6.9 MILLION PEOPLE IN BRITAIN SAY SOCIAL MEDIA MAKES THEM FEEL DEPRESSED
- New report on social media etiquette and norms shows one in five social media users feel depressed by ‘game of life’ on social media
- More than half of users say they feel pressured to constantly upload interesting pictures and content and share what’s going on in their lives on their social media feeds
- One in ten young people have been disciplined or sacked for posting inappropriate content on social media
A new survey on social media habits by Privilege Home Insurance has revealed that 6.9 million UK adults (the equivalent to one in five social media users) feel depressed when they see their friends’ lives on social media. From seeing their friends out enjoying themselves when they are in and have nothing better to do, to seeing someone they feel is doing better than them in the ‘game of life’.
More than half (56 per cent) of users say they also feel pressured to use social media, from posting interesting pictures and content to liking their friends profiles and posts and regularly sharing updates about their lives.
The report revealed that one in ten (10 per cent) say they are embarrassed if a post doesn’t get any likes, favourites, retweets or comments and one in ten (eight per cent) have even gone as far as taking a post back down if it hasn’t received any interactions; a statistic that doubles amongst 18-34 year olds.
As for posting photos on social media, a fifth (18 per cent) say they only post a photo of them and friends if they look good in it and a small number, seven per cent, said they have never put a photo up of themselves without retouching it or adding a filter to it first.
The research also looked into ‘social media etiquette’ finding that, of those surveyed, over a third (36 per cent) feel obligated to like a friend’s profile picture, photos, comments, posts or tweets.
Wishing a friend a ‘public’ Happy Birthday is another unwritten rule online, with a quarter (25 per cent) saying they feel they have to do so even if they have already seen or spoken to them. A similar number (22 per cent) said they feel they have to accept a friend request if it’s a work colleague and one in ten (nine per cent) said they feel they have to follow new followers back on Twitter.
Social Media – Modern Day Etiquette
Source: Privilege Home Insurance
• Never turn down a friend request from a colleague
• Always like a friend’s Facebook profile picture or photos
• Follow new followers back on Twitter
• Like or favourite a friend’s comments, posts or tweets
• Always RSVP to a Facebook invite – even if the person who sent it already knows you are coming
• Don’t post drunk
• Say Happy Birthday to your friends on social media as well as in real life
As for the anonymity that the digital age offers us, the majority of social media users (56 per cent) have stalked old friends, work colleagues and exes.
It has also been revealed that a quarter of young social media users (24 per cent) have accidentally liked or ‘favourited’ a photo they shouldn’t have been looking at.
Of these ‘online stalkers’, a quarter (25 per cent) said they do so to look at someone that they’re attracted to, whilst 17 per cent use it to see what work colleagues get up to outside of the office and 13 per cent do so to gossip about what they find. A small number – seven per cent – say that stalking someone and seeing they are not doing as well as them makes them feel better about their own lives.
Analysing young social media users’ habits, it has been revealed that a quarter (23 per cent) have got into an argument on social media and eight per cent have been disciplined, or, worse still, sacked from work for using inappropriate posts on social media. Nearly one in five (17 per cent) have left comments when drunk that they have later regretted.
The report also examined how often people use social media, with the equivalent of 3.4 million Britons using it at least twice an hour.
Dan Simson head of Privilege Home Insurance, said: “Social media is bringing the notion of modern friendships into question and - instead of spending quality time together – people increasingly seem to be basing how they see their popularity on superficial interactions and measures such as ‘likes’.
“In an increasingly instant world where everything is shared, people must remember to stay vigilant in order to keep themselves, their homes and their possessions safe.
“Not revealing when you are on holiday or where you live can prevent burglary, for example. Additionally, not posting embarrassing or personal content on social media can keep people safe from cyberbullying.
“Everything posted to social feeds is visible on Google, so people must be savvy about what they’re putting out there – the minute you hit the post button, you no longer hold the rights to your own content.”
Top Tips
Source: Privilege Home Insurance
• Decide what your social media feeds are for – if you are going to add or follow your colleagues or clients, keep the content politically correct
• Make sure your profile is appropriate for the online channel – for example, your LinkedIn photo should be one of you in a work environment and your tone should be professional
• Remember that people can see when you’ve looked at their profile on LinkedIn
• Not understanding your Facebook privacy settings can make you vulnerable to cyber stalking
• Do not make offensive, private or embarrassing content visible on Facebook – it will show up on Google and may be seen by your employer
• Do not ‘vague book’ – posting vague, melancholy status updates to Facebook or Twitter to make your friends feel they need to ask what is wrong
• Do not moan of whinge about work or other people – people will see it
• Take the time to Google your name and find out what comes up – it’s your public image
• Do not drink and post
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Fran Langdon or Laura Nugent at Van Communications
fran.langdon@vancomms.com / laura.nugent@vancomms.com / 020 3179 0720
Notes to Editors
Research carried out by Opinium amongst 2,018 UK adults between the 1st and 4th of March 2016
68% of UK adults use social media at least once a week. 20% of these feel depressed by at least one of the options provided in the survey. The UK adult population is 50,909,000. Population x users x those depressed = 6,887,095 people.
Privilege
Privilege Insurance specialises in car insurance for safe drivers. It also offers home insurance and breakdown cover by phone or on-line.
Privilege general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Privilege and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.
Customers can find out more about Privilege’s products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 0515 or visiting www.privilege.co.uk