Tech Talk: Social Media Without the Stress

By Mark McNease

Facebook, Instagram, and avoiding scams, fake friends, and outrage fatigue

Social media hasn’t felt all that sociable for a long time. What started as a way to share photos and stay in touch can sometimes feel like walking into a wall of noise, outrage, and fake videos, fake images, fake quotes, fake everything. But we can use Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms without completely sacrificing our peace of mind. It just takes a few small adjustments.

First, remember this: we’re in charge of our feeds. On Facebook, we can “unfollow” someone without unfriending them. This can be particularly useful with friends and family we don’t want to alienate by tossing them out the virtual door. By unfollowing them (and, frankly, being unfollowed), we can stay connected but stop seeing posts that raise our blood pressure, sometimes to the point of needing a visit to the nearest Urgent Care. Love you, but I don’t feel like agreeing to disagree right now. Maybe in a month. On Instagram, tapping “Not Interested” teaches the algorithm what we’d rather see. If we engage with travel photos, gardening tips, or grandkid snapshots, we’ll get more of that. Converserly, if we linger on outrage, we’ll get more outrage. The platforms respond to our behavior — so guide them.

Scams are another reality, and unfortunately adults over 50 are often targeted. If you don’t know someone personally, don’t accept their friend request. If someone you do know sends a second request, it’s probably a duplicate or hacked account. And if a stranger suddenly strikes up a romance or offers a “can’t miss” investment opportunity, especially involving cryptocurrency or gift cards, it’s almost certainly a scam. When in doubt, don’t click. Real friends don’t require secrecy or urgency. I personally never click on anything that doesn’t include at least a brief explanation why I’m receiving it, and I’ve had a strong dislike for Facebook Messenger, which is prone to being hacked. If I don’t have someone’s contact information I’ll use it as a last resort, and ask others to do the same. I have an email address!

Then there’s outrage fatigue, exacerbated by what’s called doomscrolling – scanning headlines and opinions, each more inflammatory that the last. The internet runs on strong reactions because anger keeps people scrolling. But constantly absorbing conflict is draining. It’s okay to limit your time online. It’s wise to skip the comment sections. And it’s perfectly healthy to take a day or two away from the news cycle if you notice your mood dipping. You can be informed without being overwhelmed.

Finally, take a few minutes this week to review your privacy settings. Make sure your posts are set to “Friends” instead of “Public.” Turn on two-factor authentication. Remove personal details you don’t need displayed. It’s not paranoia — it’s simple digital housekeeping.

Social media can still be a bridge. It helps us stay connected across miles, find community, and share the parts of life that matter. The key is intention. You don’t owe the algorithm your energy. You owe yourself your peace.

Things You Can Do This Week

Unfollow at least five accounts or people whose posts stress you out.
Adjust your Facebook privacy setting so future posts are visible to “Friends” only.
Turn on two-factor authentication for Facebook and Instagram.
Decline (or delete) any friend request from someone you don’t personally know.
Mute or unfollow one news-heavy account and replace it with something uplifting.
Set a daily social media limit — even 20 intentional minutes makes a difference.
Take one full “no scroll” day and notice how you feel.

Small changes add up. A calmer feed leads to a calmer mind — and that’s something worth protecting.