Social media has helped to connect the world in a way previous generations could never dream of. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to that global online community. From social media trolling to cyber bullying to threats against our right to privacy, a new study finds using social media comes with many risks to your health and well-being.

Researchers with the University of Technology Sydney have discovered 46 specific harmful effects of using social networks. These include physical detriments, mental health problems, impacts on work or school productivity, and security or privacy issues.

To call this a risk to global health would be an understatement. More than 3.6 billion people, about half the global population, use social networks such as Facebook and Instagram. Researchers say the best way to avoid these dangers is to be more aware of them and practice moderation when going online.

“Social media harms have mostly been studied from a psychopathological perspective. They have received less attention from information systems researchers,” says Dr. Eila Erfani, Deputy Head of the UTS School of Information, Systems and Modelling, in a university release.... Read More: Study Finds