Minimizing the Negativity of Social Media

Words have the power to hurt...particularly when those words are posted on social media, where they can be shared far and wide with any number of people.  A new study just released this week from the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health at the University of Pittsburgh found that “(e)ach 10 percent increase in a student's negative experiences on social media was associated with a 20 percent increase in the odds of depressive symptoms.”   

In a Fox News op-ed, singer-songwriter Kaylee Keller shared some important lessons for young people when it comes to social media: "First, follow the Golden Rule 2.0: Don’t post about others what you wouldn’t want to see posted about yourself. And Second: Don’t take to heart everything that is said about you."

Click here to check out the full University of Pittsburgh social media study.  Think about the ways young people in your life are using social media.  Are they constantly checking their phones?  Do they ever seem down about something you can't quite put your finger on?  Ask them about their social media experiences and remind them that there are certain things they alone can control about their social media usage -- for example, they can control what they put out there for others to see.