Me, Myself, and Facebook:

A Look into Modern Day Me-ismCaitlin Leahy, Webster University

Gateway Media Literacy Partners

10/09/10: Academic Symposium

500 million users

14 minutes: the time the average American user spends daily on the site

How?Using the Keys of Media Literacy:

Analyze the process of communication by

examining the roles of the

Media CommunicatorAudience

Promotes the cultural value of individualism

...

Traditional Model

Media Communicator

Audience

AudienceMedia

Communicator

Media Communicator = Audience = YOU

Profile “Info” Page

Personalization

Personalization

Profile “Wall”

Notifications

Customization - Likes

Customization - News Feed

Customization - Friends

Conclusion

With the ability to share information by posting, private and instant messaging, and Skyping, Facebook’s manifest function is to connect with others.

With the ability to personalize, customize, and promote yourself, Facebook’s latent function is a vehicle for self-promotional.

Thank you!