Remember, you’re being manipulated on social media: 4 essential reads
6 years, 2 months ago

Remember, you’re being manipulated on social media: 4 essential reads

Salon  

Editor’s note: As we come to the end of the year, Conversation editors take a look back at the stories that — for them — exemplified 2018. Don’t trust social media When 2018 began, I — like many in the U.S. — was worried about the previous year’s revelations about how Facebook data had been used to influence voters in the 2016 election. So I took the advice of Dartmouth College social media scholars Denise Anthony and Luke Stark: “Without full information about what happens to their personal data once it’s gathered, we recommend people default to not trusting companies until they’re convinced they should.” Since then, I have spent far less time on the site than I used to. Engaging with real people All the free time I gained by spending less time on social media went to good use, for socializing in-person and being by myself — which likely made me feel happier. As Georgetown psychologist Kostadin Kushlev found, “Digital socializing doesn’t add to, but in fact subtracts from, the psychological benefits of nondigital socializing.” I certainly feel best when socializing face-to-face and, as Kushlev found in his research subjects, focusing on the people who are right in front of me is even more enjoyable than hanging out in person while also messaging others on their phones.

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History of this topic

It’s not just Belle Gibson: Wellness TikTok is full of dangerous ‘health’ advice
3 weeks ago

It’s not just Belle Gibson: Wellness TikTok is full of dangerous ‘health’ advice

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

I'm An Influencer. This Is The Dark Side Of My Job I Wish More People Knew About.
3 weeks, 5 days ago

I'm An Influencer. This Is The Dark Side Of My Job I Wish More People Knew About.

Huff Post  

Carol Yepes via Getty Images TikTok content creators share what frustrates them most about their jobs. “Being a content creator involves tons of editing, concept development and collaboration with brands,” said Savannah Vinson, a New York City-based influencer with almost 200,000 followers on TikTok. Not to mention the fact that social media makes us feel like we always have to …

What I found when I tried to unplug from social media
1 month, 1 week ago

What I found when I tried to unplug from social media

CNN  

CNN — I noticed the compulsive behaviors first. “It also made me think, if we could quit social media in general — like we all would honestly probably love to do — what are we losing connection-wise?” she asked. “Social media platforms, in and of themselves, can be seen as intrinsically neutral,” said Daniel Miller, director of University College London’s …

A Social Strangulation
1 month, 2 weeks ago

A Social Strangulation

Live Law  

Irony of warnings is that they are mostly paid heed post their ignorance. Once upon a time social media was a twin champion of democratic free speech and efflux of information. In the enigma of social media policy updates somewhere and somehow it has become a prisoner of state of contemporary times. But, users of private social media platforms have …

Social media is dead. What comes next might be far more beautiful
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Social media is dead. What comes next might be far more beautiful

The Independent  

For years, social media felt like the place where it all happened. But as a brief runthrough of where the biggest social networks stand: Facebook is increasingly filled with AI slop that nobody asked for and Mark Zuckerberg has indicated that he will allow hate speech, lies and political arguments on the app; Instagram is much the same but with …

Social media unfairly antagonised? Study says there's no big link with poor mental health
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Social media unfairly antagonised? Study says there's no big link with poor mental health

Hindustan Times  

Social media has always been a point of contention, sparking debates on its negative impact on mental health. The result was different from all the previous studies that established a non-negotiable correlation between social media and poor mental health. The study found that spending time on social media, like Instagram or Facebook, doesn't have a big impact on mental health. …

How social media has changed the way we spend
3 months, 2 weeks ago

How social media has changed the way we spend

Salon  

Social media isn’t just about catching up with family, old friends or that random person you met at a bar five years ago. According to Capital One Shopping Research, 30% of digital consumers have purchased something because of an influencer or creator’s social media post. Buyer’s remorse When scrolling through social media, something might catch your eye and you immediately …

Is social media making you anxious? How using it smarter can boost your mental health
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Is social media making you anxious? How using it smarter can boost your mental health

Hindustan Times  

We all know using social media is considered bad for you. Using social media for maximum benefit In our six-week study, 393 Canadian young adults with some mental health symptoms and concerns about social media’s impact on their lives were split into three groups: ● A control group that continued their usual routines ● An abstinence group asked to take …

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo
4 months ago

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They've cleverly addicted us to our own egos Zoe Kalar, WeAre8 founder Zoe Kalar, the app’s founder, …

Is social media doing more harm than good to democracy?
4 months ago

Is social media doing more harm than good to democracy?

The Hindu  

In the U.K., The Guardian newspaper announced earlier this month that it will no longer be posting on X, claiming that it is “a toxic media platform” and that its owner, Elon Musk, “has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” Is social media a useful tool or is it becoming a threat to democratic societies? Edited …

Searching for the Next Social Media Fix for the Next Trump Era
4 months, 1 week ago

Searching for the Next Social Media Fix for the Next Trump Era

Wired  

The morning of November 5, hours before I was confronted with the sick realization that the world was again about to get exponentially harder for me and the people I love, I received an email from Kunal Lunawat, CEO and cofounder of Wildr, an app he described to me as a “troll-free, text-only” social media platform. They toss out words …

My social media is helpful and positive. Here is how yours can be, too
4 months, 2 weeks ago

My social media is helpful and positive. Here is how yours can be, too

CNN  

Sign up for CNN’s Stress, But Less newsletter. “Social media is not inherently bad or good,” said Dr. Jason Nagata, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco. Many social media algorithms analyze what you spend time on — whether you’re liking a post, angrily commenting, or just watching a video play through — and keep sending …

Psychologist reveals intriguing reason why we obsessively stalk our own social media profiles
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Psychologist reveals intriguing reason why we obsessively stalk our own social media profiles

Daily Mail  

If you've ever been tempted to scroll though your own social media profiles, imagining what others might think of your life, you're not alone. And when this feedback isn't immediately available, Ms Skinner explained to Mashable, we try to imagine what it may be by examining what others would see when looking at our social media profiles. Stalking one's own …

Social media: Abstinence can boost self-esteem
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Social media: Abstinence can boost self-esteem

Hindustan Times  

A Canadian study has found that refraining from social media for a week can have a positive impact on one's body image. Young women are particularly vulnerable to internalizing certain ideas of beauty For many young people on social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, it's hard to escape the beauty ideals and standards that are circulating, and …

Watch out, your social media posts might cost you a job
11 months, 1 week ago

Watch out, your social media posts might cost you a job

Live Mint  

For Anant Pujari, a marketing professional with a multinational in Mumbai, getting a job was a struggle, but not because he didn’t fit the desired role. “Social media is not the same as it was a decade ago,” says Bhakti Talati, an independent work-life balance coach from Mumbai. It has become an open platform to share not just their personal …

How the porn bots took over Twitter
1 year ago

How the porn bots took over Twitter

NPR  

How the porn bots took over Twitter Enlarge this image Illustration by Jackie Lay/NPR Illustration by Jackie Lay/NPR The routine of a loyal X user remains relatively simple. On the business side, Musk dissolved the Trust and Safety Council and cut staff overseeing content moderation — two things Enberg said were vital for keeping the platform safe for advertisers and …

The year of social media soul-searching: Twitter dies, X and Threads are born and AI gets personal
1 year, 2 months ago

The year of social media soul-searching: Twitter dies, X and Threads are born and AI gets personal

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Here's a look back some of the biggest stories …

The year of social media soul-searching: Twitter dies, X and Threads are born and AI gets personal
1 year, 2 months ago

The year of social media soul-searching: Twitter dies, X and Threads are born and AI gets personal

Associated Press  

We lost Twitter and got X. Here’s a look back at some of the biggest stories in social media in 2023 — and what to watch for next year: GOODBYE TWITTER A little more than a year ago, Elon Musk walked into Twitter ’s San Francisco headquarters, fired its CEO and other top executives and began transforming the social media …

The Israel-Hamas war reveals how social media sells you the illusion of reality
1 year, 5 months ago

The Israel-Hamas war reveals how social media sells you the illusion of reality

CNN  

New York CNN — As the Israel-Hamas war reaches the end of its first week, millions have turned to platforms including TikTok and Instagram in hopes of comprehending the brutal conflict in real time. This week, European Union officials sent warnings to TikTok, Facebook and Instagram-parent Meta, YouTube and X, highlighting reports of misleading or illegal content about the war …

World Mental Health Day: Three Steps for Getting Over Social Media Envy – Advice From a Psychologist
1 year, 5 months ago

World Mental Health Day: Three Steps for Getting Over Social Media Envy – Advice From a Psychologist

The Quint  

Three steps for getting over social media envy – advice from a psychologist In the past, you may have envied your neighbour when they bought a new car or went on holiday abroad when you could not. The rise of social media has had many benefits but also given rise to social media envy when users perceive the perfect lives …

Opinion: Lies, damn lies and social media — there's a reason this country is so deeply polarized.
1 year, 7 months ago

Opinion: Lies, damn lies and social media — there's a reason this country is so deeply polarized.

LA Times  

A Trump supporter, left, and an anti-Trump protester exemplify American divisions outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where former President Trump would be arraigned on New York charges in April. We also encounter MIT management professor Sinan Aral, who wrote “The Hype Machine,” a 2020 book about the “perils and promise” of social media. “Social media is rewriting the central nervous …

Social media users should be more careful about its impact, reach: SC
1 year, 7 months ago

Social media users should be more careful about its impact, reach: SC

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said social media users should be careful about its impact and reach as it dismissed a petition filed by actor and former Tamil Nadu MLA S Ve Shekher who is facing cases for sharing a Facebook post in 2018 allegedly containing derogatory remarks against women journalists. “If one uses social media, then he should …

Opinion: Elon Musk accidentally ruined Twitter. He did us all a huge favor
1 year, 8 months ago

Opinion: Elon Musk accidentally ruined Twitter. He did us all a huge favor

LA Times  

The logos for Twitter and its new competitor from Meta, Threads. Mark Zuckerberg released Meta’s Twitter clone Threads last week, with more than 100 million users reportedly signing up within the first seven days. Meta’s opportunity was generated in large part because Twitter is collapsing after spectacularly bad decisions made by its owner, Elon Musk. We should take Twitter’s collapse …

Threads vs Twitter: Social media needs addicts more than users
1 year, 8 months ago

Threads vs Twitter: Social media needs addicts more than users

Live Mint  

Somewhere in the debris of our virtual lives there’s still a Friendster account with my name on it, probably a few Friendster friend requests I have still not responded to At that time, during the dawn of the Age of Social Media, I was not aware of it but the word friend itself was being redefined. The creators of Threads …

6 Tips To Manage Social Media Use for a Balanced Lifestyle
1 year, 8 months ago

6 Tips To Manage Social Media Use for a Balanced Lifestyle

News 18  

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives that connects us with friends, family, and the world. As with any powerful tool, excessive use of social media can have detrimental effects on our mental health, productivity, and overall health. Striking a delicate balance between staying connected and managing our social media consumption is very …

Social media growth without spending is no more a challenge
1 year, 10 months ago

Social media growth without spending is no more a challenge

Times of India  

Pankaj Rai is a writer bridging the gap between technology and creativity with mindful words. Personify The Brand If your brand is still looking like a company online that is trying to sell its products via different channels, then you need to work on social media strategies. Make Mistakes There is only one way to achieve rapid organic social media …

‘Un-handsome’ babies, ‘too little’ Botox and how the internet became so cruel about people’s looks
2 years ago

‘Un-handsome’ babies, ‘too little’ Botox and how the internet became so cruel about people’s looks

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

How social media platforms reward users for spreading misinformation
2 years, 2 months ago

How social media platforms reward users for spreading misinformation

India TV News  

The habit of rewarding users for habitually sharing information through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook has led to the spread of misinformation and fake news, researchers have discovered. As per the study by the University of Southern California, there are more than 2,400 Facebook users who suggest that social media platforms, more than individual users, have a …

My Daughter's Common Problem Made Me Feel Like A Failure As A Mom — And Now I Know Why
2 years, 2 months ago

My Daughter's Common Problem Made Me Feel Like A Failure As A Mom — And Now I Know Why

Huff Post  

A selfie the author took while combing for nits. “Being bombarded with curated images can set women up to feel like they’re not measuring up or they’re somehow doing it wrong because that’s not what they see when they look around in their own lives.” “When you have mom influencers creating content depicting motherhood in a perfect way, juggling it …

New research shows that Donald Trump's fascist attacks on democracy may have backfired
2 years, 2 months ago

New research shows that Donald Trump's fascist attacks on democracy may have backfired

Raw Story  

The internet and social media are a type of experience machine. As many democracy experts and other observers have concluded, Trump's rise to power was empowered by the internet, social media, and how the American right wing has spent several decades creating a parallel media machine and other institutions that together function as a type of alternate universe for its …

Generation Gap: I didn’t realise the dangers of being ‘very online’ – until now
2 years, 3 months ago

Generation Gap: I didn’t realise the dangers of being ‘very online’ – until now

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I was born in the early …

Social media can inflame your emotions — and it's a byproduct of its design
2 years, 6 months ago

Social media can inflame your emotions — and it's a byproduct of its design

NPR  

Social media can inflame your emotions — and it's a byproduct of its design ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: If you feel like checking social media leaves you feeling angrier and more outraged, that's not your imagination. SHAPIRO: That's Max Fisher reading from "The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story Of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds And Our World." SHAPIRO: In light …

Toxic Social Media Accounts Don't Deserve Your Follow. Here's How To Spot Them.
2 years, 8 months ago

Toxic Social Media Accounts Don't Deserve Your Follow. Here's How To Spot Them.

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING But what happens when people pose as experts and/or share convincing misinformation? They share suggestions in a shame-based or morality-based way According to Brittany Morris, a licensed therapist at Thriveworks in Chesapeake, Virginia, who specializes in body image, self-esteem and the impact social media has on our mental health, “individuals preaching lifestyle changes which include restrictions and …

Can Social Media Be Redeemed?
2 years, 10 months ago

Can Social Media Be Redeemed?

Wired  

“I read that Jack Dorsey, a cofounder of Twitter, claims to regret his role in creating the centralized internet. Given what we know about the divisiveness, violence, and misinformation that social media promotes—and now Dorsey's remorse—is there anything left to redeem it?” —Following @Jack Dear Following, It's never a good sign when the creator of a technology disowns his own …

Ex-US President Obama Blames Social Media for 'Weakening of Democracy' Around the World
2 years, 11 months ago

Ex-US President Obama Blames Social Media for 'Weakening of Democracy' Around the World

News 18  

Former President Barack Obama has claimed that the way people consume and share information is eroding democracy around the world, and he blamed the current information ecology, which is fueled by social media corporations, for “turbocharging some of humanity’s worst impulses”. Obama said social media companies’ decisions regarding content moderation and the use of algorithms to rank posts “have made …

If social media has scarred my generation, what will the metaverse do?
3 years, 1 month ago

If social media has scarred my generation, what will the metaverse do?

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In the …

It's Not Your Fault You're a Jerk on Twitter
3 years, 1 month ago

It's Not Your Fault You're a Jerk on Twitter

Wired  

I’m used to comics breaking my heart; I’m a Wicked and Divine fan, after all. But I felt the particularly painful crack of an old fissure reopening as I read cartoonist Mallorie Udischas-Trojan’s “Piled On” at The Nib. Many seem to imagine that a greater focus on personal responsibility can detoxify the internet; perhaps Udischas-Trojan’s progressive harassers, her erstwhile friends, …

The great social media misinformation quiz
3 years, 5 months ago

The great social media misinformation quiz

ABC  

As social media platforms have become more intertwined with our lives, so too has the misinformation that comes with them. Minimal information, maximum effect: "A lot of people are just reading headlines and they're not even looking into what the source is … But they can be a fake international news website." Frivolous but dangerous: "A lot of misinformation can …

Facebook: ‘Ludicrous’ to say it fuelled US Capitol riot
3 years, 5 months ago

Facebook: ‘Ludicrous’ to say it fuelled US Capitol riot

Al Jazeera  

Facebook’s vice president of policy and global affairs Nick Clegg also pushed back at the assertion its platforms are ‘toxic’ for teens. Facebook has dismissed as “ludicrous” suggestions it contributed to the US Capitol riot on January 6, a charge the social media giant expects will be levelled in an upcoming whistle-blower interview. Facebook’s vice president of policy and global …

OPINION: Ban IAS, IPS Officers’ Personal Social Media Accounts Grabbing Needless Attention
3 years, 6 months ago

OPINION: Ban IAS, IPS Officers’ Personal Social Media Accounts Grabbing Needless Attention

News 18  

Our Hon’ble PM, Shri Narendra Modi ji, while addressing the 2018 batch of IPS recruits, cautioned “Don’t fall into ‘Singham’ trap. During the media interaction at the same event, I conveyed the same point and opined that it is wrong of a handful of IAS and IPS officials to run so-called fan pages and social media platforms for the sole …

Is Social Media Making Us … Better People?
3 years, 8 months ago

Is Social Media Making Us … Better People?

Wired  

I was nosing around Facebook not long ago, doing the opposite of minding my own business, when I came to a stranger’s post, visible via an out-of-touch university friend. It began with the word “Warning.” My disinhibited scrolling self reacts to such admonitions like teens in a movie react to “DANGER” signs on a rusty chain-link fence. I’m reminded of …

Alexander-Arnold interview: ‘A lot of people offer opinions. I listen to the select few that matter’
3 years, 10 months ago

Alexander-Arnold interview: ‘A lot of people offer opinions. I listen to the select few that matter’

New York Times  

Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn’t been able to avoid the noise. The 20-strong Hope United ‘squad’ will be managed by Rio Ferdinand and Karen Carney, and coached by Eni Aluko and Robbie Savage “When BT told me about the scheme and what it intends to do, it was a no-brainer for me really,” Alexander-Arnold says. It shouldn’t be something that you just …

These books will guide you through the intricacies of social media
3 years, 10 months ago

These books will guide you through the intricacies of social media

The Hindu  

The more we dig into social media, the more there is to understand in terms of community guidelines, what is ‘in’ or ‘out’, what is a violation of our privacy, and more. ‘Breaking the Social Media Prism: How to Make Our Platforms Less Polarizing’ by Chris Bail Chris Bail sees social media as a prism that “distorts our identities, empowers …

The psychology behind why we hate-follow people on social media
3 years, 10 months ago

The psychology behind why we hate-follow people on social media

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

Active on Social Media? You are More Likely to Believe Misinformation, Fake News: Study
4 years, 1 month ago

Active on Social Media? You are More Likely to Believe Misinformation, Fake News: Study

News 18  

Americans who rely on social media as their main source of news are more likely to believe false or unproven stories about important topics such as politics and Covid-19, a survey showed Monday. The Pew Research Center report found that people who used social platforms for news were less informed about major public affairs topics and more susceptible to believing …

Facebook, Twitter outpaced by smaller platforms in fight against harmful content
4 years, 1 month ago

Facebook, Twitter outpaced by smaller platforms in fight against harmful content

The Hindu  

Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet's YouTube made smaller strides than their social media rivals including TikTok and Reddit at battling harmful content such as hate speech and misinformation during the second half of 2020, a study released on Monday showed. Advertising agency IPG Mediabrands released its "Media Responsibility Index," examining how the top social media platforms performed in 10 areas including …

One-fifth of adults risking internet fraud through social media use, study finds
4 years, 4 months ago

One-fifth of adults risking internet fraud through social media use, study finds

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A fifth of adults have put themselves at “significant” risk …

Power of Social Media: Military, Intel Must Give Advice Based on Facts, Unaltered by Public Sentiment
4 years, 4 months ago

Power of Social Media: Military, Intel Must Give Advice Based on Facts, Unaltered by Public Sentiment

News 18  

With about four billion active users, of whom 376 million were added in the last year, social media penetration is expanding at a phenomenal rate. Where governments use social media to promote welfare schemes among the citizens, others use it to sow doubts on the integrity of government institutions and even the electoral process. A study done by the Dubai …

Most Voters Think Social Media Platforms Have A Duty To Thwart Misinformation
4 years, 5 months ago

Most Voters Think Social Media Platforms Have A Duty To Thwart Misinformation

Huff Post  

NurPhoto via Getty Images Most voters think social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have a responsibility to prevent users from spreading conspiracies or false information on their sites, a HuffPost/YouGov survey finds. Unsurprisingly, perceptions about bias are especially polarized: 72% of GOP voters think social media outlets have a liberal bias, while the majority of Democratic voters think …

The Social Dilemma is 'Distorted': Facebook Issues 7-Point Response to Viral Documentary
4 years, 5 months ago

The Social Dilemma is 'Distorted': Facebook Issues 7-Point Response to Viral Documentary

News 18  

The Social Dilemma has been a viral documentary that highlights how users remain addicted to social media and their smartphones, in turn promoting dysfunctional social behaviour. Now, weeks after the release of Orlowski’s documentary on Netflix, Facebook – the world’s largest social media group, has issued a seven-point response to the narrative that The Social Dilemma weaves with reference to …

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