Let's talk about it podcast: Tips on how to stay safe when using social media 
Let's talk about it podcast: Tips on how to stay safe when using social media
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Welcome to “Let's talk about it” podcast — brought to you by Laaha.
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Laaha is an open, online platform where women and girls can get information about their health, wellbeing, and safety
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Please remember
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All content provided on the platform is based on scientific knowledge for educational purposes only.
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It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
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My name is Mariam,
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and today we delve into the fascinating world of social media.
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Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat
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have transformed how we share pictures, videos, and messages
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with friends and the wider community.
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Facebook is where you can share updates, photos, and connect with friends and family.
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Instagram allows you to share photos and videos with your followers.
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TikTok is all about sharing short, entertaining videos, often set to music.
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Twitter lets you post brief messages and updates called tweets.
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Snapchat is an app for sending photos and videos that disappear after a short time.
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These platforms can be fun and incredibly useful,
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but they also come with safety risks.
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Your posts can be seen, commented on, and shared by many
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so it's crucial to be mindful of what you share.
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Today, we’ll explore some essential tips to help you stay safe while using social media.
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Keep your information safe.
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Always check the privacy and security settings on your accounts.
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Be cautious when giving others your email,
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phone number, or social media account names.
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Make sure to keep your passwords safe.
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Do not share them or other personal information with people you do not trust. Make sure to keep your passwords safe.
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Do not share them or other personal information with people you do not trust.
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Make your accounts or posts private.
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Making your accounts private means
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that only people you approve to be your contacts/friends
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can see what you post on your social media accounts.
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This helps limit the number of people
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and ensures that you have control over who can see and comment on your account.
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You also have the option to make individual posts private.
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Control comments on your social media.
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You can turn comments on or off for your entire account
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or for individual posts.
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Additionally,
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use comment filters to block comments with hateful or harsh words,
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and set up custom filters to block comments containing specific words you choose.
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Block and report.
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Be sure to always block comments or messages from people who are asking you
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for personal information
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or are sharing inappropriate, hateful content with you.
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Always report an account or person
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who is sharing inappropriate or harmful content with others or directly with you.
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Reports are anonymous and can result in the person’s account
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and access to the platform being disabled.
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You can get more guidance on how to do this in our specific modules
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for each social media platform.
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Think about what you share.
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Always think about what you share,
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especially photos and videos,
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even if your account is private.
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Think carefully about whether it is something you really want
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others to be able to see.
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Even though you can delete posts after the fact,
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people will have already seen what you share
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and it can be hard to delete something entirely off the internet.
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Also remember to consider the potential effect of what you post or comment on other people,
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and whether it could hurt or embarrass someone else.
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Take breaks.
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Social media can be addicting
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and it can impact how we feel –
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sometimes making us feel tired, anxious, disappointed or even angry.
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Be mindful of how you feel when using social media
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and if you notice that it is impacting you negatively,
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take a break from it.
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Try to also monitor the amount of time you spend on it,
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maybe setting a timer for a certain amount of time
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and then not using it for the rest of the day.
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Or only using it for small amounts during the day.
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Remember using social media is all about making smart and safe choices.
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You have the choice to use it or not.
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It is your choice whether you make your account public or private
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and whether you allow comments or not.
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You also have the choice to manage how much time you spend on it.
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You always have the option to delete any of your accounts.
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Make social media choices that keep you safe,
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healthy and feeling good.
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If you have more questions or would like to talk to someone –
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please feel free to go to Laaha.org
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and find the contact details of a service provider near you
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by clicking on the Find Services button or to search for more articles,
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use the search function or the chatbot.
Click on the play button below to listen to the podcast.
