Blog Post #2 - The Social Shaping of Technology

The relationship between technology and society is extremely prevalent when we look at Katherine’s
relationship with social media through the theoretical perspective, the social shaping of technology. While
Katherine is choosing to be so invested in her social medias in terms of how many likes and comments
she receives on a post, she struggles with anxiety because of it, even though her anxiety may not be so
visible on the surface. In Katherine’s eyes, social medias hold certain expectations for her to live up to,
which creates anxieties for her, that she may or may not reach these expectations every time she makes
a post. She mentions how when she does not get enough likes or comments on a post she will delete it.
The value system in which is engraved in her head through social media is what she feels she needs to
maintain in order to be satisfied with herself and be seen as popular in the virtual and real world. The
pressure of posting a good enough photo that will get enough likes is the pressure that society has put on
teens.


The affordances in which social media apps come with, such as the like button on instagram, constrains
teens to act a certain way. They can either like the post, or chose not to, no other option is available.
These affordances cause teens to be obsessed with the amount of likes they get on a post. Through the
social shaping of technology, the virtual world among teens has become a popularity contest where the
amount of likes you receive determines your worth. I chose the social shaping of technology perspective
because I was once this 8th grader who determined my value upon the amount of likes, comments, and
tags I received. I have grown up now and am not so involved in caring about these affordances of social
media anymore, however many of the people that surround me in my daily life clearly are. I believe there
is hope for everyone… starting with classes just like this one, students will become educated on the
negative impacts of social media and how we can limit its negative effects, and alternately use it for its
many benefits.  

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