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How to be a responsibly use social media in this digital age

Social network site is major modes of communication in today and although their basic idea is built on the concept of connecting with friends and family; the impact of these websites have far outweighed their initial uses. The world has become very small due to the advent of these forums and levels of connectivity which was hitherto undreamt of; has suddenly reached everyone’s fingertips. The people are still coming to terms with the vastness of the internet and getting used to knowing for everything about everyone through these websites. The private corporations which built these social media are regularly collecting large amounts of personal data from unsuspecting users around the globe.

Stop Mindless Scrolling

Scrolling social media is like a slot machine of stimulation. Even if your feeds are curated effectively, you can still find yourself mindlessly scrolling for hours on end. It’s easy to get stuck in this spiral of procrastination, comparing yourself to every account that seems to have more followers, cooler photos, and more interesting lives. Stop the scrolling! Instead, go directly to the account or person you actually want to learn more about. Also, give your feed a good cleansing, especially of accounts you do not know or recognize. This approach will cut down your endless scrolling and will have positive effect on your personal mindset.

Beware Of Clickbait

In recently, fake news and clickbait have become huge issues. The people scroll through feeds; dubious headlines void of any context lead many to click on hyperlinks which propagate fake content and misleading information. This is what’s referred to as ‘clickbait’. Unfortunately, studies continue to show that controversial and negative headlines generate the most clicks on sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. If you have thoughts about getting ‘news’ from provocative headlines, it is best to just step back, check the website link and acquire factual information from reliable sources.

Turn Off your Notifications

Here is a better place to start - turn off all notifications on your social media accounts. Sure, several of us have FOMO and Fear of Missing Out, or notifications keep us in the constant information loop. But as much as you aren’t missing out, you are being sucked down the proverbial rabbit hole of continual distraction from work, family and friends. Instead, the good framework to follow is scheduling times throughout the day (preferably once in the morning, afternoon and evening) to check notifications. This will help so you aren’t attached to your smart-phone all day.

Watch Your Time

When you are on social media, it is easier to get carried away scrolling through feeds and bouncing from TikTok to Instagram. At the end of the day, you may feel as though you have accomplished nothing of real significance. Researchers have recently identified a sweet spot when it comes to the amount of time you spend on social media site. The Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology suggests that keeping usage down to 30 minutes a day can lead to better health outcomes, reduce loneliness, and lower depression. So set limits on how much time you spend on social media. If you have an iPhone, you can easily monitor your screen time, access real-time reports, or set up app time limits.

Follow With A Purpose

If, you are scrolling through social media, do you ever ask yourself, “why am I following this person and what is the purpose of it?” If you haven’t already, maybe now is a good time to be intentional about whom you follow. Ask yourself these questions, and if you cannot find a good reason to be following that account, easily unfollow them. Another way to curate your feed is to stop following accounts and people who bring negativity, jealousy and comparison to their posts or tweets. It is important to follow people who add positivity, inspiration, joy, creativity, and hope to the world. It is also important to be aware that see in your social media feeds is determined by algorithms that predict what you want to see based on your interests. Make sure to diversify your digital worldview by following and engaging with people online from different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs than you.

Monitor Your Emotions

Though there are many positive aspects of social media, there are also facets of the medium that can be quite negative. By nature, human beings are social creatures. We look to companionship and understanding of others to thrive in life. Being socially connected provides a sense of belonging, joy, and self-worth. Yet on the flip side, lacking social connections or comparing one’s own life to others can pose a serious threat to your emotional health and happiness. Be aware of how social can affect your mood, actions, and emotions. It’s easy to get caught up in this social cycle of what’s real and what isn’t real. It’s important to remind yourself that what you see on social media is not always the true picture. Several people use filters, effects, and Photoshop to enhance the illusion of perfection. The simple truth is that nobody is perfect. From an emotional standpoint, taking breaks from social media is a healthy strategy. A digital detox can provide time for introspection, renewal and help create a new mindset that encourages other activities.

Likes Do Not = Self-Worth

It is also important to try to detach yourself from the outcome of your posts or tweets. As studies suggest, this approach is easier said than done. In reality, “likes” don’t equal validation. Remember that the amount of likes you get has nothing to do with who you are, your intellect, how attractive you are and how many friends you have. Simply reminding yourself that you do not need an image or post to be liked can be powerful and effective.

Understand Privacy Settings

Whether it is from prying eyes and the harmful intent of a cyber criminal, it is vital to protect your privacy on social media. Each platform has its own privacy settings and you should know how each of these settings work. For instance, Facebook can easily restrict who can see your profile, posts, and photos. Always keep your settings up to date as site policies change periodically. In addition, be aware of what public information is on your profile. Even if they are private, social media profiles can still publicly display details such as your bio, education and employer.

Social media is now part of our daily lives. It is nearly impossible to stay off these platforms for good. For this reason, we need to learn how to be responsible users.
 But most importantly, be aware of how often you use social media. Go on a digital detox if necessary. For example, turn off notifications for an hour or two. Find purpose during your screen time. In doing so, you will avoid mindlessly scrolling through your feed.