Digital Wellness 101: Taking Control of Your Life Online

• Research has found a direct link between social media use and mood disorders like anxiety and depression, but acknowledges that the relationship is complex and bi-directional
• Increasing amounts of Facebook use among first-year college students have been associated with higher levels of loneliness
• With 90% of college-aged students comparing themselves with peers within 15 minutes of waking up, social media sites set many people up for negative self perception before they even get out of bed.
• In a survey of 1,500 young adults on the impact of social media on issues such as anxiety, depression, self-identity and body image, YouTube was found to have the most positive impact, while Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter all demonstrated negative effects overall on young people’s mental health.

Social Media & Body Image

If you’ve ever walked away from time on social media feeling more flawed, less interesting, or less well-liked than your peers, you’re far from alone.

When looking at social media, it’s easy to forget that a lot of thought has gone into curating one’s identity, which can be a set up for negative self-comparison. While most of us have come to expect that pictures of famous people – celebrities, athletes, models – have been digitally touched-up, it’s easy to forget that friends and acquaintances have access to some of those same tools. This can leave us vulnerable to physical comparisons and primed to feel inadequate or unhappy.

7 in 10 college women and more than 5 in 10 college men who post photos on social media admit to touching them up first. Nearly half who edit pictures of themselves enhance their looks by removing blemishes or adding color to look less pale. Approximately 1 in 8 admit to editing because they aren’t happy with how they look in general, while about 6% edit to make themselves look thinner.

Those who more frequently edit photos of themselves before posting report greater degrees of body dissatisfaction, eating concerns, and dieting behaviors.

In 2016, a study of 50 “fitspiration” websites revealed messaging that was often indistinguishable from pro-anorexia or “thinspiration” sites. The strong language both types of sites used was shown to induce guilt about weight or the body, and promote dieting, restraint, and the stigmatization of all but a narrow range of body types.

And of course, comparisons aren’t limited to attractiveness. As the New York Times noted earlier this year, while we know that “everybody else can’t possibly be as successful, rich, attractive, relaxed, intellectual and joyous as they appear to be on Facebook,” our friends’ posts tell another story. It’s hard to resist the pull of accounts that seem so believable, but don’t let social media make you miserable.

When you are struggling with balancing exams, hobbies and a social life, it seems like everyone else is #Blessed, able to #LiveAuthentic and find more #Fitspiration than the rest of us…but the truth is, the data suggest that they’re probably struggling too. Read on to learn how you can learn to live more mindfully with social media.

How can you be more mindful with social media?

By using a few simple strategies, you may be able to reduce the negative emotions and compulsive behaviors associated with social media use, and find ways to enjoy it more fully:

Over the last few years, more college students – 1 in 3 – are using online dating sites and apps as a way to find friends, dating relationships or hookups. While many of the have positive experiences, safety and privacy are common concerns. 45% of people who look for a date online agree it’s a more dangerous way of meeting people than alternatives, so learn how to protect yourself with these tips for safe(r) online dating!

What’s at Risk?

• Your personal safety when meeting someone in person who you met online
• People masquerading as someone else, spam, and other types of fraud
• Photo or video blackmail, where fraudsters use images or video you have shared with them, or recordings of live chat sessions that may depict sexual behavior or other private material, to extort money
• Phishing emails claiming to be from an online dating site and encouraging you to divulge personal information
• Potential theft of your money if you do not use a secure link when making payments
• Stalking, harassment and coercive control

Learn to recognize technology-enabled coercive control

Abusers may use various technologies such as call and text records on your cell phone, GPS, social and dating sites and other digital ‘footprints’ to stalk, harass, spy or eavesdrop on, and control someone they are currently romantically and/or sexually involved with, an ex, or a romantic interest whose feelings don’t match their own. The goal of the abuser may be controlling a survivor, isolating them from friends and family, or damaging their credibility, work or social life, or deterring the victim’s other prospective partner(s).

If you or someone you know think you may be experiencing harassment or abuse using technology, learn how to document what is happening and contact UW’s Health & Wellness office, whose experienced staff can assist those who are worried about the possible abuse or harassment of themselves or someone they know.

Other tips you may find helpful while looking for a date or hookup online

• Limit the personal data you reveal
• Look for red flags in potential ‘matches’
• Check for mutual friends on social media
• Meet in a public place
• Talk before the date
• Tell someone about your plans and where you’ll be
• Be selective in choosing a user name so that you don’t inadvertently reveal personal details such as your address
• Reach out for support from friends, family or others you trust if you need it at any point in the process
• Trust your instincts

For more information on this topic, check out these resources on technology-facilitated abuse and a few ideas from The Daily about safe(r) online dating practices.

Real Talk about Doxing and Swatting

Since you were a kid, you’ve heard plenty of reasons why you think about your online privacy and be cautious about the information you put “out there”, but if you’re like most Americans, doxing and swatting haven’t been on your radar until the past few years, if at all.

The following section on doxing is from an infographic originally produced here at HTML.com.

What is doxing?

Michelle Obama, Donald Trump and even Beyoncé have all been victims of ‘doxing’. But what is doxing? Is it legal? And can it be dangerous?

Short for “dropping docs”, it was a revenge tactic among hackers in the 1990s that involved breaching someone’s personal data and publishing it on the web, attracting unsolicited harassment. Today, it refers to the practice of revealing identifying information about someone else — such as their full or real name, home address, phone number, social security number or other details — generally in order to take revenge, to “out” an anonymous poster, or to otherwise cause harm. Hackers can access your personal information in various places online:

• Social media
• Blogs
• Old websites
• Forums and web discussions
• Online games

A dox typically includes such items as a user’s name, social security numbers, phone numbers, personal photographs, address, credit card and banking information and/or social networking profiles.

Who’s been doxed?

Example 1: Top level members of the Church of Scientology

What happened? Hacktivists from Anonymous leaked internal memos and personal details of senior church members.

Example 2: Scooby’s Workshop, a YouTube workout guru with 350,000 followers.

What happened? Scooby’s home and work addresses were released, threatening his family’s safety. This forced him to remove public profiles.

Example 3: Michelle Obama – you know, the former First Lady

What happened? Exposed.su hackers published her SSN, past phone numbers and credit report.

Exposed.su have also doxed: Donald Trump, Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian, Mel Gibson, Ashton Kutcher, Sarah Palin, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Beyoncé, Attorney General Eric Holder, Hulk Hogan, former FBI Director Robert Mueller, Britney Spears, Joe Biden and Hilary Clinton.

Is it illegal?

Strictly speaking, no. But it’s extremely unethical. Doxing is rarely in the public interest. It’s typically done with malicious intent – to intimidate, interrogate, blackmail and control. It can expose people to:

• Harassment
• Identity theft
• Humiliation
• Loss of their jobs and careers
• Rejection from friends and family

Doxing is technically legal so long as the information is publicly available. However, it can still fall under state criminal laws if that information is used for:

• Stalking
• Harassment
• Financial gain
• Infiltrating private data
• Doxing a government employee, which falls under the federal conspiracy law and is seen as a federal offense

How to avoid getting doxed

The rest of getting doxed increases the more personally identifiable information you have on the internet. So what can you do?

• Protect your information when hosting a website. Invest in WHOIS protection – this prevents your private information from being published by concealing it through a domain registrar. Domain registrars offering free WHOIS privacy include DreamHost.com and Unregistry.com
• Protect your IP address. Use a trusted proxy or virtual private network (VPN) for your IP. HideMyAss is the most popular VPN, allowing anonymous internet use. Using free public Wi-Fi will hide your IP by masking it with that of their network.
• Creating multiple usernames and email addresses. Use separate usernames for video games and bills. Use strong passwords for emails and usernames – mix letters, digits and symbols. Use multi-factor authorization for critical services like Dropbox, PayPal, etc.
• Increase social network privacy settings. Be sure you know who all your social media friends are. Edit your profile so you’re only sharing with friends.

Revenge, malicious intent, protest and control – all motives for hackers to dox individuals on the web. So don’t give hackers a reason to dox you.

But what about swatting?

You might be less familiar with swatting, an emerging and dangerous form of harassment that bridges on- and offline worlds, defined by the National 911 program as “false reporting an emergency to public safety by a person for the intent of getting a “SWAT team” response to a location where no emergency exists”. A swatter will usually call 911 reporting that they are currently involved in or witnessing a serious crime such as a “home invasion, active shooter, or hostage situation, attempting to muster the largest response possible. Often, the law enforcement response is substantial, with police confronting the unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, only to learn that there is no real emergency.”

According to The Verge, “the FBI estimates have identified around 400 swatting attacks a year, based on calls from local law enforcement; interviews of accused swatters; and social media audits capturing perpetrators bragging about it,” but the actual figures may be much higher.

Read more about these two unique forms of online harassment, real life examples of doxing and swatting, and more ideas about how you can protect yourself.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

While you may never find yourself as a victim of doxing or swatting, it’s important to know what steps to take to make yourself less vulnerable to online attacks.