On Monday in assembly we listened to constable Briana Dent from the Police address the school regarding online safety. Tanya Grant, our Police Youth Aid officer, was also in school.

This visit was part of  our ongoing commitment to bullying prevention. Briana told the students about a specific case where a student  from another school and district had been involved with Police regarding online behaviour. It shared a message that there can be serious consequences and harm caused for actions online.  The following are some tips from the mental health foundation and Netsafe. Our students  and staff came out in force on Friday in pink for pink shirt day and are commended for  continuing to get behind this positive cause. 

Cath Bloxham Guidance Counsellor

Mental Health Foundation tips for wellbeing
There’s a lot happening in the world right now, and through social media you have it all at your fingertips. While it can help you feel informed and connected, constant scrolling, distressing news events, divisive opinions, disinformation and carefully curated influencer highlights can take a toll on your wellbeing.  

When your social feed feels heavy or overwhelming, it’s important to remember you have more control than you might think. 

What you see online isn’t random - it’s shaped by algorithms that learn from what you engage with. Even pausing to watch or read, without actively ‘liking’ a piece of content, tells the algorithm it’s caught your attention. 

The good news? You can take small steps to help you see more content that brings you joy and less of the stuff that upsets you.  

We’ve teamed up with Netsafe to bring you some top tips to help protect your wellbeing online.

1. Use platform tools to take action
If certain accounts or topics leave you feeling overwhelmed or distressed, take action by using the platform options usually found on the ‘…’ in the top right corner of a post. Here you will find options to ‘see less’, unfollow, block, mute, snooze or say you’re ‘not interested’ in the content. This signals to the platform that you don’t want to see similar content in future. 

2. Adjust your content and safety settings
Head to the settings menu to change your content preferences, turn on filters that limit sensitive or graphic material and even reset your feed content if things are getting a bit heavy. Many social media apps have content filters, safety features, and search controls automatically activated for teen accounts. 

3. Curate your algorithm intentionally 
Engage more with content that makes you feel good when you’re scrolling. Follow accounts that inspire you, make you feel calm or bring you joy. Like, save or share content that makes you feel good – the more you interact with positive content, the more you’ll see of it.  On Instagram, you can even view ‘your algorithm’ and adjust it in the content preferences option. 

 4. Set boundaries with others
If friends in group chats regularly share upsetting content, let them know you’d prefer not to receive it, or simply leave the chat. Don’t be tempted to share yourself, even just to express outrage or disgust, as this in turn can upset others. Mute other accounts that share this content on their own social feed, so you don’t have to see it unwillingly. Just because it’s gone viral or is in the news, doesn’t mean it’s necessary for you to view it – do what’s best for your wellbeing.

5. Pause notifications, set screen-time limits
Constant alerts can increase anxiety. Go to your phone settings to turn off non-essential notifications or schedule screen-free times during the day. Take a break from scrolling if you need to; head outside and get some fresh air, connect with a friend in person, or do an activity you enjoy.

6. Report harmful or abusive content
If you come across content that is harmful, abusive, misleading or violates platform rules, use the in-app platform reporting tools. Reporting helps platforms identify and remove content that may harm others. You don’t have to engage with it; reporting is a simple way to take action and protect your own space.

If you or someone you know is experiencing online harm causing serious emotional distress, you can also report it to Netsafe, for free, confidential support. If you'd like to delve deeper into how to change what you see on social media, check out this page on Netsafe's website. 

Taking a more mindful approach to your social media use can really make a difference to your wellbeing – we hope these tips help you to have a digital experience that feels safer, calmer, and more in your control. 

Mauri ora,
The Mental Health Foundation team