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1. Use databases for non bias information.
2. Check multiple sources for accurate information.
3. Cite every website and database.
4.Check for credible authors and websites.

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1. Understand the Dangers of Social Media and How to Get Away From Them.

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1. Understand the Dangers of Social Media and How to Get Away From Them.

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Most people use social media in one form or another. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, and while social media can sometimes be beneficial, it's important to be aware that social media is associated with a number of issues and potential dangers, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, and depression.

Understanding the dangers of social media is important, both so you can deal with them yourself, and so you can help others deal with them. As such, in the following article you will learn about the issues that are associated with social media, see who is most vulnerable them, and find out what you can do to deal with them effectively.

What are the dangers of social media

The use of social media is associated with various issues, when it comes to people's emotional wellbeing, mental and physical health, and many other areas of life. Specifically, research shows that the use of social media is associated with:

These issues have been found, to varying degrees, in users of various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and Snapchat.

Some of these issues aren't limited to social media, but are rather associated with internet use in general. However, many of these issues are associated most strongly with social media and with behaviors that are almost entirely exclusive to social media. An example of this is the negative impact of taking a 'selfie', which has been shown to increase people's social sensitivity and reduce their self-esteem.

Finally, note that some of the research listed here only shows that these issues are associated with social media, and does not conclusively prove that they are caused by it, since the causal relationship is more difficult to establish. Nevertheless, there is sufficient research on the topic to reasonably assume that social media can likely cause some of these issues in some cases, and assuming this is also the most prudent course of action in most cases.

Overall, social media use is associated with a variety of issues. These include emotional and mental issues, such as anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, and low self-esteem, physical issues, such as worse sleep quality, and general issues, such as exposure to misinformation and political polarization.

Caveats about the dangers of social media

There are several caveats that are important to keep in mind with regard to the dangers of social media.

First, as noted in the previous section, much of the research on this topic is correlational, meaning that it only shows that the use of social media tends to coincide with experiencing various issues. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that there is a causal association between social media and those issues, meaning that one causes the other. Furthermore, even if such a causal association exists, its direction is not always obvious, meaning that it's unclear whether increased use of social media leads to those issues, whether it's the other way around, or whether a bidirectional effect exists. As one study notes on the association that they found between depression and social media:

"Because our data were cross‐sectional, the directionality of this association is not clear.

It may be that individuals with depression tend to use more social media. For example, depressed individuals with a diminished sense of self‐worth may turn to social media based interactions for validation. Subsequently, individuals may suffer from continuous rumination and guilt surrounding Internet use, while feeling compelled to continue the cycle due to low self‐efficacy and negative self‐appraisal. Due to the high accessibility of social media and the possibility of socialization in a controlled setting, individuals with underlying depression and anhedonia may be more drawn to social media interactions rather than face‐to‐face interactions.

It may also be that those who use increased amounts of social media subsequently develop increased depression. Multiple studies have linked social media use with declines in subjective mood, sense of well‐being, and life satisfaction. For example, passive consumption of social media content-as opposed to active communication-has been associated with decrease in bonding and bridging social capital and increase in loneliness. One explanation may be that exposure to highly idealized representations of peers on social media elicits feelings of envy and the distorted belief that others lead happier and/or more successful lives. Consequently, these envious feelings may lead to a sense of self‐inferiority and depression over time.

It is also possible that the feeling of 'time wasted' by engaging in activities of little meaning on social media negatively influences mood. Additionally, the substantial rise in the amount of time young individuals spend on the Internet-particularly on social media-has led some to call for the recognition of 'Internet addiction' as a distinct psychiatric condition that is closely associated with depression. Finally, it is possible that increased social media exposure may increase the risk of cyber‐bullying, which may also increase feelings of depression."

- From "Association between social media use and depression among US young adults" (Lin et al., 2016)

Second, in many cases, the studies on the topic are limited to homogeneous student samples, which means that they may not generalize well to other populations.

Third, some studies on the topic have found evidence that conflicts with studies showing that social media leads to certain issues. For example, one study did not find evidence that the use of social media is associated with clinical depression.

Fourth, it's also important to keep in mind that some of the research on the dangers of social media has been criticized for various other reasons, such as methodological or conceptual flaws.

Finally, although there is considerable evidence suggesting that social-media use is associated with a variety of issues, this doesn't mean that social-media use necessarily leads to negative outcomes in every situation. This is evident in research on the topic that shows that social-media use doesn't always have a negative impact on people's mental health, together with research that suggests that social-media use can even be beneficial in some cases.

Why people keep using social media

There are many reasons why people keep using social media even when it's bad for them, and these reasons vary across individuals and across circumstances.

One notable reason why people continue to use social media even though it affects them negatively is that they're simply unaware of its harmful influence. Furthermore, in some cases, people are aware of the harmful influence that social media has on them, but they don't care enough about these dangers to want to change their behavior.

However, many people continue to use social media even though they know it's bad for them and even though they want to stop, because they're psychologically predisposed to keep using it. For example, one study found that people keep using Facebook despite the fact that it makes them feel bad, because they keep expecting it to make them feel better.

In addition, other studies found that the use of social media is associated with the fear of missing out, including in contexts where the use of social media is especially problematic, such as while studying or driving. The fear of missing out is particularly prominent among people who feel a stronger need to 'belong', and these people also tend to use social networks more frequently than others, and experience more stress when they feel that they're unpopular on their favorite social networks.

Finally, there are also many situational factors that can cause people to use social media, even when they wish that they didn't. For example, if all of a person's friends use a certain social media network, that person might use it too, simply so they can be aware of what's going on in their social circles. Similarly, the high accessibility of social media can also push people to use it, for example when they see the icon for a social media app every time they open their phone.

Overall, there are many reasons why people continue to use social media, even though it's bad for them. These reasons include a lack of awareness of the risks involved, psychological mechanisms such as the fear of missing out, and situational factors such as the high accessibility of social media.

Who is most vulnerable to the dangers of social media

Certain factors are associated with an increased tendency to use social media in a problematic manner, or to suffer from issues as a result of using social media. These factors include:

In addition, when it comes to specific certain specific dangers of social media, other factors can increase people's vulnerability. For example, when it comes to cyberbullying of children, factors such as psychological difficulties, lack of parental support, and peer norms can make children more vulnerable.

Finally, the way in which people use social media can also make them more vulnerable to its dangers. For example, people who use social media in a way that does not reflect their true self, for example by trying to reinvent themself online, tend to experience more issues as a result of social media use, such as loneliness.

Similarly, research shows that passive use of social media, which involves using it primarily to consume content that's produced by others, is more strongly associated with mental health issues than active use of social media, which involves using it to actively engage with others. This can be attributed to passive use of social media generally being more likely to provoke social comparisons and envy, among other things.

Overall, various factors are associated with an increased tendency to suffer from issues as a result of using social media. This includes underlying issues, such as depression and anxiety, as well as the way in which people use social media, such as when it comes to only using it for passive consumption of content.

How to tell if social media is affecting you negatively

In some cases, it might be obvious to you that social media is affecting you negatively, for example if you feel that it always makes you feel depressed.

Furthermore, even if this is not obvious, it may only take a bit of thinking about how you use social media and how you feel when you use it to realize that your use of social media is problematic. To help yourself do this, you can try to actively identify issues that social media might be causing you, such as feeling anxious because it seems as though other people are much more successful than you.

In addition, when considering how social media affect you, it can also be beneficial to ask yourself whether it benefits you in any way. This can help you get a clearer picture of the value that social media brings you, and in some cases, you might realize that even if it's not actively harmful, it's still a waste of time, and you can do other things instead, which will be more productive and enjoyable.

When considering the way you use social media, you can use the following questions, that are adapted from a dedicated questionnaire, and ask yourself whether you've experienced any of these issues over the past year, and if so, then to what degree:

Preoccupation. have you regularly found that you can't think of anything else but the moment that you will be able to use social media again?

Tolerance. Have you regularly felt dissatisfied because you wanted to spend more time on social media?

Withdrawal. Have you often felt bad when you could not use social media?

Persistence. Have you tried to spend less time on social media, but failed?

Displacement. Have you regularly neglected other activities (e.g. hobbies, sport) because you wanted to use social media?

Problem. Have you regularly had arguments with others because of your use of social media?

Deception. Have you regularly lied to your family, friends, or partner about the amount of time you spend on social media?

Escape. Have you often used social media to escape from negative feelings?

Conflict. Have you had serious conflicts with your family, friends, or partner because of your use of social media?

The more issues you've experienced due to your social media use, and the more severe these issues are, the more problematic your use with social media likely is. However, note that this questionnaire revolves only around some aspects of problematic social media use, but doesn't cover all the issues that social media can lead to, meaning that you might have a problematic relationship with social media, even if you haven't experienced these issues in particular.

Finally, it's important to note that you might not be able to accurately judge yourself whether social media is problematic for you. Accordingly, you might benefit from using self-distancing techniques, which will help you assess your situation, or from asking for feedback from someone whose opinion you trust.

If you still struggle with assessing your situation in spite of using the above techniques, or if you suspect that your issues might be serious, then strongly consider seeking a professional opinion on your situation. This can involve, for example, a licensed psychologist who will be able to assess your situation in-depth.

Overall, if you're unsure whether social media is affecting you negatively, you can think about how you use social media and how you feel when you use it, while trying to identify any potential issues. You can also ask yourself guiding questions on the topic, ask someone such as a friend for their opinion, or get help from a professional.

How to avoid the dangers of social media

There are two main things that you can do to avoid the dangers of social media:

Reduce your use of social media, or eliminate it entirely. To achieve this, you can use various techniques, such as implementing software-based solutions to limit your access, reducing the visibility of social media on your digital devices, and finding alternative activities to engage in.

Focus on using social media in a positive way. For example, this can involve using media to actively communicate with people that you care about, rather than using it as a passive way to consume information.

In the next two sub-sections, you will learn more about the techniques that you can use to achieve these things, and about general tips and guidelines that you should keep in mind while trying to avoid the issues associated with social media.

Reduce or eliminate your social media use

There are various things that you can do in order to reduce your use of social media.

The simplest is to simply decide to use social media less frequently, or to stop using it entirely. This reduced usage can involve not only the time which you spend browsing social media, but also other factors, such as the number of platforms that you use, the situations in which you use social media, and the type of information that you share there. Sometimes, this happens naturally, and many people end up feeling social-media fatigue over time, which causes them to take a break from social media on their own.

However, this isn't always easy to accomplish in practice, especially given the reasons that cause people to continue using social media even when they know that it's bad for them. Accordingly, you may benefit from using various techniques to reduce your use of social media. Such techniques include the following:

Set clear goals for yourself. People are generally better able to follow through on goals that are concrete compared to those that are abstract. This means, for example, that instead of having a vague goal, such as "use social media less", it's generally better to have a more concrete goal, such as "use social media for no more than 10 minutes a day".

Use software-based solutions to limit your access. For example, you can use browser extensions that limit your access to your preferred social media sites, or use an app to block access to social media on your phone during times when you should be doing things such as studying or sleeping.

Reduce the visibility of social media. For example, if you have a social media app on your phone, it can help to remove the icon for it from your home screen, so you won't see it each time you open your phone.

Find ways to reduce your need for social media. For example, if you're constantly on social media because you're afraid of missing out on upcoming events, you might be able to ask a friend to let you know about those events instead.

Find alternative activities. For example, if you find that you keep using social media simply because you're bored, try replacing it with hobbies or activities that are more meaningful and enjoyable for you.

Hold yourself accountable. For example, you can tell someone whose opinion you value about your goals to use social media less, and ask them to follow up with you in a week to check whether you've successfully managed to achieve those goals.

Reward yourself for making progress. For example, you can decide that if you manage to achieve your goal of not using social media for a month, then you'll treat yourself by going out to an enjoyable event with your friends.

Note that you can start with relatively small goals, when it comes to reducing your use of social media. For example, you shouldn't start by saying "I'm going to quit social media forever", if that feels so overwhelming that you end up failing to make any progress. Instead, you can start by simply trying to limit your use of social media temporarily, which can make your goal feel more achievable, and which can therefore make you more likely to pursue it.

Furthermore, research shows that when people take even a temporary break from social media, that can lead to a reduction in their social media use in the long term, which means that even small goals can lead to long-term achievements in terms of reducing your use of social media. However, keep in mind that for some people, quitting completely might be easier than trying to simply limit their use of social media. This is something that you should take into consideration when deciding how to deal with your social media issues.

In addition, when deciding which techniques to use, it can help to assess your situation and figure out when, how, and why you use social media, and what makes it problematic for you. For example, you might realize that your problematic use of social-media occurs due to simple habit, meaning that you constantly check up on your social media accounts simply because you're so used to doing it, rather than because you really want to, in which case blocking them entirely might be the best solution.

Finally, consider getting professional help if you need it or if you think it could be worthwhile for you. This can be especially beneficial if your problems with social media are relatively extreme, and you feel that you can't handle them on your own.

Overall, to reduce or eliminate your use of social media, you can use various techniques, such as setting clear and achievable goals for yourself, implementing software-based solutions to limit your access, reducing the visibility of social media, rewarding yourself for making progress, and getting professional help if necessary. In addition, when deciding which techniques to use, it can be beneficial to assess the situation, and figure out when, how, and why, you use social media, and what makes it problematic for you.

Use social media in a positive way

Despite the fact that social media is associated with many issues, it's important to keep in mind that using social media doesn't necessarily influence people in a negative way. Furthermore, there are also some potential benefits to using social media, such as the opportunity to form, maintain, and strengthen connections with other people, and especially those who understand your situation, which can help reduce feelings of loneliness. Moreover, social media can be beneficial in unique ways in specific types of contexts, such as in education, where it can sometimes help students engage in learning.

Accordingly, if you want to avoid the issues associated with social media, you can focus on using it in a positive way, either in addition to or instead of reducing your use of social media. To figure out how you can achieve this in your particular situation, you should consider which aspects of social media are causing you issues, and which aspects you find beneficial, and then modify your use of social media accordingly.

In particular, there are two notable things that you should likely focus on, as they have been shown to lead to a more positive experience with social media:

Use social media in an active way. Active use of social media, which involves things such as meaningful communication with others, is generally preferable to passive use of social media, which revolves primarily around consuming information.

Use social media in an authentic way. Authentic use of social media, which involves honest self-expression, is generally preferable to self-idealized use of social media, which involves presenting an idealized and therefore disingenuous version of yourself.

In addition, when it comes to avoiding problematic comparisons on social media, it's also important to keep in mind that many other people are likely displaying an idealized version of themself. As one study notes:

"Social media can seem like an artificial world in which people's lives consist entirely of exotic vacations, thriving friendships, and photogenic, healthy meals. In fact, there is an entire industry built around people's desire to present idealistic self-representations on social media. Popular applications like FaceTune, for example, allow users to modify everything about themselves, from skin tone to the size of their physical features. In line with this 'self-idealization perspective', research has shown that self-expressions on social media platforms are often idealized, exaggerated, and unrealistic. That is, social media users often act as virtual curators of their online selves by staging or editing content they present to others."

- From "Authentic self-expression on social media is associated with greater subjective well-being" (Bailey et al., 2020)

Essentially, this means that you should keep in mind that even if it seems like many other people are leading amazing lives on social media, that doesn't mean that it's actually the case, as many people are actually presenting an idealized and disingenuous version of who they are. This ties in to the useful adage "don't compare your behind-the-scenes with someone else's highlight reel".

Summary and conclusions

Social media use is associated with a variety of issues, including emotional and mental issues, such as anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, and low self-esteem, physical issues, such as reduced sleep quality, and general issues, such as exposure to misinformation and political polarization.

It is not always clear if the association between social media and these issues is causal, meaning that one directly causes the other, and if so then in what direction; nevertheless, it is reasonable and prudent to assume that social media can lead to some of these issues in some cases.

People keep using social media even though it's bad for them for various reasons, including a lack of awareness of the risks involved, psychological mechanisms such as the fear of missing out, and situational factors such as the high accessibility of social media.

If you're unsure whether social media is affecting you negatively, you can think about how you use social media and how you feel when you use it, while trying to identify any potential issues, or you can ask someone that you trust for their input.

To avoid the issues that are associated with social media, you can reduce your use of social media by doing things such as limiting your access and finding alternative activities, and you can also focus on using social media in a more positive way, for example by using it only to communicate with people that you care about.

Other articles you may find interesting:

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The Dangers of Social Media and How to Avoid Them

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Most people use social media in one form or another. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, and while social media can sometimes be beneficial, it's important to be aware that social media is associated with a number of issues and potential dangers, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, and depression.

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2. Finish school project researching easy and fast

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2. Finish school project researching easy and fast

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How to Teach Online Research Skills to Students | 5 Steps for Teaching Students How to Search and Filter Information

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5 simple steps to teaching Google search tips and internet research skills for students. This updated 2020 post and free eBook shows how to research effectively online for kids in primary school, middle school and high school. These tips are summarized in a free online research skills poster for you…

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1. Don't overuse it and set daily limits.
2. Don't post private information most importantly location.
3.Don't believe everything on social media.
4. Don't use social media in public and live in the moment.
5. Follow accounts with positive messages.

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Libraries associated with universities provide access to plenty of online research databases that can yield good results when using the right keyword searches. They are among the best sources to turn to when you need to find articles from scholarly journals, full-text articles, books, and periodicals.

Searching an online academic database is much like searching the internet, but the hits returned will be published scholarly articles and other documents depending on the subject. Academic databases are different from generic search engines though, and that's why we have compiled a series of tips to get you started on using academic search engines specifically.

1. Use the campus network to access research databases

Most of the academic databases cannot be accessed for free! As authoritative resources, these multi-disciplinary databases are comprehensive collections of the current literature on a broad range of topics. Because they have a huge range of publications, public access is sometimes restricted.

Your institution needs to pay for staff and students to access journals, books, papers, and more, and that's why you can only use them when you are on the on-campus network. Nonetheless, there are highly comprehensive resources like EZProxy that allow you to also access your library's resources and online collections from your home network.

Check out our list of EZProxy connections to see if your institution provides such as service.

It's 2.5 million articles that are published EACH year. Make sure to search the right, comprehensive database for the reference you need, which is pertaining specifically to your topic, otherwise, you will have to screen too many unrelated papers that won't give you the reference you want.

Ask a librarian or check your library's brief overview of which databases you have access to. If you do not know where to start, you can check out the three biggest academic database providers:

Or take a look at our compilation of research databases that have digital collections for computer science or healthcare. Remember: Searching the right databases is key to finding the right academic journals!

3. Set up the search parameters within the database to be as narrow as possible

Start with one database. Narrow your search terms down to get the most pertinent information from the scholarly resources you are reviewing. Determine which options are available to do that, for example narrowing the search by only including articles within a specific date range, or uncheck certain types of journals or magazines that are included in the database but have nothing to do with your topic.

Make sure to also use very specific keywords when searching library resources for scientific journals.

4. Find the tricks that help you get results

Unlike in a Google search, typing in full sentences will not bring you satisfactory results. There are different methods to search different databases. Ask your librarian or do an internet search on how to best search your particular database. Check out Northeastern's Libguide on this.

5. Slowly expand your search to get additional results

A specific search might not return as many results. This can be good because these results will most likely be current and applicable. If you do not get enough results, however, slowly start expanding the date range, type of journal, or keywords to get more results when searching through publications.

From there you'll be able to find a wide variety of related technical reports, books, academic journals, and other potential results you can use for reference.

6. Use the pro features of the database

Academic search engines and databases are getting smart! In the age of big data and text mining, many databases crunch millions of scientific papers to extract connections between them. Watch out for things like:

related relevant articles

similar academic resources

list of "cited by" or "citations"

list of references

They all will lead you to other highly relevant scholarly literature!

7. If needed, you can move to another or more general database

When you have thoroughly finished searching a comprehensive database, you can move on to another to find more results as references for articles. Some databases that cover the same topics might give you the same search results, but they might also cover an entire range of different journals or online resources.

You might prefer the search system of one database over the other based on the results you get from keyword searches. One database might have more advanced search options than the other. You can also move to a more general database like:

8. Notice the big players in your field

There are experts in every field, people who have published a lot of scholarly content on your topic, people who get quoted or interviewed a lot and seem to be present almost everywhere when researching your particular topic. Pay attention to those names when searching a database and once you found someone interesting, you can search for more from that person.

Frequently Asked Questions about searching online databases
Where do I access academic databases?
Your institution's library provides access to plenty of online research databases. They are among the best sources to turn to when you need to find articles from scholarly journals and periodicals.
What type of database should I access?
Searching the right databases is key to finding the right articles Ask a librarian or check your library's brief overview to which databases you have access to. If you do not know where to start, check out the three biggest academic database providers:

Or take a look at our compilation of research database for computer science or healthcare. Remember:
How do I narrow down my online search?
Start with one database. Narrow your search to get the most pertinent information. Determine which options are available to do that, for example narrowing the search by only including articles within a specific date range, or uncheck certain types of journals or magazines that are included in the database but have nothing to do with your topic. Make sure to also use very specific keywords when searching.
What are the best tricks to an efficient online research?
Unlike in a Google search, typing in full sentences will not bring you satisfactory results. There are different methods to search different databases. Ask your librarian or do an internet search on how to best search your particular database. Check out Northeastern's Libguide on this.
What if my online research has been unsuccessful?
Narrowing down a search might not return many results. If you do not get enough results, slowly start expanding date range, type of journal or keywords to get more results.

Related Articles

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Academic research: how to search online databases [8 steps] - Paperpile

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Libraries associated with universities provide access to plenty of online research databases that can yield good results when using the right keyword searches. They are among the best sources to turn to when you need to find articles from scholarly journals, full-text articles, books, and periodicals.

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5. Ways to make Social Media a better place with a positive impact

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5. Ways to make Social Media a better place with a positive impact

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

The Summer Challenge starts in:

Register now to make 2021 your healthiest year yet!

The harms of social media are well documented. It can be addictive, damaging, and toxic. Watching the highlights of other people's lives and chasing the validation of likes and comments can destroy your self-esteem and steal hours of your day. Now, more than ever, social media provides a platform for echo chambers, division (even among family and friends), which inevitably leads to anxiety and even depression.

However, social media can be a way to connect, especially for older people, those in rural areas, people with disabilities, or people who can't find others with similar interests nearby. With the right approach, social media can be a positive and productive experience that fosters a sense of community. The isolation we've all experienced over the past year can also be semi-alleviated through skillful use of social media in appropriate doses.

Social media can enhance your life, but it takes work to avoid common social media traps. Here are five ways to make social media a positive force in your life.

1. Set Your Intentions

Before making any changes to your social media habits, take some time to think about why you use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or whichever platform is your preference.
I have three reasons for using social media. I want to:

1. Stay connected with far-away friends and family.

2. Build an audience for my writing.

3. Learn about ideas and people I might not encounter offline.

If someone - or something - in my feed is bothering me and it's not related to one of these goals, I hide, mute, or un-follow that person or account.

I'll admit, I do follow some accounts that don't fit into those three categories. We added a Boston Terrier to our family this year, so now I follow an Instagram account that's simply photos of Boston Terriers. This doesn't connect me with friends, it doesn't help my career, I'm not learning anything, but it does make me happy. That's important, too. It may even be valuable to add that to your list of intentions.

2. Let Go of the Negative

Once you've identified the reasons you use social media, it's time to clean up your feed. To do this effectively you'll need to cultivate an awareness of your reactions.

Just like in meditation when you focus on your breathing, spend some time observing your reactions to your social media feed. If that former co-worker's humble brags make you crazy, let that person go on social media. If a high school acquaintance posts nothing but political rants, give yourself permission to hide, un-follow, or un-friend that person. One thing that many people notice is that people who they love and value in real life can be intolerable on social media. It may be best to preserve your real life relationship with that person by hiding their social media persona.

3. Connect with Your Friends in Person

With so much of our lives shared online it's easy to forget to pick up the phone or make plans with friends "IRL" (in real life). Don't let the connection you feel through social media take the place of frequent and regular in-person interactions. And as many of us have learned over the first several months of 2020, video chats are kind of lame. For social calls we've actually found that a good old fashioned phone call is far superior if you can't get in person time.

When you talk with your friend over dinner or on the phone you learn about everything your friend has left out of the social media feed, and in turn you can share the things that are too personal for you to reveal online. The person whose life looks shiny and perfect on Instagram(or even differs from you politically) may be struggling with some of the same issues as youand care about the same outcomes you do, but you'll never know if you don't reach out.

4. Schedule or Limit Social Media Time

Even a well-edited social media feed can be a waste of time and an unnecessary distraction. If you find yourself getting sucked into Facebook and Instagram when you should be working or paying attention to those around you, limit your social media access.

Some people like to schedule in their social media, telling themselves they can only go on for an hour each day. iPhones and Androids offer built in options for time-limiting access to apps and websites. I like to take the opposite approach and declare social media off-limits at certain times during the day. We don't allow phones at the table during dinner and I charge my phone outside of my bedroom at night. I also make an effort to stop checking social media about an hour before bedtime. It may even be useful to stop using it from dinner until bedtime. Our concept of family time has changed so dramatically with the advent of digital technology (including TV with practically limitless options for consumption) that we often forget that being in the same room with someone is not the same as being with someone.

My biggest challenge is avoiding social media when I'm working at my computer. If I find I'm procrastinating too much or having trouble resisting the lure of the feed, I activate the Freedom app installed on my computer. This blocks any site I choose for any amount of time, which forces me to focus on the task at hand.

5. Stop Lurking and Engage

Even if you don't clean up your friend list or set limits on your social media time, an easy way to make social media a positive force in your life is to engage instead of lurk. Researchers have found that people who comment and connect with friends are happier on social media than people who scroll without commenting.

Scrolling and not engaging can feel very isolating. Watching people have conversations that you're not involved in can lead to feelings of loneliness. Keep in mind that you don't have to invite a long conversation. A simple congratulations or can help keep you connected to friends and family.

Of course, not all commenting is created equal. Arguing with people or getting into fights with strangers is not a good way to engage. Stay positive and supportive, and don't make a comment online you wouldn't say to that person's face. This can be especially true when you cross virtual paths with someone you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. Your first interaction with a long-lost friend shouldn't be a criticism or a snipe if you're looking for connection.

If you're in a Facebook group, get involved. Share your own struggles and successes and support the ups and downs of others. Real communities can be formed online, but just like in real life, being part of a community is a two-way street.

What Role Does Social Media Play for You?

Some people naturally fall into a healthy online life that mirrors the way they live offline, but if social media is having a negative impact on your happiness, try some of these strategies for managing your social media.

The Whole Life Challenge often includes a Well-Being Practice to work on things like limiting social media and computer time, giving you the structure to develop habits that help give you a healthy mind along with a healthy body. Because, deep down, we all know health involves a lot more than the physical. So give your social media a "check up" and make sure it's contributing to a happy, healthy lifestyle.

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5 Ways You Can Make Social Media a Positive Force

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Reading Time: 6 minutes The Summer Challenge starts in: Register now to make 2021 your healthiest year yet! The harms of social media are well documented. It can be addictive, damaging, and toxic. Watching the highlights of other people's lives and chasing the validation of likes and comments can destroy your self-esteem and steal hours of your day.

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1. "Motivation Monday's" they bring positivity in their posts to get people motivated especially on Mondays.
2."Ted" also known as Ted Talks they share positive ideas and information.
3."Power of Positivity" their posts are a combination of motivation and positivity.

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7. Staying Safe while Browsing the Internet

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7. Staying Safe while Browsing the Internet

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Staying safe on social media

Most people use social media to stay connected with friends and have fun. However, there are people who don't play by the same rules, and use it as a platform to offend people or cause them harm.

Don't let these users ruin your experience, but make sure that you do what you can to stay safe.

Simple steps

Set your profiles to private

Think carefully about what you post online and who you want to see it. Consider setting your profiles to friends and followers only.

Remember anything you post can be shared

Even with strong privacy settings in place, it is important that you remember that what you post online is never really private and can be shared. Posts also stay around on the internet long into the future. It is therefore important that you always think before you post.

Switch off your location

Ensure only the people you trust know where you are!

Recognise the fakes

Not everyone on social media will be who they say they are. There can be young people and adults who pretend to be someone else and could cause you harm. For example, they may want to trick you into sharing private or personal information that they could use against you. It's important that you never meet up with someone you don't know, and that you always let an adult know where you are going and who you are meeting.

There have been times when children have been tricked into meeting adults who then cause them harm.

Spring clean your contacts

Once you make a friend online, it doesn't have to be permanent. Regularly review and clean up your contacts - particularly anyone who spreads negative content or doesn't make you feel good about yourself.

Block anyone who bothers you

All social media sites allow you to block people who you don't want accessing your account. It is not permanent and they won't be notified. You may also have the option of muting someone so they don't know you can no longer see their posts.

Report trolling

All social media platforms have rules and allow you to report abusive comments.

Protect your identity

Your phone number, address, bank details and any information that may hint to your personal passwords should never be shared online. Experienced password hackers or phishing sites can piece together your information to gain access to your account, or use your identity to create a new one. Make sure passwords are strong, change them regularly and always keep them private.

Avoid the big risks

One of the hardest things you can go through is having a very private image or video shared with others. Think very hard before sharing anything private or personal as there are no guarantees that this won't get into the wrong hands. If someone really cares about you they will respect your choice not to share personal information, photos or videos.

Let your friends and family know about your online choices

Other people will never respect your privacy as much as you do. Make sure your friends and family know your preferences about uploading pictures, tagging your location or sharing information you expect to be confidential. This works both ways, so make sure that you respect other people's privacy in the same way.

Watch out for suspicious messages

Messages with a shortened URL alongside a statement such as 'OMG look at this picture of you...' or 'Have you seen what they are saying about you...' are not to be trusted.

Phishing emails are also a problem. These are fake communications pretending to be a trusted organisation such as Facebook that will try and get you to log in. They can look very convincing, and even have your personal profile info, so only sign into a site through their official page or app. If something looks suspicious, check the email address and put it through a search engine. Malicious senders are usually named and shamed online!

Privacy and safety features

Different social media apps and sites have different rules and features. Learn about privacy and safety features via the UK Safer Internet Centre.

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6. Tips on Staying Away from Media Bias, get all the information

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6. Tips on Staying Away from Media Bias, get all the information

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Politicians and their staff members are usually experts at manipulating media coverage in order to advance their careers and their campaigns. That includes accusing reporters of media bias when unfavorable stories are published in print, on the air or online. When covering political news stories, make sure your stories measure up to ethical standards so your reports don't back up their claims of media bias.

Expect to Be Accused of Media Bias

Any reporting on a political campaign will include good and bad news. If you are assigned to cover a candidate, there will be a day when they stumble -- making a verbal gaffe, misstating a fact, or sometimes literally stumbling as they trip over a broken sidewalk. Reporting facts doesn't equal media bias, though overly-aggressive campaign workers might try to con voters into thinking that.

Check Your Stories for Accuracy

Some reporters who don't have media bias are guilty of lazy reporting, which can appear to be the result of political leanings. Make sure all political stories are accurate because campaign workers will be happy to rip your reports to shreds if it benefits their candidate.

Any reporter knows whether their story will please or perturb a campaign. If you suspect that there will be fallout to a story that's about to be published, comb over the facts for accuracy to protect yourself and your media company.

Decide if you are completely confident in the information you are presenting. If your source is a news release from an opponent's campaign, verify the facts independently or at least make it clear that it's the opponent who is making an accusation, not you.

Sloppy attribution can get you into trouble. Even in the casual world of the Internet, your online attribution must be clear, and that includes posts on Twitter or Facebook.

Determine Whether Your Story is Fair to All Candidates

A political story can be completely accurate, yet not be totally fair to the candidates. That's another easy way for charges of media bias to be made against you.

If you report that one wealthy candidate paid very little income taxes thanks to the creative use of loopholes, you owe it to your audience to investigate the other candidates' tax returns. If that information isn't being made available to you, you should report that.

Fairness involves more than thorough fact-finding, it also includes careful attention to the wording of your stories. Creative writing techniques that work in other forms of reporting are dangerous in political stories.

Using the income tax example, saying the candidate paid a "paltry" or "tiny" amount of taxes is letting your personal judgment affect your writing. If a tax expert says the candidate should have paid ten times the amount in taxes, say that and attribute it to the expert. Boasting that you "uncovered" this tax information implies that the candidate was trying to hide it. If all you did was read their news release, you didn't uncover anything.

Defend Yourself Against Claims of Media Bias

A good way to prepare to defend yourself against claims of media bias is to practice making those charges yourself. Learn how to scour stories to pick up on terms and ideas that could indicate a point of view.

If a campaign manager complains about how a story that's unfavorable to the campaign is an example of media bias, point out the more positive stories you have produced. You don't owe them an apology, just a reminder that your reporting is balanced. Never promise you'll give them a glowing story tomorrow.

Voters, who are accustomed to claims of media bias, are often harder to convince if they worship the candidate they believe you unfairly slaughtered. Ask them why they believe the story is unfair and gently defend yourself. There's no benefit to getting into an argument that you can't win.

Political campaigns are a roller-coaster ride. When a campaign is down, fingers often point at news coverage. By asking your own tough questions of your reporting skills, you will protect your reputation against unfounded charges of media bias.

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Tips for Avoiding Media Bias When Covering Political News Stories

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Politicians and their staff members are usually experts at manipulating media coverage in order to advance their careers and their campaigns. That includes accusing reporters of media bias when unfavorable stories are published in print, on the air or online.

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https://www.visualcapitalist.com/how-to-spot-fake-news/

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13. Healthy Habits while using Social Media

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13. Healthy Habits while using Social Media

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Published on October 14, 2020

Post, like, share, comment - social media platforms never run out of new posts for you to interact with. But how does constantly scrolling through a never-ending feed of posts impact your health?

The link between health and social media is complex. On one hand, social media helps us maintain important social connections with far-away friends and family members. But at the same time, some social media content may increase feelings of anxiety and depression.

More research is needed to understand the complex relationship between social media and our health, but there are many ways we can take action today to protect our well-being by practicing healthy social media habits.

7 Healthy Habits for Social Media

Be intentional when you use social media. Instead of going on auto-pilot as you scroll through your feed, practice being mindful of what you're seeing, thinking and feeling.

Focus on your real-life friends. Social media can be a great way to keep up with what your long-distance friends and family are up to. However, social media likes and comments don't always provide the same interpersonal connection as a conversation over the phone, video chat or even text messages. Focus on those real-time conversations, and use social media as a secondary tool to nurture your real-life relationships.

Limit the time you spend scrolling each day. It's easy for time to get away from us when we're distracted on social media - but a small study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology shows that people who limit their time spent on social media to under 30 minutes each day report happier moods and feelings.

Follow people and pages that bring you joy. Are there any upsetting posts that pop up as you scroll through your feed? Unfollow, block or mute content that bothers you, and instead choose to follow things and people that make you happy.

Avoid using social media before bed. The blue light from our phones and other devices can negatively impact how well we sleep, but getting good night's rest is important for regulating your mood. Be sure to log off of social media and shut down your screens about an hour before bedtime.

When you're out and about, live in the moment. When you're doing something fun, don't worry about having the perfect picture to share on social media. Instead, take full advantage of the moment by putting away your phone and being fully present.

Take a break! If you notice that using social media has made you feel anxious or depressed, it's a good idea to take a break for a few days. Unplugging helps you recharge your batteries and helps you refocus on what's most important in your life.

If you're experiencing the symptoms of anxiety or depression, you're not alone - reach out to a trusted resource, like your health care provider, for help.

About the Author

Sannyu McDonald Harris, MS, NCC, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor with the Employee Assistance Counseling Program at Cone Health. She specializes in connecting with individuals about everyday life experiences that influence their mental health, communication and interpersonal connections

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Published on October 14, 2020 Post, like, share, comment - social media platforms never run out of new posts for you to interact with. But how does constantly scrolling through a never-ending feed of posts impact your health? The link between health and social media is complex.

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12. How Students can Fight Against Cyberbullying

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12. How Students can Fight Against Cyberbullying

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Guidance for parents and young people on cyberbullying, including advice for ending (or preventing) the cycle of aggression. For a more comprehensive look, see A Parents' Guide to Cyberbullying .
For kids and teens

Know that it's not your fault. What people call "bullying" is sometimes an argument between two people. But if someone is repeatedly cruel to you, that's bullying and you mustn't blame yourself. No one deserves to be treated cruelly.

Don't respond or retaliate. Sometimes a reaction is exactly what aggressors are looking for because they think it gives them power over you, and you don't want to empower a bully. As for retaliating, getting back at a bully turns you into one - and can turn one mean act into a chain reaction. If you can, remove yourself from the situation. If you can't, sometimes humor disarms or distracts a person from bullying.

Save the evidence. The only good news about bullying online or on phones is that it can usually be captured, saved, and shown to someone who can help. You can save that evidence in case things escalate.

Tell the person to stop. This is completely up to you - don't do it if you don't feel totally comfortable doing it, because you need to make your position completely clear that you will not stand for this treatment any more. You may need to practice beforehand with someone you trust, like a parent or good friend.

Reach out for help - especially if the behavior's really getting to you. You deserve backup. See if there's someone who can listen, help you process what's going on and work through it - a friend, relative or maybe an adult you trust.

Use available tech tools. Most social media apps and services allow you to block the person. Whether the harassment's in an app, texting, comments or tagged photos, do yourself a favor and block the person. You can also report the problem to the service. That probably won't end it, but you don't need the harassment in your face, and you'll be less tempted to respond. If you're getting threats of physical harm, you should call your local police (with a parent or guardian's help) and consider reporting it to school authorities.

Protect your accounts. Don't share your passwords with anyone - even your closest friends, who may not be close forever - and password-protect your phone so no one can use it to impersonate you. You'll find advice at passwords.connectsafely.org .
If someone you know is being bullied, take action. Just standing by can empower an aggressor and does nothing to help. The best thing you can do is try to stop the bullying by taking a stand against it. If you can't stop it, support the person being bullied. If the person's a friend, you can listen and see how to help. Consider together whether you should report the bullying. If you're not already friends, even a kind word can help reduce the pain. At the very least, help by not passing along a mean message and not giving positive attention to the person doing the bullying.

Additional advice for parents

Know that you're lucky if your child asks for help. Most young people don't tell their parents about bullying online or offline. So if your child's losing sleep or doesn't want to go to school or seems agitated when on his or her computer or phone, ask why as calmly and open-heartedly as possible. Feel free to ask if it has anything to do with mean behavior or social issues. But even if it does, don't assume it's bullying. You won't know until you get the full story, starting with your child's perspective.

Work with your child. There are two reasons why you'll want to keep your child involved. Bullying and cyberbullying usually involve a loss of dignity or control over a social situation, and involving your child in finding solutions helps him or her regain that. The second reason is about context. Because the bullying is almost always related to school life and our kids understand the situation and context better than parents ever can, their perspective is key to getting to the bottom of the situation and working out a solution. You may need to have private conversations with others, but let your child know if you do, and report back. This is about your child's life, so your child needs to be part of the solution.

Respond thoughtfully, not fast. What parents don't always know is that they can make things worse for their kids if they act rashly. A lot of cyberbullying involves somebody getting marginalized (put down and excluded), which the bully thinks increases his or her power or status. If you respond publicly or if your child's peers find out about even a discreet meeting with school authorities, the marginalization can get worse, which is why any response needs to be well thought out.

More than one perspective needed. Your child's account of what happened is likely completely sincere, but remember that one person's truth isn't necessarily everybody's. You'll need to get other perspectives and be open-minded about what they are. Sometimes kids let themselves get pulled into chain reactions, and often what we see online is only one side of or part of the story.
What victims say helps most is to be heard - really listened to - either by a friend or an adult who cares. That's why, if your kids come to you for help, it's so important to respond thoughtfully and involve them. Just by being heard respectfully, a child is often well on the way to healing.
The ultimate goal is restored self-respect and greater resilience in your child. This, not getting someone punished, is the best focus for resolving the problem and helping your child heal. What your child needs most is to regain a sense of dignity. Sometimes that means standing up to the bully, sometimes not. Together, you and your child can figure out how to get there.

One positive outcome we don't often think about (or hear in the news) is resilience. We know the human race will never completely eradicate meanness or cruelty, and we also know that bullying is not, as heard in past generations, "normal" or a rite of passage. We need to keep working to eradicate it. But when it does happen and we overcome it - our resilience grows. It's not something that can be "downloaded" or taught. We grow it through exposure to challenges and figuring out how to deal with them. So sometimes it's important to give them space to do that and let them know we have their back.

If you'd like to print these tips out, here's a PDF version. Please contact [email protected] for permission to reprint or post.
© 2020 ConnectSafely.org
For more info:

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Tips to Help Stop Cyberbullying - ConnectSafely

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Guidance for parents and young people on cyberbullying, including advice for ending (or preventing) the cycle of aggression.