Facetime, Samantha Sangiorgio

Facetime

Samantha Sangiorgio

FaceTime is a video and audio chatting platform created by Apple. The platform allows users to communicate face to face. Compared to traditional forms of calling, FaceTime allows users to not only hear but also see facial expressions making the call more interactive, fun, and meaningful. FaceTime has evolved to become a positive addition to virtual communication, mimicking a form of regular human contact. In today’s media saturated world, the young generation have been growing up with new forms of technology that has impacted their upbringing and experiences. FaceTime has played an important role in helping young people build connections and socialize with friends and family especially when in person interactions may not be possible. It is important to note that screen time has clearly taken up a great deal of adolescent’s lives but using it in healthy ways by balancing and limiting it can contribute to an improved youth’s health and well-being. FaceTime can maintain relationships as well as build and develop social skills. At times, text messaging and other forms of written communication can convey the wrong tone, emotion, facial expressions, gestures and body language. Furthermore, youth lose face to face communication skills as they lack people skills and may get too comfortable communicating behind the screens. FaceTime then becomes a great medium for youth to still engage in online communication. The real meaning of the message still remains through the medium as face-to-face conversation is still present allowing facial expressions and tones to be better interpreted. FaceTime also provide youth with communication all over the world. Many families and relatives do not have the opportunity to live in the same cities around the world and are not able to see one another for long periods of time. FaceTime has given families a way of

keeping in touch with one another and building close relationships even with family who live on the other side of the world.

Adolescence is a time of change and new beginnings. Youth begin to explore identity and experience many different relationships. Youth begin to find their social circles and figure out ways to fit into the environment around them. At times of crisis or loneliness, youth can support one another over FaceTime when in person contact is not possible. Youth who struggle or feel uncomfortable in social situations can use FaceTime to make connections, chat and limit the awkward feelings until they become more confident as it provides a low-stress environment. This form of face-to-face, back and forth communication can give youth a sense of comfort before entering the real world which will be quite similar. Youth can relate on many levels, share interests, and build strong connections with one another whether it be with one friend or multiple people. Video calls also become crucial in social services available to youth. Social workers, counselors and providers have this powerful platform to strengthen engagement with youth in the comfort of their home when in person meetings are not possible. All in all, FaceTime plays a large role in the experiences of adolescents as this medium helps the struggles and hardships youth encounter, making positive contributions to building healthy relationships! References

Garmiani, J. (2021) FACETIME [Recorded by Garmiani] Facetime. Spinnin Records.

Koren, M., (2022, March 4). Social Distancing Could Change Our Relationship With FaceTime.

The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/03/social-distancing-coronavirusvideochat-facetime/608038/