The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic required many people to use “social distancing” (standing six feet away). Many people also practiced “social media distancing”—staying away from social media such as Twitter. Facebook and Instagram.
   
”...and they don’t mean social media distancing” was posted on Twitter by Brian #SlowtheSpread Sauders, PhD on February 29, 2020. “Sir my friends in fb-twitter are not posting that often they used to do before. May be that moment, when you mistake social distancing for social media distancing” was posted on Twitter by ஈரோடு நாகராஜன் on March 3, 2020.
   
“Don’t for get to practice social media distancing, too” was posted on Twitter by Derek Bruff on March 8, 2020. “Remember: if you have a bad opinion it’s in the public interest not to share it. Practice social media distancing” was posted on Twitter by Lev Parikian on March 10, 2020.
 
“Practice media distancing” is a similar saying.
   
   
Wikipedia: 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020.
         
Twitter 
Brian #SlowtheSpread Sauders, PhD
@BSauders
...and they don’t mean social media distancing. 
#COVID-19
Covid-19 — Navigating the Uncharted | NEJM
Editorial from The New England Journal of Medicine — Covid-19 — Navigating the Uncharted
nejm.org
9:59 AM · Feb 29, 2020 from Delmar, NY·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter 
ஈரோடு நாகராஜன்
@erode14
Sir my friends in fb-twitter are not posting that often they used to do before
May be that moment, when you mistake social distancing for social media distancing
#Corona #NaMo
10:24 AM · Mar 3, 2020·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter 
Trace of Bass
@the_migglest
My followers appear to be practicing social media distancing as well.
8:49 PM · Mar 4, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
     
Twitter 
Marty Loughlin
@mloughlin
Replying to @RockyMountViews
I am considering ‘social media distancing’
4:28 PM · Mar 5, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter 
fromtheleft
@HocusPocus2012
Replying to @realDonaldTrump @HHSGov and 2 others
Leave it up to what is left at the CDC and NIH. We the People need for you to practice *social media distancing* and more Globe with meridians golfing trips at taxpayer expense.
11:02 AM · Mar 7, 2020·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter 
Derek Bruff
@derekbruff
Replying to @icpetrie
.
Don’t for get to practice social media distancing, too.
.
9:56 AM · Mar 8, 2020·Tweetbot for iΟS
   
Twitter 
Lev Parikian
@LevParikian
Remember: if you have a bad opinion it’s in the public interest not to share it. Practice social media distancing.
5:54 AM · Mar 10, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter 
Patrick Hunter
@pthunter90
Replying to @mattyglesias and @jonathanchait
Please practice social (media) distancing.
10:16 AM · Mar 10, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Quartz 
Here are the sources you should and shouldn’t trust on the coronavirus
New York March 11, 2020
By Hanna Kozlowska
Investigative reporter
(...)
Practice social-media distancing
It’s particularly important to take care on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube, which even in epidemic-free circumstances struggle to curb misinformation.
 
New Jersey 101.5    
With Coronavirus you should practice social MEDIA distancing (Opinion)
Dennis Malloy
March 16, 2020
(...) 
Might I suggest ‘social media distancing’? Get the f*** off of social media and stop listening to every crackpot rumor, conspiracy theory and rant from any nut-job with a phone and a thumb.
     
CricTracker
‘Strictly practice social media distancing’ – Ravichandran Ashwin lashes out at people finding faults with the system
Ashwin, on Sunday, took it to Twitter to express his displeasure with people finding faults in others’ actions
by Satvik
Published - Mar 22, 2020 2:24 pm | Updated - Mar 22, 2020 2:24 pm
At a time when the entire world is busy fighting the outbreak of COVID-19 that has claimed the lives of thousands of people across the globe, people have it taken to social media to express their opinions on various matters, which has led to disagreements and eventual fights between individuals or groups. And, this when seen by the veteran Indian off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, made him compose a tweet asking people to practice ‘social media distancing’.
 
YouTube 
When and How to Practice Social Media Distancing (Part 7/7)
Apr 22, 2020
UWI St. Augustine
       
Twitter
Nihal Arthanayake
@TherealNihal
Can we please practice social media distancing from idiots through these turbulent times.
6:51 PM · May 6, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Samantha Q Urkel
@BackThatRanchUp
Along with social distancing we should all practice social media distancing. Stop posting dumb shit cuz you’re bored.
5:45 PM · May 12, 2020 from Milwaukee, WI·Twitter for iPhone