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Future Paths of Phenomenology

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179519

Students on a social media "detox"

disrupting the everyday practices of social media use

Krista Lepik Maria Murumaa-Mengel

pp. 60-69

Abstract

This article explores how disruption of habitual social media use reshapes the information behavior of emerging adults. Using the core ideas from theories about the social acceleration of time, reverse domestication and social media literacies, we designed a study where full-time BA-level students (N = 42) were asked to keep a diary about quitting social media for five consecutive days. Despite temporary disconnection, participants expressed anxiety and negative emotions brought on by the non-usage and perceived slowing of time – meaning mostly boredom and "fear of missing out' while being inaccessible to others. Alternatively, many participants expressed fulfillment and a sense of serenity from the absence of constant availability. Considering this exercise of contemplating taken-for-granted activities, we propose a simple tool to reflect upon information behavior in the context of accelerating social time, to ensure subjectively perceived comfortable sense of time.

Publication details

Published in:

Kurbanolu Serap, Boustany Joumana, Grassian Esther, Mizrachi Diane, Roy Loriene (2019) Information literacy in everyday life: 6th European conference, ecil 2018, oulu, finland, september 24–27, 2018, revised selected papers. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 60-69

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13472-3_6

Full citation:

Lepik Krista, Murumaa-Mengel Maria (2019) „Students on a social media "detox": disrupting the everyday practices of social media use“, In: S. Kurbanolu, J. Boustany, E. Grassian, D. Mizrachi & L. Roy (eds.), Information literacy in everyday life, Dordrecht, Springer, 60–69.