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00:00I'm on social media 24-7.
00:25How did anyone survive before it was around?
00:28Let me know, Stacey.
00:33It's hard to imagine going an hour without social media, for some of us anyway.
00:37Sharing selfies, sending silly GIFs, those never-ending group chats, and of course making
00:44sure everyone is updated on our current status.
00:47These apps and websites make it easy to stay connected with friends.
00:52I turn to my social networks whenever I need some extra TLC or support, and to check in
00:58with folks who are into the same stuff as I am.
01:01No matter how unusual your hobbies and interests are, you can find a group for it.
01:06They're great for exploring different sides of your personality.
01:10Yeah, for a lot of us, social media is our doorway to the internet.
01:15They're how we listen to music and watch TV, how we play video games and even get our news.
01:21They help us keep up with what's going on in our world, which is good news for the companies
01:26that own these tools, because hosting all that action is how they make their money.
01:34Social media platforms capture all the stuff you do on them.
01:37Every post, comment, and reaction you share is turned into content.
01:42That's anything other people might be interested in checking out.
01:46If social media were a magazine, your posts would be the articles.
01:51If it were television, they would be the shows you watch.
01:54These companies generate income by sticking ads in the middle of that stuff.
01:59Except instead of paying journalists and actors to create content, social media gets the people
02:04using it to do all the work.
02:08Sure you receive something in return.
02:11You get to use all the fun features a social network offers, but as you do, you're telling
02:16them a lot about yourself, what you're listening to, watching, reading, and buying.
02:24This is all valuable data for the network.
02:28They use it to target you with ads that might appeal to you.
02:32Companies pay top dollar to advertise to people who have shown an interest in what they're
02:37selling.
02:38To the social network, your attention is the product, and advertisers are their main customers.
02:45There's nothing necessarily wrong with this setup, but it explains why social media platforms
02:51want you to keep posting away.
02:53After all, the more content you create, the more money they make.
02:57So they notify you when people respond to your posts.
03:01Our brains are hardwired to react to feedback.
03:04These responses give you a pleasant little jolt, which encourages you to post more, get
03:09more feedback, and on it goes.
03:12That's why we often behave differently online than we do in real life.
03:17You may feel like you have to pump up the positive parts of your life while playing
03:21down stuff that isn't so flattering.
03:24This sort of curated identity is disconnected from the real world.
03:29No one's life is ever that perfect.
03:32On the other end of things, some kids like to post provocative stuff.
03:36They might share a point of view that they know will set other people off.
03:41Or troll other users, starting arguments just to get a reaction.
03:46Or they'll bully people with rude remarks or even threats.
03:50I know I don't have to remind any of you that making people feel bad online or off
03:54is not okay.
03:57There's nothing wrong with trying to stand out from the crowd, but you need to be careful
04:02about oversharing.
04:04That's when you post stuff that should probably remain private.
04:08It might not seem like such a big deal in the moment, but remember, once you hit send,
04:14that message is no longer yours.
04:17It's owned by the platform, and all they see is more juicy content.
04:21Posts are nearly impossible to take back even if you delete them.
04:25They live on forever in other people's feeds and profiles.
04:29Even on platforms that delete old content, it's hard to make anything truly disappear.
04:34Anyone can screenshot your post and share them later on.
04:38That's why showing good judgment is essential.
04:42The best advice is always to stop and think before hitting send.
04:48Are you comfortable with anyone being able to see your posts?
04:52And do you really want it to be out there forever?
04:55Speaking of which, it's a good idea to be smart about your privacy settings.
05:00They let you limit who can view your posts.
05:04Follow these tips, and social media can be fun, helpful, and safe.
05:08But remember, there's a lot more to life than what's going on online.
05:13So be sure to take a break, put down your phone, and...
05:15Wow.