In response to the question “How do you use social media?” I consider someone of my age somewhat ‘late to the party’ in social media use.
When you think back to when I was young phones were still hard wired to the wall. I recall my parents hovering in the background. Eavesdropping every word if someone was brave enough to try & call you.
Broadcast To All
There were definately no privacy settings. Often they stood hands outstretched ready to snatch the receiver from your grasp. Time was money & certainly there was no communication with anyone in random places across the world. Phone calls were expensive!
It’s possibly hard for a younger person to comprehend how expensive a phone line was. Not to mention the ‘party lines’ where the line was shared.
Social media & its use really crept by stealth upon me. The driving force to have a phone & join in grew as a means to communicate with my kids.
Facebook was the obvious starting point but once I had found my ‘virtual feet’ I embraced the journey into others.
So Many Platforms
I remember vividly not understanding what was Twitter. It took a free workshop to really get to grips with this. I started tweeting & now have X.
I have somehow managed to find myself in the photographic area & have fun posting photos I have taken on my travels. Instagram is a favourite.
I like the fact I can share photos & there doesn’t seem to be too much nasty commentary or comebacks. I am not so struck on Facebook per se.
I do enjoy the odd group or two that basically bring together people with common interests.This for me is mainly music related. They are also moderated well so again they tend to be positive spaces.
Finding Your Tribe
Snapchat really passed me by as I didn’t really have a friendship group to use it with. This I think is why older people are largely unable to engage in these more random platforms. If you don’t have a reason to use it how would it why would you learn how to.
Navigating social media is for me a ‘need to know’. The more you use it the easier it becomes. It also depends on the age of the people you socialise with. If this no longer includes younger people then it becomes harder to engage with social media.
I have been trying to keep myself up to speed with the new technology. The photos are examples of me having a go using some of the different filters & tricks.
I volunteered at music festivals & was tutored on some of the do’s & dont’s. Navigating the minefields of emoji use or the abbreviations to avoid howling gaffs.
Bizarrely I had a Tik Tok account before it became famous. It was formerly called “Musically” before it was taken over. The account lay dormant until my daughter mentioned the ‘new’ platform to check out. It caused much consternation when I announced I actually already had an account.
View one of the early Tik Toks I made using link below.
I have made videos & now have a following much to my amazement. I continues to fascinate me at the sort of content that people watch. Who knew that me sitting in the car talking while waiting to get out of a car park would grab peoples attention.
Well that’s all for now as I am trying to think of what to post next.
Use the link below to watch a short clip I made on Cap Cut