At one point, social media platforms experienced a short interruption. The issue was resolved. That’s the end of the story. At first glance, it may seem uneventful.

However, the significant focus on the disabling of Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Messenger services on Tuesday implies a different, potentially less apparent story: that social media platforms hold more significance than simply being sources of entertainment, similar to books or newspapers in past eras.

Let me make sure I understand correctly. Are you talking about those occasional posts from your distant cousin, where she shares updates about her kids’ activities? Or the video clip from the influencer who educates you about a new culture or piece of information? How about that series of pictures you posted as a tribute to a loved one who passed away? Or the ongoing discussion on your feed where people try to outdo each other on topics that you find interesting?

Indeed, these technologies may be new. However, the purpose we use them for delves into something timeless: humans have a natural inclination towards storytelling. We enjoy telling and listening to stories, and through them, we connect with one another and our communities. In recent times, we have even begun to share these narratives to a wider audience through our devices, to the extent that one of Instagram’s main elements is called “Stories.”

Evynn McFalls, vice president of marketing and branding at the NeuroLeadership Institute, a firm that integrates neuroscience into corporate practices, states that our ability to tell stories is highly effective in facilitating connections among individuals. Our brains are inherently drawn to narratives as they make it simpler for us to comprehend others and their situations.

According to scholar Jonathan Gottschall in his book “The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human,” the inherent drive in humans to create and consume stories is even more fundamental than literature, dreams, and imagination. We are fully immersed in the power of storytelling.

Social media has become a common platform for receiving information through various forms such as images, videos, memes, and text conversations. While it may also be a source of misinformation, people can gain insight and empathy through others’ experiences and viewpoints. Furthermore, it allows individuals to share their personal stories and forge connections that may not have been possible elsewhere.

These social spaces are where we engage in being human in various ways.

According to Samuel Woolley, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism and Media, it is difficult for a large portion of individuals, particularly in the United States, to consider their lifestyles and means of communication without also considering social media.

If they are interrupted, there can be consequences. The ties that bind may be broken. Activities that release endorphins may be stopped. Our usual schedules, both good and bad, are disturbed, causing disruptions in the expected flow of communication and storytelling.

According to Imani Cheers, a professor at George Washington University, online platforms have evolved from being just simple tools to also being a space for advocacy in the past 15 years. These platforms sometimes experience outages, which can greatly disrupt the flow and sharing of information.

According to Woolley, the effect can be magnified if the disruption occurs at a critical time when communication and information are thought to be necessary. This was evident in the US where the outage coincided with the pivotal Super Tuesday, when many people were headed to the polls.

According to Woolley, even though the recent interruption was short-lived for many, it still caused a shortage in news access, which is a concern.

Following the outages on Tuesday, Andy Stone, the head of communications for Meta, addressed the situation on X (previously known as Twitter). He expressed apologies for any inconvenience caused by the outages. However, for many, it went beyond a mere inconvenience. Their personal experiences and online presence were at risk.

Upon noticing that he was unable to access his Facebook account on Tuesday, Taylor Cole Miller, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, was initially worried that his account had been compromised.

Not long after, a sense of panic began to creep in. What if he had unintentionally erased nearly twenty years’ worth of his Facebook history, including connections with people he primarily knew through the platform?

The person expresses reluctance to say that their life passed before their eyes, as it seems exaggerated. However, since they have been on Facebook for two decades, a large portion of their life has been recorded and stored on the platform.

A significant portion of my social interactions occur through Facebook. But what if it suddenly disappeared? How would that impact my identity and the way I communicate with others?

According to Melanie Green, a professor at the University of Buffalo, the strong emotional response to losing something that is a regular part of our day shows how storytelling can bring people together. Additionally, this also highlights the role of media platforms in sharing these stories.

According to her, humans have an innate desire to be part of a group, as we are social creatures and our existence often relies on our connections with others. Reading or hearing stories can contribute to fulfilling this need for belongingness.

Source: wral.com