National Friendship Day Tamagotchi Connection Contest
Bandai Namco US is hosting another contest! To celebrate National Friendship Day, they’re hosting a contest where you could win a True Friends Set (Heart Aura & Star Aura) for you and your friend! To enter, simply locate the post, and tag in the comments the friend you would like to connect with. The contest is open until Sunday, August 10th, 2025 11:59PM EST, open to residents of Canada and the United States. Full rules and regulations here.
In Australia, 95% of 18-34-year olds own a smartphone, 35% of people check their phone within five minutes of waking up, and 70% admit to using phones during mealtimes (Deloitte 2017). According to boyd (2012, p. 71-73), we live in a world that is always on, whether literally browsing the internet, or just “always connected to the network” via our smartphones, we have “created an ecosystem in which people can stay peripherally connected to one another.”
A couple of hours without our phones (or less) and we start saying things like, “I feel naked” or “I’m having withdrawals.” For me, the biological and psychological reasons behind this incessant need to be connected is fascinating. According to Simon Sinek (2016) and Parnell (TED x Talks 2017) our psychological reaction to social media and digital technology can be likened to that of substance addiction, each time we receive a text message or get a like on a post, our brain releases the feel good, highly addictive, and numbing chemical dopamine. Simon Sinek (2016) states, the problem is not social media or the mobile devices it’s the level of use “if you are sitting at dinner with your friends and you are texting someone who is not there, that’s a problem, it’s an addiction,” he says.
I’ve always considered myself a light user of digital. I can switch off easily, and I am certainly not someone who is constantly glued to their phone. In fact, I often make jokes about those in my friend group, even my husband, who seem to always be on their phones – even in the toilet. However, as I listened to Sinek and Parnell and read boyd’s article, I began to relate to some of the symptoms. I chase that good feeling I get when I receive a text, or someone likes, shares or comments on my post, and almost obsessively check my phone throughout the day to see if the number of likes has gone up. I also experience the disappointment when a post doesn’t get as many likes as one I posted a week ago even to the point as Parnell said of deleting a post because it didn’t get enough likes (TED x Talks 2017).
Never have we exposed ourselves to such a level of scrutiny, where anyone in the world can essentially rate us/share their personal opinion on who we are and what we do, and yet, we crave it. Parnell refers to this obsession to achieve the attention of others as social currency or economy of attention where we allow people to assign a value to us altering our sense of self-worth and identity (TEDx Talks 2017). As a result, both Simon Sinek (2016) and Parnell (TEDx Talks 2017) conclude that our reliance on other people’s approval and the need for instant gratification is building a society that is more and more insecure with heightened rates of depression.
The question is, has digital become the drug epidemic of the millennial generation?
References:
Boyd, D 2012, 'Participating in the always-on lifestyle', in M Mandiberg (ed) The Social Media Reader, NYU Press, pp. 71-76.
Deloitte 2017, Smart everything, everywhere Mobile Consumer Survey 2017 The Australian cut, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, viewed 25 November 2018, <http://images.content.deloitte.com.au/Web/DELOITTEAUSTRALIA/%7B4b9662b3-d737-44fa-b5c4-babb6f673704%7D_20180822-tel-inbound-mobile-consumer-survey-2017-report.pdf?elq_mid=&elq_cid=80799>.
Simon Sinek 2016, The Millennial Question, 30 December, viewed 24 November 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vudaAYx2IcE>.
TEDx Talks 2017, Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health? | Bailey Parnell | TEDxRyersonU, 22 June, viewed 25 November 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czg_9C7gw0o>.
Images:
Esquire 2018, ‘Black Mirror Nosedive episode’ [image] in A Truly Frightening Piece Of 'Black Mirror' Tech Has Been Introduced In China, Esquire, 14 March, viewed 25 November 2018, <https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a19429131/china-nosedive-black-mirror-technology/>.
Hey dudes! So you may have e noticed I stopped making comics. I have decided too get better at comedy and art before doing more comics, And I don't know when I'll be back to making them. In the meantime I've been getting into YouTube and animation lately. If you want too see more of my art
Go check out these socail medias, You won't regret it so it would mean alot :)
Twitter: Check out Awesomemay! (@Awesomemay_YT): https://twitter.com/Awesomemay_YT?s=09
Digital Marketing & Social Media Strategy for Chartered Accountants & CA Firms in India
आज के दौर में Chartered Accountants सिर्फ balance sheets aur audits tak limited nahi hain. अब clients unki online presence dekhte hain – Google search par reviews, Instagram aur LinkedIn par posts, aur unki overall digital credibility.
So if you’re a CA or run a CA firm, aur aap chahte hain ki aapke potential clients aapko as a trusted expert dekhein, toh it’s time to level up with a powerful digital marketing strategy + smart social media game – tailored specially for finance professionals like you.
Digital Marketing & Social Media Strategy for Chartered Accountants & CA Firms in India. By Hemant Kr. Sharma – Digital Marketing Consultant
How to Effectively Use Social Media to Promote Your Blog?
Social media is a great way to promote your blog and reach a wider audience. By utilizing social media platforms effectively, you can increase traffic to your blog, engage with readers, and build a following. Here are some tips on how to promote your blog using social media:
Identify your target audience: Before you start promoting your blog on social media, it's important to identify your target audience. This will help you choose the right social media platforms and create content that resonates with your audience.
Create a social media strategy: Once you know who your target audience is, create a social media strategy that outlines your goals and tactics. This can include choosing the right social media platforms, creating a content calendar, and scheduling posts in advance.
Share your blog posts on social media: When you publish a new blog post, share it on all of your social media platforms. Include a catchy headline, an eye-catching image, and a short description of the post. Make sure to use relevant hashtags and tag any relevant accounts or people.
Engage with your followers: Social media is all about engagement, so make sure to respond to comments, messages, and mentions. This will help you build relationships with your followers and show that you value their feedback.
Utilize visual content: Visual content, such as images and videos, perform well on social media. Use high-quality images to accompany your blog posts and create short videos that summarize your posts.
Cross-promote with other bloggers: Collaborating with other bloggers in your niche can help you reach a wider audience. Cross-promote each other's blog posts on social media and tag each other in posts.
Analyze your social media performance: Regularly analyze your social media performance to see what's working and what's not. Use analytics tools to track metrics such as engagement, reach, and clicks. Use this data to adjust your social media strategy as needed.
By following these tips, you can effectively promote your blog using social media and grow your audience. Remember, social media is a long-term game, so be consistent and patient with your efforts. Good luck!
