I’ve noticed that since social isolation has begun time I spend on my phone on a day to day basis has significantly increased. I think a big factor in this is that I am trying to stay as informed as I can on the coronavirus situation, but also that I have so much time to kill during the day that I find myself scrolling through my phone for something to do.
According to my Screen Time app, I have been spending 8 hours a day on my phone lately. This is 9% more than normal times.
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The social media apps I have been using most are:
#1 TikTok – 2 hours per day
#2 Twitter – 1 hour and 30 minutes per day
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Most of my news has been coming from platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. I have found that through accessing news through social media platforms, rather than directly going to one news site everyday, I have been able to gain more perspective on different ways the virus has affected the world, in terms of economics, infection rates, medical advancements, people’s livelihoods and global lockdowns.
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There have been multiple articles that have stood out to me since I have come back to Australia in regards to responses to self-isolation. A few days after I returned home, ABC News posted a story that made headlines globally about hundreds of people flooding Bondi Beach in Sydney on a hot day, despite being told to practice social distancing.
Image: ABC News
Seeing the images of people sitting on the beach in close proximity to one another and acting as though it was a normal day was something that really frustrated me. The lifeguards working on the beach that day said it “was one of the busiest days I’ve ever seen, and it was a cause for concern.”
In response, Scott Morrison began putting in stricter rules surrounding social distancing; however his approach has not been successful in expressing the gravity of the situation to the Australian public. Earlier this week Morrison announced that no gatherings of more than 2 people could occur in a public space, and that people were only able to leave home to purchase essential items. At the start of the press conference it appeared as though he was taking a more serious, and much needed approach to social isolation. However, when giving an example of leaving home for essentials Morrison explained that his wife had gone out to buy his kids “a whole bunch of jigsaw puzzles.”
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Seeing statements like this made by the person who is in control of the country is frustrating because it feels like the situation is being taken much more lightly than it should be.
As the situation worsens, I’ve found myself spending more time on apps such as TikTok where I’ve been able to see people’s opinions on the situation in a more comedic or light hearted setting.
My younger sister has been making TikToks a lot since we began self isolating, and recently made one that mimics the way a lot of celebrities have responded to the pandemic. Although there are many public figures who have donated money and resources to helping the corona virus situation, there have also been instances of celebrities sitting at home with limited concerns about money, explaining how difficult social isolation has been from them. I think seeing a TikTok about it sparked conversation about how many people are being seriously affected by the pandemic whilst others are taking their wealth for granted, but also allowed it to be done in a much more lighthearted way than if it was posted in a twitter rant.
Overall, I think the way I am consuming media at the moment is very different to how I have in the past. I’ve become much more aware of what apps I’m going to, depending on if I am looking for news updates or more comedic content. I think for me at a time like this, balance is really important, because I know if I surround myself with a constant stream of news about case numbers and death rates, I am only going to end up more scared and overwhelmed by the situation.
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