BLOG
Lurking: Good or Bad?
The more online we are as a society, the more people are concerned about privacy—especially those that are relatively unfamiliar with the technology. How do we know when we’ve shared too much information online?
Which Social Media Platforms Are Best?
Social media is uniquely complex. It can create loneliness or ease it, promote anxiety or lessen it, cause FOMO or relieve it. Four researchers in Japan dove into the study of different age demographics and their social media use, separating each platform into its own area of study. The more we know, the better equipped we are.
Are Social Media Use and Depression Linked?
Ah social media—our best friend and worst enemy. Despite its faults, we can’t write it off completely because it connects us to our people, and, well… it can be fun! But we can’t ignore the fact it can be hard on our mental health.
Measuring Social Anxiety In Social Media Users
Social anxiety is something we discuss in tandem with social media quite often these days. And how could we not? Social media, at its best, is a place to share and bond and keep in touch; at its worst, it’s home to comparison, intimidating interactions, and judgement.
Social Media, Comparison, & Self-Esteem
It’s human nature to compare yourself to others. Sometimes, comparison can be a powerful tool, encouraging us to strive to be more like those we look up to. But on the flip side, it can also make us feel poorly about the state of our own lives. Social comparison often goes hand-in-hand with lower self-esteem, and social media has opened people up to more comparison than ever.
Can Media Increase Social Capital?
When you think of social capital, what do you think of? Does your mind wander to the popularity politics of high school, or a businessman climbing through the ranks due to his likeability? In reality, it tends to be a lot more simple than that… you’ll see!
Millennials & Social Media
Generation Y—aka millennials—use social media differently from all other generations. They were the first generation to grow up with computers and social media, making them the first group of digital natives. They were the first group to actively contribute, share, search for, and consume content. What do we know—and not know—about Gen Y’s social media use?
How Social Media Can Improve Senior Citizens’ Quality of Life
How many people have helped their grandparents through the process of creating an Instagram account or found a friend request from them waiting for you on Facebook? As it turns out, most senior citizens are better with technology than we give them credit for, and we’re seeing a huge increase in their participation on social media.
Why Is TikTok So Popuar?
TikTok is the app of the moment. Most of us have seen content from TikTok or have at least heard of it. Its slogan, “Make every second count,” nods to the rising popularity of the short video industry. Curious about TikTok’s smashing success, researchers Li Xu, Xiaohui Yan, and Zhengwu Zhang looked into the platform from all angles.
Does Social Media Use Affect Efficiency and Well-Being?
Who finds themselves interrupted by notifications from social media while they’re meant to be working? With social media infiltrating all areas of our lives, it makes sense that it would be affecting our work
Teens and Social Media
Could the amount of social media platforms teens are on be affecting how they adjust to their daily environments? Is parental monitoring helpful or harmful to teens' relationships with social media?
Misinformation On The Internet
Why is it that we have access to more information than ever before, but people seem to be less informed than ever? Wasn’t the internet supposed to make us smarter? People have been asking these questions for years, with renewed intensity since 2020.
Could X Help Detect Depression?
A model that predicts depression through X? How is that possible? This De Choudhury study answers this and other questions like: As we work to improve social media platforms, why not put their reach to good use?
How to Avoid Social Media Burnout
While Zoom fatigue has been weighing us down at work, its lesser known cousin, social media fatigue, has been wearing us down after we clock out. Social media addiction, envy, and anxiety are all significant predictors of social media fatigue.
Role Ambiguity in the Workplace
Humans have a natural fear of the unknown. In most cases, this emotion serves as a strong defence mechanism. However, in the workplace, role ambiguity can negatively impact employee performance and well-being.
Does Social Media Lead to Anxiety in Emerging Adults?
We all know the tight chest, pit in your stomach feeling that is anxiety. If you don’t, then you likely know someone who does. (Also, tell us your secret!) Is social media to blame for anxiety symptoms emerging in young adults?
Social Media & Smartphone Addiction
In our increasingly digital world, social media and smartphone addiction is on the rise. A 2021 study shines a light on why we develop these addictions and what you can do about it.
Why People Use Social Media
In today’s digital age, social media has exploded in popularity, becoming so widespread that we consider it a necessity. In transition, it seems that the question has shifted from whether or not we use social media to why we do.
Can Social Media Make You Happy?
Despite articles circulating with headlines like "Social Media Causes Anxiety and Depression," or "Instagram Poisoning Teens' Self Image," some previous studies have found that social networking sites can instead have a positive impact, like reducing loneliness. A 2014 study found that social media could potentially boost your sense of companionship and your life satisfaction, depending on how you use it.
Fake News and Ideological Polarization
Politics has become increasingly routine since the advent of the information age. As we become entrapped in "filter bubbles," social media has become a means of indirectly observing politics. But are there any ramifications to our inaction?
Nominated