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Use Social Media Wisely

Take notes and answer questions here.

Review

In “Be Safe and Wise Online,” you learned about internet safety. What have you done to become safer online?

Learn

Technology is a great blessing and can be used to share light and truth. President M. Russell Ballard taught, “Make sure that the choices you make in the use of new media are choices that expand your mind, increase your opportunities, and feed your soul” (“Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet,” Ensign, July 2008, 60).

As you make choices about using technology, remember that you can miss the beautiful life outside of your phone if you spend too much time messaging, gaming, or viewing social media. These activities can be very addicting. They can pull your focus away from the things that are real and important.

Only share things online that help you connect with and uplift those around you. Sometimes people share things that are boastful, shocking, or sexual to get attention. Seeking attention or “likes” from an online audience can actually weaken your self-confidence and your understanding of who you are. Read the story about Karla below, and think about how you can avoid the negative effects of social media in your own life.

Karla liked posting pictures of her friends and things she liked to do on social media. She felt happy when people “liked” and commented on her pictures.

Karla saw that a girl at her school sometimes posted pictures that were a little inappropriate. The girl received many likes and comments on her post, and Karla wished her own posts were also that popular.

Karla began posting more pictures. Some of her pictures were a little boastful, and others were even a little inappropriate. Each time she posted, Karla tried to get more and more likes and comments. When her posts were popular, she felt happy and good about herself. When her posts were not as popular, she felt sad. Soon, Karla was spending most of her free time online posting pictures and reading comments.

illustrated girl looking at phone

Karla’s parents began to worry about her. She was always on her phone, and she spent less and less time focused on her friends, family members, and schoolwork. Her self-confidence was directly connected to the popularity of her posts. When her parents saw the pictures she had posted, they were sad. They asked her if she felt the pictures she posted really represented who she was and who she wanted to be.

Karla thought about how she would feel if her future family and employers saw her posts. She was embarrassed. She decided to take down any posts that did not represent her as a daughter of God and a follower of Jesus Christ. She limited her posting and began to focus more on the things that truly mattered in her life.

Activity

Read each statement below. If the statement is true about you and your social media habits, write an X in the space provided. If you find that several of these statements describe you and your habits, you may wish to focus on real-life connections and limit the time you spend on your phone.

• I spend most of my free time on social media or playing games online.

• If I do not receive several messages or “likes,” I am sad.

• Whenever I am bored or if I am not working on something, I am on my phone.

• I am on my phone too much and do not have enough time to study or work.

• I text more than I talk with my friends and family.

• I am not careful when I post things. Sometimes I have posted things that are inappropriate or mean.

• What is one way you can be more responsible with social media and how you use your phone?

Talk with Your Family

Talk with your family about how you use social media. Discuss how you could use it more wisely.