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Read the responses to this week’s Write to Win prompt and choose the answer you like most using this form.
We have prepared some exciting prizes for our top three contestants:
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Winner: Kindle, City’super voucher and a YP certificate
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First runner-up: Instax camera and a YP certificate
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Second runner-up: City’super voucher and a YP certificate
Libra
If I had to shut down one social media platform for a day, it would be Instagram. Unfortunately, the company Meta, which owns Instagram, would lose billions of dollars because it is one of the most popular social media platforms.
Shutting down Instagram would also likely result in financial losses for people who are dependent on the platform to make a living. Nonetheless, the benefits of closing it for one day may outweigh the drawbacks, especially given its detrimental effects on people’s health.
Compared with some other platforms, Instagram is favoured by young people. Its Reels feature is a popular source of entertainment, especially in Hong Kong.
Many teens may feel an urge to continuously post on Instagram because they do not want their followers to get bored. Even for those who only use the app to watch Reels, there are still negative effects. For example, wanting to stay on trend and constantly watching to avoid feeling left out can be a major distraction for young people.
The platform can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, and even be used for cyberbullying. Shutting down Instagram for only a day may not eliminate all problems, but it could bring them to a halt momentarily.
It would be better to keep social media platforms like Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, as they generally provide more useful information for your daily life and news that helps us understand what is going on in the world. YouTube also has educational content for people of all ages, so it may not be a good idea to shut it down either.
If Instagram was unavailable for a day, people could do something else instead of watching entertaining reels. But if other platforms were shut down, people might miss important information. This is why I would pick Instagram if I had to shut down one social media platform for a day.
Capricorn
I know I’ll probably become public enemy number one after saying this, but I would shut down Instagram for a day. You might ask, why Instagram? Why not TikTok or YouTube? Those are popular platforms too. But a large majority of Hongkongers use Instagram, which is why shutting down this app would have the greatest impact.
It’s also unlikely that we would migrate to another social media platform if the shutdown were only for one day. For one thing, we wouldn’t be used to using another app. Opening Instagram is often like a reflex – you visit it daily out of pure instinct, and are left with an uncomfortable itch if you don’t.
Time flies. Instagram, if I could put it that way, is a thief of time. It offers you a laugh as a distraction while it picks your pockets. You might decide to just watch some reels for maybe five minutes. Then suddenly, you’ve been doomscrolling for 30.
What I’m trying to say is that if we did not have Instagram as a constant distraction, we’d probably have the most productive day of our lives. Without reels to distract us, we’d be looking at our exams and homework – or maybe just working if you’re an adult.
I know, it’s boring and hopelessly depressing, but there’s no doubt some of us are so carried away with social media all the time that we completely forget about work.
With Instagram gone, then presto, we would suddenly seem to have infinitely more time. We would realise that if we controlled our social media time a little more, we could suddenly achieve so much more.
I know that time management is key, and we’d probably achieve that if we made any other platform off-limits, but at the end of the day, Instagram is what most Hongkongers always get carried away with. That is why this is the app I’d shut down for a day.
