Stress Awareness Month: how to fight stress across social media
15 April 2024
Stress Awareness Month, observed every April since 1992, is a critical reminder of managing stress to maintain users’ mental and physical health. Social media has emerged as a significant source of stress, contributing to the proliferation of anxiety and stress-related issues among users.
Social media can flood us with too much information and make us feel like we’re missing out. It also exposes us to scammers who can use personal information for profit. Understanding how social media affects users’ well-being is crucial for managing stress. Learning how to have a healthier relationship with these digital spaces is essential.
To minimize the negative impact of social networks on digital well-being, Kaspersky experts suggest five simple tips:
Privacy can be enhanced in account settings
Appropriately configuring the privacy settings of online accounts is a crucial step toward safeguarding personal information and maintaining digital security. Customizing who can view a profile and posts can significantly reduce the risk of unwanted interactions with strangers with bad intentions. This proactive measure mitigates potential threats such as stalking, identity theft, doxing, and phishing scams. Following the instructions of the online service Privacy Checker will help users manage privacy settings in the most popular social networks.
Selective connections and strategic sharing are crucial for providing online safety and digital well-being.
Limiting connections to people users know personally reduces the chances of encountering scammers and receiving harmful or malicious content. Encountering inappropriate content, such as scenes of violence or cruelty, can lead to discomfort; by controlling the digital environment through thoughtful acceptance of friend requests, customers contribute to a more positive and secure online experience. In addition, using social networking tools to group friends allows for more personalized sharing. By categorizing friends, users can share more personal content with a close group, thereby gaining the benefits of social sharing with less risk.
Vigilance is everything: any link is a potential red flag.
Every link encountered on the internet should be approached with caution, even if it arrives via a personal message from a friend since there’s always a possibility that their account has been compromised behind seemingly harmless links on social media, phishing schemes often lurk, disguised to mimic legitimate websites. These deceptive sites are designed to trick users into disclosing sensitive information, such as passwords, financial details, and other personal data. The similarity of phishing sites to their genuine counterparts can easily lead to confusion, significantly increasing the risk of personal data loss. This digital menace underscores the importance of vigilance and the adoption of secure online practices, such as verifying the authenticity of websites before inputting any information and using a comprehensive security solution.
A weak password is a godsend for a scammer
A weak password significantly simplifies the task for individuals with malicious intentions, making it easier for them to gain unauthorized access to social media accounts. Once compromised, these accounts can be exploited in numerous harmful ways, such as deceiving people in your contact list or engaging in blackmail and extortion. A strong, complex password acts as a critical first line of defense against such threats. Furthermore, employing a reliable password manager not only enhances online security but also relieves the stress of remembering multiple complex passwords.
Reporting suspicious activity and cyberbullying to social media platforms is an essential part of maintaining a safe and positive online environment
Online platforms are our allies in the quest for digital safety and tranquility, with a vested interest in the security and satisfaction of their users. When you report destructive content or cyberbullying, you’re not only protecting yourself, but also contributing to the wider community’s well-being. Such reports enable social media companies to take appropriate action — be it removing harmful content, banning malicious accounts, or implementing new safety features — thereby fostering a safer online space for everyone.
“In the social media space, combining technology with making informed choices is the best way to safeguard our mental well-being. Kaspersky solutions that enhance users’ privacy and security, along with a conscious approach to digital engagement, can transform our online experience from a source of stress to one of positive interaction,” comments Anna Larkina, Web content analysis expert at Kaspersky.
