Becoming a Social Media Doctor

I remember when you actually talked to your friends on Twitter and Instagram was a page to share funny memes. Now, Twitter is X, is an argumentative beacon of free speech, and every teen on Instagram seems to have a professional publicist on staff. In my time, new social media platforms came in the form of Vine. A company that couldn’t monetize its massive following and failed. In the end I’d rather a good thing die than to see itself become the villain. Vine was all about the laughs. Now, we have Tik-Tok which has been accused of being a Chinese propaganda and psychological warfare program. It’s a little harder to enjoy these things with such heavy consequences at stake I may say.

Nevertheless, social media is here to stay. Due to this, it is past time we see some additional regulation for short form content. I would rather these companies simply give users the option to opt out. Virtually every platform has short form videos even if you don’t want to see it. I go on facebook to see local events in my area and I am inundated with short form suggestions. On Instagram, I am scrolling through wedding pictures and concerts attended and I am forced to consider short form content and usually takes the place of highly sexualized or suggestive material.

It’s no wonder these platforms lead to addiction. I just ask for a setting that can reduce short form content for platforms that were originally intended to be social in other ways.

As I do not see that happening, I have compiled some ways a good citizen can fight Social Media while still playing its game.

1. Purge friends and following list. You will not miss out and aren’t shown their content anyway.

2. Every single video that does not serve your goals or make you happy. Click “show less” or “not interested”. It takes time but eventually the algorithm will serve you intentional content and not slop.

3. Seek out news pages, local businesses, and other accounts that connect you to your local community. Follow that local theater. Engage with these accounts.

4. Remove entertainment accounts as you are alone when enjoying this. Seek out entertainment that you can share with others; such as movies, concerts, and sporting events. Sharing a funny reel is nothing compared to seeing a comedy show live. And no, you don’t have room for both.

5. Avoid the For You page at all costs.

Be your own Social Media Doctor. Social media is a huge part of our culture and our lives. That is terrifying, but we can still help make it a little better.