If you haven’t already watched this documentary, I highly recommend that you do. Although this is not the first time the effects of social media have been highlighted today, this documentary spoke to me. It is an extremely insightful and captivating documentary that opened my eyes to so much that I was completely unaware of, on a far deeper level.

I am interested in this for a few different reasons…the first being, I work with User Experience Designers every single day. Hearing some of them speak up about the intricate details of how they played such an important role of the addictive user experience across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Mail plus many more and the negative effects that come with that. Being a new mum I think about the world that my little girl will grow up in and how I can do my very best to ensure she has a happy life. Last but not least, personally, the way social media has affected my own headspace in previous years and had me feeling down about the not so real filters and lives of others versus my own real self and life. 

I would love to hear from you as a User Experience Designer, what would you do differently if you had the power to change the user experience of these platforms?

Would you change the way the filters look so the younger generation doesn’t grow up wanting to alter their own looks to be a certain way? An unrealistic way at that. Would you make it less addictive to hit that notification when it pops up? Would you change the way Facebook decides what we see and when we see it? Subconsciously we are only getting one side of the story. Would you change the targeted advertising currently taking place? After all, it is how they make their money. Do you think this documentary will change the conversation?

As a parent, what actions do you take to protect your children from the potential negative implications it can have on our children’s lives?

How do we be the best possible role models we can be? Do we need to make a more conscious effort to get off our phones and be the example? Stop missing the moments that go by so fast? I know I have had times where I am guilty of this.

We live our lives on these platforms and I sure want to do my best to remember a life without the need for them as often and frequently as we do. It is an addiction. I am addicted. This documentary has made me a little nervous about it. I don't think I have seen a more relevant documentary for the lives we live today. Are you going to turn off your notifications?