'There's just something about being on your phone that inevitably has an effect on your outside life and how you perceive everything around you. There's a very harsh disconnect.'
, which ran from 2007 to 2012, aired amid the cultural boom of apps like Twitter and Facebook, and while Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf predated the rise of the social media influencer, they were acutely aware of the power their devices had over them — and their secrets. "It was once said that a person’s eyes were a window to their soul,” Blair says in Season 1. “That was before people had cell phones.
during a press day to promote the new HBO Max series. These boundaries, says the 27-year-old actor, will help "protect your spirit and protect your energy" both online and off. Of course, knowing where to draw the line is a. It's something that the Toronto-native has spent years trying to figure out for herself. "It's a learning curve for everybody."
Yet, the New York University acting major, who landed her first major role as Manhattan mean girl Monet De Haan, also knows how a robust social media presence can help young actors book more jobs. "I try to separate myself and use it to my advantage," she says. "But for my health, I think it's best if I'm not on Instagram every day for, like, eight hours. Monet can be, but Savannah is different."of time on the 'gram.
The question of whether you can ever truly be authentic on social media is one Zión Moreno still struggles with. "I try to be as authentic as possible," she says, before adding, "I hate social media — there's no way to truly be authentic." As teen stylist Luna La, she's fiercely direct and always within reach of her phone, ready to snap a pic.