August 10, 2022

20 Tips to Make Social Media a Positive Place from the Team at The Social Institute

A main takeaway from The Social Institute’s 2022 Insights Report, which surveyed more than 12,000 K-12 students, found that students wanted adults to understand that social media gives them a place to communicate and express themselves, and they would rather be taught how to use social media in a healthy manner, rather than be restricted from using the apps. So we asked our team how they make sure social media is a positive place, and here’s what they said.

Play To Your Core: Reflecting our values, character, and interests in our actions online

When we play to our core, we are being our true, authentic selves online. We do this by posting things that reflect our interests and values and don’t compare our posts to others. These are the top pieces of advice we received on how to Play To Your Core:

“Make choices that your future self would be proud of!”

“If you have a feeling that what you’re about to post might not go over well, listen to that feeling!”

“Remember that so much of what you see is just a highlight reel. Everyone has bad days, doubts, insecurities, and challenges they’re facing. You might not always see those things online, but it doesn’t mean they’re not there. So it’s important to not compare yourself to those you see online.”

“You don’t have to follow or participate in every trend you see on social media. If something makes you uncomfortable or you just don’t feel like participating– don’t. It’s not worth hurting your well-being.”

 

Protect Your Privacy Like You’re Famous: Staying in control of our personal information

Just because you can share everything online, doesn’t mean you should. Connecting with others online is great, but if you don’t know them personally, be sure to minimize the details you share. The likelihood of something bad happening with your information is slim, but regardless, protect your privacy like you’re famous with these tips:

“Watch the documentary, The Social Dilemma, before deciding what social media activity you want to engage in.”

“Don’t open links when you don’t know who they came from. Lots of times that is how your social media accounts get hacked.”

“Keep track of the details you share about yourself and who you share them with. Protecting your privacy is super important, and giving out even a little bit of personal information to the wrong people can be dangerous.”

 

Strike A Balance: Balancing our time and attention on tech with the people around us

Have you ever had a minute to yourself so you started scrolling on TikTok and before you knew it, an hour or more had passed? You’re not alone. Striking a balance reminds us to manage our time on tech and social media. Here are the top tips we received from our team on how to Strike A Balance: 

“Set boundaries with social media. There are so many positives to social media, but it can consume a lot of your time that you could otherwise be spending present with friends and family.”

“Set screen time limits and follow them. Leave your phone in another room when you are trying to be productive. Whatever you do, be present in the here and now when spending time with the people you love!”

“The validation you get from posting might make you feel good at the moment, but it’s fleeting. Prioritize your relationships with friends and family, do what you love, and use social media to show your most authentic self and you will be so much happier for it.”

 

Cyberback: Having each others’ backs and supporting each other online

We all know The Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated! Online, you never know what someone is going through. One positive comment or a little bit of encouragement can go a long way. Here are some ways you can Cyberback others on social media: 

“Always take one step further than you think you need to to be kind to others. You never know what someone else is going through.”

“Think through what you say online before you say it. Is it harmful? Is it relevant? Will it have a positive or negative effect? If you see something you don’t like you can always keep scrolling, block them, or unfollow them. There is never a need to leave something hurtful.”

“If you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, you probably shouldn’t say it to them online.”

 

Find Your Influencers: Surrounding ourselves with positive and credible influences

The more that social media grows, the more influencers you’ll find yourself seeing on a daily basis. Different people stand for different values, and everyone’s interests can vary. Follow these guidelines to find influencers online who match your values and interests, and let them empower you to make positive choices, online and offline. 

“There are a lot of things you can’t control — followers, likes, algorithms — but you do have control over how you post, how you react, what role models you follow, what TikTok dances you try, or not. It’s all about controlling the controllable.”

“When you’re scrolling, pay attention to who you’re following and how they’re making you feel. Make a conscious effort to follow people who make you feel good and mute/unfollow the people that don’t. It’s so easy to get swept up in feelings of self-doubt. Social media can be a really positive place, but you have to take the steps to make it that way!”

 

Use Your Mic For Good: Using social media as a microphone to create meaningful change

Whether your platform has 2 followers or 200,000, you have the power to make a meaningful change online by sharing things you’re interested in or causes you care about. Use Your Mic For Good and make a difference in your community and on social media with these tips: 

“Use your platform to speak on topics and issues you are passionate about.”

“There is an abundance of information on social media and it’s great. However, there is a fair amount of false information that circulates. Always double check the things you watch and read, and do not spread information that you do not know to be true.”

 

Handle The Pressure: Finding your own path no matter the pressure from others

There is so much that goes on in our daily lives that the pressure from social media can seem overwhelming. There is a lot of pressure to be like the people you see online, but you don’t have to! There is no requirement for how you should use social media or which platforms you should be on. Use what is most comfortable for you, and if social media isn’t your thing, that’s okay, too! Trends online can be fun, but not if they’re at the expense of your well-being and happiness. 

“There are so many people on social media that will support you, but there are still some people who use the safety of a screen to be hurtful. But, more often than not though, there is more good than bad, try to remember that.”

“Although a lot of people are on social media, it’s not everyone. If you are not comfortable with social media or certain platforms, don’t feel pressured to get on them.”

“There are a lot of great resources for insights on social media and technology. Sites like The Center for Humane Technology provide a lot of great information for when you are online.”

 

Putting positive social media use into action

Social media is constantly evolving, so the way we use it is always changing. #WinAtSocial is an online, gamified learning platform that empowers students to put these words of advice into action and navigate their social worlds, online and offline, in positive and high-character ways. Request a demo to make sure your students are equipped this school year with the modern life skills they need to fuel their health, happiness, and future success.


The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students, while capturing data that provides insights to school leaders to inform school policy and communications, and enable high-impact teaching and a healthy learning environment. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.