Many people have compared the addictive nature of social media to cigarettes. Checking your likes, they say, is the new smoke break.

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BOCHUM, Germany — In the digital world of endless comparisons, a thought-provoking study by a team at Ruhr University Bochum reveals a startling truth: materialism on social media fuels stress and diminishes happiness. This research, conducted through an online survey of over 1,200 participants, highlights the unique way social media perpetuates materialistic attitudes and the…

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GOTHENBURG, Sweden — The ever-evolving landscape of social media has not only transformed the way we communicate but has also given rise to a deep sense of nostalgia and the desire to preserve our memories. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and University West in Sweden followed 11 active social media users over the course…

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Countless news stories and articles are posted and discussed on Facebook every day, but researchers in Ohio are shedding some much-needed light on some of the stark differences in the quality and credibility of this information people encounter while scrolling around on social media. Scientists at The Ohio State University analyzed 2.2 million…

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ROME, Italy — There’s an old saying that “controversy creates cash,” but new research out of Italy suggests controversy also creates social media clicks. Scientists at the Sapienza Università di Roma analyzed nearly 60 million Facebook posts in an effort to gauge how users’ interest in posts tend to evolve over time. Along the way…

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PHILADELPHIA — Plenty of posts on social media go viral, with people viewing, sharing, and commenting on them thousands of times. Far more posts, however, receive little to no engagement. So, what gives? Why are certain posts so much more palatable to the social media landscape than others? A new study finds the answer is all…

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SOUTH LANARKSHIRE, Scotland — Facebook can be a breeding ground for misinformation. Now, the husband of one cancer patient is warning that the social media platform could be providing people with bogus treatments for the disease. Cancer patients are being bombarded with “miracle cures” on Facebook, ranging from salt water and sound videos to dangerous…

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ATHENS, Ga. — While mouth-watering images of giant burgers or sugary cakes typically dominate social media, researchers from the University of Georgia report that healthier foods can become just as popular online. They just need a little more help than fatty foods. To start, all pictures of food aren’t created equal. Images of fully-loaded entrees or…

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — There was a time when it was more or less easy to spot fake profiles on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Images were usually pirated from elsewhere and easily traced, and the posts were almost always poorly written in a robotic fashion. Fast forward to today, however, and the AI boom…

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WASHINGTON — Being Facebook friends with wealthier or more successful people can make it less likely that you’ll suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke, a new study reveals. Researchers working with the American College of Cardiology say better economic connectedness on social media displays a link to lower rates of premature death from heart…

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BATH, England — Millions use social media to fill in the extra minutes and interludes throughout their days, but noteworthy new research suggests we should all find more time to do nothing. Boredom is usually viewed as a bad thing, but researchers posit people who habitually use social media to escape from superficial boredom are unknowingly…

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CHICAGO — Social media is a great way for businesses and brands to directly interact with the public, but that also means dealing with some not-so-happy customers from time to time. Business managers often struggle with how best to respond to angry customers and comments online, but new collaborative research is here to help. After investigating…

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PROVO, Utah — Browsing social media, it’s easy to get the impression that most people are either staunchly conservative or liberal, with no middle ground in between. After all, most posts that “go viral,” or are propped up by platforms’ algorithms, espouse quite polarizing controversial opinions. New research from Brigham Young University, however, reports that the…

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BOCHUM, Germany — You’ve heard it tons of times already: Put down the phone! Excessive screen time and scrolling is a modern epidemic. If you’re in need of some new motivation to take a break from technology, consider new research just released by The Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. Researchers report spending just 30 minutes less…

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NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, Germany — It’s hardly a secret that social media isn’t the best use of our time. Still, millions keep on scrolling, clicking, and commenting for hours on end. Now, researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen have documented some of the unique ways headlines on Facebook “bait” users into interacting with posts. The general topic…

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The next time you find yourself in a debate online, avoid using the term “white privilege.” Researchers at the University of Michigan say doing so will almost certainly lead to a more hostile conversation. Study authors report mentioning the term can create internet discussions that are less constructive, more polarized, and less…

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NEW ORLEANS, La. — A person’s dependence on social media is best judged when major networks such as Facebook go down, a new study contends. Users typically react to social media outages with angry tirades and barbed jokes. However, researchers from Penn State suggest that the level of someone’s rage during a lack of social…

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HOUSTON, Texas — Searching for the truth on social media is often like attempting to find a needle in a haystack, but researchers from the University of Houston say honesty is truly the best policy when posting online. More specifically, the study recommends “intellectually humble behavior” if you want to make a good impression on…

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EDINBURGH, Scotland — It’s fairly common knowledge these days that not all accounts and users on social media are actually real people. Some are “bots” programmed to convey and promote a particular political slant or talking point, while others just spam the web with advertisements. Interestingly, however, researchers from the University of Edinburgh find celebrities…

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TORONTO, Ontario — Social media has a reputation for being quite a toxic place. Surprisingly, though, a new study reports people usually post on platforms like Facebook in support of various topics or people instead of in opposition. To be clear, the support can fall on either side of a particular debate. For example, University…

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GLASGOW, Scotland — With millions of people spending countless hours on their phones and social media platforms, a serious question emerges. At what point does social media go from a regular habit to a full-blown addiction? Despite concerned parents thinking otherwise, new research finds frequent social media use “may not amount to the same as addiction.”…

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Although many media outlets brand themselves as “news you can trust,” relying on them during the pandemic may actually feed you more misinformation. A new study finds people who trust television and social media for COVID-19 news actually know less about the virus. Researchers at Penn State add those who rely the…

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GLASGOW, Scotland — Misinformation and fake news continue to be a major problem across social media platforms. Now, a new study reports people with high emotional intelligence are much less likely to fall for deceptive and untrue news items. Conducted at the University of Strathclyde, the study asked a group of volunteers to take a look…

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NEW YORK — For some, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are avenues for connecting more closely with relatives and friends. For others, they’re ego-boosters fueled by the showering of praise via “likes” and comments from one’s followers. According to a new international study, however, social media users who chase “likes” have thinking patterns…

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CASTLETROY, Ireland — Social media has never felt more like the wild west. Misinformation as well as general negativity are literally unavoidable on most platforms today, despite continual efforts to better police content. With this in mind, it’s never been more important to ensure young children stay off social media until they reach a reasonably appropriate…

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through Facebook only to come away feeling more abused than amused? If so, your experience matches that of other Facebook users in a recent survey about their online experience. Although 95 percent of respondents said they check their Facebook account daily, researchers find almost half (46%)…

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MUNICH — The surge of selfies in recent years shows just how popular the social media-driven technique is, but a new study reveals out an interesting distinction in how we like them. It turns out that people generally feel good about taking their own selfies, yet most would prefer to see fewer selfies on social media.…

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Could social media be making people more anti-social? The social media boom continues to make it easier than ever to stay in touch with loved ones in real time. But with the flourishing of new technology and the ability to be connected to anyone and everyone at any time, real-life human interactions could be suffering…

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WASHINGTON — Are you protected? Despite a number of breaches to large organizations in 2016, and the pervasiveness of average individuals being hacked, a study shows that a majority of Americans don’t take recommended security precautions online. Pew Research Center interviewed 1,040 adults nationwide in the spring of 2016 to gain insight into their attitudes and…

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — We see dieters downing “detox” cleansers as a means to healthier bodies in a pinch, but what about a quick fix for those of us looking to de-stress and boost our minds? A study by The Happiness Researcher Institute in Denmark just may have found the solution. (And with a name like…

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BOULDER, Colo. — As the United States nears closer to Election Day, it’s time to be on alert for “fake news” stories. Thanks to social media, phony reports are able to spread more easily than ever before. A recent study from the University of Colorado, Boulder finds it’s not people “in the middle” of the…

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NEW YORK — Parents, teachers, and doctors alike have speculated for years that frequent social media use predisposes teenagers and adolescents toward depressive thoughts, feelings, and episodes. Now, however, a surprising new study from Columbia University finds daily social media use is not associated with an increased risk for depression. It hardly felt possible before COVID-19,…

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Do you find yourself losing track of time while scrolling through social media all day? Addiction to platforms like Facebook and Snapchat aren’t just affecting you, they may be negatively affecting others. Researchers in Michigan find the greater a person’s social media addiction is, the more that person desires to be “cruel”…

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New research shows that ideologically extreme users spread the most misinformation on the social media giant. BOULDER, Colo. — Facebook stands above the rest as the top source for fake news on social media, researchers say. But how exactly did things get so bad for Mark Zuckerberg’s social network? A new study out of the University…

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – There’s no question that social media has changed the world. While these platforms bring many positives, they can also aid in spreading negative information too. One media expert says that concerning trend is now affecting how the public views childhood vaccinations. A study by media expert Monique Luisi finds a growing movement…

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New study shows 45% of Americans think the media has overreacted to the coronavirus pandemic. Who do Americans trust the most for COVID-19 information? Just 7% say President Trump, 9% national news — while 43% turn to the CDC. One in four people admit getting into an argument with a friend or family member over…

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Survey shows nearly a quarter of Americans believe the coronavirus originated in Chinese lab. One in five adults feel the outbreak is being over-exaggerated as a means to bring down President Trump’s chances at reelection. Social media, conservative news linked to belief in misinformation or conspiracy theories about the virus. PHILADELPHIA — Where do you usually…

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BOULDER, Colo. — Divisive and toxic social media posts created by Russian trolls have become all too common over the past five years or so. You know the kind: they’re poorly worded, sloppily constructed, and serve to spread a message of hate and controversy. But, are these thinly veiled attempts at manipulation actually effective at influencing Americans?…

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NORWICH, England — For the sane and decent, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to spread misinformation and fear during a time like this. Unfortunately, fake news regarding the coronavirus continues to spread. Now, a recent piece of research that investigated the effect of misinformation on influenza, monkeypox, and norovirus outbreaks says that curbing…

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BOCHUM, Germany — If Marty McFly and Doc Brown hopped in their DeLorean today and traveled back in time to 2010, they would be reminded of just how popular Facebook once was. Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard creation used to rule the social media world, but today the platform feels more like a court jester. Facebook used to…

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HANOVER, N. H. — The year 2015 feels like a lifetime ago for many Americans. It’s hard to even imagine now, but the term “fake news” wasn’t a phrase all that many people were even aware of, let alone using or hearing about on a daily basis just five short years ago. The 2016 U.S.…

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Facebook began in the early 2000s as a social network popular among college students and young adults, but these days it seems the platform has matured into a soapbox tailor-made for moms, dads, and grandparents. That’s a key takeaway from a new study which finds that Facebook users are more likely to…

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PHILADELPHIA — The anti-vaccination movement, despite its controversial philosophy, continues to gain quite a followers. Similar to popular conspiracy theories, the mindset that vaccinations do more harm than good has largely spread thanks to the internet and social media. Recently, researchers from the Annenberg Public Policy Center conducted a study on modern vaccine beliefs involving close…

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If you fear you’re nearing the end of a relationship, it may be a good time to say goodbye to Facebook too. Researchers warn it may be “almost impossible to move on” easily, otherwise. BOULDER, Colo. — Moving on from a failed romantic relationship is rarely easy. Memories and passionate feelings don’t just disappear overnight,…

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Study author: “Girls may use more violence on their boyfriends to try to solve their relational problems, while boys may try to constrain their aggressive impulses when trying to negotiate discord with their girlfriends.” BOCA RATON, Fla. — A new study may make you long for the days of notes being passed back and forth in…

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LONDON — Each new generation of parents are faced with a unique set of challenges that their parents before them never encountered. Times change, and society evolves, that’s certainly nothing new. However, a recent survey of 1,772 British parents finds that many may be doing their children a serious disservice all in the name of potential…

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Facebook “friends” may be helpful if you’re looking for a few compliments on a new outfit, but for college students, these online connections will rarely step up and offer legitimate guidance during a tough time, according to a new study. Researchers from Ohio State University say that when students post about feeling depressed, there…

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ADELAIDE, Australia — As today’s adolescents and teens habitually log onto social media platforms, they are constantly being bombarded with the message that looks, beauty, and the appearance of a perfect life and body are essentially the only factors that really matter in life. Consequently, the more an adolescent uses social media, the more likely they…

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New survey reveals nearly 7 in 10 adults say their lives have never been more stressful than now. Two-thirds of Americans say all this anxiety is making them less productive at work! NEW YORK — U.S. politics have never felt quite as contemptuous, and unavoidable, as they do today. We’re a nation of people who are…

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s a phenomenon that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. “Fake news” and misinformation being spread online has quickly developed into a major problem, and not just in the United States, but globally as well. When examining this issue, most people are quick to point their finger at partisan news outlets,…

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