Social media continues to dominate debate, shape conversations and it both broadens and narrows, unites and divides. In this post you’ll find a large number of articles handily grouped together to help you navigate your way through the tricky new waters of life in a social media age.

I’ve noticed that people tend to use technology and social media interchangeably, most likely because the tool for both is their smartphone. In this set of articles I’ve tried to limit it more specifically to social media – the use and sharing of content, but there may be some overlap. In a second post I’ll share articles that relate to smartphones and technology more generally.

On the dangers of social media

• To fight fake news on WhatsApp, India is turning off the internet
• Social media apps are ‘deliberately’ addictive to users
• What do we actually know about the risks of screen time and digital media?
• Beyond Snapchat: A New Breed of Dangerous Apps and Websites – parents of teens on social media in particular may want to take note of these

On social media trends

• Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018
• Social-Media Idealism Collides with Human Nature
• Social media growth is over in the U.S. — which is its most valuable market

On the church & social media

• Jesus would like to connect with you on LinkedIn! Inside the Church of England’s digital conversion
• Go Tell It on the iPhone
• The Technological Discipleship Gap

On using social media

• Limiting social media use reduced loneliness and depression in new experiment
• Why Ben Sasse Quit Twitter for Half a Year—And What He Now Teaches His Family about Social Media (if you don’t know who Ben Sasse is – he’s a US Senator)
• Taming Technology
• 9 ways to make social media more Christian
• A 10-Point Social Media Strategy
• Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now

For other posts I’ve collected or written on social media go here