TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Hopping around in cyberland
One thing common among millennials is that they tend to not stick to one thing, especially when it comes to social media
Change Size
One thing common among millennials is that they tend to not stick to one thing, especially when it comes to social media.
Instagram is the current star, through which celebrities, beauty gurus and influencers share things with the world. However, you may notice how they do not use only one social media platform.
How many social media accounts do people usually have and how many of them are frequently used? For young people, the common social media platforms used are Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. LinkedIn is also used among young workers trying to expand their networks and those who are looking for new opportunities.
Giovanni, a 25-year-old accountant in South Jakarta, says he prefers Instagram because most of his friends use it as well. “They post a lot of things. It has become a way of communicating as well.”
Apart from Instagram, Giovanni also has a Twitter account, which he only uses to obtain the latest news. “Twitter is really suitable for news, it’s concise and the link is right there so I can immediately check it out.”
“For example, I never update my status. I only follow verified accounts and don’t have a single follower.” he says.
Social media platforms appear to have different purposes. For example, Instagram and Twitter can be ruled out as the fun apps, whereas an app like LinkedIn requires a more professional style. Instagram is not commonly used by older generations.
For millennials, they can juggle fun and professionalism at the same time, as shown in a meme of TV series character Stanley from The Office.
The picture shows Stanley’s different reactions, each labeled to portray Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and in real life (IRL) respectively. For Instagram, Stanley looks laidback with a juice in hand and wearing a beach hat, like the beautiful vacation pictures people often upload to Instagram.
Meanwhile, Stanley can be seen booing at someone, which portrays the arguments that occur on Twitter. LinkedIn is portrayed by him posing professionally, wearing a suit and a bright smile, and IRL is portrayed with him just lying around.
The meme aims to show that young people reserve different personas for each social media account they own.
Vanya, a 26-year-old account executive in West Jakarta, said she could relate to the meme. “It really does depict me. I tend to adapt to every social media account that I have, I guess this applies to all of my friends as well. We can joke around on Instagram or Twitter, but we can instantly behave on LinkedIn or email.”
When asked about why young people had more than one social media account, Vanya said she liked to use them during her leisure time or when she tried to avoid interacting with someone.
“The content is different as well, so there is a different type of entertainment on each one, too.”
