Oversharing Online

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Hey Y’all,

While I try to avoid Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites, they have become integral in our lives. It seems impossible to navigate the day without a prompt to follow a brand, company, or someone’s profile. Social media can be used to share snippets of our lives, helping us connect with others. Instagram is perfect for sharing your pictures with friends and family. However, people carefully curate their “perfect life’ through the images on Instagram. Studies have shown that viewing others’ perfect lives can be detrimental to self-image, which is shaped by evaluating our lives against others’ (Adler et al., 2023). As someone who struggles with mental health and self-image, I avoid Instagram for just this reason. I do not need to add anything to my life that could further inhibit my mental health. Conversely, Facebook is beneficial for maintaining long-distance and weak-tie relationships. For example, during the pandemic lockdowns, it helped preserve relationships by supplementing face-to-face interactions and maintaining weak tie relationships (Adler et al., 2023). Facebook and WhatsApp were vital to communicating with my grandparents during the COVID-19 pandemic, as I could not visit them in person. What motivates you to use specific social media platforms? Do you think certain platforms serve better purposes than others?


 

Social media companies designed algorithms that influence how we interact on these platforms. Therefore, they have a responsibility to promote mental health. Social media companies created tools to monitor user behavior and could implement features encouraging mental health, such as reminders to log off after extended usage or promoting wellness campaigns. Instagram, for instance, lets you set daily time limits, which is a step in the right direction, but there’s still room for improvement (Meta, n.d.). For example, platforms could amplify positive content, provide access to mental health resources, or create “safe spaces” for users to share struggles. However, the users need to take responsibility for their habits. Recently, I noticed my screen time had been increasing, so I started setting app time limits on my phone, and it’s helped me feel more balanced. Still, social media companies could go further. For instance, they could partner with mental health organizations to create educational campaigns or tools to monitor emotional well-being. How can users and social media companies share responsibility in promoting healthier habits online?

 Check out the infographic below for practical tips to optimize your social media use!

(HPRC, 2022)

Best,

-Chris-

References

Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B., & Proctor, R. F. (2023). Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (16th ed.). Oxford University Press.

HPRC. (2022). How to use social media for better performance, resilience & mental health. HPRC. https://www.hprc-online.org/social-fitness/relationship-building/how-use-social-media-better-performance-resilience-mental

Meta. (n.d.). Help Center. https://help.instagram.com/2049425491975359/?helpref=uf_share

 

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