MANILA, Philippines – Admit it. Seeing negative stuff on social media can be exhausting.

Gone are the days when we only see food videos, cutesy animal clips, and encouraging posts on social media. These have been replaced by self-serving posts, hate messages, and trolls on the comments section. Today’s typical newsfeed is full of rants from friends sharing how they are messing up their lives, and posts sharing almost every single detail of their day.

These are just some of the reasons why social media nowadays make it hard for us to breathe. One may argue that we can always log off to avoid this but the truth is, it’s not that easy.  Social media has become part of our lives – a virtual extension of ourselves. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, we grab our smartphones and scroll down to our newsfeed.

We cannot just let the negativity creep into our lives. It’s time to get rid of it and keep a positive and clean newsfeed!

Here are a few ways to detoxify your social media accounts:

1. Unfollow ‘toxic’ people

Things will be easier if you see less of what annoys you online. 

Is it hard for you to see hate posts and messages? Hit that unfollow button. Free yourself of the person, page, or group that upsets you or doesn’t contribute to your personal growth. They don’t deserve space on your news feed. You don’t necessarily need to remove them from your friends’ list but unfollowing them can make a huge difference.

Sometimes you’ll be surprised that you’ve become part of an open group without your consent. If that happens, leave the group immediately so you will not be flooded with that group’s notifications of activities. 

It’s not being rude. You’re just doing yourself a favor.

2.  Scan your friends’ list and accept only people you know

You have hundreds or even thousands of friends on Facebook. Do you really know each one of them personally? Or at least interact with them once in a while? If not, then it’s time for you to go over your friends’ list and remove unnecessary and inactive accounts. 

For pending friend requests, accept only people you know. Spot fake accounts as they can be trolls hiding their identities to get access to your account. (READ: Social media fakery: Tips for spotting questionable accounts)

3. Take a second look at your privacy settings

Always make sure that you share posts with only “approved” friends. Setting your posts on “public” mode will make it easier for others outside your online circle to leave comments and enter your space. 

Aside from posts, home address, current location, and other personal information should only be visible to friends you know.

4. Keep an eye on the trolls

Trolls are the major source of negativity on social media. As much as you want to take a stand on an issue and explain it to them, they will never listen. They will make conversations toxic and resort to personal attacks when their beliefs differ from yours. 

If you want to keep your sanity, don’t engage them, especially the ones you’ll encounter on the comments section of news organizations. (READ: The 6 trolls you meet online)

5. Beware of fake news

Filter the content you read online. Stories shared from fake news websites can be toxic. It will mislead you from what’s really happening. (READ: 10 tips on how to spot fake news from Facebook)

6. The positivity starts with you

You cannot dictate what other people share on their accounts but you can set the mood of your own timeline. Be the change. Start sharing posts that motivate and make you feel good. Don’t be affected by the negative things you see online. Post inspiring statuses and encourage others to do the same.

Have you tried any of these tips? Or do you have other ways to share on detoxing social media accounts? Write it on X! – Rappler.com

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