“How did I get here?” It’s a question I find myself asking whenever I’ve realized I’ve scrolled just a little too far. I find myself asking this when I realized I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and have learned too many “fun facts” on a subject of little interest to me. I ask this when I find myself questioning the factual validity, or even safety, of the content I consume... or the audience that consumes it. I ask this when I have had enough of social media.  

Social media has cemented itself as a reality of human life. As of July 2024, the world has reached more than 5.17 billion worldwide social media users – over 63 percent of the total global population!1 The average user spends 2 hours and 20 minutes per day using social media.2 The average high-performing TikTok video from a successful, large account averages about 40 seconds per video.3 These are potentially hundreds of posts consumed over 2+ hour sessions.  

If we could visualize these extensive scrolling sessions, what would they look like? Would it be feasible to carry hours of content in physical media? If social media feeds became real-life, tangible trading cards that we could talk about, or even play games with, how would it change our perception of social media?  

[Share]cial Media deconstructs the posts people consume daily and views them through an unconventional lens to get users to think critically about the content they consume. This installation invites users to physically interact with the work through play and discussion. The installation is also livestreamed to provide an opportunity for self-reflection. We become more self-aware, or even self-conscious, when our actions are on display for the viewing of others. Viewers can critically reflect in real-time as they view themselves and other guests interacting with the work. They can also interact as a community across the digital space in a blend of chat-based (virtual) and in-person (physical) conversation. This project asks, "What changes?" and "How do we change?" when social media becomes more social and shareable than ever.