How to get rid of your bad behaviour on social media

If you’re having trouble controlling your behaviour online, it may be time to rethink your social media presence.

According to research by social media experts at Oxford University, your behaviour can be a lot more damaging than you realise.

“If we can remove the effects of social media, then the real work will be in the real world,” Dr Matthew Wright, the Director of Oxford’s Centre for Applied Social Media, told News24.

“When people get together on Facebook, they’ll share stories and photos and messages, but the way they share those images and stories is really the same.”

The real difference is the content, and the way that they share their stories, which are more violent and abusive.

“You have to have a way of removing the emotional, the emotional impact.”

In other words, social media is a powerful tool that can be used to create real consequences, and we can’t just sit back and take them.

“We need to be able to intervene to stop people from doing the bad things they are doing,” Dr Wright said.

“For example, if people are posting abusive or threatening comments online, you have to be part of the solution.”

The research is the first to suggest the impact of online behaviour can have an immediate impact on our mental health, Dr Wright says.

“I think there is a lot of good that comes out of social engagement,” he said.

“I find that the positive aspects of social interaction are a lot less harmful than the negative aspects, but you still have to take some of the positives.”

To learn more about the research, or to apply for a free trial, visit www.oxford.ac.uk/psychology/social-media/social.html