friendofthew0rld

[friendofthew0rld]

BLOG POST #1

STORY TIME: Tell us about a time when technology didn't live up (to the hype) to its promises. 

Technology has come a long way, but let this be a reminder that it can malfunction at any given time—attributing to our disappointment. When asked to tell the class about a time when technology didn’t live up to its “hype,” I am forced to reminisce on my days in lockdown, when I used technology to fill the void of connection. 

Although embarrassed to admit it, I used apps such as Monkey and Yubo to connect with people my age. For those of you who do not know, Yubo was an app created to allow teenagers (marketed for ages 13-17) to expand their social circles online with friends worldwide. It was primarily marketed to Gen Z and had age restrictions (which used your ID to validate your age), community guidelines, and prohibitions on pornographic, sexually explicit, or violent content. 

Despite these strict terms and guidelines, many users slipped through the cracks. For one, people aged 18 and over would utilize the app, pretending to be younger and preying on naive children seeking romantic attention. Other than censoring swear words, there were also no moderators who could regulate age ranges—meaning, teens aged 15 and older could direct-message children who were 12-13. I was 14 years old at the time, but that did not prevent individuals 3 years older than me from “swiping right” and messaging me. At the time, the attention was addicting, and now I look back and realize how wrong that was, and how I wish I would have found another outlet for social engagement. These older men would send unsolicited messages and pictures to me, and that is a major reason why I deleted the app. I think this is a good story for the prompt, as most of my peers probably imagine innocent scenarios where sites crash, friends are butt-dialed, or the wrong message is sent. It’s important to acknowledge that there is a dark side to social media and technology, and although there were probably good intentions behind the creation of such apps, it is inevitable (oftentimes preventable) that something intended for good falls into the wrong hands. Apps such as “Yubo” do not live up to their promises, because individuals take advantage of loopholes (or a lack of)  within the guidelines for their own benefit. 

Safe to say, I was not satisfied with my experiences on this app, and will always be weary of people online, especially on sites such as Instagram and TikTok, where it is so easy for people to deceive and manipulate others.