Yes, it still is a daily routine to wake up and check my social media pages and emails. To post pictures and updates on or about the ventures I conquer in my everyday life. I now am able to utilise my social media pages as a communication tool to advocate my opinions towards certain world-wide issues.
Watching digital technologies evolve from the time I was first introduced to them, throughout my childhood, adolescence and adulthood, I now see their impact on my own nine-month-old child, with digital technology such as TV’s, iPhones and iPads having apps designed and allocated to young children. The development from my mum’s generation, to mine, to my daughters is astonishing. I do wonder whether the type of childhood digital exposure will influence its use in later life. Is there a difference in how my mother and I use the Internet, and will it be different for my daughter as she gets older? I guess these questions will get answered in time. Regardless, it has to be acknowledged that digital media is here to stay.
References
Buckingham, D & Willett, R (eds.) 2013, Digital generations: Children, young people, and the new media, Routledge, London.
Ruest, S, Gjelsvik, A, Rubinstein, M & Amanullah, S, 2018, ‘The Inverse Relationship between Digital Media Exposure and Childhood Flourishing’, The Journal of Pediatrics, vol.197, pp. 268–274.
Tapscott, D 1998, Growing Up Digital — The Rise of the Net Generation In Growing Up Digital, Mcgraw-Hill, New York.
