Being social
Why can social media make us feel like we belong?
contact with friends, shared interests, group chats, or shared experiences
Why do people often check their phones when they get a notification?
Curiosity and the expectation of contact
What does an algorithm learn from what you watch and click on?
It learns which content you engage with.
Name one positive thing about social media
Friends, community, interests, the opportunity to find people with similar experiences
Why might someone feel left out if they are not on social media?
For example group chats, jokes, trends or plans
Why can different social media platforms be important for different parts of our social life?
The platforms are used in different ways – for example, for communication, images, videos, and groups.
What does FOMO – Fear of Missing Out mean in connection with social media?
The fear of missing out (on what others are doing or talking about)
What might happen if you keep watching the same type of videos?
You will likely be shown more similar content.
Name one problem social media can create for young people
Bullying, social pressure, exclusion
Why might completely deleting social media be difficult for a teenager?
Many of their social relationships and their everyday lives play out on social media
How can social media make you feel included AND excluded at the same time?
Social media can provide access to communities, but at the same time create a sense of being on the outside.
Give two reasons why social media can be difficult to put away.
Social connections, likes/reactions, the expectation of being available, or the fear of missing out
How can an algorithm sometimes make a problem or difficult feeling worse?
If a person is already struggling with a particular topic, more of the same type of content can perpetuate or intensify those difficult emotions.
How can social media help someone who feels different or alone?
To find others who understand you and share your interests or experiences.
Why can something that happens at school continue or become a problem online?
Conflicts and hierarchies from school can carry over online.
Why are friendships online and friendships in real life not completely separate?
The same friends, groups, and social relationships exist both offline and online
Why is “Just turn off your phone” not always a simple solution?
Because the phone also provides access to friends and a social life – which is why the solution isn't necessarily just to turn it off
Two people use the same social media app. Why might their feeds and experiences be completely different?
Because the algorithm responds to the individual's behavior and interests, two people can receive very different content.
Explain how social media can make something you are already good at or interested in stronger.
Social media can make it easier to pursue interests and find others with the same interests.
Why might a young person be afraid to tell an adult about something bad that happens online?
Fear of becoming unpopular, having problems with friends, or the feeling that adults do not understand the situation.
Imagine everyone in your class uses a group chat except one student. Explain how this could affect that student's place in the class community.
A student without the group chat might miss out on jokes, plans, conversations, and shared references, and consequently feel less like part of the group.
A teenager checks their phone constantly. Give three possible reasons from what you have learned that could explain this behaviour.
"A Tap on the Shoulder" highlights precisely reward, social life, and the risk of missing out.
A person watches several videos about one topic. Explain what could happen next and why.
Explain the chain: You watch → the algorithm notices → it shows you more → you may engage with even more of it
“Social media is neither good nor bad.” Explain why this statement makes sense based on what you have learned.
The effect depends on the person, the content, and the way social media is used.
A student says: “What happens online isn't real life.” Use what you have learned to explain why this statement can be challenged.
Online and offline lives are interconnected: the same friendships, groups, hierarchies, and conflicts can exist in both spheres.