Social media during Lockdown

• Do you frequently check your smart phone for Facebook updates? If you think 5000 friends are not enough, or if you “like” your own posts  you might be addicted to Facebook.

Greetings dear hearts and gentle people. I have missed you all. The Pandemic has eaten into my memory and I don’t recall when I sat down to writing a story for you all. It cant be the last month as I was lurking in highly sterile environs for most of the month. However I kept abreast of almost all the news. A dear friend faithfully posted the links of every newspaper available online, on a daily basis, and also the other source of news, as per the Head of the Nation is Facebook, or Fake book as I personally call it and ,is thoroughly entertaining. I  must also give credit to all the local meme artistes for their creativity ! 

Facebook is the most visited site on the internet. Over 2.80 billion people are regular users and half of them visit every day to post, network, socialize, or play games. Have you become addicted to Facebook? Can you really stop using Facebook any time you want or have you traded social networking for social dysfunction?

During the Pandemic with all of the social distancing, the travel restrictions and so called rules, constraints and limitations officially in place ( sometimes flouted at every turn), people were forced to rely on Zoom meetings, online classes, and official reports on web. Then their only respite and means of communication with friends was by means of social media. Facebook was and is a popular stage, now a tad slowed down by the fast and furious Instagram. On pondering about the mental health of some individuals who flaunt their prowess at “ socializing ” on internet, and having the misfortune of having to deal with their misbehaviour, was what inspired me to address this annoyance as my story this time around. I'm sure a lot of you can relate to this in one way or another.Fake profiles, people who are attention seekers, the political fanatics, the narcissists , the women haters, the perverts, the hunters, the lot!! I was propositioned by a man hiding behind the profile of a fellow actress, who said he fancied older women and would I give him my telephone number?  There was another young man who proclaimed eternal love, and swore to end his life if I did not accept his ardent attention.I hastily took screen shots of his statements and shared it with my best friend just in case he leaves suicide notes with my name on them ! Sigh… the situations I must evade. 

It might help if you wake from the thought that social networking is a good way to make friends. Do you frequently check your smart phone for Facebook updates? If you think 5000 friends are not enough, or if you “like” your own posts  you might be addicted to Facebook. If you have an app that posts your blog to Facebook, if you feel hurt when your friends don’t tag you in photos,if you read every one of the email notifications from Facebook, if you have invited friends you don’t know, or if you think Facebook friends are actually real friends, you might be in trouble! If you think about Facebook even when you are not logged in,send birthday wishes to all your Facebook friends, spend more than one hour a day on scrolling, my dear friend, you might be addicted. I dare say you might be addicted if you try to find old classmates from school online, or use Facebook to invite people to your social events, you might be addicted. If you take pictures of your food and post it on Facebook,  update your status more than several times a day, you might be addicted.. Most importantly if you understand what all of this stuff is, you might be addicted to Facebook.

If only a few of these are true, you are probably okay and don’t have to worry. On the other hand, if you are like the rest of us, better get on the wagon to recovery.

I’m treated, rehabilitated and well. I sincerely hope you get well soon!!You can blame it all on the Pandemic.

text: Angela Seneviratne