They have been lying to you about social media (opens in new tab)

On one hand, yes. I made twitter work for me by blocking politics and every other topic I hate, and then actively remembering to block people that discuss upsetting topics rather than indulging my initial impulse which is to wade in, and it works. Now and then I just have to delete a post I'm about to make when I realize I got baited again.

On the other hand, these systems are literally built and engineered by experts to addict and upset you (to drive "engagement"). So, to me, this article is equivalent to saying that gambling at a rigged casino is not so bad if you have a set budget of play money and are being careful not to get sucked in. The bottom line is that everyone who isn't you is getting screwed, and either you are successfully principled and vigilant enough to resist in which case your enjoyment is at the expense of everyone else getting screwed, or you let your guard down for a moment and have your mood ruined. In addition, also like a casino, these services are built to be addictive, and they hoover up your personal data to sell.

So, knowing all that, I disagree with the premise.

Just because Chuck Norris can walk naked through a war zone and can come out alive doesn't mean doing so is safe.

It is not about the tool. It is what it does to you to use it. All the hand wringing about Things Going Down the Toilet always seem to turn a blind eye to social media algorithmic influence aligning temporally with the beginning of the swirl.