Articles tagged with Social Media
Researchers found a 'confrontation effect' where people are more likely to engage with opposing viewpoints driven by outrage. The study analyzed data from Twitter and Facebook during the 2020 US presidential election, revealing users often react to opposing views with heightened engagement.
Researchers found that adopting popular brand nicknames can be detrimental to a company's performance, as it implies consumer control. This is because brand nicknames are often used by consumers, which can make the brand appear weaker when adopted by marketers.
A new species of clearwing moth has been identified from specimens found by a traveler returning from Guyana to the UK. The discovery was made possible through community science efforts involving a young ecologist and a photographer, leading to DNA sequencing and identification as Carmenta brachyclados.
A study by UC San Francisco found that more screen time is associated with severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, inattention, and aggression in 9-10 year olds. The effects were small but consistent, with activities like video chatting and playing video games strongly linked to depressive symptoms.
Researchers explore the influence of digital resources on autobiographical memory, highlighting its potential benefits, such as supporting people with memory difficulties, and risks, like manipulation through deepfakes. The study aims to better understand the interplay between recorded data and memories stored in our minds.
Researchers found that people rate AI-generated headlines as less accurate and share them less, regardless of truthfulness. The effect is smaller than labeling false content, suggesting skepticism due to assumptions of full AI automation.
A new MIT Sloan research found that conservative users share misinformation at a greater volume than liberal users, explaining why conservatives are suspended more frequently. Conservative Twitter users shared four times more links to low-quality news outlets than liberal users.
A pre-registered experiment found that seven nudges aimed at reducing hateful speech online had no effect, but unexpectedly increased engagement with harmless posts. The study recruited over 4,000 Americans and showed participants one of the nudges before engaging with a website featuring varied content.
A study analyzing 1.6 million social media posts found that Ukrainian solidarity posts received significantly more online engagement than derogatory posts about Russia. After the invasion, posts celebrating unity gained a 92% increase on Facebook and a 68% increase on Twitter.
A new INSEAD study finds that the #MeToo movement led to a significant decrease in demand for high-heeled shoes and stockouts of stereotypically feminine products. The researchers surveyed over 1,000 women in the US and found a rebellion against traditional gender stereotypes drove this shift.
A new study published in PNAS Nexus reveals that users with extreme political views are more likely to both encounter and believe false news on social media. The researchers used Twitter data and surveys to estimate exposure and belief in articles, finding that early interventions can be effective in reducing the spread of misinformation.
A retrospective study found that 7% of teens who disclosed sexual abuse reported social media was used to facilitate the assault. When accounting for unrelated perpetrators, this number increased to 12%. Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat were commonly reported as facilitators.
Researchers analyzed 109 TikTok videos on 'chroming', a trend involving inhalant abuse among teens, revealing permanent markers as the most common item used. The study highlights the risks of chroming, including addiction and death, and calls for social media companies to prevent its spread.
A team of researchers from UMass Amherst debunks the idea that Facebook's algorithms successfully filtered out untrustworthy news during the 2020 election. The study found that temporary changes to the algorithm were not accounted for, leading to misperceptions about the platform's reliability.
Researchers analyzed over 6,400 tweets from young male Twitter users and found that posts using humor to stigmatize people or promote risky behaviors received more attention. The study's findings suggest that understanding how at-risk populations discuss HIV on social media can help design effective health campaigns to reach them.
A new study by North Carolina State University found that Black women who witness online microaggressions are more likely to experience poor sleep quality. The study suggests that health practitioners should consider a patient's stress experiences related to sex and race when treating sleep disorders.
Scientists analyzed millions of tweets to detect early warning signs of PTSD in COVID-19 survivors, achieving an accuracy rate of 83.29%. The study highlights the potential for machine learning techniques to identify individuals at risk of PTSD through social media data.
A new study published in Communications Psychology found that older adults (60+ years) are more susceptible to social influence when making impulsive financial decisions. In contrast, younger adults tend to stick to their original preference even after seeing others opt for the impulsive option.
A recent study found that national politics predominantly use abstract, moralized, and power-centric language, lacking local common ground. This shift is thought to fuel partisan animosity and provoke anger.
A study analyzing 200 'fitspiration' videos on TikTok found that most presented incorrect or harmful information, promoting idealised views of body types and triggering negative body image issues. The content often featured sexualisation, body shaming, and excessive dieting, with most influencers lacking credible health qualifications.
A new study by Boston University researchers found that the majority of social media posts from e-cigarette brands left out health warnings, despite a federal requirement to include them. The study used AI to analyze over 2,000 Instagram posts and discovered that only 13% complied with FDA health warning requirements.
A cross-sectional study found that 87% of Instagram posts from synthetic nicotine brand accounts failed to comply with FDA health warning requirements. This non-compliance may contribute to increased youth engagement with tobacco marketing.
A new study recommends that influencers promoting sustainable lifestyles on social media be differently regulated to better protect consumers. The current EU consumer protection measures are inadequate, and the proposed changes would provide more legal certainty and facilitate additional training for content creators.
A new study finds that excessive social media use is associated with a higher risk of eating disorder symptoms in 9-14-year-olds, including binge eating and distress over weight gain. Problematic screen use may contribute to unhealthy behaviors and addictive tendencies.
Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health used a novel interview method to assess New Yorkers' perceptions on energy insecurity, a public health issue. The study found that energy insecurity is associated with health vulnerabilities and impacts nearly 30% of NYC residents.
A psychology study finds that framing climate action as a way to protect American values and traditions can increase belief in climate change and support for pro-environmental policies among both liberals and conservatives. The study, which analyzed data from 50,000 participants across 60 countries, suggests that messaging that aligns ...
A study of UK-based Twitter tweets found that the top 1% of users generated 23% of anti-immigration content, with anti-immigration tweets spreading 1.66 times faster than pro-immigration ones. This concentration of power among a few users highlights the need for efforts to curb online hate content.
Researchers found that partnerships between governments, non-profits and social media influencers are crucial for effective communication during crises. Influencers can help amplify targeted messages to reach isolated or minority groups with high levels of trust.
A recent survey found that phone use at night negatively impacts teenage mental health, particularly among those who have been cyberbullied. Approximately 66% of girls and 58% of boys reported being cyberbullied, with stress levels in the moderate-to-severe range reported by 38% of girls and 23% of boys.
Researchers analyzed 650 million tweets to identify new words and tracked their adoption. Words used by central users persisted longer, while those with less central positions had a rapid rise and decline. The study reveals the predictive power of social network position in shaping language.
New research shows that social media fact-checking warning labels are broadly effective at reducing belief in and spreading of misinformation, even among those who distrust fact-checkers. The study found that warning labels can significantly reduce false headlines' accuracy ratings and willingness to share, regardless of participants' ...
Researchers found that large language models (LLMs) can improve systems that detect bots by outperforming state-of-the-art systems by 9%. However, LLMs can also reduce the performance of existing detectors by up to 30% when used to evade automated detection.
A new study from Texas McCombs finds that accumulating 'likes' can lead to fewer clicks for assertive CTA ads, but more clicks for informational ads. The researchers discovered that users respond positively to 'likes' from friends with similar interests, while those with dissimilar interests have a negative effect.
A study published in PLOS Global Public Health found associations between depression and unhealthy commodities such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling, social media, ultra-processed foods, and air pollution. The review also highlighted links between these commodities and suicide, self-harm, and anxiety.
Research from uOttawa's Telfer School of Management reveals that consumers distrust super-influencers with high follower counts and instead engage more with smaller creators promoting sponsored content. This is attributed to the size of these micro-influencers, which fosters a stronger sense of trust with their audience.
Kids are missing out on local content due to algorithmic curation and platform interfaces. Researchers found US-based global streaming video platforms like Netflix and YouTube restrict children's access to available local options.
A study published in Scientific Reports suggests that emphasizing positive messages within a party is more effective for political communication on social media, fostering a cohesive and supportive online community. This approach counters the negative effect of out-party hostility, promoting engagement and constructive dialogue.
Research published by the American Psychological Association found that digital switching, such as swiping through videos, actually increases boredom and reduces satisfaction with content. Participants reported feeling less engaged when watching a single video versus rapidly switching through multiple short videos.
A new study by Lancaster University highlights that women are more likely than men to experience 'digital overload' and burnout due to their greater use of digital technologies in both work and family lives. The research emphasizes the need for gender-egalitarian work-from-home arrangements and policies to address this issue.
Researchers created Mindful Scroll, a mobile app that uses geometric shapes and soothing colours to encourage mindfulness. The app reduces anxiety and increases mindfulness in users, promoting healthier scrolling habits.
Research collaboration highlights social media's detrimental effects on nature, including disrupted breeding patterns and trampling of endangered plant species. However, the study also emphasizes photography as a powerful tool for conservation and education.
A study found that farmers in both countries rely on interpersonal meetings, social media, and mass media for technology adoption, with social media playing a more significant role in Brazil. The researchers suggest that understanding the complex process of technology adoption can help tech companies reach potential customers.
Environmental researchers at NUS use social media and deep learning to classify human activities in nature reserves, analyzing 87,090 photos from 2,813 PAs across 207 countries. The technique demonstrates utility in monitoring land use patterns efficiently and cost-effectively.
A new study by Charles Sturt University in Australia found that exposure to pro-anorexia content on TikTok leads to decreased body image satisfaction and increased internalization of beauty standards. Women who spend more time on the app are also more likely to experience disordered eating behaviors.
A new study found that meeting partners online is positively linked to relationship success among those who have social media presence on their relationships. However, the link was absent among individuals without this social media presence, particularly in marital relationships.
A team from Doshisha University has developed two approaches to generate adversarial examples for image cropping, achieving significant reductions in perturbation sizes. The white-box approach manipulates gaze saliency maps to produce effective images, while the black-box approach uses Bayesian optimization to target specific regions.
Researchers developed a rumor propagation model inspired by nuclear reactions to simulate the spread of misinformation online. The model identifies similarities between rumor spreading and fission, highlighting the importance of individual behavior, education, and real-time monitoring in mitigating false information.
Research found social media polls to be biased in terms of content, authorship, and audience. The polls' accuracy is further compromised by the use of bot farms and astroturfing campaigns to manipulate results.
A study of Reddit comments on ChatGPT's launch reveals the tech community is more strongly divided in their opinions about AI. While non-tech discussions focus on social issues like job replacement, tech-centric subreddits have more focused and opinionated debates.
Researchers found that when given accurate information about the anti-Mullerian hormone test, women had less interest in taking the test compared to those who viewed misleading online claims. The study highlights the importance of providing evidence-based information to women seeking fertility treatment.
A new study in Frontiers in Medicine found that individuals who perceive conflict among experts about health recommendations have significantly lower trust in health information provided by government health agencies. Doctors were the most trusted source of information, with high trust reported by 95% of respondents.
Researchers found correlations between MIF and DDT levels with patient survival outcomes in melanoma patients. Higher CD74:MIF and CD74:DDT levels were associated with improved survival and enrichment of inflammatory markers.
A new study by University of Essex's Dr Alexandros Antoniou exposes dark arts used by rogue influencers, including promo-masquerade, risk-fluence, mone-trapment, and stereo-scripting. He calls for a new regulatory framework and certification scheme to ensure clear expectations and boundaries in the influencer industry.
The study analyzed comments on Sina Weibo to understand the public response to China's three-child supportive measures. Positive attitudes emerged towards housing subsidies and financial incentives, while negative responses were linked to extended maternity leave concerns.
Researchers found a significant association between the KIT M541L variant and mastocytosis diagnosis in patients with systemic and cutaneous mastocytosis. The variant was identified in 19 individuals, mostly diagnosed with systemic mastocytosis, but without significant differences in symptomatology.
A new study published in the Journal of Marketing explores how daylight saving time affects consumer behavior. The research found that the transition leads to increased negative sentiment and impaired self-control, resulting in unhealthy behaviors such as reduced calorie intake from snacks and decreased fitness center visits.
A new national study found that leaving phone notifications on leads to less sleep compared to turning the phone off or keeping it outside the bedroom. Adolescents are highly sensitive to phone notifications, which can disrupt their sleep patterns.
A phase II clinical trial found that combining sEphB4-HSA with pembrolizumab improved outcomes in HPV-negative, EphrinB2-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. The combination showed a favorable toxicity profile and activity, particularly among those with HNSCC.
Researchers highlight DDX41's distinct contribution to myeloid neoplasms with germline predisposition. The discovery sheds light on unique pathogenesis and disease phenotype associated with DDX41 variants.
A new study reveals significant discrepancies in the effectiveness of political ads on Facebook and Instagram, favoring more extremist groups. Over 70% of parties used user profiling in their ads, and the far-right AfD proved to be the most effective, with ads almost six times more efficient than competitors.