Social media can be awful. It is a time suck, it can make you feel insecure and there are huge moral issues with the way these companies act, share our data and generally act like digital Bond villains but there are positive sides.
For clarity, I need to say that FaceBook ain’t my bag. I’ve tried and failed. It feels really intrusive to me but I’m told being a late adopter works against me. That makes me think I’m right but if it feels right for you hurrah!
Twitter made me feel less alone when I was licking my wounds on returning to Liverpool. The Archers Omnibus tweet along on a Sunday morning was a place I could join a community that was funny and warm. Digital chums were made and a tribe found. Let’s not forget that Paul Trueman started the “Helen Archer Rescue Fund” and raised over £170,000 for Refuge based on the Twitter army.
Instagram is my happy place but the algorithm (Lord the algorithm. Put it in chronological order Instagram) has made it harder to love. That and the adverts. And the sponsored content. And #blessed. Despite all this I still love it. You get a snapshot into your friends lives with feeling like you are sitting in their living room for the live edition of Googlebox, you can be inspired new things and you can simply look at puppies all day if you wish. The key is boundaries. Curate your feed and do not follow anyone who doesn’t bring you joy. If Missy, your auntie’s dogwalker’s mate’s girlfriend gives you the rage, unfollow. Seriously, unfollow. Until Instagram gives us a mute button unfollow, unfollow, unfollow.
Now, for my secret of a happy Instagram. We all know that Instagram is not real life. We only post the good bits and even if we don’t spend hours framing shots and adding filters it is very much the edited highlights. My motto in most things is “screw it, that’ll do” but even I have moved a tea towel or seven out of a baking photo. Looking at other people’s engagement in New York photographs, #makingmemories family shots with no crying children and Uncle David being a git edited out or pictures of yoga poses on beaches without other holidaymakers can make you feel rubbish. When you need a boost head to Instagram. Do not look at your feed. Go to your profile and scroll through your posts. Look at what the highlights of your life are. The nights out, the nights in. The great views, the great people. The food, oh the food. Read what you have written because you’ll have been funny, open and grateful. You are documenting your life and you are celebrating it. This is a reminder.
No one needs social media. We can all live without it. If you want to use it make sure you do it in a way that works for you and enjoy it.