Staying Safe on Social Media
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Safety on Social Media and Other Platforms
Social media can be a great place to connect with friends, family, celebrities, and organizations and stay informed about what is going on. However, some content on social media, like GIFs and videos, can be potentially harmful to people with reflex epilepsies and photosensitivities, including people living with photosensitive epilepsy, sunflower syndrome, and migraines.
For about 3% of people with epilepsy, exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities or visual patterns can trigger seizures. Some GIFs and videos with strobe effects on social media platforms have been known to cause seizures in people living with photosensitivity.
How to Disable Video Autoplay
It is possible on most social media and some website browsers to turn off or disable the video autoplay feature. Taking this step on the tools you use can help limit your risk of exposure to potentially seizure and headache-inducing content.
- How to Disable Autoplay on Facebook
- How to Disable Autoplay on Twitter (scroll down to the section labeled “Watching videos on Twitter” for the steps to turn off autoplay)
- How to Disable Autoplay Previews on Netflix (Scroll down to the section labeled "Autoplay Previews while Browsing on All Devices" for the steps to turn off autoplay)
- How to Allow or Block Media Autoplay in Firefox
- Google Chrome:
- Open a Chrome window and enter “chrome://flags/#autoplay-policy”
- Next to “Autoplay policy,” change “Default” to “Document user activation is required”
- Relaunch browser
- Find tips for other platforms in this March 29, 2019, article published in The Verge.
How to Turn off Autoplay on Instagram
- (On your smartphone) go to your profile.
- Tap the hamburger icon on the top right and tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Account,” then “Cellular Data Use.”
- Now toggle the “Use Less Data” to switch it on.
Resources
Epilepsy Centers
Epilepsy centers provide you with a team of specialists to help you diagnose your epilepsy and explore treatment options.
Epilepsy Medication
Find in-depth information on anti-seizure medications so you know what to ask your doctor.
Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline
Call our Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline and talk with an epilepsy information specialist or submit a question online.
Tools & Resources
Get information, tips, and more to help you manage your epilepsy.
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