Time: < 30 Minutes
STEP 1: As you read through your feed, if you see something that a friend has posted that you know is likely to offend a large group of your followers (i.e. curse words, sexual innuendos, politically charged comments, toxic rhetoric, overly negative or dark comments, overt accusations or slander, etc.), communicate to your friend how their comments might be misconstrued by others and help them to understand the potential consequences of their words. Not everyone knows the etiquette of social media. Some people’s approach may differ from your understanding of what is “normal” or “appropriate”.
STEP 2: If at all possible, call the person, rather than text or message them in order to share your concerns regarding their online presence and the effect it may have on others. Don’t share your concerns in a comment for the entire world to see—that will not have a good outcome, nor will the recipient be open to accept anything you say. If calling this person isn’t possible, then send them a text, email or message directly. Be sure to reread the message before you hit “send” to make sure your comment is coming from a place of concern, rather than judgment or accusation.
STEP 3: If they don’t respond immediately or at all, trust that you’ve done your part to protect that person from negative pushback, but ultimately accept that you cannot protect everyone from the opinions of others. If they respond negatively, recognize that they may not be ready to hear you—accept this and allow yourself to move on with your life. If they respond positively, know that you may have saved them a lot of negativity and heartache.
