Social Studies Episode 1 - Social 101
Social Studies Episode 1 - Social 101
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Good morning, even though it's not even a remotely morning.
00:24Coming back to school has brought on a new level of anxiousness that I feel I don't think I've ever really experienced.
00:32Hi, can you talk right now? I'm just like stressed about what to wear to school.
00:36Yeah, I feel like everyone's stressed about that.
00:43Picture.
00:45Tell me I don't look so cool. I look like a cool person.
00:49I'm a cool person. Okay.
00:52I'm picking out the outfit that I want to wear for the first day of school. This is what I have so far.
00:59I'm really stressed about going back.
01:02After the pandemic, I'm definitely excited to be back on campus after being in e-learning for a year and a half.
01:07Do you wear like what shoes?
01:09That's a good question.
01:11It helps to know like what you guys would be wearing.
01:13Okay. So I have an option.
01:15You've spent a lot of time on your own and now you're getting into a
01:20class full of 30 students and it's just a lot of things that go through your mind.
01:24In person you can't mute yourself and you can't turn off your camera.
01:29You have to show up to school and you have to be perceived by every single person there.
01:36School is starting.
01:45I
01:50Kind of want to throw my phone across the room
01:53Cuz all I see a girl's too good to be true with paper white teeth and perfect bodies
01:59Wish I didn't care. I know that beauty is not my
02:05But it feels like that weight is on my back and I can't let it go
02:15See everyone getting all the things I want I'm happy for them, but then again
02:20I'm not just go vintage clothes and vacation photos. I can't stand it. Oh god. I sound crazy that
02:30I know it's true, but I can't
02:45Too much
03:15I should be happier, prettier. Jealousy, jealousy. All I see, but I should be. I'm losing it all again. Jealousy, jealousy.
03:25Comparison is killing me slowly
03:32Good morning, everybody make some noise
03:38It's been a crazy year
03:41You guys weren't able to be on campus and you have to do your whole freshman year from e-learning
03:48Give yourselves a pat on the back right now because you did it
03:55We want you to have a vision
03:58Kind of like Steve Kerr
04:01Will.i.am
04:02Forest Whitaker. Does anybody know what all these people have in common?
04:07If you said they all went to Pali, you're right. Steve Kerr
04:13And he won NBA championships as a coach
04:17decorating
04:19And Steve, he didn't come here
04:21I looked it up
04:23Ben Leiby
04:25Ben Leiby
04:27Grammy nominated
04:29Performer
04:31Do they not look at me?
04:33Forest Whitaker
04:35Will.i.am
04:37Institute of Hip Hop Freestyle Circles
04:39Forest Whitaker
04:41He's in a show right now
04:43That's on FX
04:45I don't watch
04:47He was a deskie in here on this campus
04:49Oh, that's funny
04:51He studied theater
04:53And now he's a superstar
05:01I'm Ella
05:03And I live in Los Angeles
05:05But more specifically the west side
05:07So Mar Vista
05:11Since the pandemic
05:13My social media use has increased by a lot
05:15By like a hundred percent
05:17I used to like read and do a lot of art more
05:19And now instead I'm on my phone
05:23Before you were interacting with people
05:25Like face to face you didn't really need to use your phone that much
05:27But now like
05:29It's the only form of interaction most days
05:31And so you just
05:33It's the only way you kind of feel connected to anyone
05:39I like to mainly like go on TikTok
05:41I like that it's social
05:43Like the social part of social media
05:45And I like that you get to see like art
05:47People being creative and like funny things
05:49I think that part is cool
05:51He's escaping!
05:53The killer is escaping!
05:55Sometimes I make TikToks if I have a funny idea
05:57Even if I don't actually post it
05:59Or if I'm just feeling pretty
06:05I kind of want to be
06:07The Manic Pixie Dream Girl
06:09But I don't think that's fully me
06:17I've never fully been just one thing
06:23I've tried to get off
06:25But then you just feel like you're missing out
06:27How sweet is it
06:29That none of them are on their cell phones
06:31I'm pretty impressed about that
06:33That's upstanding
06:35They're like we're not addicted to that
06:37I think especially with quarantine
06:39It's amplified the need to have a connection
06:41And I think that's a good part about social media
06:47I definitely fell into a little rabbit hole
06:49Especially earlier quarantine over summer
06:53My social media consumption
06:55Was like two hours a day
06:59I definitely found myself
07:01Comparing to people online
07:03That I didn't even know
07:05People will take videos
07:07Whether they're drunk or high
07:09And it looks so much fun
07:11All of my friends
07:13We were all kind of like
07:15This is cool
07:17You didn't have anything else to do
07:19The past year plus has been
07:21Really strange for us all
07:23Now that we're back in school
07:25I hope that my personal
07:27Social media use goes down
07:29But I also think it'll be so much more
07:31Incorporated into everyone's lives
07:33Because we rely on it so much now
07:35To be kept updated
07:37Make sure to follow our class Instagram
07:39And thank you guys so much
07:41Thank you
07:51When I first started this project
07:53My hope was to document the first generation
07:55Of kids that had grown up with social media
07:57Their entire lives
07:59So what we're doing is a project
08:01About social media
08:03So since you guys are all on your phones
08:05At the same time
08:07Would you mind screen recording?
08:09We wanted kids to share their social media
08:11So we could understand the content
08:13Of what was impacting them
08:15Are you screen recording now?
08:17Are you on screen recording now?
08:19Are you screen recording right now, Alec?
08:21Yes, my phone's over there
08:23Maybe just grab your phone so you've got it
08:25This was kind of a huge deal
08:27But they slowly let us into their social media worlds
08:29Sharing their private accounts
08:31Their digital experiences
08:33Their social media feeds
08:35Access to these private worlds
08:37Reveals so much more than social media content
08:39It's a window into coming of age
08:41In the time of social media
08:45An influence that now touches
08:47Every part of growing up
08:55Teenagers from schools across Los Angeles
08:57Agreed to share their lives for the year
09:05This is such a cool library
09:13We have a therapist
09:15If anything we talk about
09:17Is activating in any way
09:19If today you could just do the sign language for clapping
09:21If you relate to what somebody says
09:23And just one question
09:25How do you feel without your phone?
09:29I was like, it feels like camp
09:31You know?
09:33I love that, I love that feeling
09:35I love that feeling
09:37I keep on subconsciously trying to reach for my phone
09:39And then be like, oh wait
09:41I don't have it
09:43I want to ask you guys about
09:45When fame became important
09:47When did you start
09:49Noticing
09:51If you had a lot of followers
09:53If you had a lot of views
09:55When did it become important to be known in that way?
09:57Hi!
09:59Uh, finally
10:01I'm here
10:03Diary 2, take 2
10:05And take 3
10:07And cut
10:11I always wanted to do this
10:13I'm Ivy
10:15I'm 17
10:17Going on 18
10:19And I'm a senior at Pali High
10:23I have been on social media
10:25For years
10:27A lot of my childhood
10:29Is like a big blur
10:31The details are always fuzzy
10:35I was very lonely
10:37And I would live inside my head
10:41I feel like my social skills weren't that good
10:43So I was bad at making friends
10:45Sorry I don't have my friends with me today
10:47But um
10:49That doesn't mean we can have a party
10:51Hello people
10:53Hello people
10:55I'm on the moon
10:57I cannot breathe
10:59I was just like imagining that I would post myself on YouTube
11:01And I'd be famous
11:03And everyone would like adore me
11:05It let me see myself
11:07In a way that I didn't get to
11:09In any other situation
11:13And I could fully be myself
11:17For teenagers
11:19Social media is kind of like the only way
11:21That we communicate
11:23That's how we express ourselves
11:27I've always loved social media
11:29Even when I'm bored
11:31Or when I'm sad
11:33It's always been my own safe place
11:37I feel like YouTube really shaped my childhood
11:39And I watched it a lot when I was younger
11:43Mostly I spend my time on TikTok
11:45I love to educate myself
11:47And I love to learn new things
11:49Once you start scrolling
11:51It doesn't really end
11:53I learned thrifting tips
11:55I learned different styles that I don't like
11:57And I like
11:59I learned what games I liked
12:01I learned what I like to watch
12:03I learned the type of people I liked
12:05Basically anything you want to find on TikTok
12:07You can find by searching the words
12:09So like book and then adding talk to the end of it
12:11So there's cook talk
12:13There's book talk
12:15There's witch talk
12:17I always find someone to discuss with
12:19I just don't have that in real life
12:21So I'm really happy that I have this app
12:23Do you guys have a sense
12:25Of what the For You page
12:27Knows about you?
12:29I'm so scared
12:31It's terrifying
12:33I swear to God the phone's like
12:35Listen to what I'm saying
12:37I don't really use TikTok other than posting
12:39What's the craziest thing you've ever done?
12:41I mean I guess some trends
12:43Like there was the crate challenge
12:45Grab me! Grab me!
12:47People would fall from the top one
12:49And then they'd go to the hospital
12:51Then there was
12:53The devious licks challenge
12:55Devious lick is like stealing something
12:57From school like a soap dispenser
12:59But like stealing something big
13:01It's like theft but it's a trend
13:03So people think it's not as bad as it is
13:05Because it's in a TikTok bubble
13:07Someone actually broke one of the toilets
13:09Which was kind of, it's not funny
13:11But it's just like it's crazy that the world just came to that
13:13I know some stuff where parents are just like
13:15Okay I don't want my daughter knowing that at a young age
13:17But I feel like social media has helped me
13:19In where it's like oh you can tell from right or wrong
13:23If I didn't really have social media
13:25I would probably just be
13:27A very lousy
13:29Fourteen year old
13:31Maybe that's how I envision myself
13:33My name is Jordan
13:35I'm starting 10th grade
13:37At Palisades Charter High School
13:39Since last year
13:41When I was just online
13:43For that whole year
13:45I was just incredibly lonely at that time
13:47So I didn't really connect with people
13:49I had to get to the bus
13:51At like 6 a.m.
13:53To get to the bus
13:55And I was like
13:57Oh my god
13:59I have to get to the bus
14:01At like 6 a.m.
14:055.30
14:07Okay
14:0910 out of 10
14:17Are you ready to go?
14:21Bye, have a great day
14:23Bye, have a great day
14:25You too, have a great day
14:27It's a big school
14:29It's very dangerous
14:35It's really intimidating
14:37Because I was like oh my god
14:39All these other kids
14:41Which is why I'm kind of scared
14:43Of going up to people
14:45I'm just hoping to have a friend group
14:47That cares for me
14:49And I don't have to go through
14:51This high school experience alone
14:53Hi, Jordan
14:55People in real life are definitely
14:57Easier to connect with online
14:59For like internet friends
15:01It's easier
15:03Even though they don't know
15:05Where you live or how old you are
15:27Moral realism
15:29Sophisticated philosophy evolved
15:31Into a more radical level of moral realism
15:33Pragmatic social philosophy
15:35Unfettered by moral considerations
15:37I'm realizing that I can't like
15:39Sit still and class anymore
15:41Like I can't just put everything away
15:43And pay attention
15:45So we get this now right
15:47Behaving generally in a conventional way
15:49That affords us the most social power
15:51Alright, let's open up the reader
15:53Calvin and Hobbes
15:55I don't know, I don't know
15:57But like I'm listening
15:59And I participate in class all the time
16:01It's more something to keep
16:03Like the restless part of my brain active
16:05Especially because of COVID
16:07I don't think anyone has any attention
16:09All of us are always like
16:11On our phones or on our computers
16:13Just doing something
16:15Just to do something
16:17Hey, any of you guys
16:19Want to be in a TikTok interview?
16:21It's just for fun
16:23Alright, you want to be in it?
16:25Alright, so the question for today
16:27How much does your fit cost?
16:29Like, just my outfit?
16:31Yeah, your outfit, break it down
16:33Cargo pants, nothing crazy
16:35Probably 20, 25
16:37Hey, love to hear it man
16:39I got these shoes, about a K
16:41Awesome man
16:43A thousand dollars?
16:45That's crazy, so who has the more expensive fit?
16:47Oh, me
16:49I still look better though
16:51Big fan of your work bro
16:53That was good
17:05Did we come in?
17:07Your phones need to go up today
17:09Because I can't have that
17:11So if you need to charge
17:13Feel free to plug it in
17:15Craziest thing
17:17I didn't even bring it today
17:19Yeah, I really don't believe that
17:21It's just one of them days
17:23Are you eating in my classroom with your mask off?
17:25Actually, I'm not
17:27It looked like you were
17:29But I must have been seeing things
17:31My name is Keyshawn
17:33And I'm a 12th grader
17:35Out of Palisades High School
17:37You see all types of things at Palisades
17:39And you can see the rich kids
17:41You can see who don't really have it like that
17:43And coming from Westchester
17:45Some of the kids like
17:47It's a dream that we are grinding for
17:49My dad is from Chicago
17:51Big time gang member
17:53I grew up
17:55Been chased, been robbed, been shot at
17:57Seen bodies, seen everything
17:59My mom is from Belize
18:01She knew what I was going to be eventually
18:03If I stayed on that side
18:05So since a kid she brought me far away from them
18:07Raised me right
18:09So now I'm focused on making everybody proud
18:11Hi guys, come on in
18:13Keyshawn, you're three
18:15I'm actually 17
18:17Oh my gosh, did you remember your phone?
18:19Huh? It's a miracle
18:21Yeah, you're right
18:23You forgot your phone but you actually didn't
18:25You have it
18:27I forgot it was in my pocket
18:29Oh gosh, I hate when that happens
18:31I transferred from my old school
18:33To Palisades for one reason
18:35Play football
18:37I used to sneak on the bus
18:39I used to sneak on the bus to go to the games
18:41Like I was really just all about football back then
18:43I really loved the sport
18:45That was like my ticket out
18:47But things didn't fall out that way
18:51I lost focus in school
18:53And started to slip a little
18:55I got kicked off the football team
19:01When I didn't have football
19:03I didn't have nothing
19:05And that's when DJ came around
19:09I bought my studio equipment
19:11And it sparked something in me
19:13That's where the magic happens
19:15Instagram started my DJ career
19:17That's how people can get in touch with me
19:19The DJ at the party
19:21Are you available?
19:23This and such and such
19:27My dream is to be the millionaire of the family
19:39Hey, do you guys want to be in an interview for TikTok?
19:41It's about your outfit
19:43No?
19:45Alright, it's all good
19:47Hey, do you want to be in an interview about your outfit?
19:49Sure
19:51Alright, bet, let's get it
19:53Alright, so the question for today
19:55How much does your fit cost?
19:57My fit?
19:59Your outfit
20:01A lot
20:03Good question, he pays for most of it
20:05I film a lot of my content at Rodeo Drive
20:07Shoes, I think, were $1000
20:09Sheesh, you got them Dior's on
20:11About 20 racks on the watch
20:13Sheesh
20:15$1500
20:17Sheesh, $40
20:19Hey, we love to hear it, you're keeping it humble
20:21Humble, this is pretty nice in the Midwest
20:23At first
20:25It was just for the fun, the exposure
20:27I thought it would be sick to help build my image
20:29I didn't know it was really a job
20:31Or you could get paid for it
20:33Oh, that's fire
20:35You started that, right?
20:37I started it, that's me, I'm the fit check guy
20:39There was some on YouTube
20:41But it was like this, you know
20:43No one was doing it on TikTok like this
20:45Yeah, it was cool
20:47After that, I got 340k followers on TikTok
20:49I see you got the ice
20:51Could I diamond test you?
20:53Yes, you can
20:55Oh, for real? Okay, he valid, yes sir
20:57And Snapchat reached out to me and I signed a deal with them
20:59They're paying me too, so it's cool
21:01It's a win-win
21:03Another TikToker
21:05Alright, so I'm here with
21:07J Money
21:09How much does your fit cost?
21:11Plus I got all this
21:13That's legit? That's crazy
21:15What about the hoverboard? I haven't seen one of these since 2016
21:19So have you been doing the social media thing as a job
21:21Or a hobby, a side thing?
21:23I do it as my full-time job
21:25Yeah, you can make good money off it
21:27Yeah, I work hard
21:29It's a grind, man
21:31It's not easy
21:33I am, I am, I really am
21:35It's the LA life, you know
21:37Peace out, live it up
21:39Hey
21:43That's fire
21:55Oh yeah, I like that one
21:57I knew the sauce, the formula to go viral
21:59This is that couple's TikTok page
22:01We like this
22:03And you drop your head
22:15Me and Amari have been dating a year now
22:17About to be two
22:19We're popular on TikTok
22:23It's all about the sound you use
22:25It only popped out as a couple
22:27A lot of people shared it
22:29They sent it to other people
22:31Their followers
22:33They're always so goofy and comfortable with each other
22:35I want a relationship like that
22:39If it's funny, people are gonna like it
22:41Comment about it
22:43Start the TikTok algorithm
22:45It's gonna keep making money
22:47If you keep getting followers and fans
22:51You know, you start a TikTok
22:53To be in that TV show, movie type life
22:57Where everything comes easy for you
23:03Who in here has gone viral?
23:05Show of hands
23:07Oh my gosh, everybody's gone viral
23:11With Kim K, she got famous for the sex tape
23:15With platforms like TikTok
23:17Where anybody can get famous
23:19If you put out content like Kim Kardashian did
23:23Maybe you'll get famous
23:25If I could become a multi-millionaire
23:27With a giant company
23:29And be as famous as Kim Kardashian
23:31I would release my sex tape
23:33She's all set up now
23:35Her whole life is set up
23:37She's super famous
23:39She has millions of dollars
23:41She has her own company
23:43Her mom definitely inspired that whole thing
23:45When you have the most followers
23:47And the most comments
23:49It's something that we all want
23:51People on Instagram
23:53They don't know what you like to see
23:55So on your explore page
23:57They show you a little bit of everything
23:59And I saw this really cute baking account
24:01With beautiful pastel colors
24:03And then I saw this one picture
24:05Of a model
24:07And she was kind of lifting her shirt up
24:09So you could see her boobs
24:11And I looked in the comments section
24:13And I remember seeing
24:15Don't be shy, take the shirt off all the way
24:17My mom is very strict
24:19And it was the first thing that I watched
24:21The sexualization of women
24:23Was something I hadn't totally been exposed to at the time
24:25So it was really weird
24:27To see that
24:29Like I had realized that it isn't just
24:31You know, fairy tales
24:33And happy people
24:37Growing up in like this little bubble
24:39That my mom had put me in
24:43Seeing people like judge other people
24:45Even in a nice way
24:47Wow, everyone has an opinion
24:49On this one girl
24:51This is a lot for me to take in
24:53Like what if, what if I post a picture
24:55Like how is everyone going to react to that
25:01I feel like nobody really slides up on your story
25:03Unless you post like something like really revealing
25:05Like if you post your face
25:07They'll kind of just like go past it
25:09But if you like post like your boobs with it
25:11They'll be like oh my god you look so good
25:13Or heart eyes
25:15I think a lot about our passions
25:17Because I've posted like pictures
25:19Photography pictures that I've taken
25:21Even like sunset pictures
25:23Those get zero likes
25:25And so it's like why even post that
25:29My name is Sydney
25:31And I'm a freshman at the University of Arizona
25:39When I was in high school
25:41At Pali
25:43I used to post pictures that were just
25:45Not normal to post
25:47For being a minor
25:49But that's what you see
25:51Online and on TV
25:53And everywhere
25:55And that's what's marketed
25:57Social media is more about looking
25:59Good and appealing
26:01To what other people like
26:05And I like tagged my
26:07Instagram account
26:09Like so people would be like
26:11Oh my god I'll follow her Instagram
26:13Like I would post on TikTok
26:15To get more followers on Instagram
26:17Like it's like a whole cycle
26:23I think it's brave
26:25Sitting in front of a camera at my age
26:27Without plastic surgery
26:29I'm Dani
26:31I am a mom of two daughters
26:33Sunny who's 13
26:35And then I have Sydney
26:37Who is 18
26:39I'm a total Facebook geek
26:41I
26:43Like Facebook
26:45Is it okay to say that?
26:47I post a lot
26:49I've chronicled my life
26:51Really starting as a mom
26:53I definitely pay attention
26:55To which of my posts get likes
26:57I try to be funny
26:59And pretty political
27:01But I get a lot of likes when I post my kids
27:03You know I think people
27:05Feel like they are
27:07A part of your family
27:09When they see your kids growing up
27:11And I always put pictures of them
27:13I'm proud of them
27:15And of course as they got older
27:17I would run it by them and say
27:19Is this okay to post?
27:21I got Sydney a phone
27:23When she was I want to say
27:2512
27:27Pretty much all the moms in town
27:29Did that because we just wanted to
27:31Make sure that we were in touch
27:33With our middle schoolers
27:37It was fun she would do musical.lys
27:39With her friends
27:41I got in on the action
27:43And it felt innocent
27:45And then as TikTok emerged
27:47It just seemed less about
27:49Fun and more about
27:51What do I look like?
27:53How good are my dance moves?
27:55What cute outfit can I wear
27:57To show off my body?
27:59You know obviously looking good
28:01Is very important to her
28:03She's very fashionable
28:05She'd get blonde highlights
28:07And then she wanted
28:09Just brunettes
28:11She started getting ear pierces
28:13They just kept growing on her ear
28:15She learned really quickly
28:17About makeup
28:19They know how to prep themselves
28:21For a good insta
28:23And she'd get upset with me
28:25But I'd say you know
28:27Please take that down
28:29Or I just don't think that's appropriate
28:31She'd ask herself
28:33Like is this my issue?
28:35It's just a very different generation
28:37I don't want to in any way
28:39Shame her
28:41For feeling confident
28:43And body positive
28:45But it's frightening
28:47It's frightening to see
28:49How sexualized some of these images are
28:55I definitely have a following
28:57Especially in my private accounts
29:01Sunny
29:03Has been a very good PI
29:05She discovered Sydney's TikToks
29:07When Sunny's five years younger
29:09Sunny tells me
29:11Mom I think some of them are really inappropriate
29:19I really don't look at Sydney's TikTok
29:21I sort of don't want to look at
29:23Sydney's TikTok
29:31I've gotten like
29:33Older men commenting
29:35On my posts
29:39I think that
29:41If you post certain pictures
29:43On social media
29:45Guys will expect that
29:47You are down to
29:49Hook up with them
29:51Or send them news
29:53Or whatever
29:55But I don't
29:57I don't think that's
29:59What they're looking for
30:01Send them news or whatever
30:03I've had conversations
30:05Where I've had to tell the guy
30:07Like no, ew, I can post what I want to post
30:09That does not mean that
30:11You get anything
30:13You know a few times
30:15Her father and I have sat her down
30:17And we'd give her one of those scared straight
30:19Talks
30:21Like how we didn't want a phone call
30:23Where we found out that our daughter
30:25Was dismembered
30:27There's a lot of nutty people out there
30:29And it just
30:31It didn't seem to change
30:33I'm not exactly
30:35Sure why
30:37Sydney feels
30:39The need to express herself
30:41In that provocative way
30:43I don't know
30:45I don't know why I post that stuff
30:47It's so embarrassing
30:49And I think that
30:51Shows that I've grown as a person
30:53That I can kind of admit that
30:55I think if you cringe at your old stuff
30:57You can see that you've kind of grown
30:59It's like
31:01And I got like a few thousand likes
31:03So like
31:13Hi, this is Stella from Teen Line
31:15What's your name?
31:17Would it be alright if I asked you two more questions?
31:19You feeling alright?
31:25Teen Line is a teen to teen
31:27Crisis hotline to provide
31:29Understanding and support for teens
31:31For whatever they're going through
31:35Hey, this is Teen Line
31:37What's your name?
31:39Hi Mila, how old are you?
31:41Fourteen
31:43Awesome, and does that make you in ninth grade?
31:47Eighth grade
31:49What's going on tonight?
31:51Mhmm
31:53Okay
31:55On what website did you meet him?
31:57If you're comfortable telling me
31:59Have you had any of those thoughts recently?
32:01How old are you?
32:03Thirteen, so does that mean you're in seventh grade?
32:05Well thank you for
32:07Calling in and for sharing that with me
32:09That must have been really scary to be talking to someone who's that much older
32:11Especially when you don't know them, right?
32:17Yeah, absolutely
32:19You mentioned that
32:21You don't want to tell them what happened
32:23Was there something specific that happened with this person?
32:31Okay
32:33And when you say he was talking inappropriately, what do you mean by that?
32:37Was he sending these pictures to you?
32:39Okay
32:43And when he was giving you his address
32:45Did he say what that was for?
32:51Did he have any personal information about you?
32:57This is not your fault
32:59What this guy did is completely inappropriate
33:01And predatory, right?
33:03Because he was twenty years older than you, right?
33:05And so it's really scary to be in that situation
33:07And what he did was really wrong
33:09And so sometimes it can be hard to open up
33:11Considering the things that he sent you, right?
33:13And to open up to talk to someone
33:17I think by doing T9
33:19I've become more aware of the effects that social media has
33:21In the lives of teens
33:25I think a lot of the issues have also affected me
33:27In some way or another
33:29But I don't post a lot of myself
33:31So I'm still active
33:33Like I use it every day
33:35But I don't necessarily post about my life
33:37Or the things that are happening to my life
33:41At school
33:43I developed and currently run our video program
33:45I really enjoy
33:47Making mini documentaries
33:49About current events and issues
33:53And since I'm a part of this social media project
33:55I wanted to interview
33:57Other kids from the group
33:59So I could understand
34:01How their mental health is affected
34:09A lot of people use social media
34:11To make themselves feel less alone
34:13Who are struggling
34:17It's almost become
34:19A sort of like social media club
34:21Like
34:23Oh I'm depressed, join the club
34:25I'm officially off the rails
34:27You should try it
34:29It almost feels like something that you want to be a part of
34:31Like you want to be able to
34:33Relate to other people
34:35And that's just become
34:37Like being mentally ill
34:39I honestly used to think that ADHD
34:41Was just being hyperactive
34:43And then TikTok told me that that is not the case
34:45I'd done my research into what it actually was
34:47And I was like yeah, this is definitely me
34:49ADD check
34:51Put a finger down if you pick at your fingers
34:53In any way
34:57Some of these posts are really helpful
34:59Especially to people who can't afford
35:01To like go to therapy
35:03Or get like a psychiatrist
35:05To like diagnose what's wrong with them
35:08I feel like I need to be diagnosed
35:10With ADHD
35:12I'm so sure that I have it
35:14If I was diagnosed
35:16I would have extra time on tests
35:18I want to go to a good college
35:20Next year
35:22So I have to get
35:24Like I have to get good grades
35:26Well I mean I know
35:28Mom I already know everything
35:30Like I know everything that needs to be done
35:32I just need to make an appointment with a psychiatrist
35:34To get diagnosed
35:37Yeah I'm trying to get a diagnosis
35:39But I haven't been able to
35:41Because if it's online then you have to be 18
35:43It's to get more time
35:45But they also like
35:47It's not even just tests
35:49It's like on homework too
35:51Because like my biggest problem
35:53Was like late assignments
35:55I wonder why
35:57It's because I just have trouble focusing
35:59That's like one of the symptoms
36:01But no it's like help with everything I need
36:03I don't need one to be
36:05I need pills and I'm not going to be seeing them for a long time
36:07I just need to meet with one
36:09Once
36:11My mom doesn't believe
36:13In medication
36:15She doesn't believe in psychiatrists
36:17Are you saying goodbye?
36:19I get the impression she doesn't believe in mental illness at all
36:21I'll talk to you about this later
36:23I love you
36:25Bye
36:29I live in Santa Monica with my dad
36:31My parents got separated
36:33Right before I started high school
36:35It was something that I knew
36:37Was going to happen for a long time
36:39And like my older sibling had gone to college
36:41So it was kind of like I was the only child
36:45Finding stability was really hard
36:47I move around a lot
36:49Once
36:51I move seven times in seven months
36:53So
36:55I don't really know how to
36:57Make friends and keep them
36:59Mom
37:11Mom
37:17Mom
37:23What's going on?
37:25I can't find an outfit
37:27Do you want to look in my closet?
37:29No
37:31What about this?
37:33Push it down on your shoulders
37:37I wouldn't even know where to look
37:39In this pile
37:41Let's see
37:43No
37:45I think jeans
37:47No
37:49I don't like jeans
37:51You do not
37:53I actually think that's going to look really good
37:57But it's more that you have to feel good
37:59You know
38:01You got to just feel good
38:03And you got to be
38:05It's got to start in here
38:07And
38:09I'm going to just try maybe this with a skirt
38:11Or jean shorts
38:13Yeah
38:15Okay
38:25Yeah
38:27Gorgeous
38:35Yeah
38:43Yeah
38:49Color
38:53Make your eyes look
39:03You look about
39:05You look about
39:07Too much
39:09This
39:11I don't like to wear that much.
39:12I'll show you.
39:13I'll show you.
39:16For a while, I did struggle with wanting to be thinner
39:21and look different and match the people
39:23I was seeing on social media.
39:25This might be pretty controversial,
39:26but I feel like one of the major beauty standards
39:28is you kind of have to be Caucasian.
39:31Sometimes when I'm on social media,
39:33I try my best to not compare myself to others,
39:36but then it tends to be when the dude gets all the comments,
39:39it's usually just a white guy with, like, wavy hair,
39:43colored eyes, tall, like, pretty shredded.
39:47And sometimes I'm just like,
39:50how would life be if I'm just white?
39:53I've caught myself thinking like,
39:54oh, dude, what if I'm just white?
39:56Like, wouldn't it be better sometimes?
39:58I feel like that just makes a big difference
40:00if just based on the race.
40:06Because I'm brown and I'm a bigger person,
40:09I guess you could call me a cyber bully's field day.
40:14Random people will seek me out.
40:16Just yesterday, someone was commenting on my posts.
40:19They'll call me a fat faggot, for example.
40:21That's one that they love to use.
40:24It took a toll on me, for sure.
40:27I was missing days of school.
40:29I was not ever able to get out of bed.
40:32I was in this constant state of torture.
40:37Social media bullying is definitely prevalent.
40:40And I know it doesn't really seem like a big deal,
40:43but it is a huge deal, and it fucking sucks.
40:47Yeah.
41:03One question I have was, what's your experience been like
41:07with social media throughout high school
41:09and even into college on a more general level,
41:11just to start with?
41:12So, yeah, I've had really positive experiences,
41:15but I've also had a lot of negative experiences.
41:19In 10th grade, my best friend,
41:23he always liked me in a way that I'd never really liked him,
41:26but I was very clear about that to him,
41:29and I guess he just couldn't handle that.
41:32He released a diss track, which was basically a rhyming,
41:36almost song-like thing, which had been sent to everybody.
41:41Look, how many times have you fucked up?
41:44Fake as a snake, you bipolar-ass bitch.
41:46I'm calling the shots now, exposing your ass.
41:49He slut-shamed me.
41:51You got fucked, you're loose.
41:53He knew all of my secrets.
41:55Never a girlfriend, just use her head.
41:57Easy to get, easy to spread.
41:59My insecurities.
42:00Got a fugly wide physique.
42:039th grade was your peak.
42:05I'm an NG.
42:08The main way it was sent was through Snapchat.
42:15Somebody sends it to their friend,
42:17and then their friend shows it to other people,
42:20and it can be in one click sent to a thousand people.
42:26So many people had seen it before I had even known about it.
42:30I'm just going to every class,
42:32and people are looking at it on their phones.
42:34They would laugh about it, and I'd hear people talking about it.
42:38I felt like everybody was staring at me,
42:41and I just dreaded going to school.
42:44I was just judged off of what people thought they knew about me.
42:49When all this was going on, did you reach out to friends?
42:53Did you sort of keep it more to yourself?
42:55Honestly, I fell into a really dark place during that summer.
42:59I kept everything to myself.
43:01It took a lot to open up to people,
43:04and now I'm talking to you about it.
43:07Are there other people who have gone through stuff
43:10similar to kind of what I talked to you about?
43:17The lighting is still really pretty.
43:19Should we make a TikTok?
43:21What sound should we use?
43:23It's not hard to see
43:28I'm sorry that you
43:31Seem to be confused
43:34I feel like an idiot.
43:37I had a crush on a boy.
43:39It wasn't a severe crush, but just a little freshman crush.
43:44And she told me that she liked him.
43:48She basically made me say, like, swear
43:51that we both weren't allowed to get with him.
43:54And, you know, I was sneaky.
43:58I did get with him, and she found out by a friend,
44:02and she was really mad at me, which was reasonable.
44:05She had every right to be mad at me.
44:08I lied to her.
44:10But, you know, and then it started turning into social media.
44:16There's just so many things we could get into about this.
44:20There's so many details, so many stories of her
44:23going batshit crazy.
44:26I feel like she's made a couple TikToks.
44:29Ew, I'm sorry.
44:30Yeah.
44:31I'm shaking.
44:32Her and her sister's, like, zoomed in on your face.
44:36Someone sends me a TikTok, and it's her and her sister
44:41filming me sitting with all the boys
44:44and basically saying I wanted the whole crew.
44:50Basically saying I wanted to sleep with all of the guys.
44:53She would just post a lot of things about me.
44:57Her number one name was, like, slut and whore.
44:59Like, that was just her favorite word to use.
45:04People, like, hated me.
45:07I wanted to just hide.
45:15Did I ever read you that, like, little notes thing?
45:18Like, if I could ever say it to her, I would.
45:20No, you never.
45:21Do you want me to?
45:22Yeah, show me.
45:24So I was like, you're so lucky you bullied me
45:26instead of someone who isn't as strong,
45:28because the shit you caused me would genuinely
45:30make someone kill themselves.
45:32Thank you for giving me the strength to be kind to people
45:34because I would never want anyone to be put
45:36in the same situation as me.
45:39It's okay.
45:40It's okay.
45:44If you don't want to read anymore, you don't have to.
45:47Oh, yeah.
45:50Not only was it just social media,
45:52it would just be situations outside of school.
45:55Like, we were standing outside of someone's house,
45:57and I just, like, I was like,
46:00I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like,
46:03I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like,
46:05I was like, I was like, I was like,
46:07I just hear, like, 15 girls at the same time
46:10screaming slut, screaming whore.
46:13Everywhere I could go, like, she would be there.
46:16I didn't go out on the weekends,
46:18and I would see on social media
46:20everything that people were doing.
46:22And it sucked, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
46:28Have you figured out your birthday yet?
46:31Yeah.
46:33What are you doing? Where?
46:35It's at a venue.
46:37In L.A.?
46:38Yeah.
46:39Downtown, or...?
46:41No, it's in Culver City.
46:44Are you doing it with someone or by yourself?
46:47With a few friends.
46:49Which parent is Simon?
46:51Simon's mom.
46:53Uh, with a few friends.
46:55Which parent is signing for it?
46:58I signed for it.
47:00Oh, yeah?
47:01Yeah.
47:03They didn't ask for much detail, it was just a zelle.
47:06You know, like, and I'm getting insurance, too.
47:09They make you get insurance.
47:11Yeah.
47:15I got it for a good price, too.
47:17How much?
47:18$2,000.
47:19That's super cheap.
47:20Do they know underage kids are going to be there?
47:23Uh, yeah.
47:28Wow.
47:29My friend that's doing it with me split it,
47:32so I only put in $1,000, and they put in $1,000.
47:34Who are you doing it with?
47:35This girl named Scarlett, she has the same birthday as me.
47:38Are you guys going to make money, or it's just a celebration?
47:42Probably free for our friends, but for randoms, money.
47:46Yeah, you got to pack the house.
47:49It's going to be off the chain.
47:51I know.
47:52I just hope it doesn't get shut down.
47:56In 2020, my friend and I, we wanted to throw a party
48:00at my dad's house, which is at an apartment complex
48:03in Marina del Rey.
48:05We rented out the lobby or whatever.
48:09I'd say there was about 200 people there,
48:12which was pretty cool, and we charged, like, $10 each.
48:15And I guess at the time, we were just doing it
48:17kind of for, like, the, you could say clout,
48:19or just, like, attention, or just fun.
48:21We didn't really think of it in a business perspective,
48:24and we found out you can make a lot of money for that.
48:27So I guess that's when the money and business mindset
48:30just started.
48:37The friend groups have their own parties,
48:38and if you're not in that friend group,
48:40then you don't go to that party.
48:41So it's really hard to meet people
48:43that you're not friends with, because in class,
48:45people don't really, people don't really care.
48:47They, like, have their friends,
48:48and they want to stick to those people.
48:50They're not really interested in making new friends.
48:52Yeah, I mean, there's even a party last night
48:55that I wasn't invited to, and it was just, like,
48:58everyone was posting it, and I was, like,
49:00home with my sister, and I definitely felt FOMO.
49:05Honestly, the FOMO thing, it's FOMO, right?
49:08Fear of missing out.
49:09That's a real thing.
49:10Like, I feel that sometimes.
49:11Like, if I can't go out, like, I got something,
49:13I'll be like, damn, I'll see on my Snapchat, group chat,
49:16my friends will be, like,
49:17at this, like, fire function or something.
49:19And did anybody hear about Jack and Scarlett's party?
49:23Yeah, I got a lot of, like, people I never talk to
49:25text me and be like, hey, I heard you're having a party.
49:27Like, can I come, or can I bring people,
49:29which is just, like, fake, because I, like,
49:31never talk to them, so it's, like, weird.
49:36I wanted to throw a party with Jack Schwartz,
49:38because Jack has, like, a ton of friends,
49:40a ton of connections.
49:43Definitely every kid in L.A. knew about it.
49:46I'm pretty well-known, I guess, on the west side of L.A.
49:49Everyone knows Jack.
49:50I kind of did the marketing side of the party,
49:52which got a lot of people there.
49:53I don't want high schoolers to think, like,
49:55it's a random rager.
49:56I wanted to have that more, like, exclusive feeling.
49:59So we made an Instagram account.
50:01We posted on our Instagram stories
50:03and our Snapchat stories.
50:05It got hype.
50:06And we didn't accept everyone at the beginning.
50:08Each day, we accepted a few more people.
50:10They were texting me, like,
50:11yo, can you accept me to your party?
50:13And then the week of, we told everyone.
50:15And that's just when it went crazy.
50:17The day of, it was the most talked-about party,
50:20most anticipated.
50:24Cash or bento? Cash or bento?
50:26And we had a line, like, going down the block.
50:29Even if, like, it wasn't my party and I went to it,
50:32I would be like, damn, this is a fire party.
50:35Jack is the GOAT. Jack is the GOAT.
50:39We didn't really want to, like, promo that, like,
50:41yo, like, bring your own elk.
50:42We just said no elk is allowed if it's visible,
50:44like, with quotations.
50:46But I guess people kind of found ways to sneak past that.
50:51A lot of people pre-gamed, definitely.
50:54Like, a lot of kids already showed up intoxicated.
51:00The mosh pit was, like, sweaty and, like,
51:03it was just so claustrophobic,
51:05which is definitely, like, euphoria vibes.
51:09And the drinking, the smoking.
51:20One of, like, the main goals is to hook up with someone.
51:25Before parties, they're like, who are you trying to get with?
51:30People just find a room.
51:32I had a goal, and I actually accomplished the goal.
51:36Where we at right now?
51:42Everyone was kind of just, like, showing off, like,
51:44oh, I'm at Jack's birthday party.
52:06I went to Jack Schwartz's party,
52:08and the first thing I see when I walk in is her.
52:16I know, like, they don't like each other.
52:18One of them bullied one of them at school.
52:21Bully Bella, but I don't know,
52:23because he's, like, one of the nicest people ever,
52:25at least to me.
52:27Anna and I go to the bathroom together,
52:29and we walk out,
52:31and she's waiting in line for the bathroom.
52:36And she just screams, fucking snakes.
52:43The party goes on.
52:45I was dancing,
52:47and she's walking up behind me,
52:49and she pushes me pretty hard, too.
52:52It wasn't just, like, a light push.
52:54Like, she pushed me pretty hard.
52:59All of my friends were just like, no, don't talk to her.
53:02Like, it's not worth it, whatever.
53:06How's it going, guys?
53:08How's it going, guys?
53:10We're here. Vlog squad. Vlog squad.
53:14I'm in the mic. Happy birthday to the girl.
53:16What's your name? I'm Bella. Hi.
53:18Shout-out Jack Schwartz, man.
53:20Shout-out Jack Schwartz. He put this all together.
53:22I love you. I love you, Jack.
53:24Shout-out Jack.
53:26I love you, Jack.
53:28I love you, Jack.
53:30I love you, Jack.
53:32I love you, Jack.
53:35It definitely got out of hand.
53:37Some kid was, like, swinging from the second balcony.
53:43There was one kid who apparently OD'd.
53:45That's scary. That's scary.
53:47That's also why we purchased insurance for the party,
53:50just for stuff like that,
53:52because if something were to happen, God forbid,
53:54then, like, we wouldn't want to be liable.
53:56I did see a boy, like, throwing up.
53:59Like, he was on his side,
54:01and there was just throw-up coming out of him.
54:03He told me he was foaming.
54:05When he got sick, he was kind of laying on the floor.
54:07He was passed out.
54:09His friends were trying to wake him up,
54:11and he was, like, he was just dazing in and out.
54:13And then some girl was like,
54:15yeah, we got to call the hospital.
54:17We all agreed, like, yeah, this guy got to go.
54:19We don't want him to potentially die.
54:21So we called the hospital, called 911.
54:23I was like, hey, like, the party can't get rolled over him.
54:26Rolled meaning, like, they come, catch everyone,
54:29and then we get in trouble.
54:31So some kids, like, dragged him a few blocks away
54:36and then called the ambulance.
54:39They didn't shut down the party, luckily.
54:42And at that part of the party, it was just chaotic.
54:56His friends got him in the ambulance.
54:59They're cool kids, and they don't want to, like, snitch on the party.
55:05So they just said, like, they had no clue.
55:07Like, they just found him like this.
55:11So it was crazy.
55:29It was crazy.
55:59It was crazy.
56:29It was crazy.