Written and photographed by Leah Sarnoff
This morning at 7:00 a.m., I spent 10 minutes scanning photos from a wedding I did not attend. Before I even took a second to think about my own life, I was scrolling mindlessly through snapshots of everyone else’s. For many of us, social media has become that second nature; do we know why?
A recent 60 Minutes special detailed the insidious art of “brain hacking,” the array of techniques that Silicon Valley is using to make us as dependent and addicted to our phones and devices as possible. “There’s a whole playbook of techniques that get used to get you using the product for as long as possible,” said Tristan Harris, one of the programmers interviewed. “Inadvertently, whether they want to or not, they are shaping the thoughts and feelings and actions of people. They are programming people.”
Thinking of myself as merely another object to program makes me uneasy. Do others feel this way? I spoke to some locals to get a sense of how the Bay Area feels about their relationships with social media.
Incognito
Ariel Contreras
“I live a pretty private life, and I like to be off the grid. It just seems kinda fake, also. People put up an image that’s not really them, so I don’t want to participate in that. I am super not interested in other people, so I never go on to look at their stuff. If I care about someone, I’ll just call them up or text them. But I do actually have a Facebook account because you need one to use Lyft, but I never use it.
Modern Couple
Summer Storm Wood
“I’m not very present on social media, I’d say. I mean, I’ll post something if it’s someone’s birthday or something really big, like I posted when I went out for Bay to Breakers. But I wouldn’t say it’s a really big part of my life. My boyfriend puts everything on social media. He keeps in touch with his family through it; he posts things that he buys; he posts about his dog—like, everything. Sometimes even I’ll find out things in his life through social media before he tells me! And our relationship being on social media is also really important to him, so it’s a lot different than mine.”
Snapping Out of It
Caitlyn Clark
“I am on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, but I’m definitely on Instagram mostly. I’m weaning out of Snapchat because I don’t find anything important out of it. I’m not getting as much content, and it’s not really a clean app, I guess. I think social media is a distraction for everyone, and it totally skews the idea of what’s really happening.”
My Eyes Are up Here
Anonymous
“Yeah, I guess I would say social media is a pretty big part of my life, but I think it bothers me more than anything, though. Like when I am watching a movie or go out to eat with friends, and they are scrolling through Instagram, I get so angry. Like, hello, that’s not your life—I am!”
Healthy Habit
David Osborne
“I have Facebook and Instagram accounts—oh, and Twitter—but I don’t use them that often. I go on once a day and keep in touch with friends. I’d say it’s pretty positive for me but can also be distracting, depending on the time of day or who is posting.”
Who, What, When, Where, Why
Analise Sutherland
“I post quite often on Instagram, and on Facebook maybe once or twice a month. Honestly, I just do it because I’m bored, and to let my family know I’m alive because I travel a lot.”
Look at Me Looking at You
Trish P.
“I probably check Facebook—Instagram a lot. Definitely, first thing when I wake up and then a couple of times during the day. OK, not a couple—more like 5–10 times. Snapchat, same thing. I used to go through and check everyone’s stories, but not as much anymore. I probably post on Instagram twice a week or so after I’ve done something fun. I have a lot of friends on the East Coast, so I find it positive. I like that I can see what they’re up to.
Fleeting Photos
Isaiah Alan
“When it comes to social media, I feel like I use my story more than anything because I don’t like to post a lot of photos that last. I like pictures that you can see, and then 24 hours later, they’re gone. I’m on Instagram the most, but I am more of a stalker than anything. I like to watch and like to go through my friends’ pages.
