Set clear rules for how you accept social media connections

On Facebook, determine whether you know the individual
If someone sends you a Friend Request on Facebook, ask yourself: Have I met this person in real life? Do I know them by face? Would I cross the street to greet them or would I duck behind cars to avoid them seeing me? If they are not the kind of person you’d like to acknowledge publicly, then there’s no need for you to see their posts in your timeline.

On Twitter, consider whether you’d enjoy conversing with the person
Twitter is built around sharing interesting thoughts and opinions. Therefore, when vetting your connections, ask yourself: Would I maintain more than a 5-minute conversation with this person if we met at a mixer? Would I sustain a conversation with them because I find them fascinating?

Treat LinkedIn like it’s a professional conference
Ask yourself: Does my work overlap in some way career-wise with this person? Would we attend the same professional event? Will their posts be relevant to me in business? Can we actually network?

On Instagram, consider whether the individual is intriguing to you
Instagram is a place to be open and have some fun. When evaluating a potential connection, ask yourself: Would I want to watch a slideshow of photos of your last vacation? Make sure the person’s life is interesting to you on some level.