Social media / internet / mobile phones in stories / comics

[wolflu66]

I don't have that work currently, but I have an idea in my mind that I might draw in the future.
In that story, there will be a social media platform name that doesn't exist in reality.
The protagonist becomes addicted to it and cannot leave it.

[Lensing]

I thought about that too in my current story.
I named the apps in the first draft and that didn´t feel very creative and I also wasn´t sure
if I can use the names because it´s critique and I´m making fun of the platforms.

I already came up with names which sound similiar and also mock the app at the same
time, another option is to not name them at all

[KevinReijnders]

You know that's funny actually. Despite Trespasser being set in the far flung future, where humanity has traveled across the stars and conquered many new worlds, I have never once considered adding something as common as a phone to this world haha.

The only communications technology that I have shown is Star Wars-esque holograms.
Possibly due to my heavy influence of Star Wars and fantasy in general that I don't think about adding phones or the internet (or god forbid social media) tot he worlds I create.

Though thinking back on it, I recall during the early stages of world building for Trespasser, that I decided the old satellite/comm network was no longer functioning or completely owned by the oppressive government. Meaning communications through something like a phone wouldn't even be possible. Then again, this was early development and I not really all that relevant anymore.

[Lensing]

A science fiction story which plays in the future with the characters using smartphones would be
weird for me. There will be no more phones in some years and some other more advanced
technique, the now 20 year olds will be shocked, I will be in the retirement home and will
not understand what´s going on and a robot will take care of me

[ThunderChicken]

Mobile phones and Facebook are used in Defining Daecon. So is cryptocurrency, though the specific “coin” isn’t mentioned

[KevinReijnders]

Not so sure if phones will dissapear in a few years. They'll be different for sure, but I doubt they'll be gone. After all we've been using a variation of a phone for nearly 150 years already.

But I get it, smartphones like ours in a scifi is kinda weird, depending on how "out there" the scifi setting is.

[Leyelle]

Instagram is mentioned in my novels. none of my OCs spend a lot of time on their phones for leisure, though Essence (from "A Dozen Morning Glories) is always on her phone or computer for work purposes, as is Kattar ("Damsel in the Red Dress") and Jinho (also DITRD.) No wonder all three of them need glasses, though Essence does not yet realize she needs glasses

[jwabeasley]

My setting has a lot fewer phones than modernity, and of the main cast I only have one who uses it a lot, but I haven't had a chance to have her on it yet. Electronics don't work very well in a big magic forest anyway. I don't think I could write a truly phone addicted character without coming off as a boomer.

If I had one in a story, I would have renamed apps. I love the trope where modern brand name items have silly equivalents in fiction - Jorts chips, Duff beer, Cookie Cat ice cream sandwiches, and so forth.

I prefer to avoid cell phones, text messages, and the like in fiction. Yes, they're ubiquitous these days, but if there's a conversation to be had between two characters, it's usually more dramatic to have them face to face.

[thepenmonster]

Is it part of your stories?

The next project is set in the modern day. I have an excuse for why one group of characters don't have phones that I hope turns out to be funny. The rest will use them as needed.

Do you name the apps (like facebook, whatsapp, instagram etc)or did you invent new names for the apps?

I'll use the real names if I plan to roast them for being evil.

Do you have characters who stare at their phone all the time?

But the generation gap makes me doubt that I can capture that Zoomer attitude of "Give me data or give me death!" so I'll probably only bring them out when I need to make fun of them for it.

I have never once considered adding something as common as a phone to this world

I'm running a superhero TTRPG. I need to keep reminding the players that it's 2025 in game and they have phones. It just doesn't fit the conventions of the genre so they never think of it.

[jwabeasley]

The next project is set in the modern day. I have an excuse for why one group of characters don't have phones that I hope turns out to be funny. The rest will use them as needed.

If the characters are children or teens, the only excuse you need is that their parents care about them! It's becoming more and more clear these days that giving smartphones to children is like giving them cigarettes or booze.

[Oriflamme]

My current webcomic is set in a fantasy steampunk world where regular phones are still a recent invention.

In the web novel I’m hoping to publish the first few chapters as soon as I decide to draw a cover, there is social media, the internet, mobile phones, and all that good stuff. However, it takes place in a country that was an authoritarian fascist state up until 5 minutes before the story starts. So social media, and the internet are still heavily censored. For the mobile phone, there is this recurring joke where all electronics they use are old or kinda terrible. Most people, if they can afford a cell phone, it would be a simple flip phone. If they are rich, they can use the foreign imported smartphone with a touchscreen, and if they are (un)lucky, they might get issued the domestically produced smartphone that is basically a blackberry.

[KevinReijnders]

I'm running a superhero TTRPG. I need to keep reminding the players that it's 2025 in game and they have phones. It just doesn't fit the conventions of the genre so they never think of it.

In large part I think it's because most of the genre's conventions were defined in the era before personalized mobile phones.

[jwabeasley]

In large part I think it's because most of the genre's conventions were defined in the era before personalized mobile phones.

Absolutely. Just see how the trope of the evil villain video-calling the heroes in their base went from intimidating to silly once everyone had access to videocalls. A modern villain doing this has to deal with awkward up-nose camera angles, 'is this thing on, can you hear me' banter and any other old-fogey boomer jokes. It can be lots of things but it's no longer intimidating, threatening, or cool.

[Azifri]

My comic is a sci-fi, but when it comes to personal communication devices, there was technological regression in the main locations where the story takes place. Due to plot reasons, the locations where the characters live are under constant jamming, so if you're a regular person, you'll have to use a type of shielded payphone if you want to give someone a call. Only people who work for government institutions can own a special "phone", but this hasn't been elaborated yet since none of the point of view characters (who are new to this reality) have looked seriously into it, and to the others this is the normal so they haven't made comments about it.

[DasIstWunderblyat]

I don't mention the specific social media or product names, just be very vague (e.g. picture sharing social media). I don't need to name it(and I suck at naming things) so I don't bother.

The technology level is roughly in the 2010s (when the story was first formulated) with some touches.
I have given a glimpse of the characters using chat-based communication app, doing video call, playing mobile games, taking a photo with phone camera, or using email.
Magic exists, but chatting your friend is more practical, inclusive, and not as intrusive compared to say, telepathy.

[kyupol]

[DemonzuLucy]

It's kinda a mix, almost all my stories are based on 2009 - 2014. I think this i due the fact most of the stories i made them in those years and most of my inspirations are from these years too, still, i never wanted to update them, i also like those years, a little bit of nostalgia poison isn´t bad. So no influencers, no tiktok, no social media pressure...

Cd player

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2000s Pc, i don't usually do the specific model, i use a few references, but it's the obvious idea

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Some kind of 2013 Samsung, (the newest thing i ever made at least in this story)

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iPod (Can't be seen very well for the perspective)

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Some kind of retro mobile with a car game

And i say the names here to reference them, but yeah, they will be changed in the story, well i don't use a real lenguage in logos or text in the drawings, it's some kind of japanese with hebrew and chinese haha, it takes less time, (just like the last drawing)

[Aeneas1]

No. This is because the World Oak only has 1550s to 1850s technology in it, aside from steampunk tech.

[kyupol]

Here's older comics featuring phones of the time they were drawn

[BoomerZ]

In my last comics, phones were used but they were not really part of the story.