│By Olivia McDermott, Gale Ambassador at the University of Liverpool│
In our contemporary world, visual media plays an increasingly important role in how we socialise, develop our opinions and create online personas. Though the ability to capture and translate the world around us into images can be dated back to the time of Aristotle, the invention of the photographic camera occurred in the early nineteenth century by Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.
Over a period of just under two hundred years, the commercialisation of the camera now means that anyone can become a photographer. However, many scholars argue that such rapid technological advancement is leading to social changes that we are struggling to adapt to. For example, the pressures on people to only post perfect, airbrushed photos are causing an identity crisis, particularly amongst the youth; AI deepfakes are causing detrimental, psychological issues and the obsession with only sharing the good parts of life is leading to increasing reports of isolation.
As a young woman who has grown up in the digital age, I am more than aware of the ways in which social media infiltrates through to all areas of life. Living in an imaged-based society continues to overlap within the personal, relational, academic and professional spheres, but how did we get here?
Lights, Camera, Action!
The word photography literally translates into ‘drawing of light’ and is an apt way of simplifying the more technical process of taking pictures. The earliest surviving photograph was taken in 1827 by Niépce and can only be described, by today’s standards, as underwhelming. The picture was taken looking out of the window at his workplace and captures a courtyard, distant buildings and several trees. The Niépce Heliograph has since been titled ‘point de vue’ which reinforces the idea that the person behind the camera is, in their own way, a visual storyteller.
The transition from static images into motion pictures emerged towards the late nineteenth century and were silent up until 1927. The development of such technologies has been integral in allowing filmmakers to construct artistic representations of the world we live in today. In the modern age, making films is now something that almost anyone can achieve as it so much easier to access and use a camera.
Final Touch Ups!
Although individuals now have the power to construct their own digital narratives, it can be easy to forget that people often only choose to document the high points. We all know what it is like to see pictures of our friends spending the day together and wonder why we are sat watching television instead. If a certain post does not receive as many likes as we hoped, there can be the suggestion that our profiles are not good enough. In a growing celebrity culture people are going to extreme lengths to curate an image of themselves that aspires to perfection.
The Darker Side to Being Online
Not only is much of social media false, but there is also an increasing number of ways in which visual technology can be exploitative and criminal. From upskirting to AI deep fakes or widespread access to porn and extreme content, researchers have proven that the younger one is exposed to violent media, the less likely they are to develop empathy and form positive relationships with others. Often, visual media can perpetuate the inequalities that already exist within our society, such as misogyny, abuse towards women, violent crime and harassment.
Conscious Living in the Digital Age
The rapid development of visual technologies is only set to accelerate and so we must question how we can live in this digital age in a healthy and conscious way. I have listed several tips below that are a good place to start if you are struggling to manage the amount of time you spend on social media, the accounts you follow, the content you post and knowing when to use AI.
Tips!
- Get Off to the Right Start – Try to begin each day without immediate screen time and endless scrolling as studies show that it may be more difficult to concentrate throughout the day. Instead begin your day by reading a few pages of a book, going for a walk or meditation.
- Monitor Your Screen Time – If you feel like you are spending too much time mindlessly scrolling through different social media, then it’s a good idea to check how your screen time is broken up into socialising, productivity or health. Most mobile devices allow you to access this information and enable limits for certain apps.
- Be Mindful of What You Follow – Depending on how long you have had a social media account for, the number of other accounts you follow can stack up over time. Every few months, it can be helpful to check through your following list to make sure that you are curating an online space that is positive, helpful and safe.
- Be Wary of Using AI – As a student myself, I constantly hear about the effects of using AI within academic essays, job applications and personal statements. AI is useful for summarising the plot of texts, analysing data and can be used for revising but it is important to use it responsibly and ethically.
Finally, try to remember that most of what you see online is not real; it is heavily edited to fit within a certain aesthetic. It is not always easy to find a healthy balance between using social media for leisure and being productive but with some small adjustments, over time you can change your digital habits in a positive way.
If you enjoyed reading about the impacts of social media on society, then check out these posts:
- The Influence of British Media on its Politics: Insights from Gale Primary Sources
- Exploring news coverage and media discussion of sexual violence
- Investigating the Evolution of Twenty-First Century Pop Culture Using Digital Humanities Techniques
Blog post cover image citation: The Girls Go Public: A Show of Photographs by Ruthann Tucker, Deborah Hodgson, Rosalie Favell, Susan Ross. October 9-November 2, 1984. TS Posters from The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives 264;1989-350 N. The ArQuives: Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives. Archives of Sexuality and Gender, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/GYREPO725385559/GDCS?u=livuni&sid=bookmark-GDCS&xid=cdecbf08&pg=1
