Social Security: Top Tips for Positive Choices on Social Media
A few weeks ago, it was announced that Ofcom (the UKs regulator of all things internet, social media, tv, radio etc.) would be given more control over social media companies like Facebook and Twitter. This is partly in response to the need for tighter control of harmful, distressing and just generally toxic material online - which vulnerable audiences (including young people) are being exposed to far too easily.
Our Boys Project Worker and general IT wizard, Joe downloads his experiences of social media scrolling and embeds his top tips for how we can all make positive and more sensible choices when online.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 20 years, you’ve probably used social media at least once. If you’ve used it on a more frequent basis, you’ve probably had both positive and negative experiences of it… It can be a great place to share that cat wearing a bowtie with your friend, learn about how the Slovakian volleyball team is doing, or follow Justin Bieber’s latest haircut or tattoo.
But it can also be a place where people are bullied and online groups become hotbeds for all kinds of incredibly nasty stuff.
So, adding some control over what can and cannot be posted on social media sites - good thing or not? Well, there’s a very valid argument for why we have to be careful as to how social media is controlled but in general, social media sites could definitely do with some sort of policing. Where we draw the line exactly could be debated for an eternity, but there is a lot out there which we would probably all agree is unacceptable and unhelpful to post on social media.
And while it’s important to recognise that organisations like Facebook should be responsible for what is posted on their sites, we too have a responsibility for how we interact online.
So, with this in mind, how do we promote a healthy approach to social media? We talk about looking after mental health and positive wellbeing, so how do we do this with social media? Well, here’s 5 ideas (that you may know already but it’s always worth a reminder on positive stuff!) for you to mull over before you re-enter the Matrix and go back to the 36 tabs you have open:
Think before you post - So much of what we post online, we would never say to someone’s face... and there's a good reason for that! When we are face to face with someone, we take more time to think through our words before we say something. Taking time to ask ourselves ‘should I really say this?’ or ‘would I actually say this to someone’s face?’ is a good place to start. And always remember, celebrities are people too and they have feelings!
‘Don’t believe the hype’ - in the words of Chuck D from Public Enemy. Be it someone’s holiday, their opinion on Brexit or the recent cream they’ve started using to give them super powers, social media is full of fake news. It’s frustrating to work out what’s true and what’s not but it’s worth taking a bit of time when you see something to just stop and think, where did this come from? Who originally wrote this? And if you see something that makes you feel like you're missing out, just take the time to stop and challenge yourself on that thought - am I really missing out? Is this helpful for me to be looking at lots of photos which have been artificially created to look like someone’s having a great time? Important questions for us to consider when we’re just quickly flicking through Instagram. I saw a great quote on this recently: “Remember that no one posts their failures on social media”.
Be a positive voice and seek out positive community - We’ve already heard about how damaging online bullying and trolling can be, and you may have been on the receiving end yourself. It can be really hard to try and counter that in a positive way because we naturally want to call people out when they’re being nasty. Sometimes this is appropriate and you can report and block individuals if need be. But we can also try to avoid these situations in the first place by only engaging with the people we personally know, and those that build us up and encourage us. The same can be said in life, not just online!
Challenge yourself - We all hear a lot about how damaging social media can be for our mental health but it can be really difficult to know how to actually do something about it. Take some practical steps to challenge yourself and change your habits. I recently deleted Facebook off my phone and only check it on my computer now. I also played around with all the notification settings on my phone so that I feel more in control of my phone rather than it controlling me. Take some time to have a look through those settings or find apps that help you to reduce how much time you are on social media.
Stay safe - Finally, remember that there are people out there who are dangerous and who are not interested in being your friend. If you don’t know the person you’re talking to, be careful. It might just be someone you play online games with and that’s ok, but don’t start telling them your life story. If you are concerned at all, talk to someone you trust.
These 5 tips, plus the links to further helpful content in this blog should help you on your way to making smarter choices online. It’s worth noting that we never know what’s around the corner and who’s waiting there, and sometimes it can be through no fault of our own that we will receive abuse online. If this happens, it’s important to remember that you’re amazing and loved, and to bring someone else into the situation - like a friend or family member that has your back.