Newswise Feature Channel: Social Media

Misinformation, Deepfakes and Bias, Oh My! MSU Experts on Media Literacy During Election Season

Michigan State University — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:05:04 EST

With little more than 50 days until the Nov. 5 presidential election and a debate to unpack, coverage of the candidates will continue to ramp up online, on TV and on social media. With so many different sources and modalities to receive information, it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Advocate for Energy Drink Regulation

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:05:45 EST

Expert Available: Chinese Social Media Operation Found to Be Impersonating U.S. Voters

George Washington University — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:39 EST

According to Reuters, "the campaign is part of a known Chinese state-linked effort analysts have dubbed 'Spamouflage' or 'Dragonbridge,' which pushes a mixture of spam and targeted propaganda onto... ...

Research reveals huge volume of sports gambling advertising on social media in U.S.

University of Bristol — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 06:05:08 EST

Sports fans are being bombarded daily with gambling advertising via social media in the United States - and the majority of ads could be in breach of regulations, according to a new study.

Social Media: Gateway to Environmental Activism

Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 14:05:20 EST

Leonardo DiCaprio--actor, producer, and activist? You got that right. DiCaprio uses his Instagram page to shed light on environmental issues. Scrolling through his Instagram, he shares articles about restoring forests in Madagascar, rewilding projects in Scotland, and salmon farms in Canada.

Large language models can help detect social media bots -- but can also make the problem worse

University of Washington — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 16:05:20 EST

A team led by University of Washington researchers found that large language models, such as ChatGPT, can make social media bots more sophisticated at evading detection. But these models can also improve systems that detect bots.

FAU/Mainstreet USA Poll: Harris Gains Momentum, Independents Shift in the Wake of the DNC

Florida Atlantic University — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:00:32 EST

A new poll reveals significant shifts in the 2024 U.S. presidential race, underscoring deep gender and racial divides among voters across the nation.

Surviving Back-to-School Stress and Burnout

Cedars-Sinai — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 10:05:44 EST

For children and teens these days, going back to school doesn't only mean new, color-coded notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils. It also means increased academic pressures, heightened social anxiety and less free time as extracurricular activities fill up the calendar.

How Regulation Can Increase Productivity and Social Welfare

University of Michigan Ross School of Business — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:30:29 EST

Jagadeesh Sivadasan, Buzz and Judy Newton professor of business administration, shares his research on how more liberal regulations can foster productivity growth and how human capital drives firm productivity.

Bed Rotting Tops TikTok Trends: Americans Embrace Viral Sleep Habits

American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 11:00:57 EST

A new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that over one-third of Americans have experimented with one or more of this year's viral sleep trends, with Gen Z leading the charge.

Expert Available: Social Media Influencers to Speak at Democratic National Convention

George Washington University — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 12:00:15 EST

Five social media influencers will be speakers at this year's Democratic National Convention in Chicago. ...

Swiping Through Online Videos Increases Boresom, Study Find

American Psychological Association (APA) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:00:00 EST

Swiping through online videos to relieve boredom may actually make people more bored and less satisfied or engaged with the content, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Why student cellphone restrictions may benefit your child

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 15:05:28 EST

As students begin a new school year, school district officials across California are considering or establishing cellphone-use restrictions on campus. Their reasoning? Increased screen time, along with prolonged social media use, may disrupt the learning environment, stunt social development and harm students' mental health, they say.

Expert Available: House GOP Divisions Stall Progress on Child Online Safety Bill

George Washington University — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:00:13 EST

The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate to enhance online safety for children, is facing resistance in the House. ...

How do people use self-censorship to avoid having their content suppressed on sites like TikTok?

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:05:47 EST

That Online Discount Code From Your Favorite Influencer for "Miracle" Mushrooms or Vitamins Isn't Your Key to Health

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 12:05:26 EST

Rutgers professor warns that online personalities may tout unproven health claims of products and services as well as contradict standards of care

Curious by Nature: How Addictive Are Companies Making Video Games with Dr. Puneet Manchanda

Newswise — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:05:04 EST

For many years, addiction research has focused on chemical dependencies like drugs and alcohol. However, new phenomena such as video game and social media addictions are not as extensively studied.

Many survey respondents rated seeking out sexually explicit 'deepfakes' as more acceptable than creating or sharing them

University of Washington — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:05:28 EST

In a survey of 315 people conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and Georgetown University, respondents largely found creating and sharing sexually explicit "deepfakes" unacceptable. But far fewer respondents strongly opposed seeking out these media. Previous research has shown that other people viewing non-AI image-based abuse harms the victims significantly.

How media impacts digital technology adoption in U.S. and Brazilian agriculture

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:05:22 EST

Digital technologies on the farm improve efficiency, productivity, and profits, but few farmers are taking full advantage of available tools. According to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers, communication channels play an important role in farmers' decision-making process around technology adoption.

Public Health Expert on Social Media's Impact on Teens

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:05:38 EST

As policymakers debate social media regulation, a Rutgers Health researcher argues that the public health community is needed to engage in research to help comprehensively understand how social media and adolescent health are related.