Social media exists for us to freely express ourselves and communicate with others. As it allows us to share snippets of our lives, it also allows us to take a glimpse on the lives of other people.
However, because it grants us too much freedom of speech and expression, it also becomes a platform for negativity, misinformation, and other mental health-damaging content.
But just like with any conflict, there is a solution; we can eliminate content that takes a toll on our mental health through the “hide” button, which is usually found in a post’s menu (or the three dots).
To give you an idea, here are five types of online content you should consider hiding, or “snoozing”, from your social media feed.
1. Negative posts
Life is full of ups and downs. It’s definitely normal to experience negativity but, we should strive to create an online space for ourselves where positivity thrives instead of the opposite. By any means, this is not to encourage apathy but respite. This is a call to cultivate an online space where our minds could breathe and find joy from the sorrows of life.
If a particular post causes us to be stressed or unhappy, let’s not hesitate to snooze or hide that post so it will not reappear on our feeds again.
2. “Fake news”
Fake information is taking too much space on social media. If we are careless, we might consume it and unintentionally allow it to affect our beliefs and perception of truth.
To spot fake information or “fake news”, visit the account’s profile first to know whether it’s credible or not, and check out other news outlets if they have published an article on the same subject.
If you’re convinced that a post on your feed is “fake news”, hide it immediately, click the “not interested in this post” button, or other related button that aims to eliminate it from your feed, to train the platform’s algorithm that you don’t want to see similar posts like it.
3. Too much personal drama
Let’s face it—there are people who treat social media as their virtual diary, to the point of exposing TMI or Too Much Information about their personal lives. While we certainly have a right to freedom of speech and expression, personal drama—when shared too much—can be a stressor to readers who are exposed to it because their emotional and mental health are put at risk.
By hiding this type of online content, you prevent yourself from meddling with the lives of these kinds of people. It empowers you to mind your own business and lead a quiet, stress-free life.
4. Hate speech
We become what we consume—and on social media, hate speeches are spreading like wildfire. Not only is it an abuse of our right to freedom of speech and expression but, it also invites us to express hate or feel the same way as the speaker.
By hiding any form of hate speech, we prevent ourselves from feeling and reacting the same hateful way. And the more we hide it, the more kind speech will appear on our feeds—which is honestly the better option.
5. Inappropriate posts
Any type of inappropriate posts could get so mental—harassment, graphic violence, self-harm promotion, sexual content, and illegal activities. It affects us in different ways and often, we are unaware about their impact on our mental health. Too much absorption of the harsh reality and cruelty of life is detrimental to our well-being.
If there’s a sudden appearance of this type of content on your social media feed, don’t hesitate to hide it immediately to prevent similar or related posts from appearing.
Let us put limitations to what we consume on social media and be intentional in creating a safe and thriving online community of peace and positivity, not invalidating life’s reality but prioritizing our own personal thought life.