Stress Awareness Month, celebrated every April since 1992, serves as a reminder of the importance of having tools to manage stress and maintain good mental and physical health. For this reason, experts warn about the risks of social networks as one of the biggest triggers of stress since they are used by 72% of Latin Americans as a source of information, according to the study “The infodemic and its impact in digital life.”
Social media sometimes not only makes users feel like they are missing out, but it is also used to spread information, including fake news, overwhelming users’ minds and making it easier for malicious people and scammers. Additionally, the report revealed that information overload has caused stress (51%), pessimism (41%), anxiety (28%), depression (33%) and discomfort (26%) among Latin Americans.
“In the digital age, information flows rapidly through the network, often without users stopping to evaluate its veracity, origin and coherence. This constant flow can lead to impulsive reactions, which can have negative repercussions on our privacy, identity, and even our physical and emotional health,” comments Isabel Manjarrez, Online Security Researcher.
Understanding how social networks affect users’ well-being is crucial to managing stress and, therefore, it is important to learn to have a healthier relationship with them. To minimize the negative impact of these digital spaces on users’ well-being,
Experts share five tips:
-Set up your account and improve privacy.
Properly configuring online account privacy settings is a crucial step toward protecting personal information and maintaining digital security. By customizing who can see a profile and posts, users significantly reduce the risk of unwanted interactions with strangers who may have bad intentions. This proactive measure mitigates potential threats such as harassment, identity theft, doxing, and phishing scams. Following the instructions of the Privacy Checker online service will help you manage privacy settings on all types of social networks.
-Control your digital environment.
By limiting connections to people users know personally, they reduce the chances of connecting with scammers and receiving harmful or malicious content, as well as encountering inappropriate content, such as violent scenes that can lead to discomfort. Controlling your account environment, carefully accepting friend requests, is essential for digital well-being, in addition to enjoying a more positive and secure online experience.
-Likewise, using social media tools to group friends allows for more personalized sharing. By categorizing friends, users can upload more personal content with a close group, thus reaping the benefits of social sharing with less risk.
-Any link is a possible network flag.
Every link found on the Internet should be approached with caution, even if it arrives via a private message from a friend: there is always a chance that your account has been compromised. Behind seemingly harmless links on social media are often hidden phishing schemes disguised to imitate legitimate websites, which are designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, financial details and other personal data.
-The similarity of these phishing sites to official pages can easily lead to confusion, significantly increasing the risk of loss of personal data. This digital threat underscores the importance of vigilance and adoption of safe online practices, such as verifying the authenticity of websites before entering any information and using a comprehensive security solution.
-Use a password that is difficult to crack.
A weak password simplifies the work of cybercriminals, making it easier for them to gain unauthorized access to social media accounts. Once compromised, these profiles can be exploited in multiple ways, such as tricking people on your contact list or engaging in blackmail and extortion. A strong, complex password acts as a critical line of defense against these threats, helping to protect personal information and digital identity, preventing the stress and complications associated with account compromise. Additionally, employing a reliable password manager not only improves your online security, but also relieves the stress of remembering multiple complex passwords, increasing protection against cyber threats.
-Report suspicious activities.
Online platforms are our allies in the search for digital security and peace of mind for their users. When you report destructive content or cyberbullying, you are not only protecting yourself, but also contributing to the well-being of the community at large. These reports allow social media companies to take appropriate action and foster a safer online space for everyone, whether by removing harmful content, banning malicious accounts, or implementing new security features.
