How to Be Civil on Social Media
Consider who is on your friends list., Post neutral topics., Keep complaints off of your page., Give advice only when you are asked for it., Make your profile private.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider who is on your friends list.
When you share posts on your newsfeed, all of your friends can see it.
If you have family members, employers, or colleagues in your network, you may need to scale back what you post to avoid starting an argument with them.
On Facebook, you can decide who sees each individual post.
Before you post a status, click the "Friends" button next to "Post." Once you click it, a menu will appear.
Click “more options,” and select “Custom.” Select which friends you do and do not want to see the post.Remember that if your boss or colleagues see your posts, it could affect your working relationship.
Consider carefully how much of your personal views you want to share with them.
If you have children or younger family members on your friend’s list, you might want to avoid using explicit language or making sexual references. -
Step 2: Post neutral topics.
Some topics, such as religion or politics, may invite discussion and debate.
While this is not a problem in itself, if you are looking to keep arguments off of your Facebook page, you may want to avoid any controversial topics.
Stick instead to neutral items, like:
Family pictures Funny animal memes Non-political blog posts Memories and old stories Interesting videos , Try to avoid posting complaints on your social media pages, especially complaints directed towards specific people, businesses, or groups.
Someone who disagrees with your complaint may become defensive, and this can start an argument.If you have an issue with a particular person, keep it off of social media.
If your boss sees you complaining about work or your coworkers, they may be able to fire you.
Any complaints about a particular business should be posted to their wall.
Keep a civil tone, even if they have done something wrong. , Sometimes, people like to vent about their lives on social media, but this does not mean that they want advice.
It is best to avoid giving people unsolicited advice.
Only give suggestions if the other person specifically asks for your assistance.For example, if someone announces that they are sick, you should not say something like, “Oh, just try taking a multivitamin.
You’ll feel much better.” Instead, offer a sympathetic statement, such as “I’m sorry to hear that.
Let me know if there is anything I can do.” Try not to judge how you see other people portray their children, relationships, or personal life on Facebook.
If you are seriously worried about their behavior, try calling them instead. , By making your profile private, you limit your profile and feed only to certain people.
By doing this, you can freely post what is on your mind without risking an argument.
Remember that some of your close friends may still disagree with you.
On Facebook, click the downward arrow on the upper right hand corner, and select “Settings.” On the left toolbar, click “Privacy.” From here, you can change who can see your posts, your profile, and your pictures.
To protect your Tweets, go to your privacy and safety settings.
Check the box that states “Protect My Tweets.” Hit “Save.” On Google Plus, go to your profile, and click one of the lists of names on the left.
This will pull up a dialogue box that will allow you to edit your circles based on who you want seeing your posts. -
Step 3: Keep complaints off of your page.
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Step 4: Give advice only when you are asked for it.
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Step 5: Make your profile private.
Detailed Guide
When you share posts on your newsfeed, all of your friends can see it.
If you have family members, employers, or colleagues in your network, you may need to scale back what you post to avoid starting an argument with them.
On Facebook, you can decide who sees each individual post.
Before you post a status, click the "Friends" button next to "Post." Once you click it, a menu will appear.
Click “more options,” and select “Custom.” Select which friends you do and do not want to see the post.Remember that if your boss or colleagues see your posts, it could affect your working relationship.
Consider carefully how much of your personal views you want to share with them.
If you have children or younger family members on your friend’s list, you might want to avoid using explicit language or making sexual references.
Some topics, such as religion or politics, may invite discussion and debate.
While this is not a problem in itself, if you are looking to keep arguments off of your Facebook page, you may want to avoid any controversial topics.
Stick instead to neutral items, like:
Family pictures Funny animal memes Non-political blog posts Memories and old stories Interesting videos , Try to avoid posting complaints on your social media pages, especially complaints directed towards specific people, businesses, or groups.
Someone who disagrees with your complaint may become defensive, and this can start an argument.If you have an issue with a particular person, keep it off of social media.
If your boss sees you complaining about work or your coworkers, they may be able to fire you.
Any complaints about a particular business should be posted to their wall.
Keep a civil tone, even if they have done something wrong. , Sometimes, people like to vent about their lives on social media, but this does not mean that they want advice.
It is best to avoid giving people unsolicited advice.
Only give suggestions if the other person specifically asks for your assistance.For example, if someone announces that they are sick, you should not say something like, “Oh, just try taking a multivitamin.
You’ll feel much better.” Instead, offer a sympathetic statement, such as “I’m sorry to hear that.
Let me know if there is anything I can do.” Try not to judge how you see other people portray their children, relationships, or personal life on Facebook.
If you are seriously worried about their behavior, try calling them instead. , By making your profile private, you limit your profile and feed only to certain people.
By doing this, you can freely post what is on your mind without risking an argument.
Remember that some of your close friends may still disagree with you.
On Facebook, click the downward arrow on the upper right hand corner, and select “Settings.” On the left toolbar, click “Privacy.” From here, you can change who can see your posts, your profile, and your pictures.
To protect your Tweets, go to your privacy and safety settings.
Check the box that states “Protect My Tweets.” Hit “Save.” On Google Plus, go to your profile, and click one of the lists of names on the left.
This will pull up a dialogue box that will allow you to edit your circles based on who you want seeing your posts.
About the Author
Kathryn Gray
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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