How Social Media Shapes Identity in the Philippines

by camille joy atencio

People long to be accepted. We are constantly wandering, searching for other people we share the same identity with where we would feel that we belong. Africa as a whole is experiencing isolation and is being looked down upon by white folks claiming that just because their country is being ruled by black men they are doomed for failure. Despite this, they are now finding their own identity using the internet as their platform fostering unity and connection among all Africans.

Filipino teens are no doubt, avid users of social media. They use this medium on a regular basis to express their thoughts on social issues, empowering the suppressed, or simply using it for entertainment purposes. People, especially young adolescents are at the stage where they are constantly finding their identity and social media has made it easier for them, giving them access to various contents in the internet, updating them with what’s trendy and giving them freedom to obtain anything with just a click. Social media has been affecting our own identity especially when we are exposed to it for a long period of time. It affects the way we dress, the music we listen to, the way we talk and even the things that would let us connect with people in the real world. There’s a saying that goes, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” I believe that this is also true in terms of the contents we are exposed to. The books we read, the people we follow in our social media accounts, and the things we are exposed to online will greatly influence us as a person and as a member of the society. This could bring changes to our identity in a negative or positive way.

Seeing how social media greatly affects us as a person, we should always remind ourselves that as much as we are trying to maintain a healthy environment in the real world, we should also keep this in mind when creating our virtual world. Make sure that we are only surrounded by people we can learn on and people who are willing to listen. Filtering the things we are exposed to especially at a young age is deeply crucial in building a character that will stand up for what is right and a character that will be creative and innovative enough to bring forth a better Philippines all Filipinos deserves.