BY SADAF SALEHZADA
Safety guide on social media
Social media can be overwhelming when you first start, and you may not know where to begin. When creating any accounts, it is always best to keep your personal safety in mind. Here are some tips to follow
Do not have your full name on your accounts
Keep your account privacy settings on
Do not respond to any direct messages from people you do not know, or reveal any sensitive information about yourself in messages
Not engaging in negative content
The magic trick of hashtag
One of the easiest ways to find content on social media is by searching with hashtags. The hashtags: Neurodiverse, Neurodiversity, ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Dysparaxia all have thousands of posts across different platforms. If you become overwhelmed and do not know how to sift through these posts, you can start by simply following the hashtags. By doing this, relevant posts will popup on your feed and you can choose any accounts to follow.
Though many of these accounts post about their experiences with neurodiversity, keeping in mind that not everyone has the same views is important. This may mean that you come across people who have the exact same ideas as yourself, or those with completely different ideas. This is completely okay and does not mean you have to change how you feel.
Finding the right account
Some things to look for when following an account are:
If they use inclusive language
If they use a claim, they cite their sources somewhere in their post
Especially for larger accounts, they maintain space with their audience
They are kind and use appropriate terms
Though social media is a great space to find people to connect with, it is always important to remain cautious and vigilant in terms of your personal safety, as well as not believing everything that is posted.
After spending some time on social media you may also want to create your own account to speak about your experiences, this can be great with finding your own circle as well as just finding a new hobby!