Hoping for a happy Christmas? Then get off Facebook
'Lurking' friends' posts of their 'perfect' festive celebrations has a negative effect on your wellbeing, say researchers
Looking at other people's festive social media posts over Christmas will make you miserable, a new report says.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found scrolling through posts of "perfect" holiday snaps makes users feel envious and decreases their levels of satisfaction and emotional well-being.
"Regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life," warns the Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking study.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The worst impact comes from "lurking" - passively staring at posts for hours on end without actually engaging with anyone, the BBC reports.
Researchers also recommend taking a break from social media altogether - study participants who ditched Facebook for seven days showed a statistically significant improvement in wellbeing within that period, against those who continued using the platform as usual, the Huffington Post reports.
Even using other websites for 20 minutes helped, the study found.
However, if giving up Facebook is too much to contemplate, the university suggests interacting with people and engaging in conversations online as a way to lessen the effects.
Otherwise users risk making "unrealistic social comparisons" between themselves and their friends, leading to a "deterioration of mood", the BBC says.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Bluesky: the social media platform causing a mass X-odus
The Explainer Social media platform is enjoying a new influx but can it usurp big rivals?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
Speed Read Australia proposes social media ban before age 16
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Social media ban: will Australia's new age-based rules actually work?
Talking Point PM Anthony Albanese's world-first proposal would bar children under 16 even if they have parental consent, but experts warn that plan would be ineffective and potentially exacerbate dangers
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
States sue TikTok over children's mental health
Speed Read The lawsuit was filed by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The 'loyalty testers' who can check a partner's fidelity
Under The Radar The history of 'honey-trapping goes back a long way'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Elon Musk's X blinks in standoff with Brazil
Speed Read Brazil may allow X to resume operations in the country, as Musk's company agrees to comply with court demand
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Threads turns one: where does the Twitter rival stand?
In the Spotlight Although Threads is reporting 175 million active monthly users, it has failed to eclipse X as a meaningful cultural force
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
The growing dystopian AI influencer economy
In the Spotlight AI-generated digital personas are giving human influencers a run for their money
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published