Social Media

Why does misinformation thrive on social media? A new study published in Science points to outrage as a key driver.

Most U.S. adolescents, including 63.8% under 13, use social media despite age restrictions, with TikTok being the most popular. Many show signs of addiction, and 6.3% have secret accounts hidden from parents.

A recent study found that early teens who spend more time on social media, texting, or video chatting are more likely to experiment with alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis.

A recent study reveals that using a slimming filter prompts individuals to make harmful comparisons between their real and filtered selves. This "social self-comparison" leads to negative outcomes such as increased body dissatisfaction and self-objectification.

Recent research found that heavy social media use has little impact on mental health, with no strong links to depression, anxiety, or stress. Social media’s effects might even be slightly positive in some cases.

Digitally mature teens report feeling more socially connected, which is associated with engaging with real-life friends online and prioritizing compassionate goals.

A study of 35 million Facebook posts found that 75% of shared links were shared without users clicking on them, with political content—especially extreme or ideologically aligned headlines—being shared without reading more often than neutral content.

Reducing leisure screen time for two weeks improved children’s mental health by decreasing emotional and peer-related difficulties while boosting positive social behaviors, highlighting the benefits of taking short breaks from screen media use.

Internet use among adults aged 50 and older is associated with fewer depressive symptoms, higher life satisfaction, and better self-reported health, with benefits varying by frequency, duration, and individual or cultural factors.

A recent study found 92% of TikTok’s #adhdtest videos were misleading, attracting nearly all user engagement, while accurate content struggled to gain attention, highlighting the platform’s role in spreading misinformation.

YouTube videos on autism primarily provide educational content with balanced perspectives, reducing stigmatization, though viewer comments often remain negative. This highlights YouTube’s dual role in improving understanding while revealing persistent public misconceptions.

A study found that doomscrolling and celebrity worship are linked across cultures, with both behaviors associated with increased anxiety and reduced well-being, suggesting they may reflect shared psychological challenges in media consumption.

In a field experiment on Twitter, researchers discovered that both liberal and conservative users were less likely to follow back Black accounts compared to White ones, challenging common assumptions about political differences in racial bias.

New research suggests that being phubbed, or ignored in favor of someone’s phone, can cause people to view the phubber as less human and react with frustration and aggression.