Blog Post: Coronavirus has caused a physical health craze, but do what about the health damages caused by digital media?

Jasmin Murray

Throughout the lockdown restrictions enforced due to Coronavirus many people, including myself have been working on their physical health by exercising and improving their diet. After reading a study conducted in 2012 which compares monitoring media intake to factors used in dieting, I have recognised that to be able to improve my knowledge in particular areas, I need to be aware of and restrict where I am consuming information from. 

Digital technology and social media has allowed for information to be more accessible than ever before, and we frequently do not recognise just how much information we are consuming. What we need to consider when consuming information is whether this information is important and valuable and if we can use this information.

By taking in more information our knowledge is increased, but having a greater understanding in a vast range of topics our decision making skills can be compromised. Prior to the digital age humans had higher control over what information they were consuming and had higher control over what effects their knowledge had on their decision making skills. 

By reducing the use of social media platforms to source information and replacing it with higher quality information individuals will find they are increasing their knowledge without consuming unnecessary facts. Limiting the choices made as to where information is being consumed from information of higher value will be consumed. 

I have found that my increased social media intake during this period of time has impaired my capabilities of consuming valued information by providing too many options as to where we source our information from and how we judge what information we consume is valuable.