Social Media: How To Use It Safely

You are likely aware of what social media is. It’s the sharing of ideas, information, news, etc virtually. You can download social media apps on your smartphone device or log in directly using your laptop, tablet, or desktop. According to Investopedia, more than 62% of the world’s population is active on social media and connecting with people around the globe.

What Is Social Media?

Social media is a mixture of apps and websites created for sharing ideas, content, news, etc. There are a handful of apps specifically designed to connect people without geographical boundaries. 

Here are a few examples of social media platforms:

Facebook For Connecting

The most used social media app in the world, with 3.07 billion active users as of February 2025.

Instagram For Images

With popular features like reels and photo sharing Instagram is the go-to platform for e-commerce brands

WhatsApp For Keeping In Touch

2 billion users use WhatsApp to send messages and stay in touch with their friends and family.

YouTube For Video Content

If you like to consume video-based content, then YouTube is for you. With videos on every topic in the universe, YouTube is perfect for consuming information-based or entertaining content.

LinkedIn For Growing Your Professional Network

The platform of choice for skillful professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow their network. From job postings to hirings, everything happens on LinkedIn.

But mingling with so many people raises the concern of security. Here is how you can still use social media without worrying about your security.

Is Your Password Strong Enough to Protect Your Socials?

Every app requires you to sign in with your email or phone number. These steps ensure your profile security in case of a forgotten password or issues while logging in from a different device. 

Here are a few reasons why you should set strong passwords and ensure your security:

All Logins and No Backup Make Your Social Account Vulnerable!

When signing up for a social media account, make sure to provide an active email address or phone number. In the unfortunate case that you forget your password or want to make a few changes to your account, essential information will be pinged there.

 Incorrect information can result in an inability to access your social media account. 

Why are AI-powered Chatbots Dangerous For Social Media?

Social media platforms are integrating AI to make their platforms efficient for users. From integrating chatbots to AI-based assistance they are going all in. Although a useful technology, AI isn’t without a few drawbacks, and chatbots are a major issue.

Here is why:

The Impossible Task of Mass Commenting

Individuals use AI chatbots to comment on a hundred posts within a few minutes, a humanly impossible task. The strategy is to mass comment, get noticed, and start a conversation that often leads to scams. Mass commenting is a major issue for social media platforms like LinkedIn.

Spreading Incorrect Information Like Forest Fire

Chatbots are not human. They are trained on data sets to provide information when prompted. This can result in “AI Hallucination” giving incorrect or harmful information. Always verify the information received from a chatbot before following through.

Inaccurate News Summary

According to research from BBC AI chatbots are unable to summarize news accurately. It found that 51% of all AI answers to questions about the news were judged to have significant issues of some form. Social media users post incorrect news as facts and spread misinformation.

Incorrect information and AI-powered chatbots go hand-in-hand!

Users waste hours scrolling social feeds and consume inaccurate news. This phenomenon is called doom scrolling. Let’s try to understand it:

Doom Scrolling Your Way To Distress

The excessive habit of scrolling through distressing social media content for hours even if it causes anxiety or stress. This phenomenon is called doom scrolling or doom surfing. 

The term became popular after COVID-19 when people would spend hours reading about the pandemic. Here is why doom scrolling still exists:

Finding It Impossible To Stop Scrolling

Social media is designed in a way that platforms display relevant content that immediately grabs your attention. If you have clicked on content related to art your feed will be filled with art-related posts or videos, making it difficult to stop scrolling.

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)

Brands, creators, and businesses are consistently trying to craft viral content. Creating a major fear of FOMO for social media users and compelling them to stay in the loop by scrolling for hours.

Seeking Validation For What You Are Doing

Social media users often spend hours scrolling the internet, seeking validation for their actions or decisions, ultimately leading to wasted time.

For example:

If an individual is planning to quit their job without prior notice they will seek out people who support this and waste countless hours on social media.

Conclusion:

Social media is a blessing and a curse. It helps us stay connected without geographical boundaries but on the other hand, it has normalized incorrect news and dangerous phenomenons like doom scrolling. To ensure safe use of social media, always create unique passwords, provide an active backup email address and steer clear from AI chatbot summarized content.

FAQs 

• Social Media: how to use it safely?

To ensure safe use of social media, always create unique passwords, provide an active backup email address and steer clear from AI chatbot summarized content.

• What is social media?

Social media is a mixture of apps and websites created for sharing ideas, content news, etc without any geographical boundaries.

• How important are strong passwords for your social media profiles?

Strong and unique passwords make it hard for hackers to access your social media profile and steal personal or financial information. 

• What is doom scrolling?

Surfing social media apps for hours and finding it impossible to stop. Users scroll through negative news and find it hard to stop.

• Should I believe in news summarized or presented by AI?

According to research from the BBC, 51% of all AI-summarized news was judged to have significant issues of some form. Always verify AI-generated news for your safety.

• How many users are active on social media apps globally?

According to the Datareportal April global overview 5.07 billion users will be active on social media in 2025.

• Should I add strangers to my social media profiles?

Always verify the person who sends you a friend request on social media. Failing to do so can result in online harassment or stalking.