5 Principles for Using Social Media Correctly

Almost everyone uses social media. Or rather, they are being used by it. Passive use is akin to reckless abuse. Companies improve recommendation algorithms to addict users, and users who forget this fact end up getting hooked on social media, releasing dopamine.

A few years ago, I was also addicted to social media. I would scroll through feeds or be lethargic almost every hour without any purpose. While scrolling, I watched a documentary called “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix. I was so shocked that I deleted over 53 online accounts, including my Naver and Facebook accounts, overnight. (If you think this is extreme, it’s a misunderstanding. I had been deleting unused accounts for months before watching it.)

However, six months ago, I decided to use social media again. This time, I created accounts with a clear purpose. Facebook for networking (developers, business, information security). Instagram for one-way sharing of development records. Velog for sharing development knowledge. Disquiet for maker sharing. Twitter for use only in English. After setting each platform to fit its purpose, I started interacting.

In this post, I want to share five principles for using social media well, based on my experience.

1. Use with a Clear Purpose

Usage without purpose leads to abuse. Take shopping as an example. You might have experienced your cart being full when you buy items at a store on a whim. Not knowing what to buy, you might think, “Do I need this?” when you see an item and purchase it without much thought. Such impulse buying often occurs when there is no clear purpose for visiting the store.

The same goes for social media use. Mass media like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are designed to capture users’ attention. Browsing feeds and consuming short-form content without any purpose can lead to addiction. Consider why you need to use social media.

I resumed using social media for career advancement and building external credibility. In other words, if it didn’t align with my career advancement goals, I could self-censor my media usage. However, purpose alone is not enough to use social media correctly, so I added four more principles.

2. Set Usage Limits

Social media has numerous features. Among them, content commonly referred to as short-form has appeared on various media following TikTok’s success. However, short-form content induces strong addiction and is a useless channel with no informational value. Therefore, it’s necessary to set usage limits to mitigate addictive elements.

For example, on Instagram, you can limit yourself to using only the feed feature and not the others. By setting limits in advance, you can enhance your control over the platform. When setting usage limits, it’s convenient to divide them into platform features and information fields for interaction. Platform features might include “feed, groups, friends (followers),” and interaction fields might be labeled as “business, design, development.”

Additionally, not using addictive features at all can be helpful. You can block features that operate on recommendation algorithms with ad blockers or consciously act to block them every moment you use them. Such actions require a high level of self-censorship and consume significant mental resources, making it nearly impossible to perfectly check usage limits at all times.

Below is a table of how I limited my social media usage. If it’s not a media with a specific purpose like LinkedIn, I think organizing it once might be helpful.

Facebook: Feed (posting), Groups | Business, Development, Information Security

Instagram: Feed, Followers | Development

YouTube: Only subscriber videos | Self-development, Development, Academics (Math, English, Engineering…)

KakaoTalk: Chat, Open Chat | Marketing domain analysis (Open Chat), Work

Slack: Chat | Work, Development

Discord: Chat | Socializing

LinkedIn: Networking, Feed | Business, Marketing

3. Focus on Production, Not Consumption

Even narrowing the usage scope as mentioned earlier lacks compulsion. Platform companies design features to be used somehow, so even if you try not to use them, you can’t avoid it. In the case of YouTube, even when you search, videos based on recommendation algorithms pop up, and when you play a video, recommended videos are provided in the sidebar. In other words, even if you just want to watch videos, you can’t just watch videos.

Having criteria for filtering information can help alleviate addiction. It’s about viewing all information as production resources. When information is used as production resources, the act of acquiring information becomes the foundation for creation. Writer Kim Young-ha says, “A writer is a collector of writings,” explaining that collecting good writings becomes material for writing later. Appropriately utilizing social media content can help understand world trends and aid in creation based on them.

Moreover, producers view consumption as production as well. For example, YouTube users can be broadly categorized into two groups: those who watch information (viewers) and those who produce it (YouTubers). Both groups use YouTube, but their stance on accepting information differs. Most viewers simply convert information into entertainment or accept it unilaterally without a clear purpose. Processing information displayed in videos critically consumes significant mental resources, so they don’t feel the need to accept it critically. On the other hand, YouTubers can convert even the consumption of information into a means of production by analyzing competitor channel videos for the growth of their channel.

This is possible because our brains have a confirmation bias. This bias makes us think more about the positive aspects of a choice once a decision is made and ignore evidence against the choice. Watching YouTube with a production-centered perspective becomes evidence that you are a productive person. However, if this bias is misused, it can lead to the illusion that you are productive just by watching YouTube, so be sure to leave a record after watching videos.

4. Set and Achieve Goals Repeatedly

Previously, I established directionality with purpose presentation and excluded addictive elements by limiting usage scope. At the same time, I observed all information from a producer’s perspective, leading to a productive direction even if addicted to media. Now it’s time to set goals and take action.

Even if you use it centered on information production, without goals, it becomes vague. You can set goals like “Write an article once a week” or “Increase LinkedIn connections to 100 people.” Having such clear goals allows you to focus on achieving them without being swept away by algorithms when visiting social media. Or try adding compulsion, like LinkedIn challenges or study groups, to strive to achieve your goals.

5. Limit Devices and Locations for Use

The last principle must be adhered to. When I use Facebook, I always work from home on a desktop, using a very complex random password to prevent logging in on other devices. If you don’t follow this principle, you’ll find yourself turning on your smartphone and launching apps at any time.

This is because social media is inundated with numerous notifications. An uninterrupted life is an important factor that enhances immersion in work and brings happiness to everyday life. The human brain is not suited for multitasking. Once interrupted, the flow of the task is broken, and efficiency drops when resuming the task.

I projected the five principles above onto my Facebook usage.

Platform: Facebook

Purpose of Use: Information sharing in business, technology, and information security fields

Usage Scope: Posting, comments on my posts, my profile, Facebook groups | Business, Development

Goal: 500 Facebook friends

Devices and Locations for Use: Desktop and home

How do you use social media? Let me know in the comments. Criticism and feedback on the article are also welcome.

backup from https://disquiet.io/@hhj/makerlog/소셜미디어를-올바르게-사용하는-5가지-원칙