Block, mute, remember you’re not alone - practical tips and advice on how to survive social media

Social media is increasingly an essential part of the job for journalists. But what can women do when it turns ugly? 

Women in Journalism (WIJ) Scotland tried to find some answers to that question by bringing experts together for a workshop to give practical tips and advice.

The scale of the problem was revealed in a survey of 100 women journalists carried out by WIJ Scotland in December last year.

Around six in ten said they believed abuse towards journalists had increased in 2020 - and more than a third had encountered it during their jobs.

Catriona MacPhee, co-chair of WIJ Scotland, told the workshop participants: “One of the most worrying trends we found among responses was people using phrases like the abuse I get is ‘just the normal’, it is just the ‘regular trolls’, or it is just par for the course.

“We were pretty horrified by that as I think it shows many women just accept it is part of the job, when it absolutely shouldn’t be.

"There were some examples of women actually leaving journalism and comms because of the abuse they had been receiving.”

Speaker Carolyne Mitchell, a digital comms expert who formerly worked with South Lanarkshire Council, gave an example of the type of issue which can provoke a deluge of criticism when managing an organisation’s social media accounts.

“The amount of abuse you get for not gritting the roads is unbelievable,” she said.

She gave advice on using profanity filters on Facebook, which allows a spreadsheet to be uploaded with words to block from your account.

“It doesn’t have to be profanity - it could be around about a topic you are writing about,” she added.

“So for covid you could have phrases like ‘conspiracy theory’ to add to the spreadsheet. 

“You can take it down any time. It is using all the tools you possibly can to make your page as clean as it possibly can be.”

Caroline recommended the technique of blocking other followers could be used for personal accounts - but advised against it for organisational accounts as it means being left ‘out of the conversation’.

Journalist Jennifer Jones said she uses Twitter only for work and finds it helpful to mute words related to any emotional topics which she knows will impact on her feelings - whether positive or negative.

She added: “It doesn’t mean I don’t care,  it just means I am not opening Twitter first thing in the morning and being emotionally charged by it. 

“If I wake up in the morning and look at Twitter first thing and it shows me stuff that I have maybe been emotional about, that sets me up for the day. So I just mute it.”

Jennifer emphasised the importance of not spending too much time on social media.

She added: “You have got things to do. Don’t fall into that trap that being on Twitter all the time thinking it is a job - because it is not. Use it as a tool.”

Other speakers talked about bow to build resilience, with mental health specialist and podcaster Charley Gavigan warning of the potential impact of social media’s 24/7 nature.

She said: “Words on the screen don’t stay on the screen - for a lot of the women I work with, they actually take up a lot of their heads and their minds. 

“It is also their view of themselves. So what happens is they internalise a lot of it and they have a real fear. 

“If we accept fear ultimately is trauma, then that is what they are living with. You are at your work - and you are being traumatised. You are having your tea - you are being traumatised by what’s being said about you.”

When it comes to the blurring of personal and home life, she said it was important for people to give themselves permission to create safe boundaries.

Rachel Weiss, a mental health consultant from The Rowan Consultancy, pointed out each individual’s experience of social media was different and that “comparison is the thief of joy”.

She said: “If someone posts something on social media and you really take it to heart and your best friend goes 'that is nothing’ - it might be nothing to her, but it hurts you and vice versa.

“There is no definition of what will hurt or stress different people and that is okay.

“We are not defined by what happens to us, it is how we respond. 

“That is the only bit we can control as well. It helps to remember that. It might feel like everybody thinks you’re awful, but they are not.”

For building long-term resilience, Rachel suggested writing down what has gone well at the end of each day - even simple positives, like the sun shining or having a nice meal.

“This has been proven by studies to reprogramme your brain to be more optimistic,” she said.

“It doesn’t have to be big stuff but it has to be genuine - and eventually after a month or so, you will start noticing it. It is a much nicer way to go to sleep.

“It’s natural we worry - but you can reprogramme your brain.”

For information on social media support networks for women working in journalism or PR/comms, get in touch with us at wijscotland@gmail.com