#ReclaimSocial | acet UK

Since the creation of Six Degrees (a site similar to Facebook) in 1997, social media has become something that many of us cannot imagine living without. Yet in less than 30 years, it has evolved into a platform that around 5 billion people use everyday across the globe, in order to connect with others and to share pictures, news and stories about life. In the past year alone, the number of users has increased by a quarter of a billion and people are estimated to be spending 15% of their waking hours on social media sites. In the UK, this accounts for around 67% of the adult population and 91% of young people aged 15-16. Even more remarkable to note is the fact that [1] almost a quarter of children aged three to four years have their own social media accounts. Facebook remains the most widely used social media site, followed by YouTube, Whatsapp and Instagram.

This hunger for connecting with others and sharing aspects of our lives is something that is unlikely to decrease as technology advances, seeing as there is currently a [2] 3% increase in users occurring each year. People can stay in touch with family members abroad, see photos of loved ones, learn new skills or information, and share their thoughts on current affairs with others. It’s understandable why social media is so popular as a means of expanding our social lives, browsing for products to purchase and tackling boredom. Sites like YouTube can provide access to a wealth of information that can allow people to grow, learn and share their knowledge.

But unfortunately, with the good comes the bad, and social media has many downfalls. It can have consequences for mental wellbeing due to issues such as online bullying and negativity, as well as the spread of misinformation and fake news or spam accounts operated by bots. Who reports that more than 1 in 10 adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences, and that this tended to be even higher in girls, possibly linked to unrealistic body image standards perpetuated by online advertising and influencers.

Too much time on social media has been linked to poor sleep and mental health issues such as anxiety. Perhaps this is because perception of reality can be distorted by believing everything that is seen on social media without questioning the authenticity of some aspects of it. Having a platform to publicly say and do whatever someone feels can lead to division, negative comments and hostility, as well as those with the most power being able to influence and dominate the algorithms, so that people get trapped in echo chambers, unable to hear other valid opinions and ideas. It was observed during the Covid pandemic that online hate speech sadly rose by over 20%, at a time when people needed kindness more than ever. All too often it can be easy to use social media to bully or be unkind, rather than the purpose for which it was created.

As a result of the recognition that social media can be so powerful in both positive and negative ways, Reclaim Social Day was set up in 2018 by the Tech-for-good platform Lightful, inviting charities, organisations and individuals to share at least one positive message a day. Charities and social enterprises are recognised as having some of the best, most engaging and powerful stories to share on social media so having a day of awareness dedicated to pouring out messages of positivity and kindness, is something that can help to counteract the negativity often found online. The hashtag #ReclaimSocial can also be used throughout the year to make social media a better place. The awareness day on February 6th each year seeks to encourage people to share examples of uplifting content, such as heartwarming and inspiring stories or quotes, personal achievements, raising awareness of charities or social movements, sharing thank you messages or compliments and threads that encourage others to share what they are grateful for.

The day is centred around spreading positive messages about others rather than negative ones. It is a very simple concept and one that people can easily be involved with if they have any kind of social media account. Sharing messages that are uplifting and inspiring can help improve the mental health of those using social media sites and can foster a sense of community and belonging in online spaces through the use of respectful, encouraging and empathetic language. One of my favourite books to use in mental wellbeing lessons with primary pupils is Find Your Happy by Emily Coxhead. The same author and illustrator is also responsible for The Happy Newspaper, which shares stories online and in print to celebrate positive news of all that is good in the world, noting that everyday there are people helping others and doing incredible things that are often not recognised. It is possible to nominate an Everyday Hero to be featured on the Happy Newspaper website so that their story can be told. Today there are half a million people who follow the Happy Newspaper on Instagram alone, as it seeks to spread kindness across the internet.

How can you take part in #ReclaimSocial?

There are a huge number of ways that individuals can take part so here are a few further suggestions:

Repost/share positive messages and stories of kindness
Use inclusive language that invites all demographics to feel seen and valued
Promote diverse, positive voices by following new accounts with positive values
Make videos that benefit or help others
Leave thoughtful comments, suggestions and questions on others’ accounts
Nominate/celebrate others who have inspired you
Share your victories or beautiful experiences to inspire others with good news
Collaborate with friends, influencers and organisations to amplify positive content and messages.
If you support or work for a charity it can be a good day to raise awareness, organise campaigns, and raise funds. (We would love you to tell people about acet UK’s work too if you are able!)
Aim to follow accounts that inspire, educate, or entertain in a positive way
Help others improve their experience of social media by teaching them to protect themselves from negative aspects, through creating educational content, blog writing or direct help if they are struggling to use a specific social platform.
Use the hashtag #ReclaimSocial to spread the message

At acet UK we frequently aim to share positive posts and stories of the ways in which our lessons and resources benefit the young people we work with to make healthy choices around relationships and sex. Reclaim Social Day is the perfect opportunity to share the message that young people are valuable, unique and worthy of the best possible relationships in life. We would love it if our supporters would comment, like and share any of our social media posts, as collectively we can try to create a better world using the internet. The more we share positive messages of encouragement and kindness online, the more likely we are to see a ripple effect occur. Leading by example can send out a powerful message to the young people we work with so that they too can see the importance of being a positive influence in the world.

So, why not find an inspiring picture or quote this week, or take some photos of a kind act you see and then share this on your socials? We’d love to hear any inspiring stories as a result of this so do email us at info@acet-uk.com if you do!