. ▁Some ▁research ers ▁have ▁also ▁found ▁that ▁ex changes ▁that ▁involved ▁direct ▁communication ▁and ▁reci pro cation ▁of ▁messages ▁correl ated ▁with ▁less ▁feelings ▁of ▁l onel iness . ▁However , ▁pass ively ▁using ▁social ▁media ▁without ▁sending ▁or ▁receiving ▁messages ▁does ▁not ▁make ▁people ▁feel ▁less ▁lon ely ▁unless ▁they ▁were ▁lon ely ▁to ▁begin ▁with . ▁ ▁Check ing ▁updates ▁on ▁friends ' ▁activities ▁on ▁social ▁media ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁" f ear ▁of ▁missing ▁out " ▁( FO MO ), ▁the ▁" per vas ive ▁app reh ension ▁that ▁others ▁might ▁be ▁having ▁reward ing ▁experiences ▁from ▁which ▁one ▁is ▁absent ". ▁F OM O ▁is ▁a ▁social ▁anx iety ▁character ized ▁by ▁" a ▁desire ▁to ▁stay ▁contin ually ▁connected ▁with ▁what ▁others ▁are ▁doing ". ▁It ▁has ▁negative ▁influ ences ▁on ▁people ' s ▁psych ological ▁health ▁and ▁well - be ing ▁because ▁it ▁could ▁contribute ▁to ▁negative ▁m ood ▁and ▁de pressed ▁feelings . ▁▁ ▁Conc ern s ▁have ▁been ▁raised ▁about ▁online ▁" st alk ing " ▁or ▁" c ree ping " ▁of ▁people ▁on ▁social ▁media , ▁which ▁means ▁looking ▁at ▁the ▁person ' s ▁" tim eline , ▁status ▁updates , ▁twe ets , ▁and ▁online ▁b ios " ▁to ▁find ▁information ▁about ▁them ▁and ▁their ▁activities . ▁While ▁social ▁media ▁cre eping ▁is ▁common , ▁it ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁poor ▁form ▁to ▁admit ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁acquaint ance ▁or ▁new ▁date ▁that ▁you ▁have ▁looked ▁through ▁his ▁or ▁her