Community Contribution #3

Thinking about creating an inclusive and diverse PLN is a lot easier said than done. There are so many different challenges that you cant see until you actually try to narrow it down on a set, and planned out PLN. When using social media, it is very common to see the same/related posts over and over again. This is because it remembers what you interact with and how you interact with it, so for example my social media feed has a lot of basketball and fishing videos on it which keeps me engaged and interacting with what I’m seeing. The struggle with this is I am unable to diversify and grow my PLN since I am stuck in the same loop of basketball and fishing.

Overcoming this takes serious thought, planning, and execution. Ways to spread you PLN could be trying new apps, making new accounts, and the scariest ones of them all, actually posting on social media. Posting on social media can be very intimidating, some worry no one will like the post, some might leave bad comments, but when you post on social media using hashtags and or mentioning people or specific brands, you directly throw your post into that sort of stream.

Another challenge that is a lot more difficult to overcome is accessibility to social media, let a lot; wifi, a phone, a laptop, google, language, support, are just some of the many constraints people might face. After going through “The Digitial Divide and You” slides, it really opened my eyes when I answeered questions like, “do you have internet access at home?” Immediately after learning that in 2024, “42% of households in northern communities don’t have basic service.” There are so many other challenges that are much bigger than I will be able to help with, but one I can certainly begin to help with is the ability to learn and be sufficient with the technology you have. For example, a grandma might need help with writing a text message to their grand daughter, or learning how to use features like a camera or flashlight.

For me to be able to help someone with that, the first step I would need to take is to learn about other types of technology, like a Samsung for example. Strenghting my knowledge I already have about tech is also a necessity if I want to be able to teach someone. The next step is putting myself out there, I would ask friends and family if they need help or know anyone in need of it. A start somewhere is better than nothing.