Articles tagged with Social Media
A new approach developed by University of Waterloo researchers uses social media posts to identify early warning signs of increasing vaccine skepticism. This method can detect patterns in data much more effectively than traditional methods, providing a bigger lead time before an outbreak occurs.
A recent study by researchers from the University of Rochester, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and University of Virginia found that publicly displayed community notes can effectively curb misinformation on social media platforms. The study analyzed 264,600 posts on X that received at least one community note and found that p...
A new study by University of Notre Dame researcher Helge-Johannes Marahrens shows that analyzing social media posts can help experts predict when people will move during crises. Sentiment was found to be a more reliable signal for predicting forced displacement than emotion.
A new study reveals a strong connection between social media addiction and poor sleep quality among high school graduates in Bangladesh. Higher levels of social media addiction were closely associated with poorer sleep quality, particularly in female participants.
Researchers found high-engagement social media posts lack essential risk information and promotional elements, potentially eroding patient decision-making. The study highlights the need for fair balance in online advertising to maintain informed consent.
A new study from Arizona State University and the University of Michigan explores the strategic trade-offs individuals make when facing punishment for dissent. The research reveals that self-censorship is a rational response shaped by the interplay of boldness, surveillance, and punishment severity.
A recent study analyzing millions of social media posts found that news shared on platforms with conservative user bases is lower in quality, yet gets more likes and shares. Meanwhile, a user's posts with lower-quality news links get more engagement than their higher-quality news posts across both liberal- and right-leaning platforms.
Researchers identified three types of online brand defenders: promoters (emotionally attached), justice promoters (fairness driven), and self-promoters (ego-driven). Companies can encourage promoters by acknowledging them, while justice promoters require a sense of fairness. Self-promoters are motivated by attention and rewards.
A Rutgers University review of 31 studies found that exposure to digital alcohol marketing increases the likelihood of past 30-day alcohol use, binge drinking, and susceptibility to drinking. The study suggests that algorithmic amplification can normalize alcohol for subsets of young people, leading to increased drinking behaviors.
The Baltic states of Lithuania and Estonia topped the Index on International Media Freedom Support, while Latvia came in 9th. The report highlights a significant gap between public commitments and actual support for media freedom among larger countries like the US, UK, Italy, and Japan.
Researchers found that AI-generated content is a triple threat to Reddit moderators, posing concerns over decreasing content quality, disrupting social dynamics, and being difficult to govern. To address these issues, moderators are enacting rules and trying to preserve the community's humanity.
A study published in a book by Professor Florian Stöckel and colleagues found that social media comments can act as signals for true or false information, helping users identify accurate news. However, these comments can also be misleading and undermine trust in correct information.
A study published in JAMA found that both low and high increases in social media use during early adolescence are negatively associated with cognitive function. Specifically, adolescents with higher or lower social media use tend to perform poorly in certain aspects of cognition.
A new study reveals that true crime media can be both a help and a hindrance to co-victims, with many experiencing a loss of privacy and trauma due to sensationalized coverage. The research highlights the need for ethical production practices and standards to protect co-victims from harm.
Researchers analyzed 659 posts on Reddit to better understand the role of social media in managing inflammatory bowel disease. The study found that patients use social media to track symptoms, manage medications, and cope with stress.
The review study found that digital tools encourage multiple identities, language mixing, and support for minority languages. This allows language learners to experiment with 'hybrid' identities, combining different languages fluently.
The Graffiti framework enables users to create personalized social apps that serve communities' needs, promoting healthier online interactions. With its flexible structure and decentralized infrastructure, Graffiti allows users to migrate between applications without losing their data or connections.
A new study by the International Center for Journalists and US universities found that Trump was the main source and distributor of disinformation in ethnic and Indigenous press in the US. The research also linked the prevalence of political disinformation to a decline in trust in the news and an increase in violence against journalists.
A new AI tool called Waldo can scan social media data to discover personal reports of harmful side effects of popular health products. The tool achieved an accuracy of 99.7% in detecting adverse events, outperforming general-purpose chatbots.
Citizens' perceptions of government effectiveness play a crucial role in shaping media choices during times of conflict, according to new research. Exposure to violence alone doesn't significantly impact trust in non-regime media; instead, citizens turn to alternative sources when they believe the state has failed to protect them.
A study analyzing 120 top TikTok videos with #naturalparenting, #antivaccine, and other hashtags found that 61% contained contradictory medical information. The majority of creators were self-identified parents or influencers, promoting vaccine hesitancy, natural remedies, and rejection of conventional pediatric care.
The 'Benadryl Challenge' has resurfaced on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, and is encouraging adolescents to ingest high doses of over-the-counter antihistamines. This trend can lead to severe health consequences, including heart arrhythmias, seizures, and death.
Researchers analyzed over 250,000 CEO posts and 1.6 million user mentions to find that consistency, positivity, and diversity are key factors in achieving social media celebrity status. CEOs who achieve this status are more likely to gain visibility in traditional media, amplifying their reach and influence.
A massive meta-analysis of 25 previous studies found that efforts to reduce partisan animosity are largely ineffective, with superficial interventions improving feelings towards the other party by only 5.3%. The effects are fleeting, disappearing within one week, and even repeated interventions fail to produce lasting results.
Researchers found that posts with Community Notes attached were less prone to going viral and got less engagement. After getting a note, reposts dropped 46% and likes dropped 44%. The study suggests that Community Notes are an important addition to platforms' toolbox in reducing misinformation spread.
The Leopoldina discussion paper advocates for age limits and restrictions on addictive functions in social media to protect children and adolescents from negative effects. Researchers recommend setting a minimum age for access, restricting certain functions, and implementing policies to promote healthy social media use.
A study explores how Buddhist philosophy can enhance psychotherapy in the context of digital mental health. The findings focus on three key lenses: networked dynamics, reciprocity, and cognitive flexibility. These lenses frame experience as relational and evolving, highlighting the importance of overlooked connections and incidental en...
A new study from Ohio State University found that middle-schoolers who use primarily informational social media sites are less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. In contrast, interactive sites like Snapchat and Facebook were linked to lower ability to refuse sex and negotiate condom use. Informative sites like YouTube and TikT...
Researchers found that more interactive mobile apps and AI chatbots foster a sense of playfulness, lowering privacy concerns. However, this interactivity can also distract users from thinking about the information they share with the system.
A recent study by Cornell University researchers found that seven distinct strategies commenters employ when objecting to content online. The most common strategy is reputational attacks, also known as "vinegar," while moral appeals are less common but more effective in reducing online vitriol.
Researchers analyzed over 50,000 barrage comments from a promotional video on Chinese platform Bilibili, finding a clear link between positive emotional comments and purchasing intent. The study also observed real-time emotional contagion and nuanced dynamics in viewer behavior.
A study found that adolescents become highly motivated to seek rewards after just a few hours of social isolation, which can be beneficial in driving them towards social interaction. However, limited opportunities for connection may lead to pursuing less healthy rewards.
Gary Kebbell shares his expertise on navigating today's complex information environment and how to effectively consume news. The public lecture will provide insights into the evolving media landscape and the importance of digital literacy.
Researchers used a Taylor Swift concert as a unique opportunity to study seismic activity and engage the public in science. The 'SwiftQuake' was detected more than 100km away from the stadium, showcasing how cultural events can enhance scientific understanding.
A Michigan State University study found that unstructured digital media use contributes to digital skills, which are strong predictors of performance across academic domains. However, the study also highlights a significant gender gap, with boys experiencing substantially larger benefits from digital media use.
A new report from RMIT University and the University of Canberra proposes that local news organisations must adapt to their audiences' shifting news habits. The report recommends embracing community-driven content, including hyperlocal news, human-interest stories, and practical information.
A new study by University of Cambridge researchers found that social media engagement flips from hostility to solidarity after a major crisis, such as the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and Joe Biden's suspension of his re-election campaign. This 'ingroup love' effect is seen in Republican and Democrat posts expressing unity a...
A new study examines 1.2 billion social media posts from 157 countries, finding that very hot days are associated with more negative moods, especially in lower-income countries. The research suggests that extreme heat affects people emotionally, not just physically.
Researchers from the University of Bath and University of Hong Kong found that additive advice bias is common in conversations, social media, and AI chatbots. This bias can leave people feeling more overwhelmed than helped, with well-intentioned tips piling on extra tasks.
Researchers found that ad hominem attacks are the most common way users confront perceived errors in comment sections, with a reliance on reputation-based insults. The study highlights the prevalence of this tactic and its implications for online discourse.
Researchers developed an AI framework to map interactions between content and algorithms on digital platforms, reducing the spread of misinformation. The system would allow users and platform operators to pinpoint sources of potential misinformation and promote diverse information sources.
Researchers found that siblings, friends, and extended family play crucial roles in helping parents keep their children safe on online gaming platforms like Roblox and Minecraft. Online safety risks include scams, anti-social behavior, and adult roleplays.
The study found that health officials in Chicago used social media to engage in one-way communication, which could enhance public trust but also spread misinformation. Communications with images or videos received higher engagement levels, while maternal and child health topics outperformed COVID-19 and mpox topics.
Scientists discovered that people struggle to recognize ads on social media due to their ability to blend in with organic content. When participants realized an ad was sponsored, dwell time dropped significantly, indicating a loss of engagement.
A new study by Yifan Yu found that certain emotions, like anxiety and love, can make online content spread rapidly, while others, such as anger or sadness, tend to slow it down. The research also showed that demographic groups react differently to different emotional content.
Researchers analyzed over 66,000 Reddit posts from individuals with borderline personality disorder and found that decreased social connectedness, negative emotions, and hostile language can predict self-harm behaviors. Online support community posts may unintentionally reinforce harmful patterns of thinking and behavior through likes ...
A study by UniSA found that social media enhances news diversity in Australia, with more diverse sources available compared to traditional media. The research used Facebook engagement metrics and concentration analysis to show the growing importance of online news.
US adolescents spend nearly an hour per school day on smartphones, with most of this time dedicated to social media. The study highlights developmental differences in smartphone use, with younger teens using less than older adolescents.
Negative patient experiences in online health care facility reviews frequently revolve around poor communication and administrative issues. Positive reviews emphasize supportive staff interactions.
A study reveals how extremist groups exploit video games to recruit and radicalize impressionable users on gaming-adjacent platforms. The research highlights the challenges faced by moderators in detecting and reporting harmful content, and emphasizes the need for better understanding of these platforms and their subcultures.
A new study has found a strong correlation between the sentiment of Instagram images and user sentiments on social media, particularly for anti-war images. The research suggests that social media images can significantly influence public opinion on sociopolitical events, with notable effects observed in comments from users.
A new study by USC researchers reveals that social media susceptibility clusters among users' friends, leading to a phenomenon called the Susceptibility Paradox. This pattern is strongest in influence-driven sharing, where users are more likely to post content if their friends have done so before.
Researchers used AI tools to analyze posts from 54 Reddit communities, finding similarities in speech patterns between hate speech groups and communities for certain psychiatric disorders. The study suggests that exposing oneself to hate speech online may lead to decreased empathy and traits similar to Cluster B personality disorders.
A new study reveals that women politicians in Europe receive uncivil tweets regardless of their prominence, with a higher likelihood of identity-based attacks than men. Women in politics frequently report serious online harassment, creating additional barriers for women entering politics.
A recent study of a Czech dating app analyzed heterosexual users and found that men pursue more desirable women, while mutual matches occur between those with similar desirability levels. This pattern is largely due to rejection by less desirable counterparts rather than an initial preference for similarity.
A new Northwestern University study suggests that teen dating apps may provide valuable social connections for adolescents, particularly those in sexual and gender minority populations. The study found no significant differences in mental health outcomes between teens who use dating apps and those who don't.
Researchers developed an AI tool to automatically generate HIV prevention and testing campaign messages for counties in the US, leveraging real-time social media data. The method was tested in three studies, showing that AI-selected messages were perceived as more actionable and effective by target audiences than control messages.
A study from UT Arlington found that social media platforms can play a life-saving role for young people navigating difficult circumstances at home. Young adults who experienced child abuse and neglect relied on social media to cope with trauma, access information and connect with others.
A new report by NTU Singapore and Research Network found that prolonged social media use is associated with difficulties in sustaining focus, increased emotional fatigue, and behaviours resembling addiction. The study suggests the need for platforms to redesign their systems with user well-being at the core.
Research by Ohio State University professor Michelle Ann Abate argues that memes are a type of digital comic. Memes use similar visual and verbal elements to comics, producing humor through interplay between text and image. However, differences exist in layout and format, with memes often arranged vertically for online consumption.