Social media is something of a necessary evil, at least if you (like me) make a good part of your living on the internet. We all know about it, even if we don’t all use it; while some sites are state-sponsored crap (TikTok), and some are privately owned (Twitter/X), all of them have one thing in common: A horrible noise-to-signal ratio. That can be changed, of course; there is a lot we as individuals can do to make our own little corners of social media a little more sane.

 It should come as a surprise to no one that I have some ideas to help social media users make that noise-to-signal ratio a little better. Here, then, are some do’s and don’ts to make your social media experience – and everyone else’s – social media experience a little more pleasant.

Do:

Don’t:

Social media is the reality now. It’s here whether we like it or not, so if one is going to indulge, one may as well try to post commentary in a manner that will prompt people to take you seriously. The tips here will help.