The world currently has 7.7 billion people and an approximate 3.5 billion people are on the internet. Do you think most people use social media and the internet wisely?
According to Our World In Data, Facebook is the most used social media platform with 2.4 billion users. With these huge numbers of individuals circulating around the internet, what could possibly go wrong, right? Well, there had been a law that tackles cyber-bullying because of the surging cases of bullied people online and its because not everyone knows how to use social media responsibly.
Wrong usage of social media varies from different serious consequences especially for teens. If you don’t know how to use social media responsibly, here are 20 tips to stay safe especially now that you might be on of those people bored in the house because of lock-down and quarantine.
- Don’t click bizarre links
There had been a lot of cases that people’s accounts get hacked after clicking link sent by strangers or hacked friends. Once the hacker gets an access to your account, they might taint your reputation.
- Always secure your accounts
Check the security of your account. Add a cellphone number, an email or even a recovery email so when stuff on number one happens, you would still have a chance to retrieve your account.
- Think before you click
This has been a famous catchphrase that circulated when the news about surging cyberbullying cases has been reported. Always think carefully about your words and actions first before doing applying it on the internet.
- Privacy
Often times, users tend to overshare too much information on social media and this is not safe or okay at all. Don’t always upload about your whereabouts especially your address because you’ll never know if someone is stalking you or worse, planning to commit a heinous crime.
- Focus on fewer apps
You don’t always have to be on every social media platform. You could use Facebook and Instagram and that’s already okay than having multiple accounts on different platforms because you’ll find it harder to check on your security.
- Accountability
Always remember that you’re accountable for everything you do. Whether it’s nice or bad, you are the person responsible for it.
- Have your parents guide you
If you’re a minor, you should let your parents help you manage your account or at least let them tell you which details you are only allowed to share online.
- Anonymity
Staying anonymous on any social media platform just to throw shade and hate on someone will never be safe. If a person wants to know about you, they can hire an expert to reveal your identity.
- Know the pros of social media
Be knowledgeable on what are the benefits and advantages of social media for you. This could help you develop your character as a person if you know how to use it.
- The cons of social media
Pros and cons would always be there. If there is a pro, there’ll also be a con so you better know what negative effects the internet could give you so you wouldn’t be a social media illiterate as this is where all problems might begin.
- Be informative
Rather than posting nonsense contents on the internet, try to be a source of good information such as the benefit of a certain fruit. This way, you will educate others while being educated too and lessens the risk of being irresponsible online.
- Contents
Your contents should be harmless and helpful. Do not post rumors online as this may cause panic. Social media shouldn’t be used for gossiping.
- Stay relevant
Don’t be an irrelevant individual on the internet. This also goes for your content, never post something that doesn’t have relevance because other users might call it trash.
- Emotions
Make sure that before entering the social media world, you are not easily offended or short tempered. Don’t be involved in dramas and fights on the internet if you’re an aggressive person. Your opponent might humiliate you for behaving like that.
- Time
Do not waste all your leisure time surfing online. Do something productive like working out or discovering new recipes for cooking. Read a book or write a poem, you can even sing or play the instrument and dance. Your time shouldn’t only be revolving around social media.
- Think thoroughly
Your decisions should always be wise. Don’t rely on your friends’ action online especially if you are doubting whether what they’re doing is right or wrong. Always be the better person.
- The internet storage
The internet never forgets. For example, you deleted something you posted online because you were called out for being inappropriate. But what if someone had already kept a screenshot of your post and reposted it after you deleted it? This goes to every content you post online. Always remember that there are a lot of eyes in the internet.
- Manage posts about you
You can look up your name online and report anything posted about you to remove it. You can also see your posts and delete some you don’t like.
- Nothing is private online
Yes, even if you’ve set your privacy settings as private so only your friends, followers and subscribers can see it, you can’t still rely on that. Someone from your followers could get hacked or something like that happens. Always think of the worst-case scenario
- Think
To summarize the whole context, the key to be able to use social media responsibly is to constantly think thoroughly of your actions before actually doing it. Always think of the possible consequences you might face just from a simple click.
As each day passes by, someone could get harmed for simply not knowing how to use social media responsibly. Be sure to have knowledge on this and always be cautious. You could do something that will forever taint someone’s reputation or the same can happen to you. Always ask yourself, “what if my employers, teachers and especially my parents see this?” would they be delighted? Don’t do anything that you don’t want to be done unto you.
