Address internal instability by cultivating practices like the Brahma Viharas (loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity) to become more stable and less vulnerable to external influences.
Wisely create distance between yourself and your devices, recognizing it’s a spectrum and that the right amount of distance for you is likely more than you initially think.
Foster deep connections with others primarily through in-person interactions, video calls, or phone calls, as these methods provide stronger protection and are more effective than online chat or texting.
Cultivate mindfulness by increasing the space between an impulse and a reaction, allowing for a more thoughtful and wise response, especially before engaging with online content.
Before posting on social media, write down your intention for the post; this practice can reveal underlying motivations (like seeking validation due to negative feelings) and may lead you to post less.
Before engaging with social media, ask yourself why you are going there and what you are seeking from the platform to foster intentional use.
If using a platform for a specific purpose (e.g., learning a skill), go directly to what you need, watch the video, and then immediately close the application to avoid getting sucked into recommendations.
When using a platform like Facebook to check on a specific friend, search for their profile directly and view their feed, rather than browsing the general timeline, to avoid unintended engagement.
Do not let the default feed be your primary social media experience, as it can replace your intended actions with an algorithm-driven sequence that manipulates your attention.
Before sharing content, diligently read or skim the actual story to ensure it seems credible and has reliable sources, as even well-meaning individuals can be manipulated.
When sharing infographics, always include the source so others can verify the information or engage in intelligent discussion about its credibility.
Minimize online chatting and texting, as these highly interruptive forms of communication fragment attention and hinder the cultivation of sustained mindfulness.
For children, especially at a young age, restrict their use of social media platforms due to the exceptional dangers they pose to development and well-being.
Use allsides.com to view news articles from left, center, and right perspectives, helping to understand different viewpoints and avoid echo chambers.
Actively seek to understand different viewpoints, even by reading comments on articles, to bridge political divides and foster empathy.
Watch “The Social Dilemma” with others and engage in conversations about its content to foster shared understanding and awareness of social media’s impact.
Sign up at humanetech.com to support the movement for humane technology and contribute to larger systemic changes in how technology is designed and used.