# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When we were teens, Snapchat and Instagram weren't even ideas yet - for some of us, Facebook was barely a thing, either. As much as we love these apps now, we are so glad we didn't have to document our entire adolescent years on social.

The idea of tech-free teenage years might be horrifying to members of Gen Z. But for millennials, there are definitely advantages to not having had access to smartphones and social media when we were younger.

We asked Refinery29 staffers what made them happy about growing up with turn-of-the-century tech, and the results were varied. Some people were glad that they learned how to get around town without relying on GPS and map apps. Others were happy they focused their efforts on real-life friendships, rather than online personas. And a lot of us are just happy those awkward phases were never immortalized online.

"I still can't help but feel a bit nervous every time I see a 9-year old with an iPhone," admits Landon Peoples, the fashion editorial assistant. "It makes me worried for the youth of today, but thankfully, I get a feeling they're taking advantage of it and using it for good - for the most part, at least."

How kids and teens are using their phones these days is certainly a lot different from the way we grew up. Click through to see all the reasons we're glad we were iPhone-less adolescents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teens In The 2000s Had It SO Much Easier

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When we were teens, Snapchat and Instagram weren't even ideas yet - for some of us, Facebook was barely a thing, either. As much as we love these apps now, we are so glad we didn't have to document our entire adolescent years on social.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Globally, what age group uses social media the most? Here’s a closer look at the age demographic of social media users worldwide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A majority of Americans say they use YouTube and Facebook, while use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok is especially common among adults under 30.

Despite a string of controversies and the public's relatively negative sentiments about aspects of social media, roughly seven-in-ten Americans say they ever use any kind of social media site - a share that has remained relatively stable over the past five years, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults.

Beyond the general question of overall social media use, the survey also covers use of individual sites and apps. YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the online landscape, with 81% and 69%, respectively, reporting ever using these sites. And YouTube and Reddit were the only two platforms measured that saw statistically significant growth since 2019, when the Center last polled on this topic via a phone survey.

When it comes to the other platforms in the survey, 40% of adults say they ever use Instagram and about three-in-ten report using Pinterest or LinkedIn. One-quarter say they use Snapchat, and similar shares report being users of Twitter or WhatsApp. TikTok - an app for sharing short videos - is used by 21% of Americans, while 13% say they use the neighborhood-focused platform Nextdoor.

Even as other platforms do not nearly match the overall reach of YouTube or Facebook, there are certain sites or apps, most notably Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, that have an especially strong following among young adults. In fact, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram (71%) or Snapchat (65%), while roughly half say the same for TikTok.

These findings come from a nationally representative survey of 1,502 U.S. adults conducted via telephone Jan. 25-Feb.8, 2021.

With the exception of YouTube and Reddit, most platforms show little growth since 2019

YouTube is the most commonly used online platform asked about in this survey, and there's evidence that its reach is growing. Fully 81% of Americans say they ever use the video-sharing site, up from 73% in 2019. Reddit was the only other platform polled about that experienced statistically significant growth during this time period - increasing from 11% in 2019 to 18% today.

Facebook's growth has leveled off over the last five years, but it remains one of the most widely used social media sites among adults in the United States: 69% of adults today say they ever use the site, equaling the share who said this two years prior.

Similarly, the respective shares of Americans who report using Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter and WhatsApp are statistically unchanged since 2019. This represents a broader trend that extends beyond the past two years in which the rapid adoption of most of these sites and apps seen in the last decade has slowed. (This was the first year the Center asked about TikTok via a phone poll and the first time it has surveyed about Nextdoor.)

Adults under 30 stand out for their use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok

When asked about their social media use more broadly - rather than their use of specific platforms - 72% of Americans say they ever use social media sites.

In a pattern consistent with past Center studies on social media use, there are some stark age differences. Some 84% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they ever use any social media sites, which is similar to the share of those ages 30 to 49 who say this (81%). By comparison, a somewhat smaller share of those ages 50 to 64 (73%) say they use social media sites, while fewer than half of those 65 and older (45%) report doing this.

These age differences generally extend to use of specific platforms, with younger Americans being more likely than their older counterparts to use these sites - though the gaps between younger and older Americans vary across platforms.

Majorities of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram or Snapchat and about half say they use TikTok, with those on the younger end of this cohort - ages 18 to 24 - being especially likely to report using Instagram (76%), Snapchat (75%) or TikTok (55%). These shares stand in stark contrast to those in older age groups. For instance, while 65% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they use Snapchat, just 2% of those 65 and older report using the app - a difference of 63 percentage points.

Additionally, a vast majority of adults under the age of 65 say they use YouTube. Fully 95% of those 18 to 29 say they use the platform, along with 91% of those 30 to 49 and 83% of adults 50 to 64. However, this share drops substantially - to 49% - among those 65 and older.

By comparison, age gaps between the youngest and oldest Americans are narrower for Facebook. Fully 70% of those ages 18 to 29 say they use the platform, and those shares are statistically the same for those ages 30 to 49 (77%) or ages 50 to 64 (73%). Half of those 65 and older say they use the site - making Facebook and YouTube the two most used platforms among this older population.

Other sites and apps stand out for their demographic differences:

Instagram: About half of Hispanic (52%) and Black Americans (49%) say they use the platform, compared with smaller shares of White Americans (35%) who say the same.

WhatsApp: Hispanic Americans (46%) are far more likely to say they use WhatsApp than Black (23%) or White Americans (16%). Hispanics also stood out for their WhatsApp use in the Center's previous surveys on this topic.

LinkedIn: Those with higher levels of education are again more likely than those with lower levels of educational attainment to report being LinkedIn users. Roughly half of adults who have a bachelor's or advanced degree (51%) say they use LinkedIn, compared with smaller shares of those with some college experience (28%) and those with a high school diploma or less (10%).

Pinterest: Women continue to be far more likely than men to say they use Pinterest when compared with male counterparts, by a difference of 30 points (46% vs. 16%).

Nextdoor: There are large differences in use of this platform by community type. Adults living in urban (17%) or suburban (14%) areas are more likely to say they use Nextdoor. Just 2% of rural Americans report using the site.

A majority of Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram users say they visit these platforms on a daily basis

While there has been much written about Americans' changing relationship with Facebook, its users remain quite active on the platform. Seven-in-ten Facebook users say they use the site daily, including 49% who say they use the site several times a day. (These figures are statistically unchanged from those reported in the Center's 2019 survey about social media use.)

Smaller shares - though still a majority - of Snapchat or Instagram users report visiting these respective platforms daily (59% for both). And being active on these sites is especially common for younger users. For instance, 71% of Snapchat users ages 18 to 29 say they use the app daily, including six-in-ten who say they do this multiple times a day. The pattern is similar for Instagram: 73% of 18- to 29-year-old Instagram users say they visit the site every day, with roughly half (53%) reporting they do so several times per day.

YouTube is used daily by 54% if its users, with 36% saying they visit the site several times a day. By comparison, Twitter is used less frequently, with fewer than half of its users (46%) saying they visit the site daily.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A majority of Americans say they use YouTube and Facebook, while use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok is especially common among adults under 30.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Media and Mental Health: Social Media Addiction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Excessive use of social media can fuel anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Here’s how to change your habits and improve your mood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media may affect the wellbeing of girls and boys at different ages, according to research that raises the prospect of windows of vulnerability in adolescence.

Psychologists found that girls who increased their time on social media between the ages of 11 and 13 were less satisfied with their lives one year later, with the same trend playing out in boys aged 14 to 15.

The researchers found no link between social media and wellbeing at other ages, except at 19 years old, when higher usage was again followed by a drop in life satisfaction for both sexes.

"We find there are certain ages, which differ between the sexes, when social media more substantially predicts life satisfaction," said Dr Amy Orben, an experimental psychologist and first author on the study at the University of Cambridge.

The researchers embarked on the work in the hope of shedding light on whether the rise of social media has played a role in increasing levels of mental health problems in young people. According to the charity Young Minds, the number of children aged five to 16 with a suspected mental health problem rose by 50% between 2017 and 2021, suggesting about five children in every classroom are now affected.

Orben and her colleagues analysed data from 84,000 UK individuals aged between 10 and 80 years old who enrolled on either the Understanding Society study or the Millennium Cohort study. These captured information on people's mental health and wellbeing and their reported use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The researchers found a two-way effect, where at particular ages, social media use was linked to a drop in life satisfaction a year on, while low life satisfaction was linked to greater social media use the year after. The findings are averages and cannot be used to predict how any one particular individual may respond to social media.

The study, published in Nature Communications, does not prove that social media harms wellbeing, but the researchers suspect there may be "windows of vulnerability", which open at different times for boys and girls. Given the broad and complex changes that occur in adolescence, biologically and socially, the mechanisms may take some time to nail down.

Prof Yvonne Kelly, an epidemiologist at UCL who was not involved in the study, said the findings confirmed what she and others had shown, including that higher rates of depression among girls were linked to more time on social media, online bullying and poor sleep.

"One of the big challenges with using information about the amount of time spent on social media is that it isn't possible to know what is going on for young people, and what they are encountering whilst online," Kelly said.

"To advance the science, and importantly to make changes to improve young people's wellbeing, we need more detailed, nuanced data about people's online experiences. It is this kind of information, including that held by social media companies, that will help us better understand any causal processes, for better or worse, that are at play."

Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a co-author of the study and a psychologist at the University of Cambridge, said it is helpful to set rules on when children use social media so that it does not interfere with their sleep. It is also important to educate them early on about the range of issues they might encounter, she added, such as not being invited to parties, social pressure, and images that might upset them.

Dr Holly Scott, a psychologist at the University of Glasgow, said the study provided "robust new evidence" that there were different sensitive periods for boys and girls. "Girls seem to be more sensitive to the impact of social media slightly earlier than boys, which may be due to maturational processes like puberty starting earlier," she said.

"Important next steps are to understand from the adolescent perspective what benefits and challenges social media offers, so that we can build on this evidence that measures social media in hours per day, to develop a well-rounded view of the opportunities and barriers that today's 24/7 online social world can create for our young people," Scott added.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social media may affect girls' mental health earlier than boys', study finds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Psychologists find biggest effects in girls aged 11-13, while boys' most vulnerable age seems to be 14-15

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Adolescence (10-19 years) is a unique and formative time. Multiple physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive are critical for their well-being during adolescence and for their physical and mental health in adulthood.

# data[].attributes.body
Could have useful stats for teens mental health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This essential book shows practitioners how they can engage with teens' online lives to support their mental health. Drawing on interviews with young people it discusses how adults can have open and inquiring conversations with teens about both the positive and negative aspects of their use of online spaces.

For most young people there is no longer a barrier between their 'real' and 'online' lives. This book reviews the latest research around this topic to investigate how those working with teenagers can use their insights into digital technologies to promote wellbeing in young people. It draws extensively on interviews with young people aged 12-16 throughout, who share their views about social media and reveal their online habits. Chapters delve into how teens harness online spaces such as YouTube, Instagram and gaming platforms for creative expression and participation in public life to improve their mental health and wellbeing. It also provides a framework for practitioners to start conversations with teens to help them develop resilience in respect of their internet use. The book also explores key risks such as bullying and online hate, social currency and the quest for 'likes', sexting, and online addiction.

This is essential reading for teachers, school counsellors, social workers, and CAMHS professionals (from psychiatrists to mental health nurses) - in short, any practitioner working with teenagers around mental health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This essential book shows practitioners how they can engage with teens' online lives to support their mental health. Drawing on interviews with young people it discusses how adults can have open and inquiring conversations with teens about both the positive and negative aspects of their use of online spaces.For most young people there is no longer a barrier between their 'real' and 'online' lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media sites are used by more than two-thirds of internet users. How has social media grown over time?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After being questioned by lawmakers about Facebook's role in the attack on the U.S Capitol, the platform is looking to make a series of changes to users' News Feeds, providing them posts they want to see and that inspire them. Facebook will launch tests involving direct surveys about the types of posts they want to see, whether from friends, groups, or Pages. Facebook will also look at other signals such as Close Friends or Favorite lists to determine which types of posts to prioritize in the News Feed. One type of survey will ask users below a given post, "How much were you inspired by this post?" with a range of answers to choose from. Another survey will ask users which topics they'd like to see covered in their News Feed, such as Cooking, Sports, Entertainment, and more. The results of these surveys and tests will determine which changes to the News Feed will be forthcoming.

The News Feed algorithm has always attempted to tailor each News Feed to the user, based on the types of posts and profiles they regularly engage with. Now, Facebook is introducing a new feature that allows users more options in determining what appears on their individual News Feeds. The new "feed filter bar" has three options that users can toggle between: algorithmically ranked content, most recent posts, and updates from their favorite friends and other pages they follow. Viewing most recent posts and updates from friends is an existing feature, but one that is hard to find. The feed filter bar makes these customizations much easier to locate and utilize. The update is available now to Android users and will be available to iOS users in the coming weeks.

After employees presented Mark Zuckerberg with statistics showing the widespread reach of viral, Election-related misinformation, the company increased a focus on "news ecosystem quality" scores, or NEQ. These internal ranking scores weigh the credibility and quality of news publishers and their reporting. The emphasized focus on NEQ should help ensure that authoritative and substantiated news stories are displayed more prominently in the News Feed. Many employees are advocating for the algorithm change to become permanent, but as of now, it is only a temporary adjustment.

Facebook has long received criticism for how news-related stories are elevated in the News Feed, oftentimes favoring hyper-partisan sources. This update seeks to give original reporting a boost in the News Feed algorithm while also demoting news stories that have no clearly defined author or editorial staff. This change to the algorithm will utilize artificial intelligence to analyze groups of articles on a given news story to identify which is cited most often as the original source. The update should only have an effect on news publications in an effort to minimize the wide distribution of misinformation.

Looking for social media professionals? We know Facebook's algorithm like the back of our hand

Looking for social media professionals? We know Facebook's algorithm like the back of our hand

Looking for social media professionals? We know Facebook's algorithm like the back of our hand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Facebook News Feed Algorithm History | 2022 Update

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After being questioned by lawmakers about Facebook's role in the attack on the U.S Capitol, the platform is looking to make a series of changes to users' News Feeds, providing them posts they want to see and that inspire them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The idea that we're all connected by just "six degrees"-six other people-is entrenched in our folklore. But Columbia sociologist Duncan Watts is working to see if such small worlds really exist and how they might work. Watts is one of the principal architects of network theory, the study of network structure and behavior. By teasing out the fundamental rules that govern networks of people, machines, companies, and economies, Watts hopes to learn more about how ideas spread, financial systems fail, and businesses survive crises. In his new book out this month, Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age (W.W. Norton), Watts explores the cutting edge of network science and its practical implications. HBR's Gardiner Morse recently spoke with Watts about his work. Following are edited excerpts of their conversation.

You're using the Internet to study the "six degrees" phenomenon. What have you found?

The notion of six degrees of separation grew out of work conducted by the social psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960s. Milgram decided to investigate the so-called small-world problem, the hypothesis that everyone on the planet is connected by just a few intermediaries. In his experiments, a few hundred people from Boston and Omaha tried to get a letter to a target-a complete stranger in Boston. But they could only send the letter to a personal friend whom they thought was somehow closer to the target than they were. When Milgram looked at the letters that reached the target, he found that they had changed hands only about six times. This finding has since been enshrined in the notion that everyone can be connected by a chain of acquaintances roughly six links long.

If this small-world hypothesis is correct, it has important implications for the nature of social networks. But Milgram's actual results were far less conclusive than most people realize. So, my colleagues and I are conducting an Internet experiment to try to settle the matter. We now have over 50,000 message chains originating in 163 countries in search of 18 targets around the world. The preliminary picture is more complicated than Milgram realized, but it looks like his main finding of six degrees is in the ballpark.

Until recently, it's been hard to study the small-world problem because we lacked adequate computing power. That has changed really only in the last decade, and there's been a corresponding burst of interest in network science. Researchers are studying networks of people, companies, boards of directors, computers, financial institutions-any system that comprises many discrete but connected components-to look for the common principles. And what we seem to be finding is that the small-world phenomenon is not only real but far more universal than anyone thought. The principles that apply to social networks, and account for the six-degrees phenomenon, seem to apply to many other kinds of networks as well. That could have implications for understanding practical problems like how ideas spread, how fads catch on, how a small initial failure can cascade throughout a large network like a power grid or a financial system-even how companies can foster internal networks to cope with crises.

What can network science tell us about how fads spread?

Let's look at the phenomenal success of Harry Potter. The first book actually started life quite inconspicuously and then, like Razor scooters and the Blair Witch Project, it just caught on. But why? People tend to think that successful products are somehow destined to succeed because of some intrinsic combination of features that creates and sustains demand. But network science suggests there's more to the picture.

In the case of Harry Potter, before Bloomsbury bought the rights, several other publishers rejected the manuscript. It's tempting to think of them as fools who missed a sure thing. In fact, it never was a sure thing. For every Harry Potter that explodes out of nowhere, there are thousands of books, movies, authors, and actors who live their entire lives in obscurity, and my work suggests that it's not because they lack quality or desirability. In other words, the market for a successful product should not be thought of as existing in some latent state before the product launch waiting for the product to arrive. Rather, it arises dynamically, driven in large part by the growing success of the product itself. In economics, this phenomenon is known as an information cascade: a social chain reaction in which increasing numbers of people buy a product principally because other people are buying it.

One objective of network science is to explain the mechanics of how these self-perpetuating markets form. We're finding that the structure of the networks is probably much more important than anyone thought in influencing the dispersion of ideas or behaviors. Harry 's success may have more to do with particular attributes of the social and media network it's spread across than with any inherent quality of the book. That turns our traditional notions about cause and effect on their head.

So which network structure best encourages information cascades or idea contagion? We don't know yet. But our work is beginning to identify some basic principles. For instance, it appears that having a wide range of personality types in a population can actually enhance the odds that a new idea or product will catch on. We also think that information cascades can be squelched if people in a network are exposed to too many opinions, or too few. Clearly, poorly connected networks inhibit idea contagion. What's less obvious is that if the people in a network are too densely connected, that may also prevent a fad or a product from catching on.

It's too early to say if any specific marketing tactics could yield the next Harry Potter. But our work suggests that conventional ideas about how to promote products may not be optimal.

Companies think they understand the networks they rely on. Your work suggests just the opposite.

Many critical networks in business are initially invisible, in the sense that they are not formally recognized. But they're still important. So it's vital to create the conditions that allow useful networks to form and be exploited. How does the "right" network of problem solvers form?

In Honda plants, for example, even relatively routine manufacturing problems are solved by rapidly created, temporary teams assembled when needed from people who come from throughout the plant-not just from the specific area where the problem was first observed. The roots of even seemingly straightforward problems can be far-flung and thus require a surprisingly broad range of institutional knowledge to be resolved. A simple paint defect, for example, may result from a faulty valve, which might have stopped working because a spray station is continually overtaxed, because another spray station is never working, because that spray station has a problem with its computer control mechanism, which resulted from an incorrect software setup, which can be traced to an overworked system administrator who is spending too much time helping managers with the e-mail accounts, and so on. No single person can know all this, but companies like Honda have discovered that, given a sufficiently diverse portfolio of participants, even quite complicated causal chains can be identified quickly.

What Honda understands and exploits is not only that informal social networks are valuable (albeit in unpredictable ways), but also that they can be fostered by institutionalized procedures. One question we hope to answer is, What is the optimal level of network-building activity in a company? Throwing people together for no apparent reason is obviously costly. Where do you get the maximum return on the investment? We hope to determine both what the ideal level of emphasis should be on building networks and the kind of mixing strategies that work best.

How far off are the practical applications of network science?

Network science suggests that our notions of cause and effect are skewed, that we're sometimes looking at the wrong actors in the play to try to understand why the drama is unfolding the way it is.

Practical applications like how to successfully launch a fad or design the internal architecture of a large firm are a long way off. Right now, we are at a stage analogous to molecular biology at the time when Watson and Crick announced the discovery of the structure of DNA. The significance of their discovery was immediately clear, but it still took 50 years and a massive commitment of human and financial capital to generate the biotech industry we have today.

A version of this article appeared in the February 2003 issue of Harvard Business Review.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The idea that we're all connected by just "six degrees"-six other people-is entrenched in our folklore. But Columbia sociologist Duncan Watts is working to see if such small worlds really exist and how they might work. Watts is one of the principal architects of network theory, the study of network structure and behavior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About social media for pre-teens and teenagers

Popular social media apps among pre-teens and teenagers include Instagram, Messenger or Messenger Kids, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.

Online chat in multiplayer video games, like Fortnite, League of Legends, Clash of Clans and The Sims is also a popular social media option for pre-teens and teenagers.

Using social media often involves uploading and sharing content. This includes:

creating online profiles

posting comments or chatting

uploading photos and videos

reacting to or 'liking' other people's posts

sharing links

tagging photos and content

creating and sharing game modifications

remixing or changing existing content and sharing it.

Social media: benefits

Social media is a big part of social and creative life for pre-teens and teenagers.

Pre-teens and teenagers use social media to have fun, make and maintain friendships, share and learn interests, explore identities and develop relationships with family. It's an extension of their offline and face-to-face interactions. For older teenagers especially, it's often a key part of how they connect with friends.

Social media can connect pre-teens and teenagers to online global groups based on shared interests. These might be support networks - for example, for young people with disability or medical conditions, LGBTIQ+ teenagers, or children from particular cultural backgrounds. Or they might be sites for commenting on and sharing content about particular interests like games, TV series, music or hobbies.

Your child can get many other benefits from using social media:

Learning: your child can use social media to better understand, extend or share what they're learning at school, either informally or in formal school settings.

Hobbies and interests: your child can use social media to follow their interests and learn new ones.

Creativity: your child can be creative with profile pages, images, video and game modifications.

Mental health and wellbeing: connecting with extended family and friends and taking part in local and global online groups can give your child a sense of belonging.

Social media: risks

Social media can also pose risks. For your child, these risks include:

being exposed to inappropriate or upsetting content, like mean aggressive, violent or sexual comments or images

uploading inappropriate content, like embarrassing or provocative photos or videos of themselves or others

sharing personal information with strangers - for example, images, date of birth, location or address

cyberbullying

being exposed to too much targeted advertising and marketing

being exposed to data breaches, like having their data sold on to other organisations.

Managing social media risks for pre-teens and teenagers

Talking about social media use
Talking with your child is the best way to protect them from social media risks and ensure their internet safety. Talking gives you the opportunity to help your child:

work out how they want to treat other people and be treated online - for example, you can encourage your child to make only positive comments

understand the risks involved in using social media - for example, your child might be tagged in an embarrassing photo taken at a party

learn how to navigate the risks - for example, if your child posts an identifiable selfie, they can reduce risk by not including any other personal information

learn what to do if people ask for personal details, are mean or abusive online, post embarrassing photos of them, or share information that links back to them.

Finding out more about social media
Social media apps and functionality are always changing, so it's a good idea to keep up to date with the social media your child uses. You could ask your child which platforms are popular and which ones they like. You could also get your child to show you how they work.

Thinking about age recommendations
Most social media apps require people to be at least 13 years old to sign up. But these age restrictions aren't always enforced, so pre-teens can often still use the apps. It can be tricky if your child's friends are using social media apps before they're old enough and your child wants to do the same.

If you want your child to wait, here are some options you could think about:

Could you compromise? What if your child uses a family social media account until they're old enough for their own? This could give your child a way to connect with friends with your help to navigate social media.

Could your child use a child-friendly social media app, like YouTube Kids or Messenger Kids? These have stronger safety settings and age-appropriate content.

What about banning social media?
It can be hard to ban social media, even for younger children. This is because social media is increasingly a part of children's apps, games, websites and learning environments. Instead, it's better to teach your child how to navigate social media risks and behave respectfully on social media.

Internet safety for children aged 9-11 years and internet safety for teenagers is about identifying and managing risks and also protecting your data and privacy.

Setting up social media guidelines

Some written guidelines about social media can help your child get the benefits of social media while using it responsibly, respectfully and safely. This agreement could be part of a family media plan. If these guidelines include your social media use as well as your child's, you can be a positive role model.

Here are things your guidelines could include.

Using social media
This might cover basics like:

when it's OK to use social media and how long your child can spend on social media

whether it's OK to use social media during homework time, family meals and so on

where it's OK to use social media - for example, only in family areas of the house, not bedrooms.

Posting content and comments
It's important for your child to agree to:

think about why they want to post something and what reactions they might get before they post

not upload or share inappropriate messages, images and video

show respect in posts and when sharing content - for example, if it's not OK to say or do something face to face, it's not OK online

seek consent before posting images of others.

Protecting privacy
It's a good idea to go through social media privacy guidelines and settings with your child.

Your child can protect their privacy by agreeing to:

not share personal information like location and date of birth - for example, by giving this information to strangers online, doing online quizzes or tests and so on

not add personal details like phone numbers or date of birth to private profiles

regularly check privacy and location settings on apps and devices

keep passwords and log-in details private and not share these with friends

not use social media or other online accounts on public wi-fi

log out of all accounts after using public computers.

Staying safe on social media
Safety essentials for your child include:

blocking and reporting people they don't know or people who post upsetting comments or content

not clicking on pop-ups - some pop-ups that seem safe can lead to pornography sites or are scams

accepting friend requests only from people whose identity they know

taking screenshots of concerning things they see online, and talking to a trusted adult about them.

One way you can teach your child how to be safe and respectful on social media is by making a joint social media account that you can use together. This can give your child the chance to get familiar with social media before they're old enough to have an account of their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social media benefits and risks: pre-teens and teenagers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media is a vital part of life for many pre-teens and teens. Social media guidelines can help your child get social media benefits and avoid risks.

# data[].attributes.body
Attention economy herbert Simon

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Originally launched as a list of school affiliations, Classmates came out in December 1995. The site, founded by Randy Conrads, later incorporated features like member profiles and friends lists. The company was sold to United Online in 2004 and suffered from a string of controversies, including an investigation by Andrew Cuomo, who was New York Attorney General at the time. The company has been rebranded as a center for nostalgia called Memory Lane.

May 1997: Six Degrees

Six Degrees is widely considered to be the very first social networking site. Founded by Andrew Weinreich in May 1996, the site launched the following year and combined popular features such as profiles, friends lists and school affiliations in one service. While the site had millions of registered users, due to the lack of people connected to the Internet, networks were limited. It would be a few years before the Internet's infrastructure could catch up with the concept of social networks. The site was sold in December 2000 to YouthStream Media Networks.

October 2001: Ryze

In the early days of social networking, business professionals turned to Ryze to make connections. The site allowed users to build profiles, add friends and send messages. Launched in October 2001 by Adrian Scott, the site was a precursor to LinkedIn. It's been speculated that Friendster's founder Jonathan Abrams was an early member of the site and was inspired to create a dating version of Ryze. The website claims to have more than 500,000 members in over 200 countries.

March 2002: Friendster

While there were social networks that existed before Friendster, none of them engaged the mainstream with the same success. Launched by Jonathan Abrams and Peter Chin in March 2002, the site was built on the premise that people were separated by six degrees. A feature that showed how you were connected to strangers made meeting people less intimidating and highly addictive. It was also considered a safe way to meet potential dates online. Unable to scale the service at the same rate as demand, the site encountered many technical hiccups. Frustrated users began migrating away from the popular social network and on to its rival MySpace. The company is still credited as giving birth to the modern social media movement. In May of 2011, the site abandoned user profiles and transitioned into a social entertainment site.

May 2003: LinkedIn

LinkedIn launched in May 2003 by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly and Jean-Luc Vaillant. Within the first month, the site had 4,500 members. What began as a place to post resumes online evolved into a business networking site which continued to grow, adding new features like hiring solutions for companies. In the spring of 2011, the company went public and became the biggest initial public offering for an Internet company to date since Google.

June 2003: hi5

Launched as a social networking site in June 2003, hi5 was able to turn a profit within its first year. Founded by Ramu Yalamanchi, the site gained popularity in Latin American countries, Mongolia, Tunisia and Romania. At one point in 2007, hi5 was second only to MySpace in terms of traffic.

August 2003: MySpace

The social networking site, MySpace was founded by several employees from the Internet marketing firm eUniverse in August 2003. The core team included Brad Greenspan, Chris DeWolfe, Josh Berman and Tom Anderson. Known for bands' pages, customizable profiles and a culture of online stalking, MySpace was the no. 1 website in 2006 and was valued at $12 billion in 2007. In 2005, News Corporation bought MySpace's parent company for an unprecedented $580 million. By April of 2008, Facebook took the title of no. 1 social network on the web. Despite several re-design attempts, the company could not revive its brand dominance. News Corp. sold the site for $35 million to the advertising firm, Specific Media.

January 2004: Orkut

Google's relationship with social networking began with a failed attempt to purchase Friendster in 2003. The company continued on and launched the networking site Orkut in January of 2004. Originally, membership was by invitation, which was meant to create an environment of trusted friends, but the site may have been too exclusive. It never succeeded at overtaking Friendster or MySpace, and is generally thought of as a failure in the U.S. market. In an interview with former Google vice president of location and local services, Marisa Mayer explained the reason behind the blip, "We were actually really overwhelmed with the success pretty quickly. We weren't really prepared to scale that quickly."

February 2004: Facebook

One of the most controversial websites in history, Facebook was launched in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. The Harvard sophomore was alleged to have stolen the idea for the site from Olympic rowers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and their partner Divya Narendra. The three filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg, which was settled out of court. The site was initially exclusive to Harvard students and eventually rolled out to the public in September 2006. Privacy concerns have been a constant issue with the company - from the Beacon program, which extracted user data from third-party website without permission, to the complicated privacy settings. Zuckerberg continued to move the company forward and is now the top social networking site and second only to Google in web rank. The story of the company's inception was portrayed in the 2010 film "The Social Network."

March 2005: Yahoo! 360 Degrees

In March 2005, Yahoo! 360 Degrees launched by invitation only. The social site provided profiles, blogs and content for members and other integrated Yahoo! products like Flickr, Yahoo! Music and Messenger. The product never took off in the U.S. and was shut down in July 2009. The online directory announced to users in 2007 that they would transition into a "new universal Yahoo! profile."

July 2005: Bebo

Bebo launched by Michael and Xochi Birch in July 2005. The social network's widget-style profile editor was easy to navigate and was a main draw for young users. By 2008, the site had 34 million registered members. The site was sold to AOL in March 2008 for $850 million. The media giant was unable to compete with Facebook and reportedly sold the company to Criterion Capital Partners for less than $10 million in June 2010.

July 2011: Google+

On June 28, 2011 Google+ was announced on the Official Google Blog. The search engine giant's latest venture in social media is probably its most complete attempt yet. The site offers features similar to Facebook, such as a news feed, photo albums and groups. Google+ moves an inch ahead of Facebook by adding a video chat room called Hangouts. Although Facebook recently announced video chat via Skype, it does not have group functionality like Google+.

First published on July 6, 2011 / 4:55 PM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Then and now: a history of social networking sites

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Originally launched as a list of school affiliations, Classmates came out in December 1995. The site, founded by Randy Conrads, later incorporated features like member profiles and friends lists. The company was sold to United Online in 2004 and suffered from a string of controversies, including an investigation by Andrew Cuomo, who was New York Attorney General at the time.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
During the transition to the modern Internet in the 1990s, people started to realize the need for online social media platforms. Though there were many other online platforms, the first recognizable social network service site is six degrees.

It was launched about 24 years ago in 1997 by MacroView (later renamed to SixDegrees). Six Degrees had around 100 employees, and the site had around 3.5 million fully registered members.

This social media was named after the six degrees of separation theory which was originally set out in a 1929 short story by Frigyes Karinthy. This theory is also known as the six handshakes rule.

It states that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else by no more than six degrees of separation. In simple words, there are not more than six ' a friend of a friend' between two individual persons!

A user of SixDegrees.com could set up a profile page, create lists of connections, and send messages within networks. Users could send messages and post bulletin board items to others in first, second, and third-degree connections as well.

YouthStream Media Networks bought Six Degrees in December 1999 for $125 million. Apparently, it turned into a huge loss. It got shuttered in 2000. Though it later made a modest comeback and still subsists today.

Don't you think Six Degrees has eased the way of recent social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter?

References: Six Degrees Social Engine SixDegrees.com The History of Social Media: 29+ Key Moments The Complete History of Social Media A Chronological History of Social Media The Small-World Phenomenon: Six Degrees of Separation Explained Youthstream Media Networks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
During the transition to the modern Internet in the 1990s, people started to realize the need for online social media platforms. Though there were many other online platforms, the first recognizable social network service site is six degrees . It was launched about 24 years ago in 1997 by MacroView (later renamed to SixDegrees).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After posting a five-part article on social media reform, as well as publishing a couple of editorials on this topic (one highlighting the problem with social media, the other looking at solutions to this problem), I thought it would be helpful to sum up these thoughts. So, let's recap what's wrong with several social media platforms (and by wrong, I'm referring to ethical concerns). Simply put, there's a twofold problem: manipulative algorithms and addictive design.

Problem 1: Manipulative Algorithms

From online extremism that fueled the 2021 Capitol attack to vaccine misinformation that worsened the coronavirus pandemic, it's obvious that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have amplified a lot of harmful and misleading information. To suggest these platforms opened up a can of worms would be an insult to worms. Indeed, there seems to be no shortage of outrageous, erroneous content going viral on social media nowadays.

To date, social media companies have responded by trying to screen and remove objectionable posts or lies. It's a practice commonly known as content moderation. To be sure, this approach is often necessary to prevent egregious content that incites violence (a.k.a. dangerous speech). And yet, trying to moderate all other kinds of outrageous, erroneous content (such as hate speech and fake news) has remained an endless game of whack-a-mole.

To understand why, consider what the content moderators are up against: the social media algorithms that distribute content online. On one hand, these algorithms make platforms like Facebook and Twitter incredibly effective for advertising and sharing. On the other hand, those algorithms make social media practically impossible to moderate.

That's because the algorithms spreading content on social media work much faster than the content moderators trying to screen and remove it, including extreme or false info. To see why content moderators are fighting a losing battle, consider what social media algorithms are designed to do.

What Social Media Algorithms are Designed to Do

First, hijack your attention the second you log on to social media. For example, place click-bait ads or viral content into your social media feed.

Next, collect all the data you happen leave traces of online. In addition to your comments and messages, such data includes your 'likes' and the amount of time you spend scrolling and glancing at ads or content.

Then, sell access to your data to advertisers and outside parties. In turn, advertisers and outside parties can use that info to target you with even more ads or content, especially if those ads and content keep you 'liking' and scrolling endlessly through your social media feed.

By monitoring people's online behavior, harvesting their private data, and manipulating what they see online (a form of manipulation known as " surveillance capitalism "), social media algorithms work 24/7 to keep users addicted to 'liking' and scrolling through endless ads and content. Which brings us to the second problem with social media.

Problem 2: Addictive Design

As mentioned, social media algorithms manipulate what people see online in order to keep them addicted to 'liking' and scrolling through nonstop ads and content. Hence, it's not just the manipulative algorithms that are a problem but also the addictive design of social media. For instance, two examples of addictive design are the 'like' button and the infinite scroll.

What 'Like' buttons and Infinite Scrolling are Designed to Do

The 'like' button is a clear example of an addictive design feature. The thrill-and disappointment-of constantly checking to see how many 'likes' you receive on social media is an activity that easily becomes addictive. It's not unlike the high and low feelings you can get from gambling.

If you're young, feeling vulnerable, or craving social affirmation, this thrill and disappointment can feel particularly distressing. If your posts aren't 'liked' by others, the lack of validation might feel like social denunciation, as if nobody cares to hear what you have to say.

In fact, much research shows that the distress induced by social media has been harmful to teens, especially girls. Moreover, social media companies like Facebook have conducted research that reveals similar findings (even though Facebook downplayed those harmful effects).

Likewise, social media platforms may become addictive because they work like a game that never ends. Specifically, we're referring to the infinite scroll feature-like the Facebook News Feed or Twitter timeline. The infinite scroll (as well as similar features like 'auto refresh') can easily give rise to "doomscrolling." Doomscrolling refers to endlessly and mindlessly scrolling online, with no end in sight.

Perhaps because it's such a blatant form of addictive behavior, it's no secret that doomscrolling negatively affects our mental health. As digital minimalists like Joshua Fields Millburn have pointed out, "scrolling is the new smoking."

Problems with Manipulative Algorithms and Addictive Design

Unfortunately, a problem with manipulative algorithms and addictive design is that they can incentivize lots of outrageous, erroneous content. After all, what manipulates users on social media and keeps them addicted to 'liking' and scrolling' is often what's outrageous. And what's outrageous needn't have any relationship to what's true.

The result is a society vulnerable to bad actors, including cult personalities who spread extremism and misinformation online. Indeed, as documentaries like The Social Dilemma illustrate, the manipulative algorithms and addictive design of social media helped bring us to this precarious situation.

Ways to Mitigate Manipulative Algorithms and Addictive Design

Therefore, if we want to mitigate extremism and misinformation on social media, it's clear that we need to change the manipulative algorithms and addictive design that characterize several social networking sites. The good news is that this problem is solvable. For instance, here are of couple ways we can mitigate the problem of manipulative algorithms and addictive design.

Put a Check on Manipulative Algorithms by Implementing Personal Privacy and Data Protection Rules

Regarding manipulative algorithms, we can implement laws and policies that enhance personal privacy and data protection. These rules could put a reasonable check on how social media algorithms monitor people's online behavior, harvest their private data, and manipulate what they see online.

For example, personal privacy and data protection rules could limit how much private data gets collected by social media companies. These rules could also restrict how the data can be accessed or used by advertisers and outside parties. Ultimately, the goal of personal privacy and data protection is to give individuals more control over their own private data.

Eliminate Addictive Design Features on Social Media

Regarding addictive design, social media companies like Facebook or Twitter can redesign their platforms by getting rid of the addictive features, such as the 'like' button and infinite scroll.

Surely, redesigning social media in this way would be a step in the right direction. Instead of platforms that addict users to outrageous, erroneous content, we could have platforms that help people find credible, accurate information.

Why Care About Redesigning Social Media by Changing Manipulative Algorithms and Addictive Design?

Before wrapping up this discussion, let's preempt a final question. Why care about reforming or redesigning social media by changing the manipulative algorithms and addictive design? Well, just think about this topic from the standpoint of Internet freedom and individual control, two things we all surely value.

Manipulative Algorithms vs. Internet Freedom to Control Our Data and Online Information

As long as we lack personal privacy and data protection online, we're letting manipulative algorithms monitor our online behavior, harvest our private data, and determine what can see (and what we can't see) on the Internet. In other words, there is no Internet freedom-in particular, freedom to control our own data and online information-without personal privacy and data protection.

Addictive Design vs. Individual Control of Tech

Likewise, there is no individual control over technology if it's addictive by design. Of course, if someone is addicted to a product, service, or technology, it's possible (but probably not reasonable) put the full burden of overcoming that addiction on the user. For instance, if someone feels addicted to cigarettes, we could say, "Just stop smoking!" Likewise, if someone feels addicted to social media, we could say, "Just stop using social media!"

Then again, the point of acknowledging such behavior as addictive is to realize it's out of someone's control. (Or, at the very least, it's out of someone's control to a significant degree-otherwise, it wouldn't be addictive.) In other words, if something is addictive by design, it's unreasonable to put the onus of overcoming addition solely on the addict. The professionals responsible for that addictive design also bear responsibility to redesign it in the best interest of the user.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Manipulative Algorithms and Addictive Design on Social Media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After posting a five-part article on social media reform, as well as publishing a couple of editorials on this topic (one highlighting the problem with social media, the other looking at solutions to this problem), I thought it would be helpful to sum up these thoughts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
pual graham the acceleration of addictiveness - Google Search

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Acceleration of Addictiveness ... What hard liquor, cigarettes, heroin, and crack have in common is that they're all more concentrated forms of less addictive ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I’ve worked in tech for 22 years — and it’s clear we’re living in an ‘addiction economy’

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tech juggernauts like Facebook and Google fundamentally depend on people’s eyeballs staying glued to their devices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Brown Undergraduate Journal of Public Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The health impacts of social media addiction remain somewhat unknown. Recent studies indicate variable health effects depending on the severity of the addiction, and increased social media use predicts more significant health consequences. One study investigating the impact of social media addiction on stress among employees of 13 companies in Thailand found that those with a higher degree of addiction appear to have a lower capacity for mindfulness (i.e. the ability to be fully engaged with the present moment). Social media addiction may reduce productivity and success in work, education, and other areas of life. Additionally, the study revealed that individuals experiencing addiction to social media choose emotion-focused coping to alleviate stress rather than problem-focused coping. In contrast to problem-focused coping, in which an individual takes actions targeted at the source of the problem, emotion-focused coping involves efforts to reduce the emotional severity of a situation as a means of resolving the problem. However, the employment of social media to reduce stress qualifies as unhealthy use and may increase emotional exhaustion. Those who are addicted often rely on social media to distract from real-life problems, which masks them and prevents addressing underlying issues. ¹

Generally, social media has been linked with several adverse health impacts, particularly in transitional-age youths and adolescents. For example, more frequent daily social media site visits have been associated with higher odds of depression among U.S. individuals between the ages of 19 and 32, and corresponding findings have been reported internationally. ² Furthermore, two separate studies, one on Scottish adolescents and another on U.S. college students, both indicated a relationship between increased use of social media and heightened levels of anxiety. 3,4 Associations between social media use and poor sleep and unhealthy eating habits have also been supported by nationally- and internationally-based studies. 5,6 Taken together, these findings suggest that the implications of social media addiction can be damaging to both individual and population health.

One social media platform that has seen a significant increase in popularity recently is TikTok. Reminiscent of newly-retired platforms, Vine and Musical.ly, regarding the type and format of app content, TikTok features short-form videos on every topic imaginable. At first featuring lip-synching and dancing to popular songs, current content has expanded to now include comedy, technical skill instruction, fitness inspiration, and myriad other categories. In addition, users can create original content and respond to content made by others through likes, comments, and reshares. Another key component of the app is the "For You" page, a feed specifically curated for each user by the app based on user activity and interaction with other content. Certain individuals have taken advantage of the platform as a marketing tool, establishing themselves as "influencers;" many companies also utilize the app to promote their products and messages. The global audience is heavily skewed towards younger generations, with almost half of its users under age 34, and teenagers make up nearly one-third of accounts. Overall, the platform had over 800 million users in 2019 and is expected to exceed 1 billion users by the end of 2020. Its current economic valuation of $75 million qualifies it as the world's most valuable startup. Since its popularity spike in 2018, TikTok has surpassed other traditional social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook as the most-downloaded social media app. ⁷ Clearly, TikTok is well-established, rivaling other platforms for supremacy in the social-media world.

The 'like' button is a hallmark of nearly all social media platforms. The action of 'liking' social media content has recently become so popular that Merriam Webster now lists an alternative definition of 'like' in the dictionary as "to electronically register one's approval of (something such as an online post or comment) for others to see (as by clicking on an icon designed for that purpose)." ⁸ The button was first created in 2005 on Vimeo as an alternative way for users to react to videos that felt less concrete than 'favoriting' them; its later introduction to Facebook in 2009 and subsequent alterations to its functionality contributed to its establishment as a fixture of social media platforms. ⁹ 'Likes' provide information on social norms and indicate the societal view of particular media that is posted, influencing how individuals perceive it. Additionally, 'likes' offer information to social media companies and other websites where there are 'like' button plugins so they can more specifically tailor their content to users to keep them more engaged without directly asking their preferences. ¹⁰ The 'like' button was instrumental in the rapid growth of Facebook in 2010 and has had similar effects on TikTok over the past few years. Thus, although the platforms differ in their content and audiences, they are remarkably alike at the structural level.

In alignment with traditional mechanisms of reward-based learning and facilitation of the habit and addiction loops, 'likes' serve as a reward for social media users. A study utilizing a functional MRI paradigm to mimic the "Instagram experience" of viewing "liked" photos demonstrated increased neural activity in regions traditionally associated with reward, namely the nucleus accumbens, and provided evidence for the influence of virtual peer endorsement through 'likes' as a form of quantifiable social endorsement among users; accordingly, receipt of a 'like' indicates that others approve of an individual's content. ¹¹ This satisfies the human desire for acceptance by others, particularly those they respect and whose opinions they value; these individuals often comprise one's 'friends' or 'followers' on social media. Dopamine release is a key part of the positive feedback loop that drives reward-based learning; increased dopaminergic activity in the brain in response to receiving a 'like' encourages future social media use and continued content publication in hopes that the pleasurable experience will re-occur. ¹² 'Likes' also keep users engaged with social media platforms by representing a form of investment; 'liking' content elicits the psychological experience of investment in the platform, and the more invested people are, the more likely they are to care about it and return to the website or app in the future. Evidently, 'likes' are gratifying in multiple ways - it feels good to receive likes from other people, and it also feels good to give 'likes' to other people in the same way that it feels good to give people gifts. For both forms, the presence of the like button allows instant gratification, which drives habitual use and addiction through positive reinforcement. ¹³

Undoubtedly, the appeal and entertainment value of content posted on TikTok is a major factor in its popularity. Users are intrigued by videos posted by others and may recreate these videos or publish original content. However, the platform's success is also heavily influenced by elements of the app itself, and it has been argued that certain app features drive the formation and sustenance of addictions to the platform. Recent reports reveal that users spend an average of 46 minutes per day on the app and open it eight times daily; considering the maximum length of videos is 15 seconds, they may watch upwards of 180 videos per day on average. ¹⁴ Like other social media platforms, the infinite scroll and variable reward pattern of TikTok likely increase the addictive quality of the app as they may induce a flow-like state for users that is characterized by a high degree of focus and productivity at the task at hand, ¹⁵ whether that be a game, one's social media feed, or another virtual activity. Once immersed in the flow-like state, users may experience a distorted sense of time in which they do not realize how much time has passed. Furthermore, the app interface itself is straightforward and user-friendly, with only a limited number of buttons and sections of the app for users to navigate, which further enables entrance into "flow." ¹⁶ Videos are short, which is ideal given the decreasing attention capacity of youths in the 21st century. When they play, they consume the entire device screen, which creates an immersive experience for users. ¹⁷

The personalized "For You" stream created by artificial intelligence (AI) for each user has also been identified as a key contributor to TikTok addiction. TikTok differs from other social media apps because an individual's feed is not based on deliberate choices made about the content they want to see. Instead, AI presents individuals with content and uses their reactions to it (in the form of likes, comments, and reshares) to determine other content they might like, facilitating a continuous cycle that starts from the first use and becomes increasingly accurate with repeated engagement. ¹⁸ All of the in-app features prolong the time that users spend on the app, which increases the addictive capacity of the platform. To further support this effort, developers constantly change the app layout and add new features so that users spend more time on the app navigating and adjusting to the new design.

Although the similarity may not be immediately evident, analysis of social media apps reveals that they are designed to function like slot machines - the "swipe down" feature required to refresh one's feed mirrors pulling a slot machine lever, and the variable pattern of reward in the form of entertaining videos on TikTok simulates the intermittent reward pattern of winning or losing on a slot machine; this pattern keeps individuals engaged under the impression that the next play might be "the one." ¹⁹ The striking parallelism between social media apps and slot machines is intriguing given that gambling is the only behavioral addiction currently recognized by the DSM-5. Provided that social media apps are functionally akin to slot machines, it is likely that the use of these apps is just as addictive as slot machines and fosters social media addiction, much like how slot machines contribute to gambling addiction.

Taken together, specific consideration of TikTok in the larger context of social media platforms reveals that "TikTok addiction" is likely a result of a combination of effects. Like other substance and behavioral addictions, it is expected that there are dispositional factors involved in the development of addiction to TikTok. This is because certain lived experiences and personality traits are believed to predict a tendency for engagement in habitual behaviors and addiction. Although these characteristics are often unpreventable, therapeutic and medicative treatments may effectively reduce their influence on an individual's behavior, so this driver of TikTok addiction may not be too significant.

Unfortunately, it appears that structural and contextual aspects of TikTok are greater contributors to addiction than dispositional attributes of users. Elements of app design and functionality, namely the variable reward pattern of the content stream, the simple, "flow-inducing" interface, and the capability for "endless scroll," capitalize on classical conditioning and reward-based learning processes to facilitate the formation of habit loops and encourage addictive use. Unlike dispositional drivers of "TikTok addiction," situational elements of the platform are engineered by app developers, and thus, could be eliminated. However, developers are unwilling to relent with the knowledge that their app's success depends on its ability to manipulate users to continue use despite any adverse consequences. Although this behavior is conscious and deliberate, whereas dispositional factors are often unconscious and uncontrollable, changing the attitudes and behavior of those in the social media industry may pose a greater challenge to public health efforts to reduce "TikTok addiction" than simply treating misaligned personality traits; this is the reality of living in an increasingly digital and technologically-based world.

1. Sidani, Jaime E., Ariel Shensa, Beth Hoffman, Janel Hanmer, and Brian A. Primack. "The association between social media use and eating concerns among US young adults." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 116, no. 9 (2016): 1465-1472.

2. TikTok Revenue and Usage Statistics (2020). (2020, October 30). Retrieved from https://www.businessofapps.com/data/tik-tok-statistics/

3. Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/

4. Zara, C. (2019, December 18). How Facebook's 'like' button hijacked our attention and broke the 2010s. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/90443108/how-facebooks-like-button-hijacked-our-attention-and-broke-the-2010s

5. Ghose, T. (2015, January 27). What Facebook Addiction Looks Like in the Brain. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/49585-facebook-addiction-viewed-brain.html

6. Flynn, Kerry, Kristina Monllos, Lara O'Reilly, and Seb Joseph. "Pitch Deck: TikTok Says Its 27m Users Open the App 8 Times a Day in the US."Digiday. Published February 26, 2019. https://digiday.com/marketing/pitch-deck-how-tiktok-is-courting-u-s-ad-agencies/.

7. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). Flow: The classic work on how to achieve happiness. Random House.

8. Meltzer, D. (2018, February 08). Why Short-Form Video Needs to Be Part of Your Content Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308684

9. Knowledge, V. I. (2019). The TikTok Strategy: Using AI Platforms to Take Over the World.

10. Liu, R. (2020, September 21). The psychology of why social media is so addictive [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://uxdesign.cc/the-psychology-of-why-social-media-is-so-addictive-67830266657d

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Makes TikTok so Addictive?: An Analysis of the Mechanisms Underlying the World's Latest Social Media Craze

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Author: Sophia Petrillo The health impacts of social media addiction remain somewhat unknown. Recent studies indicate variable health effects depending on the severity of the addiction, and increased social media use predicts more significant health consequences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the Dopamine Theory of Addiction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The dopamine theory of addiction is the staple of modern psychology for treating addictions, including video game addiction.

# data[].attributes.headline
Inside the good, bad, and very ugly of social media algorithms

# data[].attributes.subject
Inside the good, bad, and very ugly of social media algorithms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Media consumption is constantly evolving. Led by generational habits, the ways Gen Z consume content is different from that of the generation before and will likely be different from that of the generation that follows. As proven by a recent Ofcom report, where news channels were once limited to radio, television and print, it's now no longer the case, with social media allowing us 24-hour access to information and breaking news.

It's no surprise that TikTok is the fastest growing news source in the UK. Since June 2020, TikTok has outranked YouTube in terms of the time young people (aged 4-18) have spent using the platforms. This transition is part of a wider cultural shift revolutionising the way we consume information. People are moving away from just 'Googling it' to just 'TikToking it' instead - further influencing how news is presented to the public.

How Is Traditional Media Adapting to Change?

Hugely successful TV formats such as E News and MTV Celeb roundups keep highlights and stories short, punchy, and to the point. In our industry, agencies use social listening and audience insight to inform which influencers and creators are resonating the best with key audiences. It's likely that more traditional outlets like Sky and BBC News will begin to employ these impactful tactics, as well as introducing trending and influential voices to diversify their sources of information. This will help ensure they are engaging audiences in the right way.

However, we must proceed with caution. Platforms have a responsibility to safeguard true investigative journalism and the depth it can offer to stories that aren't just on the current popular agenda. Moreover, Meta, TikTok, or whatever the next gen of social looks like will utilise algorithms that, research shows, can be and often are discriminatory. We need to understand and strike a balance for opening up opportunities to share news, whilst educating people on the difference between opinion and real information.

Why Social Channels Are so Appealing to Gen Z

Platforms like TikTok provide relevant and up-to-date information on any given topic, which is part of TikTok's appeal as a non-curated space where results are ever-changing and updated. The search options on social media are more accessible and pragmatic, increasing the appeal to Gen Z who want access to timely information.

Social channels prioritise significance and relevance in search function algorithms to ensure that information remains up to date. This function has also been supported by TikTok's initiative #LearnOnTikTok. With over 282.8 billion views, the popularity of TikTok's educational content fits into a trend towards micro-learning which is proven to be 17% more efficient than traditional, longer-duration courses and distills topics into digestible, small chunks.

This makes TikTok the perfect delivery vehicle for micro-learning as it utilises Gen Z's favourite format: video, and on their preferred device: their phones. This shows that social platforms are evolving to cater to the needs and priorities of Gen Z, something traditional platforms must follow to remain relevant to younger audiences. The parallels between TikTok as a news and education platform come from its dynamic search function that focuses on providing content that is of most relevance to each person individually.

Brands must be flexible whilst staying in tune with consumer behaviour and consumption trends in order to make sure their content is prioritised when information is searched for. Put simply, the more engagement a piece of content gets, the more likely it is to be rewarded by the algorithm.

Over the last 10 years, we have grown from a digital wasteland where data and cookies drove programmatic and performance-based advertising to laser in on audiences and overcome algorithms, or bombard users with branded content across all corners of the internet. Now, more creative and brand enhancing content is key. We need to invest in more inspiring ideas, collaborations and use content pragmatically to help work with the algorithms to support audiences and give them something informative and entertaining. Brands need to bring the consumer closer to them with conversation, debate, and creativity rather than using traditional media tactics which are becoming increasingly outdated.

What Does This Mean for Traditional Search Engines?

Does the exponential growth of social media's search capabilities spell the end for traditional search engines? Not as such. The multi-screen experience is still a massive part of our digital culture, and users are accessing multiple platforms daily. TikTok has positioned itself in the education and information space, but people who are truly passionate about a subject will still want to read deeper and look for additional supplementary information that you can't get through short vertical formats.

If the search engines want to survive, they need to align with social search functions that work in tandem with traditional search engines. For example, if you type into Google ' inspiration', platforms such as Pinterest appear frequently. Search and social have traditionally gone, and will continue to go, hand in hand and the value exchange must be recognised by brands and news platforms looking to connect with audiences at many different stages of the funnel.

The Future

It's hard to predict what will happen with the future of news, but I can guarantee it's going to be a fascinating journey. Linear and traditional media have a chance to use channels such as TikTok and others to enrich a story and create interactivity by using the platform in more dynamic ways. Whilst the platforms themselves have the chance to broker much more thought provoking and substantial content, partnerships with traditional outlets can ensure that audiences are kept well informed with the answers they are hungry for.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Just TikTok It': How Gen Z Are Replacing Traditional Search Engines With Social Media - Advertising Week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Media consumption is constantly evolving. Led by generational habits, the ways Gen Z consume content is different from that of the generation before and will likely be different from that of the generation that follows.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While many people complain about algorithmic feeds on social media, there are a number of benefits to them.

We all know that algorithmic social media feeds are the devil, right? They're the source of so much discontent when it comes to our online experience. We've been told this time and time again by our friends and even by some experts.

But is that really the truth? In this article, we're going to look at some reasons algorithmic social media feeds can be good.

1. They Help You See More Of What You're Interested In

One of the main advantages of algorithmic social media feeds is that you're more likely to see content that you're actually interested in. This is because social media algorithms are designed to show you content based on your past interactions and behavior.

If you've been interacting with a lot of posts about cats, then the algorithm will assume that you're interested in seeing more cat-related content. Content that you like and watch on TikTok will determine how the app figures out your preferences on TikTok's For You Page.

This ensures that you're always seeing content that you actually want to see. After all, isn't that the whole point of social media? To connect us with the things we're interested in?

2. They Help Filter Out The Noise

Another advantage of algorithmic social media feeds is that they can help filter out the noise. We all have that one friend who seems to post about every little thing they do throughout the day. And while their posts might be interesting to them, they're probably not all that interesting to you.

With an algorithm in place, you're less likely to see those types of posts in your feed. Instead, you'll only see the posts that the algorithm thinks you'll find interesting.

3. They Help You Discover New Things

Algorithmic social media feeds can also help you discover new things. While you might not be interested in every single post that shows up in your feed, the algorithm will expose you to a variety of different topics and ideas. And who knows? You might just find something that you're interested in.

Consider TikTok again. The algorithm has been updated to avoid repetitive recommendations on TikTok. It's full of videos that you might not have seen otherwise. And while some of them might not be to your taste, there's a good chance that you'll find always find videos that you enjoy watching.

Another advantage of algorithmic social media feeds is that they make the social media experience more personalized. In a world where we're constantly bombarded with content, it's nice to have a feed that's tailored for you.

And that's exactly what an algorithm can do. It can take all the content that's out there and curate a feed that's just for you.

5. They Keep Users Online Long Enough to Make Money

Finally, algorithmic social media feeds are good for business. Social media platforms make money by keeping users online, and algorithms help to do just that. The longer you spend scrolling through your feed, the more likely you are to see ads. And that's how most social media platforms make money.

While this may not be the most altruistic reason, it's still a valid one. After all, social media platforms need to make money somehow.

Balancing The Pros And Cons

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to algorithmic social media feeds. For example, they can make it difficult to see content from people who you don't interact with often. And they can also lead to echo chambers, where you only see content that agrees with your worldview.

But at the end of the day, you have to balance the pros and cons. And when you do that, you might just find that the pros outweigh the cons. After all, algorithmic social media feeds are designed to improve your experience. And in most cases, they succeed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Reasons Why Algorithmic Social Media Feeds Are Actually Good

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While many people complain about algorithmic feeds on social media, there are a number of benefits to them. We all know that algorithmic social media feeds are the devil, right? They're the source of so much discontent when it comes to our online experience.

# data[].attributes.body
prosumers????

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Advances in Consumer Research Volume 13, 1986 Pages 510-513

THE PROSUMER MOVEMENT : A NEW CHALLENGE FOR MARKETERS

Philip Kotler, Northwestern University

Alvin Toffler (1980), in his book The Third Wave, argues that consumers are a phenomenon of the Industrial Age. As society moves toward the Post-Industrial Age, so will the number of pure consumers decline. They will be replaced by "prosumers," people who produce many of their own goods and services. Although his prosumer theorizing has not attracted much critical comment, has concept is sufficiently provocative to merit the attention of consumer behavior scholars and marketing practitioners. If Toffler is right, we might have to retitle the field "prosumer behavior" and rev4se our notions of effective marketing.

My purpose is three-fold: first, to describe Toffler's prosumer thesis; second, to extend the prosumer concept further; and third, to examine its validity and implications.

THE PROSUMER ACCORDING TO TOFFLER

Toffler defines prosumers as people who produce some of the goods and services entering their own consumption. They can be found making their own clothes, cooking their own food, rearing their own cars, and hanging their own wallpaper. All of these services could be purchased in the marketplace. and in fact, most people today purchase these goods and services from others. This is the essence of being a consumer. The essence of being a prosumer, on the other hand, 's to prefer producing one's own goods and services.

Underlying this is the distinction between production for use and production for exchange. When people produce for use, production and consumption are united in the same person. When they produce for exchange, then production and consumption are separated. In this case, people put their time into producing one thing and they use their earnings to buy all the other things they need.

Toffler argues that product on and consumption activity became separated during the Industrial Age. In fact, he distinguishes between three stages or waves in human history.

In the First Wave, agriculture is the dominant institution (see Figure 1). According to Toffler, the vast majority of people are prosumers. They hunt or grow their own food, make their own clothing, and create their own amusements. They are Sector A, the largest sector of society. A few members of the community specialize in some mode of product on, such as candlemaking, black-smithing, and fishing. They trade their surplus output for things that others produce. They are consumers and make up a much smaller Sector B. The dominant process of First Wave societies is self production, the norm is survival, and the social nexus is kinship, friendship, tribe.

The Second Wave occurred with the Industrial Revolution in England. The factory became the dominant institution. An increasing number of people now spend their productive hours there. They work in factories (or offices) for eight hours a day and use their income to buy what they need in the marketplace. Most people produce for exchange, not for use. Sector A (prosumers) has grown small, while sector B (consumers) has grown large. The only prosumers are housewives who cook, clean, sew, knit and shop, while not getting paid for this. Prosumer activity is so undervalued in Second Wave Societies that these societies don't include homemaker activities in estimating the gross national product.

Toffler says that the dominant processes in Second Wave Societies are industrialization and marketization. Second Wave societies are marked by the establishment and elongation of exchange networks through which people obtain needed goods and services. Goods are produced under the norm of efficiency, and are consumed under the norm of indulgence. The social nexus holding people together are contracts and transactions in addition to kinship and social relationships. With industrialization and marketization, people increasingly become specialized producers and are increasingly unable to produce almost anything else, even cooking well.

Toffler sees the post-industrial age as moving toward a syntheses of First and Second Wave societies, which he calls the Third Wave. The dominant institution in Third Wave societies is the home, or electronic cottage, in which most people carry on their own production and consumption. For reasons which we will examine below, more people shift more of their time into prosumption. Sector A starts increasing in size relative to sector B. Because people now produce more of their own goods and services, markets become less important, since they exist to meet exchange needs in those societies where most production is for exchange.

Toffler sees the dominant process in Third Wave societies to be demarketizations including demassification as well. The norm of Third Wave societies is individuation rather than mass consumption. The social nexus is the family, and secondarily, the neighborhood.

Why will people move toward more prosumption activity? Toffler presents several arguments. First, the workweek will continue its long run decline, from 80-90 hours during the early days of the Industrial Revolution to 40 hours today to even fewer hours in the future. The scarcity of jobs will lead some companies to adopt share-the-work schemes. Furthermore, some people will volunteer to work less than 40 hours, preferring more leisure time.

Second, people well be more highly educated. They will not accept boring work as readily. Advancing technology, especially in computers and telecommunications, will tempt them to use their time in other ways.

Third, the rising cost of skilled labor - plumbers, carpenters, etc. - will drive more people to do their own work. And if they are unemployed or underemployed, they will have time to take care of these tasks. Thus, rising service cost will lead to more prosumption.

Fourth, people want more physical activity as their work becomes increasingly mental in a technologically advancing society. Those sitting at desks all day will seek physical activities, including some involving self-production.

Fifth, some people will feel that they can produce better goods and services than are available in the market, especially if manufactured goods and services decline in quality. Some groups - such as the Dutch and the Germans - have developed a high sensitivity to quality and a strong "instinct for workmanship." They will undertake projects at home that normally would be contracted for in the marketplace.

Sixth, more people will turn away from mass produced goods and seek individuation by producing their own goods and services. They will attend more courses on cooking, gardening, knitting, weaving, and painting. This prediction follows Maslow's (1954) "hierarchy of needs" which argues that as people satisfy lower order needs, they will focus increasingly on self-actualization, much of which will take the form of prosumption activity.

In advancing these points, Toffler presents sporadic rather than systematic evidence. He likes to cite miscellaneous statistical anecdotes drawn from a variety of sources. He notes, for example, that whereas ten years ago, 70% of all electric power tools were purchased by professional craftsmen, today 70% are bought by -do-it-yourselfers.- He notes that self-care items - do-it-yourself pregnancy kits, throat cultures etc. - have grown into a $2.5 billion industry in 1981. He cites the rapid growth of self-help societies for overcoming problems of alcoholism, drug abuse, and the consumers' turning away from professionals. he notes that more people are attending more colleges to learn more crafts and skills than ever before.

THE MARKETING CHALLENGE

If Toffler is right about a swelling wave of prosumption activity, then marketers face a challenging, if not frustrating, future. They will find fewer customers for mass-produced goods and services and less consumer interest in brands. On the other hand, alert marketers will discover new opportunities in the areas of marketing research, product, price, place, and promotion. I would like to outline some of these new opportunities.

Marketing Research

Marketers will find it increasingly hard to sell those goods and services which people can produce themselves. Therefore, marketers need to research which goods and services people are most likely to start producing themselves. If more people learn how to repair their own automobiles, garages will have less work to do. If more people hang their own wallpaper, professional wallpaper hangers will face less work.

Prosumption activities that are likely to attract consumers will have four characteristics. They would promise high cost saving, require minimal skill, consume little time and effort, and yield high personal satisfaction. One activity, for example, that satisfies many of these criteria is house painting. The person saves the high cost of a painter; finds it easy to paint well with modern paint rollers; finds that it does not involve much effort or time; and feels some satisfaction while painting and when finished painting. We would therefore predict that house painting would move more into the prosumption camp.

On the other hand, auto repair is less likely to become a widespread prosumer activity. Although the potential cost savings are high, the person would have to spent considerable time learning about auto repair, expend substantial effort in making repairs, and generally not enjoy the activity very much in view of all the frustration that can occur, the dirtiness of the work, etc. Therefore, we would predict that consumers will be less drawn to auto repair.

Products and Product Designs

We would predict that people will want to play a larger role in designing or producing certain goods and services they consume. One is reminded of the homemakers who rejected a brand of cake mix that required only adding water because they wanted to add milk or fresh eggs themselves. They wanted to participate more fully in "giving birth" to the cake. We should also note that more people are buying and grinding coffee beans and brewing their own coffee instead of just adding boiling water to instant powdered coffee. Instead of moving toward task simplification, some consumers are moving toward task elaboration in the interest of achieving better quality. g/ X

In Japan, some of the "famous" scroll painters made their own brushes, mixed their own paints, and even made their own paper. These painters were thoroughgoing prosumers

Most painters, on the other hand, buy their paints, brushes, and canvases. Manufacturers will need to study which stages in the production value-adding process people might want to perform themselves.

Modern computers will permit people to participate more in the designing the products they want. General Motors' Saturn project V4 visualizes car buyers entering a showroom, sitting down at a computer terminal and responding to questions about what they want in the way of the car's color, engine, seat material, radio, and so on (Newsweek, June 17, 1985). Their order is transmitted to the auto plant which proceeds to produce the desired car. Similarly, future home buyers will enter an architect's office, sit down at a computer terminal, specify room sizes and layout, examine the results, and modify them until satisfaction is achieved.

We can imagine further examples of consumer participation in designing manufactured goods and services. A person will enter a clothing store, stand before an electronic mirror and press appropriate buttons that will project various suits on him in different colors, style, and materials. After finding the most pleasing look, he will press another button and laser beams will cut and prepare the clothing (Newsweek, April 22, 1985). Still, in another case, people will call their travel agency, describe the kind of experience they want - climb the Himalayas, conduct the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, etc. and the agency will arrange or design it for them (Kotler, 1984).

The fact that people enjoy participating in production is evidenced in a number of situations salad bars are increasingly popular in restaurants because many people prefer to "compose" their own salads. Certain ice cream parlors allow people to make their own sundaes. The success of the "Bradley GT kit" - where a person can turn his or her Volkswagen into a sleek sports car shows the interest of some people in producing complicated goods. The author heard about a direct mail order company that sells step-by-step blueprints for making one's own helicopter.

Instead of marketers fighting prosumers, they should look for opportunities to facilitate prosumption activities. One way to facilitate prosumption is to create better tools for prosumers to use, including better electric power tools for carpentry work, better tools for farming small plots of land, and so on. Another way is to simplify the product on process. Thus, "painting by number" kits allow "Sunday painters" to produce better looking paintings. "Adhesive wallpaper" allows more people to hang their own wallpaper.

One of the major growth markets spurred by prosumption will be the instruction market. More people will want to acquire skills for producing their own goods and services. They will attend day and evening classes in cooking, gardening, auto repairing and dozens of other subjects. "How-to-do-it" books, magazines, audio and video tapes, and computer-aided instruction will flourish. Some marketers will develop "cool lines" in which they will sell information over the phone on how to make or fix things.

Thus, prosumer-oriented marketers can seize on a number of opportunities. They need to identify the most popular prosumer activities and think through appropriate product and service responses.

Price

As prosumption activity increases, manufacturer value-adding activity will decrease. Whereas producers in Second Wave Societies continued to add new consumer benefits to an elementary offer (called "product augmentation"), the tenor of Third Wave Societies will be to pare down the number of "built-ins" (called "unbundling"). The price of goods and services will therefore fall because their content has been reduced. The only marketers who will command premiums are those who add strong benefits that are valued by consumers which consumers cannot add themselves.

Place

Sellers will have to revise their place strategies. They will carry lower inventories of finished goods because people will want to individuate their goods. and with people spending more time in their electronic homes, more goods and services will have to be located reasonably nearby. We would predict a dispersion and deconcentration of retailing and a renewal of neighborhood life.

Prosumers will show preferences for certain forms of retailing. They will rent more goods to clean their rugs, repair their cars, and maintain their gardens. Car washing establishments in which people drive into bays and wash their own cars will boom. People will also drive their cars into to-it-yourself garages and rent the tools to fix their cars. They will enter picture framing workshops and rent the tools and materials to make their own frames.

Promotion

Marketers will have to direct their promotion appeals to themes stressing individuation, skill-building, and productiveness. They will find it hard to sell mass consumption goods and hedonistic values.

Specialized, as opposed to mass media, will continue to grow in popularity. People will want to follow their own interests, not mass interests. They will search for others with kindred interests, finding them and communicating with them through electronic media, such as computer networks and CB radios. Marketers will have to develop more specialized messages to reach these highly segmented target markets.

HOW FAR WILL PROSUMPTION GO AND HOW FAST?

Any movement or change is always the resultant of opposing forces. We have described several forces that would lead to more prosumption activity. Among them is the growth of structural unemployment, the rising cost of labor, the desire for higher quality goods and services, the development of new technologies that enable people to participate in the design of customized goods, and a general increase in education and therefore desire for self-actualization.

At the same time, we should not underestimate the forces that will inhibit prosumption. First, threatened interest groups will use the law to prevent people from producing certain goods and services themselves. Thus, construct,on trade unions will support the enforcement of building codes to prevent people from building their own garages and doing their own electrical work and plumbing. Physicians will want to discourage people from buying self-care and self-medication products. The teachers' union will oppose families who want to take over their own children's education. The goal of professionals is to sell people on buying their services rather than performing these services for themselves (McKnight, 1977).

Second, corporate America will continue to promote the hedonistic life style. They will appeal to people's interest in status goods and easy living.

The effect of rising incomes on prosumption activity vs ambiguous. Consumers with higher incomes can buy more services they need. On the other hand, they could have more leisure time and spent it more productively.

We should recognize that few people will opt for 100% prosumption. The 100% prosumer would be a hermit living in the woods like Thoreau, producing his own drinking water, food, and clothing. Or they would model themselves on Robinson Crusoe or the Swiss Family Robinson.

We can, in fact, identify two major prosumer profiles that are found in society.

1. The Avid Hobbyist. These are people who spend most of their time producing for exchange but who fill their leisure time with one or a few dominant hobbies. The avid gardener, the versatile home repairer, and the skilled cook, describe people who are producers in two domains, their main occupation and their major hobby or hobbies.

2. The Archprosumer. These are people who practice a lifestyle of "voluntary simplicity" that is closer to nature and produce many things themselves. They grow and can their own fruits and vegetables, knit and sew their own clothing, and avoid the mass production, mass consumption society. Their themes are "small is beautiful" and "less is more."

INTERPRETING CHANGING TIME BUDGETS

If Toffler is right, prosumerism will not suddenly burst on the scene. It is already foreshadowed in the activities of some people and in some places. We would see it reflected in people's time budgets. People would spent more time producing goods and services for their own use rather than buying them in the marketplace. People would favor "make" decisions over "buy" decisions. They would walk to work rather than "taxi" to work. They would cook at home rather than eat in restaurants. They would fix their own plumbing rather than call in a plumber.

At the same time, apparent increases in prosumer activity can easily be misleading. In the first place, the person who suddenly starts cooking a lot may have found the time to do it by giving up some other prosumer activity, such as no longer doing his own gardening and hiring a gardener instead. This means on net that he has not increased his prosumer activity; he has simply become a prosumer in one activity, and a consumer in another.

Second, many people who take up cooking (prosumers) at the same time like to eat at fine restaurants (as consumers). One activity does not exclude the other. Also, prosumers may bake their own bread but they don't want to do this all the time. They will still buy most of their bread at stores.

Third, many people take up cooking or other activities not out of individuation motives but simply to change their routine. Next week they might sew their own clothes or wash their own cars.

Fourth, people who take up prosumer activities such as cooking often buy a lot of equipment - blenders, culinets, woks. They also buy cookbooks and sign up for cooking courses. Thus more prosumption activity's often accompanied by more market purchase activity.

Fifth, an increase in the purchase of "do-ft-yourself equipment," such as electric power tools, computers, etc., does not necessarily mean an increase in prosumer activity. Many of these tools are bought and not used.

IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKETERS

In order to learn more about prosumerism, we should study certain groups more closely. Do young archprosumers continue their lifestyle when they grow older? Do older retired people with time on their hands move toward more self-production or do they spend most of their time consuming television? Do poor people perform more prosumer activities?

In many ways, prosumers should be looked at as another market segment(s). We would want to identify those who have a strong need to produce their own goods and figure out ways in which marketers can help them meet this need.

The aim of marketers should not be to protect the exchange system. The purpose of exchange networks is to facilitate the pursuit of human satisfaction. If the market system is overextended, and if people want to meet more of their own needs, on what grounds should marketers object? The market, after all, is a human invention and it will last as long as it serves human needs. Before markets, there were other ways for goods and services to be created and distributed, including reciprocity and redistribution arrangements. Societies that move in new directions to meet human needs should not surprise us. Whether Toffler's saying that prosumerism spells the end of marketing or only a contraction in its scope, he has raised some worthwhile issues for marketers to consider.

TOFFLER'S PARADIGM

REFERENCES

"A Maze of Lost Illusions," Newsweek, April 22, 1985. p. 80. 80D.

Kotler, Philip (1986), "Dream Vacations: The Booming Marketing for Designed Experiences," Futurist, pp. 7-13.

Maslow, Abraham (1954), Motivation and Personality (New York: Harper & Row), pp. 80-106.

McKnight, John (1977), Professional Service Business, Social Policy, November-December, pp. 110-166.

Toffler, Alvin (1980), The Third Wave, William Morrow.

"Wheels of the Future," Newsweek, June 17, 1985, p. 48.

----------------------------------------

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
>The Prosumer Movement : a New Challenge For Marketers | ACR

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advances in Consumer Research Volume 13, 1986 Pages 510-513 THE PROSUMER MOVEMENT : A NEW CHALLENGE FOR MARKETERS Philip Kotler, Northwestern University Alvin Toffler (1980), in his book The Third Wave, argues that consumers are a phenomenon of the Industrial Age. As society moves toward the Post-Industrial Age, so will the number of pure consumers decline.

# data[].attributes.body
algorithms also

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TikTok has taken the world by storm. As a young person, it seems inescapable, as its prevalence among my demographic is striking.

It's hard to remember an app that so quickly transformed our online lives. Instagram, however popular it is, had a more gradual entry into social media stardom. Both Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat had similar trajectories.

TikTok, on the other hand, seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Launching in 2016, the platform has already grown to over 800 million active users, thanks in most part to its unique platform.

Understandably, this meteoric rise from left-field has left many asking what TikTok is and what makes it different.

Let's dive in.

How does it work?

There's nothing quite like TikTok. Put simply, it's a ridiculously digestible video platform that masterfully shows you exactly what you were looking for - or, in my case, what you didn't know you needed.

When you open the app, you're presented with vertical videos made by the platform's userbase. TikTok provides its users with various creative filters, music clips, and other creative options such as their "duets" feature. Users then categorize their posts using hashtags, which are often based around viral trends or challenges.

It's not difficult to make a video on TikTok. On this platform, the challenge lies in mastering your creativity - the same applies to marketers.

What's special about TikTok?

TikTok's massive userbase of over 800 million is impressive on its own, but when you factor in its prevalence in non-western markets, this platform's power becomes even more apparent.

It's estimated that 57% of TikTok's userbase is located in China, where the app is known as Douyin. Even more, India contributed more to TikTok's 2019 downloads than any other country, with 323 million downloads alone.

In the U.S., 49% of teenage internet users have used the app. Its estimated daily usage time is 45 minutes.

Put simply, TikTok's reach is massive and expanding rapidly. Its prevalence among youth is second to none and its ability to capture the imagination of creatives worldwide is unparalleled.

Interestingly, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, asserts that it is first and foremost an artificial intelligence company, not a social media developer. Their website claims to "enable people to enjoy content powered by AI technology."

This AI technology, used in TikTok's content algorithm, is what makes the app so fun, but so addictive.

But what about marketers?

TikTok's ad suite comes with advanced targeting and ad creation features, such as the ability to create a hashtag challenge - a feature unique to the platform and immensely popular with its users.

But, before we go any further, it's important to note that TikTok is not the platform to reach audiences over 30 - at least, not right now. However, it is the platform to reach young people across North America and Asia.

If you're not well versed in the medium of video, fear not! The platform provides advertisers with a Video Creation Kit, which allows them to use tools to customize their videos with images, music, and various templates.

So what now?

There's no debate that TikTok has taken the world of social media by storm. As the platform develops its advertising suite further, its marketing prowess will only grow. If you're ready to be at the forefront of digital marketing, have a young target demographic, and want to harness the power of video marketing, it's time to make an account. TikTok is the new kid on the block - and this time, the new kid has game.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
TikTok is Changing the Way We Consume Media. Here's What That Means for You. - Arcane

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TikTok has taken the world by storm. As a young person, it seems inescapable, as its prevalence among my demographic is striking. It's hard to remember an app that so quickly transformed our online lives. Instagram, however popular it is, had a more gradual entry into social media stardom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This research paper is aimed at shedding light on the use of the mobile application Tiktok, it concluded that the use of the application, has had a very little negative impact on the main target user base. The research outlines to a certain degree some difficulties in the management of the application but in comparison with similar social media applications, they appear to be few. This research has concluded that the use of the application seems to be of more concern to spectators of the users than the actual users. This research has also been able to map out the spread of Tiktok over the past 3 years and how it has become a significant participant in the role of influencers, creating an entrepreneurial possibility with its growth. This research recommends further research into the use of popular social media apps and further monitoring of the expansion of the popularity of the usages of social media apps in general.

Discover the world's research

20+ million members

135+ million publications

700k+ research projects

Join for free

ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.

Figuring out if the theory of world Englishes are an indicator of improving English proficiency in Asia. With emphases I try to find out why some Asian countries are successful with English educati ... [more]

View project

This research paper explores the history, ideas and relevance of grading in the globalized world and discusses if grades are a proficient tool to measure proficiency in academic disciplines. It investigates finding based on a simple experiment, which shows grave differences in grading worldwide. The idea of grading was implemented in the eighteen century and this research explores if a system ... [Show full abstract]

View full-text

ENG 1044 English For Technology Studies Research paper title: Social Media and its Threats on Social Media Group 1 : Hoh Enyi, Akinalp Akmanoglu , Bek Xu Wei

View full-text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
(PDF) Tiktok Influences on Teenagers and Young Adults Students: The Common Usages of The Application Tiktok

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PDF | This research paper is aimed at shedding light on the use of the mobile application Tiktok, it concluded that the use of the application, has had... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

# data[].attributes.body
Illustrates that the apps themselves are not the issue but the now changed and algorithm heavy system

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media ads are an effective way to get your brand in front of more people. Ads help to generate awareness, can boost engagement, and are even great for increasing sales. TikTok allows brands to create a variety of ads as a way for them to reach their target audience. And considering the popularity of the platform, it's worth considering how TikTok can fit into your marketing strategy and how a Digital Marketing agency might be able to help.

TikTok Users Are More Understanding and Open to Ads Than General Internet Users

According to the latest Statista report (2023), 38% of survey participants using TikTok are willing to tolerate advertising in exchange for free access to certain services, which is 4% more than the total number of adults surveyed. Almost 15% of TikTok users struggle to distinguish between advertising and other content.

However, in order for users to welcome these ads, marketers must build native-looking campaigns that align with the broader user experience.

TikTok users 63% Inclined to Watch Ads

61% of TikTok users discover new brands and products on the platform. Also, 92% of TikTok users take action following the content they see on TikTok (share, comment, follow, like, etc.).

1 in 4 bought Something After Seeing a Beauty TikTok Video

TikTok confirmed that 1 in 4 bought something after seeing a beauty TikTok video. On top of that, they shared that 67% of TikTok users said that the platform helps them get ideas about brands/products they've never thought of before.

Millennial TikTok Users Are 2.3X More Likely to Create a Post and Tag a Brand

TikTok shared that millennials on their platform are more likely to share UGC and tag a brand, while Gen Z TikTok users are 1.2x more likely than other platform users to DM a brand after buying a product.

The TikTok Ads With the Best Performance Have an Emotional Message

The key to any good ad is to get your audience to feel something.

TikTok has found that ads with an emotional message have the best performance overall. When you can pull at their heartstrings, they'll be more inclined to engage and take action. That's crucial if you want to get the most bang for your buck when investing in advertising.

63% of All Successful TikTok Ads Communicate Their Message Right Away

The reality is we have short attention spans. So if your brand is planning to run ads on any platform, including TikTok, you need to hook them immediately. If you don't, you risk them losing interest and scrolling onto something else.

TikTok says 63% of all successful ads get their point across right away. If you can secure their attention early on, they'll be more likely to watch your ad all the way through.

TikTok's Top-View Ads Are a Favorite Among its Users

TikTok offers a variety of options when it comes to ad creation. There are in-feed ads, brand takeover ads, and even branded hashtag ads. With so many options, it gives brands the ability to choose what will perform the best for them and their audience.

As it turns out, TikTok's top-view ads are favoured by users.

However, creating enticing and entertaining assets for your ads is no joke. That's why working with a Creative agency might help your brand with content that delivers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
25 Essential TikTok Statistics You Need to Know in 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thinking about making short-form video content part of your strategy? These TikTok statistics show why it's the platform to use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Remember how last month Twitter announced a new algorithm-fuelled timeline aimed at helping users see the tweets most relevant to them? That was pretty well-received - there were only a few thousand or so tweets using the hashtag #RIPTwitter in response, proclaiming such a move to be the death of the service. Went over pretty well, all things considered. Well get ready for the next user revolt - today, via their official blog, Instagram has announced that they too will be getting into the algorithm-dictated timeline game.

Like parent company Facebook, Instagram, which now has over 400 million users, says it needs a new way ensure users are getting an optimal on-platform experience, that they're seeing the content most relevant to them, rather than all content. Because users aren't seeing all content anyway - as per Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom:

"On average, people miss about 70% of the posts in their Instagram feed. This change is about is making sure that the 30% you see is the best 30% possible."

Given those stats, the move makes sense - and Instagram, theoretically, is less about breaking news and up-to-the-minute updates anyway, and more about seeing the best quality posts. But then again, that's an assumption - people use social platforms in very different ways, and no doubt a great many users do actually turn to Instagram as a means of staying up to date with friends, in which case the reverse chronology of the timeline is of crucial importance. But how much impact will the change have - and will the shift to an Instagram algorithm work?

Evolution of the Algorithm

When you look at Instagram's announcement on balance with the wider social media landscape, it really comes as no surprise.

Facebook, the leader of the social media world, was the first to introduce an algorithm with the introduction of EdgeRank back in 2009. EdgeRank was The Social Network's first effort at sorting user feeds by relevance and was developed in response to the influx of 'low quality' content which was infiltrating the platform, things like LolCatz pictures and clickbait articles. These posts started flooding the network because marketers had worked out they drove traffic - as reach on Facebook's network was defined by Likes as a means of measuring content popularity, these posts, which prioritized Likes over all else, were getting a heap of attention and burying other, more newsworthy content in people's feed as a result. Combine this with unprecedented user growth - meaning more and more content was flowing through the network from each and every user - and you could see that information overload was becoming a real problem and that Facebook needed to do something about it - or risk losing out to the next big thing to come along.

The bottom line is that in order to maintain audience attention and relevance, Facebook - or any social platform for that matter - needs to be delivering the best possible user experience. If people visiting the platform were only ever seeing certain types of content, posts that were generating lots of Likes but less overall user engagement, users would eventually tire of the junk and move on to greener social pastures. Facebook knew this because that's essentially what happened when they took over from MySpace. To combat this influx, Facebook developed EdgeRank, which attempted to sort your Facebook News Feed by using three basic measurements.

Unfortunately for EdgeRank, as Facebook's user base continued to grow, those basic metrics were not enough, and the first iteration of the network's content ranking system was retired in 2011 in favor of the infinitely more complex machine-learning fuelled News Feed algorithm, which is what's still in place today. Your current News Feed takes into account hundreds of thousands of factors to ensure that each individual user is seeing the most relevant content to them, based on all their on-platform actions, connections and Likes.

And, of course, when Facebook originally announced that they'd be filtering peoples' feeds with an algorithm, people were none too happy about the idea of a computer telling them what they'd be most interested in. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

Facebook's user base has continued to expand quarter after quarter, and they're still adding millions more users every year. Average time spent per user, per session, is now up to around 46 minutes, which is an amazing result - and more than these being simply impressive engagement figures in themselves, they also show that while people might not like the idea of an algorithm dictating what they're shown on Facebook, the system is generally getting it right. If it wasn't, people would be turning away - you could argue that you don't know what content you're missing as you're never seeing it, so how can you know whether the system's getting it right? But the fact is that each user has an average of 130 connections, meaning there are more than 1500 stories you could be shown, every day - more than you could possibly consume. Facebook needs a way to filter the feed by personalized relevance, and the data shows they are succeeding on this front. And their algorithm is still improving, every day.

Insta Algo

Given Facebook's success and understanding of how to develop an effective algorithm, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is no doubt getting the best advice and input on how to develop their own version. Of course, that doesn't mean everyone's going to be happy or excited about the change (and a quick look through the comments on the announcement post gives you some idea of the pervading sentiment), but it does suggest that Instagram is best placed to get it right. Then again, Instagram could test the algorithm approach and find it doesn't work, and abandon it if that's the case. If time on platform and/or usage starts to decline, they'll no doubt re-assess - but Facebook's example shows that an algorithm can not only be a workable option, but it may actually be the only option for all social networks once they reach a certain size.

In essence, Facebook's leading the way into the next generation of data-driven, personalized media inputs, dictated by users through their on-platform actions. And while it may seem disruptive to us, it may feel like we're losing control - and it may be odd to consider that algorithms can learn who we are and what we really want. But to the next generation of social users, this is all they'll ever know.

More than that, they're learning to expect that they'll be served personally relevant content based on their interests.

One of the biggest transformational trends in social media - in regards to the way we're now consuming media more widely - is that social is exactly that. 'Social'. Traditional media - in the form of magazines, TV and newspapers - is 'broadcast', it's information transmitted to an audience who have no direct input into the content itself, other than being able to endorse its popularity through consumption. But social media's not a form of broadcast, it's an engagement medium. In that sense, the success of social is dependent on how personalized it can be, how well it gets to know users - by definition, social media succeed based on how 'social' it is. Facebook's algorithm is, in some ways, the very definition of what social media has become, because it's learning what people want and delivering it to them, based on their personal engagement with the platform. That shift is now forming a wider movement, one which all social networks are slowly catching onto. If your favourite platform isn't using an algorithm yet, it will be soon - why? Because it makes perfect sense to do so.

So will an algorithm on Instagram work? Yes, no doubt it will, no doubt Instagram will have a heap of input from Facebook and an intelligent team of data analysts that'll be able to take into account user feedback - both explicit and implicit - and develop an algorithm that actually works to best benefit each user, based on their activity, their social interactions with the on-platform content itself.

Not everyone will like it, people will no doubt rally against the change, but eventually it'll become normal - just as it will on Twitter if they can get their algorithm right (though more complex when real-time news is your strength), just as it will on LinkedIn, on Snapchat, on whatever other platform you can think of.

The main benefit of social media is that it gives everyone a voice. The key to success, it then follows, for brands, or indeed, for the platforms themselves, to hear those voices. At some point, an algorithm becomes necessary to facilitate that and ensure that each person is being hard and subsequently connected with the most relevant content for them, based on their digital 'voice'.

It'll be interesting to see how Instagram's algorithm develops.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instagram Switching to Algorithm-Fuelled Timeline to Uncover Best Content

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Remember how last month Twitter announced a new algorithm-fuelled timeline aimed at helping users see the tweets most relevant to them? That was pretty well-received - there were only a few thousand or so tweets using the hashtag #RIPTwitter in response, proclaiming such a move to be the death of the service.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effects of Social Media Algorithms on Screen Time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Keegan Lee, Sam Jefferies, Lucas Dumayne, Aymel Chaudhry, and Olivia Martin photo by Unsplash Research question: Are students aware of the effects of social media algorithms on screen time? Purpose of article: To give insight into a regular school's community's level of awareness with screen time. I.

# data[].attributes.body
after1 hour use of social media, this study showed a trend with more social media usage and less psychological well being

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Abstract

Previous research on associations between screen time and psychological well-being among children and adolescents has been conflicting, leading some researchers to question the limits on screen time suggested by physician organizations. We examined a large ( n  = 40,337) national random sample of 2- to 17-year-old children and adolescents in the U.S. in 2016 that included comprehensive measures of screen time (including cell phones, computers, electronic devices, electronic games, and TV) and an array of psychological well-being measures. After 1 h/day of use, more hours of daily screen time were associated with lower psychological well-being, including less curiosity, lower self-control, more distractibility, more difficulty making friends, less emotional stability, being more difficult to care for, and inability to finish tasks. Among 14- to 17-year-olds, high users of screens (7+ h/day vs. low users of 1 h/day) were more than twice as likely to ever have been diagnosed with depression (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.54, 3.70), ever diagnosed with anxiety (RR 2.26, CI 1.59, 3.22), treated by a mental health professional (RR 2.22, CI 1.62, 3.03) or have taken medication for a psychological or behavioral issue (RR 2.99, CI 1.94, 4.62) in the last 12 months. Moderate use of screens (4 h/day) was also associated with lower psychological well-being. Non-users and low users of screens generally did not differ in well-being. Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being were larger among adolescents than younger children.

Highlights

More hours of screen time are associated with lower well-being in ages 2 to 17.

High users show less curiosity, self-control, and emotional stability.

Twice as many high (vs. low) users of screens had an anxiety or depression diagnosis.

Non-users and low users did not differ in well-being.

Associations with well-being were larger for adolescents than for children.

1. Introduction

A growing proportion of children and adolescents' leisure time is spent with screens including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and televisions ( Common Sense Media, 2015; Twenge et al., 2019), raising concerns about the effect of screen time on well-being among parents, health professionals, and educators (e.g., Kardaras, 2017). These concerns have prompted physician organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to recommend that parents limit children's daily screen time, with specific time limits for preschool children and a general suggestion of limiting time on screens for older children and adolescents ( Radesky and Christakis, 2016). In addition, the World Health Organization recently decided to include gaming disorder in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases ( WHO, 2018).

Associations between screen time and poor health outcomes such as obesity and lack of exercise have been well-documented (e.g., Chiasson et al., 2016; de Jong et al., 2013; Dumuid et al., 2017; Poitras et al., 2017). However, research exploring associations between screen time and more psychological aspects of well-being among children and adolescents has been inconsistent. Some studies find significant associations between screen time and low well-being ( Babic et al., 2017; Page et al., 2010; Romer et al., 2013; Rosen et al., 2014; Twenge et al., 2018a, Twenge et al., 2018b; Yang et al., 2013), while others find null effects or even benefits with greater screen time ( Granic et al., 2014; Odgers, 2018; Przybylski and Weinstein, 2018; Valkenburg and Peter, 2009). Thus, some have suggested that more research is needed before concluding that screen time limits are justified, arguing that valuable physician appointment time should not be devoted to discussing screen time without sufficient evidence for significant associations with well-being ( Przybylski and Weinstein, 2017, Przybylski and Weinstein, 2018). Some researchers have made similar statements about the WHO characterizing gaming disorder as a mental health issue, maintaining that associations between gaming and psychological well-being are not substantial or consistent enough to justify such a classification ( Davis, 2018; van Rooij et al., 2018).

Theories and research on psychological well-being support the notion of a broad concept including emotional stability, positive interpersonal relationships, self-control, and indicators of flourishing ( Diener et al., 1999; Ryff, 1995) as well as diagnoses of mood disorders such as anxiety or depression ( Manderscheid et al., 2010). Low emotional stability, disrupted relationships, and low self-control have all been implicated in greater morbidity and mortality ( Graham et al., 2017; Shipley et al., 2007; Shor et al., 2013; Turiano et al., 2015), and mental health issues such as mood disorders are a significant risk factor for morbidity and mortality, including via non-suicidal self-harm behaviors, suicide attempts, and completed suicides ( Hawton et al., 2013; Murray et al., 2012).

In terms of prevention, establishing possible causes and outcomes of low psychological well-being is especially important for child and adolescent populations. Half of mental health problems develop by adolescence ( Erskine et al., 2015). Thus, there is an acute need to identify factors linked to mental health issues that are amenable to intervention in this population, as most antecedents (e.g., genetic predisposition, trauma, poverty) are difficult or impossible to influence. Compared to these more intractable antecedents of mental health, how children and adolescents spend their leisure time is more amenable to change.

To our knowledge, few if any previous studies have examined a broad array of psychological well-being items in relation to screen time. Moreover, although other studies have examined associations between screen time and symptoms of anxiety and depression, no previous study we know of has examined associations between screen time and actual diagnoses of anxiety or depression or reports of professional treatment for mental health issues. Furthermore, it is crucial for measures of screen time to include not just television but more recently introduced digital media including electronic gaming, smartphones, tablets, and computers. In addition, studies using the same items to assess several age groups of children and adolescents are rare, which is unfortunate as age may be a significant moderator of associations between screen time and psychological well-being.

The current research aims to examine associations between screen time and a diverse array of measures of psychological well-being (including emotional stability, relationships with caregivers, self-control, diagnoses of mood disorders, and treatment of mental health issues) among a large population-based survey of the caregivers of children and adolescents ages 2 to 17 collected in 2016 in the U.S.

2. Method

2.1. Participants

Participants were the caregivers of 44,734 children and adolescents 2 years of age and older in the U.S. in the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) conducted in 2016 by the U.S. Census Bureau. As many items on psychological well-being were asked only of caregivers with children ages 2 and over, we restricted our analyses to children ages 2 to 17.

Households were contacted by mail at random to identify those with children or adolescents 17 years old or younger. In every household, one child was randomly selected to be the subject of the survey. The survey was administered either online or on paper, with an oversampling of children with special health care needs. The response rate was 40.7%. Data are publicly available on the NSCH website.

We excluded children and adolescents with at least one of 8 major conditions that might affect their day-to-day functioning: Autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, Down Syndrome, developmental delay, epilepsy, or intellectual disability (mental retardation), as these were related to both well-being and to screen time. For example, among 14- to 17-year-olds, 33% of those with zero daily use of screens had one of these conditions, compared to an overall 10.1% base rate. The survey's comprehensive screener for special health care needs could not be used as it also includes those who receive any mental health care services, which is a variable of interest. These exclusions resulted in a sample n of 40,337.

In the final sample, the children and adolescents were 49.8% male and 50.2% female and were 71% White, 16% Hispanic, 6% Black, and 7% other. Family income was widely distributed, with 9% of children below the 100% poverty level and 44% with family incomes at the 400% level or more. The sample was designed to be nationally representative of all U.S. children at these ages but underrepresents some groups due to lower response rates.

We grouped children and adolescents into four categories based on age that roughly correspond to educational levels: Preschoolers 2 to 5 years old ( n = 9361), elementary schoolers 6 to 10 years old ( n = 10,668), middle schoolers 11 to 13 years old ( n = 7555), and high schoolers 14 to 17 years old ( n  = 12,753). These categories also correspond to the structure of the survey, with some questions only asked of the caregivers of preschool children and others asked only of children 6 years of age and up.

2.2. Measures

The survey asked two items about screen time. First, "On an average weekday, about how much time does [child's name] spend in front of a TV watching TV programs, videos, or playing video games?" Second, "On an average weekday, about how much time does [child's name] spend with computers, cell phones, handheld video games, and other electronic devices, doing things other than schoolwork?" For both, response choices were recoded to none = 0, less than an hour = 0.5, an hour = 1, 2 h = 2, 3 h = 3, and 4 or more hours = 5. For means, see Table 1 .

Table 1

2 to 5

6 to 10

11 to 13

14 to 17

d

TV and video games

1.46 (1.09)

1.53 (1.10)

1.80 (1.39)

1.89 (1.39)

0.34

Electronic devices

0.82 (0.96)

1.25 (1.11)

2.00 (1.40)

2.70 (1.53)

1.46

Total screen time

2.28 (1.72)

2.78 (1.95)

3.80 (2.36)

4.59 (2.50)

1.06

We added together the estimated number of hours spent on TV/video games and on digital media devices to create a measure of total screen time and recoded the results into 8 categories: None (no screen time), <1 h (0.01 to 0.99), 1 h (1.00 to 1.49), 2 h (1.50 to 2.49), 3 h (2.50 to 3.49), 4 h (3.50 to 4.49), 5 h (4.50 to 5.49), 6 h (5.50 to 6.49) and 7 h or more (6.50 and higher). Among the two older groups, very few reported no screen time at all ( n = 46 for 11- to 13-year-olds and n  = 24 for 14- to 17-year-olds), so these cells should be interpreted with caution.

We examined all items in the NSCH survey that measured psychological well-being, broadly construed (see Supplemental material for item wording including response choices). Most items did not correlate highly enough to be combined into scales and are thus analyzed as single items. The exceptions were three items measuring how easy the child is and four items measuring self-control. We coded all items so that higher scores indicated higher well-being.

2.3. Analysis plan

Analyses included controls for possible confounding variables: child race (dummy variables for Black, Hispanic, and Other, with non-Hispanic White as the comparison group), child sex, child age, household adults' highest grade completed (continuous, using the detailed item including college education), family poverty ratio (a measure of family income), and family structure (living with two biological/adoptive parents vs. not). We did not weight analyses and did not replace missing data.

For items on a continuum, we report means in tables and percent low in well-being in figures; categorical items (e.g., yes or no, such as diagnoses of anxiety or depression) are reported as percentages in both. The tables report effect sizes ( d, or difference in terms of standard deviations) as well as p-values for t-tests comparing means at different levels of use. The text reports relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dichotomized items.

We first examine items asked of caregivers of several ages of children and then those asked only of caregivers of preschool children. Given the curvilinear relationship between screen time and well-being found in previous research ( Przybylski and Weinstein, 2017; Twenge et al., 2018b), we identified the inflection point at which the trend in well-being moved from positive to negative to inform our analyses ( Simonsohn, 2017). Thus, we compare no use to low levels of use, low use to moderate use, and low use to high use.

3. Results

3.1. Age differences in screen time

Total screen time averaged 3.20 h a day (SD = 2.40) and was progressively higher among older children, primarily driven by more time spent on electronic devices (see Table 1 and Fig. 1 ). The largest increase in screen time occurred between elementary school and middle school. By high school (ages 14 to 17), adolescents spent 4 h and 35 min a day with screens according to caregivers' reports.

3.2. Screen time and well-being

The association between screen time and well-being was not linear and showed an inflection point at 1 h/day of use for most measures (see Table 2 and Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 , Fig. 4 , Fig. 5 , Fig. 6 ). With one exception (the item on curiosity), well-being did not differ significantly between those spending no time on screens and those spending an hour a day. After an hour a day, however, increasing screen time was generally linked to progressively lower psychological well-being. In terms of relative risk (RR), high users of screens (7+ h/day) carried twice the risk of low well-being as low users (1 h/day), including not staying calm (e.g., among 14- to 17-year-olds, RR 2.08, 95% CI 1.72, 2.50), not finishing tasks (RR 2.53, CI 2.01, 3.20), not being curious (RR 2.72, CI 2.00, 3.71), and arguing too much with caregivers (RR 2.34, CI 1.85, 2.97; see Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 , Fig. 4 , Fig. 5 , Fig. 6 ). High (vs. low) users of screens were also described as more difficult to care for. Effect sizes were generally larger among adolescents than among children.

Table 2

None (0)

<1 h

1 h

2 h

3 h

4 h

5 h

6 h

7+ h

d 0 vs. 1 h

d 1 h vs. 4 h

d 1 h vs. 7+ h

Easy child (3 items)

Curious

No difficulty making friends

Calm when challenged

Works to finish tasks started

Does not argue too much

Ever diagnosed with anxiety

Ever diagnosed with depression

Treated or needed to be treated by mental health professional, past 12 months

Took medication for psychological issue, past 12 months

In most cases, moderate users of screens (4 h/day) were also significantly lower in well-being than low users (1 h/day), though with lower effect sizes (see Table 2 ). Among 14- to 17-year-olds, moderate users (vs. low users) were 78% more likely to not be curious (RR 1.78, CI 1.30, 2.43), 60% more likely to not stay calm when challenged (RR 1.60, CI 1.32, 1.93), 66% more likely to not finish tasks they started (RR 1.66, CI 1.31, 2.11), and 57% more likely to argue too much with their caregivers (RR 1.57, CI 1.24, 2.00; see Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 , Fig. 4 , Fig. 5 , Fig. 6 ). As with the comparisons between low and high use, differences in well-being between low and moderate users were smaller among younger children than among older adolescents.

3.3. Screen time and diagnoses of anxiety and depression

High users of screens were also significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. Fourteen to 17-year-olds spending 7+ h/day with screens (vs. 1 h/day) were more than twice as likely to ever have been diagnosed with depression (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.54, 3.70) or anxiety (RR 2.26, CI 1.59, 3.22; see Fig. 7 ). High users of screens were also more likely to have seen or needed to have been seen by a mental health professional (RR 2.22, CI 1.62, 3.03), and more likely to have taken medication for a psychological issue (RR 2.99, CI 1.94, 4.62; see Fig. 8 ) in the last 12 months. Moderate use was also linked to a greater risk of depression (RR 1.61, CI 1.03, 2.52) and anxiety diagnoses (RR 1.52, CI 1.06, 2.18) among 14- to 17-year-olds, though not among 11- to 13-year-olds.

3.4. Screen time and well-being items asked only of caregivers of preschool children

We next examined the items asked only of caregivers of preschool children. High users of screens were more likely to lose their temper, less likely to calm down when excited, and less likely to switch tasks without anxiety or anger (see Table 3 and Fig. 9 ). The largest effect size appeared for self-control ( d = −0.41), which included perseverance, sitting still, completing simple tasks, and not becoming distracted; both high and moderate users of screens displayed significantly lower self-control than low users. In terms of relative risk, high (vs. low) users of screens were twice as likely to often lose their temper (RR 1.99, CI 1.44, 2.77) and were 46% more likely to not be able to calm down when excited (RR 1.46, CI 1.13, 1.88). Preschool children with moderate screen use were also lower in well-being than those at low levels of use (see Table 3 ). In terms of relative risk, moderate users (vs. low users) were 30% more likely to not bounce back (RR 1.30, CI 1.15, 1.47) and 33% more likely to lose their temper (RR 1.33, CI 1.02, 1.72).

Table 3

None (0)

<1 h

1 h

2 h

3 h

4 h

5 h

6 h

7+ h

d 0 vs. 1 h

d 1 h vs. 4 h

d 1 h vs. 7+ h

There were few significant associations between screen time and social interaction items such as showing affection to caregivers, smiling and laughing, playing well with others, or showing empathy for others (see Table 3 ). However, several of these items (particularly showing affection and smiling and laughing) suffered from an extreme lack of variance with 95% of caregivers agreeing this was true of the child, limiting their utility.

4. Discussion

Children and adolescents who spent more time using screen media were lower in psychological well-being than low users. High users of screens were significantly more likely to display poor emotion regulation (not staying calm, arguing too much, being difficult to get along with), an inability to finish tasks, lower curiosity, and more difficulty making friends. Caregivers also described high users as more difficult to care for and as lower in self-control. Among adolescents, high (vs. low) users were also twice as likely to have received diagnoses of depression or anxiety or needed treatment for mental or behavioral health conditions. Moderate users were also significantly more likely than low users of screens to be low in well-being and, among 14- to 17-year-olds, to have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety or need mental health treatment. Non-users generally did not significantly differ in well-being from low users of screens.

The AAP recommendations set specific screen time limits only for children 5 years of age and younger. One set of researchers questioned these limits based on null correlations between screen time and four well-being items included in the 2011 NSCH ( Przybylski and Weinstein, 2018). However, the more comprehensive set of well-being items in the 2016 NSCH produces significant associations between screen time and well-being on 18 of 19 indicators, providing substantial support for screen time limits. Notably, we found that the association between screen time and low well-being was larger for adolescents than for younger children, consistent with at least one earlier study ( Rosen et al., 2014). This suggests that the AAP and other organizations focused on public health might consider extending recommendations for specific limits on screen time to preteens and teens.

It is worth speculating about why the associations between screen time and psychological well-being were larger among adolescents. One possibility is that adolescents, compared to younger children, are considerably more likely to have social media accounts and to spend more time online. Peer relationships are particularly important for adolescents ( Fuligni and Eccles, 1993), and if social media replaces face-to-face interaction, that may have a negative impact on well-being and mental health. Time spent on social media, gaming, and online is more strongly correlated with low well-being than watching TV/videos, and TV/videos are the more common screen activity for younger children ( Rosen et al., 2014). Unfortunately, associations with well-being for TV vs. other screen activities cannot be determined in this dataset as time spent on TV and electronic gaming was included in the same item.

Adolescents are also more likely than younger children to have their own smartphone ( Rosen et al., 2014), which allows the use of technology in more situations. This may increase the possibility of Internet addiction, excessive gaming, or problematic social media use, which has been linked to low well-being ( Satici and Uysal, 2015). It may also increase the impact on sleep, as smartphones may be brought into the bedroom or even the bed, with negative impacts on sleep duration and/or sleep quality ( Twenge et al., 2017). Smartphones may also be used during face-to-face social interactions, which may negatively impact those interactions and blunt their usually positive impact on well-being ( Dwyer et al., 2018).

Due to the cross-sectional design of the study, it is not possible to determine if screen time leads to low well-being, low well-being leads to screen time, or both. However, several longitudinal studies have found that increases in recreational screen time precede lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents ( Allen and Vella, 2015; Babic et al., 2017; Hinkley et al., 2014; Kim, 2017) as well as among adults ( Kross et al., 2013; Schmiedeberg and Schröder, 2017; Shakya and Christakis, 2017). In addition, experiments have shown that the presence of smartphones can lower enjoyment during social interactions (e.g., Dwyer et al., 2018; Kushlev et al., 2017) and that abstaining from social media use for one week can increase well-being ( Tromholt, 2016). In other studies, the relationship appears to be reciprocal, with screen time and well-being each causing the other ( Gunnell et al., 2016). These studies suggest that at least some of the causation moves from screen time to lower well-being. Regardless of the direction of causation, however, these associations have meaningful clinical implications for screening and intervention. For example, an assessment of screen time may help providers identify children and adolescents at higher risk for mental health issues and broach the topic of the possible role of screen time in mental health among these individuals.

These data are limited by several factors. First, screen time was reported by caregivers and not the children or adolescents themselves. This likely resulted in underestimates of screen time and may have unknown interactions with reports of well-being. The well-being measures may be influenced by caregivers' perceptions and may underreport issues that children do not disclose to their parents. This is likely to be less of an issue for the items on diagnoses of anxiety and depression and reports of taking medication. In addition, informant reports are often considered a strength in study design, as in some cases observers can provide more accurate information than is possible via self-report ( Connelly and Ones, 2010); that is especially true for younger children. Second, the survey assessed only weekday screen time, and screen time may be higher on weekends. However, previous research found similar associations with well-being for weekday and weekend use of screen media ( Przybylski and Weinstein, 2017). Weekday screen time is also likely to vary less and thus may produce a more reliable estimate. Third, the survey items combined TV and electronic games into one question, which allowed only an analysis of total screen time and not any differentiation between legacy media (TV) and digital media (electronic games, Internet, social media, etc.). Fourth, although the Census Bureau attempted to recruit a representative sample, the response rate was not 100% and some groups (such as Black Americans) are under-represented relative to their percentage of the total U.S. population in the final sample.

In summary, these results show a negative association between screen time and psychological well-being among children and adolescents. Across a diverse array of well-being measures, including measures of self-control, relationships with caregivers, emotional stability, diagnoses of anxiety and depression, and mental health treatment, psychological well-being was progressively lower from 1 h a day of screen time to 7 or more hours a day of screen time, particularly among adolescents. The significant association between screen time and well-being may have important clinical implications for the mental and physical health of children and adolescents and for developing guidelines for specific screen time limits for older children and adolescents.

Funding

This study received no funding.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

Articles from Preventive Medicine Reports are provided here courtesy of Elsevier

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Previous research on associations between screen time and psychological well-being among children and adolescents has been conflicting, leading some researchers to question the limits on screen time suggested by physician organizations. We examined a ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The introduction of social media into daily life transformed the way people think and interact with each other. Social gatherings held to catch up with friends became an opportunity to post and show off to others. By posting calculated and edited pictures, people can change their entire perceived personality. They can make their followers envious of their lives, thus fueling the normalcy of spending hours scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest. Although it is challenging to break out of this cycle, doing so increases brain productivity, reduces anxiety, and lowers feelings of insecurity.

With excess time on their hands due to the Coronavirus pandemic, young adults have gravitated to their only form of entertainment at home, additional screen time. Students fail to realize how detrimental the normalized abuse of social media is towards their brain activity and perception of their surroundings.

Zoom fatigue is the burnt-out feeling of exhaustion after overusing online forms of communication, such as video calls or forms of entertainment, like Youtube or TikTok. According to The Psychiatric Times , "more active social connection is associated with more perceived reward, which in turn affects the very neurological pathways modulating alertness versus fatigue." People on their phones do not experience face-to-face social connections and have trouble telling when their "social battery" is low and in need of rest time. In addition, the NCBI article, , states, "High users of screens were also significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression." Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents

The internet is a carefully crafted algorithm designed to have an addictive nature so that sites can profit from their clients' excess use. An NCBI article, The online brain: how the internet may be changing our cognition , states, "even when not using the Internet for any specific purpose, smartphones have introduced widespread and habitual "checking" behaviours, characterized by quick but frequent inspections of the device for incoming information from news, social media, or personal contacts." According to the article, these self-conditioned habits happen through the reinforcement from "information rewards," which release dopamine to the brain every time there is an alert. These feelings of excitement contribute to constant stress and make it difficult to concentrate on other tasks.

When conducting a study of my own, I asked 24 Bronx Science students, six in each grade, various questions about their screen time and the amount of co-dependency they have with social media in their daily activities. Thirteen students replied, and 100% stated that they have social media that they regularly use, with 85% of them saying that they spend over 4 hours a day on social media. These numbers show the dependency students have on their phones and how it interferes with their schedules. Instead of leaving time to pursue a hobby or sleep longer, they have chosen to put their energy into apps purely because of their addictive nature. Yet, the growing use of social media has begun to trickle into students' work time.

85% of the students in the survey stated that they have apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok open while doing classwork and homework. The divided attention given to classwork generates the "burnout" feeling that has come with online school. It lowers students' performance levels because they are focused on various screens at once.

Although the "online brain" might seem impossible to shake off, students can break these habits gradually. It is by creating a schedule that they can give themselves personal time and involve other forms of brain stimulation, like reading or exercising, in order to improve focus and to gain energy.

So the next time you might find yourself deciding between scrolling through social media or having peaceful downtime, it might be wise to choose the latter.

Students fail to realize how detrimental the normalized abuse of social media is towards their brain activity and perception of their surroundings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Media's Influence on Our Attention Spans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The introduction of social media into daily life transformed the way people think and interact with each other. Social gatherings held to catch up with friends became an opportunity to post and show off to others. By posting calculated and edited pictures, people can change their entire perceived personality.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

The first known written algorithms were created around 2000 BC in Mesopotamia (see Donald E. Knuth; Luis Trabb Pardo: The early development of programming languages, in: Donald E.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
when did algorithms start - Google Search

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. The first known written algorithms were created around 2000 BC in Mesopotamia (see Donald E. Knuth; Luis Trabb Pardo: The early development of programming languages, in: Donald E.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media is so ingrained in our culture that it's now a daily activity for the majority of people across the globe. And it's not only the established networks that are gaining users every day; new platforms such as TikTok and Twitch are attracting brands who want to advertise to engage new audiences.

In 2021, according to SimilarWeb, YouTube and Facebook are the second and third world's most visited websites after Google. That's pretty impressive for networks that are only 16 and 17 years of age!

With so many users on these platforms, there's a need to create order and relevancy, and an algorithm does just that.

Social media algorithms are always changing, making it difficult for marketers to keep up. There's no way to know every detail that goes into each change, but we have a good idea. The algorithm in play dictates where you rank in social media ads and content placement on a user's feed.

In this guide, you'll find out what an algorithm is, the different social media algorithms, and how to optimize your content distribution and engagement for social media.

What Are Social Media Algorithms?

An algorithm is a mathematical set of rules specifying how a group of data behaves. In social media, algorithms help maintain order and assist in ranking search results and advertisements. On Facebook, for example, there is an algorithm that directs pages and content to display in a certain order. (There are some great Facebook algorithm engagement hacks you can use if you're looking to attract more views.)

As of October 2021, there were approximately 4.5 billion internet users, and of these users, about 57 percent of the world's population use social media. That's a massive undertaking to monitor and manage. This is why algorithms are so crucial in determining the validity and placement of social media accounts and content.

While there's no handbook on the many algorithms and how to maintain them, we know enough to maneuver the social media landscape and succeed. One of the major shifts in the past few years has been a user-friendly focus, much like the one Google ranks by. This encourages social media users to submit relevant, high-quality content, and engage with consumers.

Why Do Social Algorithms Exist & Why Do They Change?

Algorithms are used on social media to sort content in a user's feed. With so much content available, it's a way for social networks to prioritize content they think a user will like based on a number of factors.

As a marketer that may sound wonderful as it gets your content in front of the right people. But be warned, social media algorithms are by no means perfect.

The purpose of an algorithm is to filter out irrelevant content or content that's not high quality. This puts your content at risk of being buried or hidden from feeds if it does not fit the criteria. Plus, as Google introduces a new ranking signal into the mix - page experience - it's key that you brief yourself on core web vitals to ensure your content gets seen by bots and users.

An analysis of YouTube found that videos got millions of views even though they were not relevant to the user, but were chosen by the algorithm. In fact, the same study found that 64 percent of users came across YouTube videos that seemed false or untrue, while 60 percent encountered videos with people taking part in dangerous or troubling behavior

As a fallible system, social networks regularly tweak their algorithms to improve user experience. The solution? Ensure your content is high quality, relevant and appealing while keeping an eye on any algorithm changes to see if you need to tweak your social media strategy.

Types of Social Media Algorithms

Social media algorithms vary by platform. Therefore, you can break it down by social media brand. The main platforms are Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Here's a look at each and how they currently rank content and users.

Facebook Algorithm Explained

Meaningful customer engagement is the key to Facebook's algorithm layout. It's created to intensify the importance and viewership of local, familial and friendly posts, rather than business posts. It's made up of four ranking signals:

There have been many changes in Facebook's algorithm over the years that make it difficult to get posts, particularly organic ones under the right eyeballs without planning and strategy.

Organic reach on social networks is on the decline. On Facebook, that means that the average reach for an organic post is down over 5 percent while the engagement rate is just 0.25 percent which drops to 0.08 percent if you have over 100k followers.

Paid Facebook content is ranked separately but still revolves around engagement, customer response, and relevance to the subject matter. Key tips to working with the Facebook algorithm include:

Building connections is key to ensure your brand replies to comments or queries

Look to encourage a response that's stronger than just a 'like' as Facebook puts more weight on reactions buttons

Use Facebook Stories as they are not in Facebook's newsfeed and so do not rely on the algorithm to get seen

Live video gets more engagement and so is favored by the algorithm

Be careful with external content - make sure it's credible and not misleading before posting it

Pinterest Algorithm Explained

While Pinterest has a very different layout and follower strategy, it counts as a social media platform, nonetheless. Pinterest's algorithm is based on four key factors:

Relevance of topic

Quality of a Pin

Domain quality

Quality of the Pinner

Its guided search method uses data collected from past content interactions to encourage new links. So for example, if you've previously viewed wedding hairstyles, Pinterest is more likely to show you more hairstyles the next time you log in.

The benefit to this interest-themed algorithm is that it's always showing the user something Pinterest knows they like. Plus, their 'controllable distribution' introduced in 2020 means that users get to see a capped number of new content based on what you've seen in the past. This makes the content more likely to be consumed and enjoyed.

In 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people's searches and intentions changed as they sought out products that share their values. According to Pinterest, this means 3 things for brands:

1. Know your values

2. Test ads that are grounded in your values, not just your products

3. Make it clear how purchasing from you will help customers live and show off their values.

If you're a brand that creates great visual content using Pinterest may be good for your business.

TikTok Algorithm Explained

TikTok is a social media channel that's exploding in popularity. TikTok's personalized algorithm works so well because it categorizes the addictive 'For You' feed with videos. But how does it work?

There are a few simple ranking signals for TikTok content which include:

User interaction

Video details such as captions and hashtags

Device and account settings which include country and language

The exciting thing about TikTok is that recommendations are not based on how many followers you have or video success. Ultimately TikTok is a platform that loves good video content so everyone has a chance to get their content seen by users, brands and creators. This makes it a valuable platform for marketers that want to engage a young demographic with clever video content.

LinkedIn Algorithm Explained

Recognized as a leader in B2B marketing, LinkedIn is a social platform dedicated to networking, rather than building followers. It's currently the most common platform for Fortune 500 company use.

The site has developed an algorithm based on connection and engagement, so strong and relevant content is the key to LinkedIn success. The algorithm aims to promote engagement and prioritize relevant content. Since 2018, LinkedIn's algorithm has seen a 50 percent increase year on year in viral activity. Even if you don't have a lot of links in your networking chain, you can build this later if you have read-worthy content.

Key tips to tap into LinkedIn's algorithm include:

Use between 3 to 10 hashtags in a post

Video content is more popular than other types but is no longer prioritized in a feed

Comments are more important than likes or reactions

Dwell time (how long someone spends watching or reading the post) is important so make your content engaging

Build your network by engaging with relevant people, get employees to be active on platform or get involved in LinkedIn Groups

Consider testing out LinkedIn ads to grow your network and audience

Use analytics to understand what content works

Twitter Algorithm Explained

When Twitter first came out in 2006, it ranked posts according to the timeline and so it was focused on the day and time rather than the content. Today, Twitter's algorithm is more complicated than that and now relies on relevance rather than solely on time posted.

The main signal for Twitter's algorithm is:

Twitter also divides posts into three sections: 'In Case You Missed It', algorithm-based posts and reverse chronological order. The key to using Twitter for your business is to post relevant content, be consistent, drive engagement (which includes engaging with comments on your side) and post at optimum days and times.

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/

Instagram Algorithm Explained

Similar to Twitter, Instagram's algorithm was based on chronology so it prioritized posts by time. In 2021, the algorithm now looks at six key factors: interest, relationship with a user, following, session time, time posted and user session time.

On Instagram, Carousels get three times more engagement than other post types while Reels are currently boosted so people use the new feature. This means your brand shouldn't be afraid to try new features to grow engagement and get noticed on Instagram.

Become a Successful Digital Marketer (and Algorithm Tracker) with an In-Demand Certification

Whether you're a social algorithm beginner or expert, DMI's Social Media Marketing course will teach you how to harness the power of each platform from TikTok to YouTube and Facebook to drive leads, increase sales and improve ROI. You will also understand how to use social media as a customer service channel, understand how to conduct social research and develop a successful social strategy.
Updated 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Do Social Media Algorithms Work? | Digital Marketing Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media is so ingrained in our culture that it's now a daily activity for the majority of people across the globe. And it's not only the established networks that are gaining users every day; new platforms such as TikTok and Twitch are attracting brands who want to advertise to engage new audiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In an effort to understand this new fatigue that may tax the more than 300 million daily participants of Zoom 2,3, experts representing diverse disciplines including acoustics, business, and the social sciences have contributed their explanations. For instance, audio has been proposed as the main reason that video meetings are draining. It turns out that millisecond delays in virtual verbal responses negatively affect our interpersonal perceptions, even without any internet or technical issues. 4,5

Other explanations attribute the fatigue to an underlying predisposition painted by the pandemic backdrop, such as increased financial stress and unemployment. Cognitive factors are also likely to contribute to fatigue, as an increased ability to virtually multitask threatens our attentional capacity. Exploring such multifactorial etiologies has delved us into a deeper understanding of the fragile intricacies that make up the precious in-person social interactions we had before COVID-19.

What is the psychological explanation of Zoom fatigue? Wecan start the exploration by revisiting the process of mental fatigue. A core psychological component of fatigue is a rewards-costs tradeoff that happens in our minds unconsciously. ⁶ Basically, at every level of behavior, a tradeoff is made between the likely rewards versus costs of engaging in a certain activity. ⁷ Even minor decisions, such as pressing the "Delete" versus "Backspace" button to erase a typed word, are made on the basis of these unconscious estimates to maximize reward (eg, time) over cost (eg, effort). ⁸ The link between this reward assessment and fatigue then comes here: activation of the dopaminergic pathways in brain structures associated with reward (eg, ventral striatum, anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], amygdala) increases subjective alertness, energy, and motivation 9,10 -the opposite of fatigue.

Is a lack of perceived reward relative to cost during videoconferencing a primary psychological mechanism of Zoom fatigue? Indeed, social interactions are very much associated with our reward circuits, as oxytocin-the hormone involved in social bonding-modulates these same dopaminergic pathways involved in reward processing. ¹¹ Moreover, how that social interaction happens seems to matter. For instance, functional MRI data reveal that live face-to-face interactions, compared to viewing recordings, are associated with greater activation in the same brain regions involved in reward (ie, ACC, ventral striatum, amygdala). ¹² So, more active social connection is associated with more perceived reward, which in turn affects the very neurological pathways modulating alertness versus fatigue.

This neuropathophysiology may explain Zoom fatigue. For example, if the audio delays inherent intechnology are associated with more negative perceptions and distrust between people 4,5, there is likely decreased reward perceived when those people are videoconferencing. Another example is direct mutual gaze. There is robust evidence on how eye contact improves connection-faster responses ¹³, more memorization of faces ¹⁴, and increased likeability and attractiveness. ¹⁵ These tools that make interactions organically rewarding are compromised over video. On video, gaze must be directed at the camera to appear like making eye contact with an observer, and during conferences with 3 or more people, it can be impossible to distinguish mutual gaze between any 2 people.

Not only are rewards lessened via these social disconnections during videoconferencing, but there are also elevated costs in the form of cognitive effort. Much of communication is actually unconscious and nonverbal, as emotional content is rapidly processed through social cues like touch, joint attention, and body posture. ¹⁶ These nonverbal cues are not only used to acquire information about others, but are also directly used to prepare an adaptive response and engage in reciprocal communication, all in a matter of milliseconds. ¹⁷ However, on video, most of these cues are difficult to visualize, since the same environment is not shared (limiting joint attention) and both subtle facial expressions and full bodily gestures may not be captured. Without the help of these unconscious cues on which we have relied since infancy to socioemotionally assess each other and bond, compensatory cognitive and emotional effort is required. In addition, this increased cost competes for people's attention with acutely elevated distractions such as multitasking, the home environment (eg, family, lack of privacy), and their mirror image on the screen. Simply put, videoconferences can be associated with low reward and high cost.

Further yet, there are undoubtedly many other factors contributing to Zoom fatigue. The biopsychosocial model commits our field of psychiatry to holistically consider all the hidden influences that make up our experiences. Biologically, videoconferencing is confounded by a more sedentary daily rhythm experienced during the pandemic. Notably, physical activity is associated with about a 40% reduced risk of fatigue. ¹⁸ Psychologically, a filtering of our stimuli through a fundamental rewards-costs analysis may explain how our dopaminergic pathways contribute. Socially, a perfect storm of vast unemployment, school shutdowns, racial injustices, political divisions, physical distancing, and loneliness predisposes everyone in our nation vulnerably.

The purpose of the biopsychosocial formulation, however, is to guide the treatment plan. Although the factors contributing to Zoom fatigue are complicated and multidimensional, a closer examination can lead to hope. The contributing factors, depending on their adjustability, serve as potential therapeutic targets to alleviate fatigue and salvage the aspects of social interaction that were once unconscious and taken for granted. Exploring alternative and more explicit ways to improve perceived reward psychologically during virtual communication may be a therapeutic approach for not only Zoom fatigue, but the mental and physical toll that come with it.
Dr Lee This article was originally posted on June 27, 2020, under the title"A Psychological Exploration of Zoom Fatigue," and has since been updated. -Ed References is Assistant Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California at Los Angeles and the Directorof the Pediatric Consult-Liaison Service and Pediatric Emergency Psychiatry at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. She has nothing to disclose regarding this article.
1. Wolf CR. Virtual platforms are helpful tools but can add to our stress. Psychology Today. May 14, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-desk-the-mental-health-lawyer/202005/virtual-platforms-are-helpful-tools-can-add-our-stress

2. Patnaik S, Malara N, Mukherjee S. Zoom says it has 300 million daily meeting participants, not users. Reuters. April 30, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zoom-video-commn-encryption/zoom-says-it-has-300-million-daily-meeting-participants-not-users-idUSKBN22C1T4

3. Zoom Company News. 90-Day Security Plan Progress Report: April 22. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://blog.zoom.us/90-day-security-plan-progress-report-april-22/

4. Roberts F, Francis AL. Identifying a temporal threshold of tolerance for silent gaps after requests. J Acoust Soc Am. 2013;133(6):EL471-EL477.

5. Johnson. Why zoom meetings are so dissatisfying. The Economist. May 16, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2020/05/16/why-zoom-meetings-are-so-dissatisfying ​

6. Boksem MA, Tops M. Mental fatigue: costs and benefits. Brain Research Reviews. 2008; 59:125-139.

7. van der Linden, D. The urge to stop: The cognitive and biological nature of acute mental fatigue. In: Ackerman PL, ed. Decade of Behavior/Science Conference. Cognitive fatigue: Multidisciplinary perspectives on current research and future applications. American Psychological Association; 2011: 149-164.

8. Dix A, Finlay J, Abowd G, Beale R. Human-computer interaction. Prentice Hall; 1993.

9. Lorist MM, Tops M. Caffeine, fatigue, and cognition. Brain and Cognition. 2003; 53:82-94.

10. Lorist MM, Boksem MAS, Ridderinkhof KR. Impaired cognitive control and reduced cingulate activity during mental fatigue. Cognitive Brain Research. 2005;24:199-205.

11. Donaldson ZR, Young LJ. Oxytocin, vasopressin, and the neurogenetics of sociality. Science. 2008;322:900-903.

12. Redcay E, Dodell-Feder D, Pearrow MJ, et al. Live face-to-face interaction during fMRI: A new tool for social cognitive neuroscience. Neuroimage. 2010;50:1639-1647.

13. von Grunau M, Anston C. The detection of gaze direction: a stare-in-the-crowd effect. Perception. 1995;24(11):1297-1313.

14. Mason MF, Hood BM, Macrae CN. Look into my eyes: gaze direction and person memory. Memory. 2004;12:637-643.

15. Nurmsoo E, Einav S, Hood BM. Best friends: children use mutual gaze to identify friendships in others. Dev Sci. 2012;15(3):417-425.

16. Conty L, Dezecache G, et al. Early binding of gaze, gesture, and emotion: neural time course and correlates. J Neurosci. 2012;32(13):4531-4539.

17. Schilbach L. Eye to eye, face to face and brain to brain: novel approaches to study the behavioral dynamics and neural mechanisms of social interactions. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. 2015;3:130-135.

18. Puetz TW. Physical activity and feeling of energy and fatigue. Sports Med. 2006;36:767-780. ❒

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Neuropsychological Exploration of Zoom Fatigue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In an effort to understand this new fatigue that may tax the more than 300 million daily participants of Zoom 2,3, experts representing diverse disciplines including acoustics, business, and the social sciences have contributed their explanations. For instance, audio has been proposed as the main reason that video meetings are draining.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Let's take a whistle-stop tour of the evolution of social media platforms. You can also check out this helpful infographic history of social media platforms' by Zenesys.

Why are social media platforms so popular?

Human beings are social creatures, we thrive on, and in fact need, social interactions to maintain a healthy life and mind.

Social media taps into these primal needs and so it should come as no surprise that social media sites and social media apps are so popular today.

But there is more to them than that. Social media apps offer users some valuable features.

They provide a platform to meet new people and make friends across international borders.

They allow users to join groups of others who share their passions and interests.

They are free to use (but as we all know "if there is no product to buy you are the product").

Specialized forums or platforms provide a large network to potentially find a new job.

Networks like Twitter have become a valuable way to get real-time (occasionally true) news. Often this information can be seen 'raw,' without any traditional media bias or opinion mixed in.

With the rise in popularity of early social media platforms, it was only a matter of time before business took notice of the growing trend.

Savvy entrepreneurs quickly jumped on the wagon to promote themselves and their (or others') products, eventually evolving into the mass social media marketing industry we are all familiar with today.

Businesses and private individuals have seen the importance and reach of social media. Some have even managed to use it to make a pretty decent living.

1. Antiquity to World War 2

Year or period: Circa 500 BC to 1945

Communication across great distances has been accomplished since antiquity through everything from smoke signals to the written word. This changed very little until the advent of the telegraph in 1792.

This technology finally offered a "faster than horse" method of communication over long distances and was revolutionary at the time. There were, of course, other methods of communications aside from letter-writing, but their utility was limited to line of sight.

1865 saw the development of pneumatic post, which you might still see in banks and supermarkets. This allowed for an even greater speed of communication - but over a much shorter distance. Then, when the telephone and radio hit the scene in the 1800s everything changed.

With their ability to provide, more or less, instant communication, the world would never go back. They both remain very important methods of media to this very day.

2. The post-war years and CompuServe

Year or period: 1945 to 1980s

The technological explosion in computing after the 1940s paved the way for the social media world we see today. Initially humble in scale, with localized computer networks, CompuServe came into being in the 1960s.

The internet, as we know it, was not too far behind. Primitive emails first appeared in 1966.

The 1970s saw further development with 1979 seeing the advent of Usenet, which allowed people to communicate through virtual newsletters, articles, or posts to newsgroups.

This decade also saw the introduction of home computers with the type of social media we would recognize today developing soon after.

Usenet systems were the brainchild of Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis. True social media came one step closer during the 1980s.

3. Early social media apps are born: The Well and GENie

Year or period: 1985

1985 saw the introduction of The Well and GENie. GENie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange) was an online service created for GE.

This was a critical moment in the history of social media, in business and in general, and, believe it or not, GENie was still used well into the late 1990s. It had 350,000 users at its peak and was only made redundant by the development of the World Wide Web.

4. Listverse makes its debut

Year or period: 1986

Listserv (the original, not the modern top ten site) made its debut in 1986. This was, in effect, a mailing list that allowed individuals to contact multiple users in one email. This is commonplace today but was revolutionary at the time.
RELATED: YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE COULD BE MAKING YOU FEEL LONELY AND DEPRESSED
Internet Relay Chats (IRCs) also first appeared in 1988 and were still in use well into the 1990s. They were used for file sharing, link sharing, and generally keeping in touch.

5. The chatroom rises with The Palace

Year or period: 1994

1994 saw the introduction of The Palace. It allowed users to interact with one another on a graphical chat room server, which they termed "palaces".

Each user would have their own avatar overlaid on a graphical backdrop. It is still in operation in one form or another, if you want to try it out.

6. Sixdegrees.com was the first true social media site

Year or period: 1997

The first recognizable social media site, SixDegrees.com, was born. This enabled users to upload profile pictures and connect with others.

Six degrees also let users make friends with each other and expand their social groups. Incredibly, in 2000 it was purchased for $125 million and shut down in 2001, but brought back a few years later.

Users were able to send messages and post bulletin board items to others in first, second, and third-degree connections - hence the name.

7. Moveon.org was one of the first activist social media sites

Year or period: 1998

In 1998, Moveon.org opened for business. It was initially formed as an email group and began life passing around petitions opposing the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

It later went on to promote general internet activism, such as opposing US military actions abroad, and supporting democratic candidates in the U.S., as well as fundraising.

Whatever your political views and criticisms of the site's motives, it was a forerunner of the plethora of similar social media campaigns all across the political spectrum seen today.

8. Blogging sites begin to appear just before Y2K

Year or period: 1999

Just before the turn of the Millenium, the first blogging sites started to become popular, and this form of social media is still very popular today.

LiveJournal, for example, was founded in 1999. This is a social network built around constantly updating blog posts.

It encouraged users to follow each other and create groups that also interact with one another.

9. LunarStorm was one of the first ad-financed social media sites

Year or period: 2000

In 2000, LunarStorm was launched. This was one of the first commercial advertisement-financed social networking websites.

This strategy would become increasingly important as the decade progressed.

The site was aimed at teenagers and developed in Sweden. By 2007, it had grown to an impressive 1.2 million members, 70% of which were between the ages of 12 and 17.

The site was shut down in 2010.

10. Wikipedia is born

Year or period: 2001

The mighty Wikipedia, whether you love it or loathe it, was launched in 2001. Its impact on the internet cannot be underestimated - even if the validity of its content can often be questionable.

Its founding aim was to provide an online encyclopedia that allowed anyone to edit articles. It should not surprise you that it is the world's most popular general reference site on the web.

It is a not-for-profit entity and, despite its critics, is generally well-loved.

Wikipedia do not consider the site to be social media per se, but it can be described as an online community of like-minded people and thus is affiliated with social media.

11. Friendster was an early giant of social media

Year or period: 2002

Friendster emerged in 2002. This Malaysian-built platform, now defunct, was initially used as a social networking service website. It was used for all the usual things, but also as a dating site and event, band, and hobby discovery service.

It introduced social gaming in 2011. Friendster closed its doors in 2015 after a lack of engagement from its members and, "the evolving landscape in our challenging industry".

12. LastFM was one of the first online music sites

Year or period: 2002

Another important step in the history of social media platforms and social media sites was the emergence of LastFM.

LastFM made its debut in 2002. It was one of the first online music databases and online radio streaming that have become the norm today.

13. LinkedIn appears on the scene

Year or period: 2003

2003 saw the emergence of LinkedIn. Its unique selling point is obvious to anyone who uses it.

Its devotion to social media for business has enabled its steady growth into one of the most popular social media sites in the world.

14. The rise and fall of MySpace

Year or period: 2003

2003 also saw the launch of MySpace, which quickly became "the" social media platform at the time. It allowed users to completely customize their profile, but also to could embed music and videos.

An important moment in the history of social media and pretty revolutionary at the time.

15. WordPress fires up its engines

Year or period: 2003

WordPress was also launched in 2003, opening up blogging to almost anyone. It now powers many websites.

16. Photosharing, MMO's, and online storage becomes popular

Year or period: 2003

Photo sharing became mainstream when the likes of Photobucket and Flickr, among others, appeared in 2003.

SecondLife also launched in 2003. This is one of the forerunners of today's massively multiplayer online role-playing games.

Del.icio.us, an online social site offering storage, sharing, and discovery of web bookmarks, was also born in 2003.

17. Proto-Facebook and others are born

Year or period: 2004

2004 saw many more services launched, including the initial Harvard dorm-based version of Facebook. Care2, Multiply, Ning, Orkut, Mixi, Piczo, and Hyves were also launched.

18. YouTube launches in 2005

Year or period: 2005

YouTube first appeared in 2005 and launched an entirely new method of communication. The ability to create and share media over very long distances was such a game-changer that it has become something of a behemoth ever since.

Other notable launches this year included Yahoo!360, Bebo, and the "mighty" Reddit. Social media platforms were started to find their legs.

19. Facebook launches and begins to monopolize the market

Year or period: 2006

2006 saw the advent of Facebook. It remains one of the most popular social media platforms on the internet, and by extension, the world.

Facebook has seen staggering growth since 2006, and it is now one of the most visited sites on the web.

20. Twitter rises in 2006

Year or period: 2006

Twitter also, launched in 2006, has attained an almost "cult-like" status since inception. Its ability to allow users to interact directly with celebrities was almost unheard of previously.

21. Tumblr and Friendfeed join the fray

Year or period: 2007

Tumblr and FriendFeed joined the party in 2007. Tumblr has grown in popularity, especially with teens and those who prey on them, with its microblogging and social networking features.

To date, it has more than 350 million blogs alone, wow.

22. Businesses 'cotton on' to the power of social media

Year or period: 2008

Around this time, businesses really started to take notice of social media, and especially its power for advertising. Businesses rushed to open accounts and link to them and to other popular sites.

23. The market starts to get crowded

Year or period: 2009

Spotify, Ping, Groupon, and Kontain appeared in 2008, continuing the development of niches within the growing social market. Location-based social media also began to take hold in 2009 with the launch of Foursquare.

This was one of the first sites to introduce a "check-in" feature. 2010 saw the birth of Instagram, Pinterest, and Google Buzz.

The former two have grown in popularity and are giants in their own right today.

24. The emergence of Instagram would shake up the social media scene

Year or period: 2010

Yet another important step in the evolution of social media platforms was the launch of Instagram in 2010. A US-based photo and video sharing platform, Instagram is today one of the biggest social media sites in the world.

It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and is available on jutst about all smart device platforms. One of its standout features in the early days was the ability for users to edit uploaded content within the app and organize material using tags and other location information.

After its release, it quickly became widely popular, acquiring somewhere in the region of 2 million users within its first few months alone. Seeing the potential for the social media platform, Facebook acquired the company in 2012.

Today, it is widely used by private users and businesses to promote themselves and acts largely as an advertising platform.

25. WeChat is another very popular social media platform today

Year or period: 2011

WeChat first appeared on the scene in 2011. A Chinese entry into the social media industry, today, it is one of the world's most popular social media apps.

By some estimates, WeChat has more than 1 billion active monthly users. Described by some as the " app for everything", WeChat is a one-stop-shop for all things social media.

Today it is owned by the Chinese tech giant Tencent and offers its users not only the basics of social media but also the ability to carry out financial transactions and purchases, like booking flights and hotels through the app.

However, due to its popularity, WeChat is also subject to mass surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party, and is also prone to censorship of any politically sensitive content in China.

26. The ill-fated Google+ is born

Year or period: 2011

Google decided to launch Google+ in 2011 as a fully-fledged social networking tool. Users were able to form group contacts into "circles" and chat via video "hangouts".

It has recently been discontinued.

27. Multipurpose social media becomes a thing

Year or period: 2011

With the great 'speciation' of social media since the 2000s, a method of unifying their unique features together was fast becoming a necessity. Pheed took advantage of this with its service.

Pheed allowed you to share text, photo, audio, voice notes, video, and live broadcasts in the same space. A strategy since copied by many other platforms.

Social media platforms, and social media in general, were also beginning to drive a lust for rapid-fire updates and information. This led to the launch of Vine in 2012.

Vine, as you are probably aware, lets you share 6-second videos for no other reason than that you can. It was acquired by Twitter in 2012 and shut down in 2019.

28. Minds might just be the social media platform of the future

Year or period: 2016

With growing fears over many major social media sites actively editing content on their sites and suppressing certain demographics, alternative social media sites began to appear towards the second half of the 2010s. One of the most notable social media platforms to emerge was Minds.com.

This free and open-source social media platform has seen significant growth in users since its launch in 2016. One of its unique selling points is not only its strict neutrality when it comes to free speech, but also its integration of blockchain to reward its community with ERC20 tokens.

Users can use these tokens to promote their own content or help crowdfund other users through monthly subscriptions to access exclusive content and other services. Self-described as a "Crypt Social Network", Minds.com's privacy, decentralization, optional anonymity, and steadfast commitment to transparency and protecting freedom of speech is appealing to many of its regular users.

29. Gab is another new contender in the battle for social media platform wars

Year or period: 2016

Yet another new contender in the social media ecosystem is Gab. Also standing for the protection of freedom of speech and individual liberty, Gab also vies for dominance in the market.

Attracting both applause and criticism in seemingly equal measures, Gab has become a controversial social media platform of late. In 2019, Gab launched its Dissenter browser extension that lets logged in users make comments on content hosted on other websites. The idea os that users can bypass any moderation practices that these sites may have in place to launch full-throttled abuse. It is particularly popular with far-right extremists, white-power terrorists, and sex-pests who have been banned by other platforms. It has been described as, "an " online cesspool of antisemitism, hate speech, and racism.

30. The birth of TikTok was another important step for social media platforms

Year or period: 2016

In 2016, the now incredibly popular social media platform, TikTok, was first launched by Douyin for the Chinese market, it was later launched on iOS and Android outside of China.

Primarily focussing on uploading and sharing videos, this social networking app has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years. Most users use it to record short dance, lip-syn, comedy, or other talent videos and it seems to be really finding its stride.

While many videos loaded to the site may be utterly cringe-worthy, there is no doubt that it is a highly addictive social media platform for millions of users around the world.

31. Parler could challenge Twitter for dominance in the not too distant future

Year or period: 2018

Parler is one of the newest kids on the block when it comes to social media platforms and apps. Launched in 2018, Parler describes itself as an unbiased, free-speech social media platform dedicated to protecting its users' rights above all other concerns.

Named after the French "to speak", Parler was created by CEO John Matze in 2018. The social media platform gained a surge in users when some prominent public figures signed up and promoted the site between late-2018 and early-2019.

Parler, like so many other newer social media platforms, has ambitions to topple some of the older, more established social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Whether it will achieve this grand vision is yet to be seen.

32. Social media is a virtual ecosystem today

Year or period: NA

Today, there is an eye-boggling variety of social media platforms, social media apps, and other social media sites, many of which allow for sharing between each other. As you are all aware, this has enabled this media to allow maximum exposure for users without sacrificing interpersonal communication.

It's actually pretty amazing. Businesses and individuals could not imagine a world without it, such has been its infiltration in our lives.

It has changed our world, for better or good, and is set to make traditional media, like printed newspapers, extinct.

33. The future is uncertain

Year or period: 2018 - Onwards

Who can tell what will happen over the next few decades for social media? Will it even exist in ten, twenty, or more years?

We can never know for certain, but given society's rapid uptake of the medium so far it clearly meets a need we all have. We are social creatures after all, and any form of media that makes meeting and talking with others without actually needing to interact with them in the real world is likely to continue in some form or other well in the future.

Despite this apparent benefit, we have all seen the ' dark side' of social media grow over the last few years, especially its potential for being hijacked for political gain and manipulation. Whether people will tire of the constant stream of bile and abuse, as well as the constant advertising, or feel this is just the price we have to pay for social media, remains to be seen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Let's take a whistle-stop tour of the evolution of social media platforms. You can also check out this helpful infographic history of social media platforms' by Zenesys. Human beings are social creatures, we thrive on, and in fact need, social interactions to maintain a healthy life and mind.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Table Of Contents
Show All Sections

Amy Klobuchar: No More Blind Trust in Big Tech

If you have a Facebook account, your data brought in $51 to Facebook last quarter. That's because even though Facebook presents itself as a free service, it uses its platform to gather personal data and sell targeted ads, turning its own users into profit centers-and our lack of data privacy laws helps its bottom line. In fact, the company brings in twice as much money from its American users as it does from users in other countries with more stringent protections.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Show All Sections Amy Klobuchar: No More Blind Trust in Big Tech If you have a Facebook account, your data brought in $51 to Facebook last quarter. That's because even though Facebook presents itself as a free service, it uses its platform to gather personal data and sell targeted ads, turning its own users into profit centers-and our lack of data privacy laws helps its bottom line.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teenagers are among the biggest consumers of social media-but is it consuming them? In recent years, scientists have discovered an increasing number of troubling links between social networking and mental health challenges, ranging from distress to major depression. Furthermore, research is also zeroing in on the effects of teen social media on the adolescent brain. Social media addiction appears to be a new behavioral addiction, and adolescents are at the highest risk.

"Adolescence is second only to infancy when it comes to growth. Therefore, the impact of social media on a developing teen's mind and body can be huge," says Kristin Wilson, MA, LPC, Newport's Chief Experience Officer.

According to a Common Sense Media report released in 2022, the latest teen social media stats indicate that adolescents' use of social media is increasing. But they're getting less out of it. Addiction could play a role in their scrolling behaviors. Here are some of the latest statistics from the new report:

84 percent of teens use social media, and 62 percent of teens use it every day.

On average, teens spend 1 hour and 27 minutes a day scrolling social media, an increase of 17 minutes from 2019.

Only one-third of teens say they enjoy social media "a lot," down from 40 percent in 2019.

42 percent of teen girls say they enjoy social media, compared with 27 percent of teen boys.

Girls are also more likely than boys to use social media every day (68 percent vs. 57 percent).

Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are the most popular social media sites for teens.

Use of social media among tweens went up by 7 percentage points between 2019 and 2021, from 31 to 38 percent.

"It seems that initiation into social media may indeed be trending younger, at a relatively modest rate thus far, and that while the time devoted to social media among teens may be increasing, enjoyment is not." -the Common Sense Census

Research shows that teenagers' use of social media goes hand in hand with increased teen depression and lower levels of life satisfaction. The frequency of a teen's use of social media has a clear correlation to how they feel. A CNN study of 13-year-olds and their relationship with social media, called #Being13, found that participants who checked social media 50 to 100 times a day were 37 percent more distressed than those who checked just a few times a day. Those who checked more than 100 times a day were 47 percent more distressed on average.

But is social media a catalyst for depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues? Or, is teen social media addiction a symptom of a mental health disorder? Experts agree that it can go both ways.

"There could be many reasons a teenager would become depressed, anxious, or experience social phobias while using social media. In addition, there are just as many reasons why social media is enticing to a teen with an existing mental health issue," Kristin says. "Most teens have difficulty regulating and expressing emotions, and also have a huge susceptibility to peer pressure. This puts them at risk for experiencing anxiety or depression as a result of social media, or for existing mental health issues to get worse."

What biological and chemical processes are set off by social media use? And how do they affect the brain? Scientists have found that overuse of technology in general, and social media in particular, creates a stimulation pattern similar to the pattern created by other addictive behaviors. One study found that receiving "likes" on social media activates the same circuits in the teenage brain that are activated by eating chocolate or winning money.

"The brain responds to social media the same way it responds to real-life connections, with a release of dopamine-a neurotransmitter that creates feelings of pleasure and works in the reward center of the brain," says Kristin. "Positive reinforcement comes when a teen posts something online and is met with likes, shares, and positive comments from their circle of peers. The rush of dopamine that occurs with this positive feedback creates a 'high.' For some teens, this can begin the cycle of the need to recreate that feeling with more posts and thus more time on social media."

According to Nicholas Kardaras, author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids-and How to Break the Trance, the constant overstimulation of social networking shifts the nervous system into fight-or-flight mode. This makes disorders such as ADHD, teen depression, oppositional defiant disorder, and teen anxiety worse.

Frequent use of social media actually rewires the developing teen brain to constantly seek out immediate gratification. Consequently, it can lead to other addictive behaviors. According to a review study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, "sudden cessation of online social networking may in some chronic users cause signs and symptoms that at least partially resemble the ones seen during drug/alcohol/nicotine abstinence syndrome." A Facebook addiction scale looked at six of the core elements of addiction as applied to social networking.

So how can parents recognize when their teen is overdoing it? Here's how to tell.

A teen spends increasing amounts of time online scrolling through social media.

When not on their phones or other devices, teens are preoccupied with thoughts of getting back online.

Teens have trouble cutting back on social media time, even when you limit their use.

They lie about the amount of time they are spending online.

Your teen shows signs of anxiety and/or depression after spending time online.

Connection vs. Negative Social Interaction

People of all ages enjoy staying in touch with family and friends via social networking. But using social media is far more complicated for teenagers. "The work of adolescence is really twofold: to gain a sense of individuality and identity, and to find strong connections with others who are trustworthy and loyal," says Kristin. Social media can both help and hinder teens in achieving these goals in their journey toward adulthood.

Teens can access an unlimited number of people on any given site and may find support and a sense of community. But they can also encounter the opposite, Kristin warns. Cyberbullying and harassment are widespread on social media platforms and can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem, depression, and powerlessness. Consequently, no matter how many "likes" their posts collect, teens won't benefit if they substitute social media for real-life friendships.

Watch Newport Academy Founder Jamison Monroe, Jr., discuss social media at Talkspace, a panel of mental health experts sharing their expertise.

Showing off one's "best" traits on social media should help you feel better about yourself, right? That's not necessarily the case. According to psychologists, consistently focusing on oneself actually reduces self-esteem. One study showed that increased Facebook activity was related not only to symptoms of low self-esteem but also to narcissism.

Comparing oneself to others is a frequently cited cause of discomfort and low self-esteem for social media users. In a study examining the link between Facebook and depression, researchers found that frequent Facebook users often compare themselves with others, which leads to overthinking and rumination. Therefore, this in turn leads to feelings of depression. Teens tend to compare themselves to their peers frequently, both in real life and online. Hence, social media addiction can negatively impact self-esteem.

It's important to realize that low self-esteem is an underlying cause of many mental-health challenges, including:

Depression

Eating disorders

Self-harming behaviors

Substance abuse.

The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi used the term "flow state" to describe the experience of being completely absorbed by an activity. When we're engaged in flow activity, our brain waves shift to the alpha waves associated with rest and relaxation. Teens particularly benefit from flow, according to research.

But it's nearly impossible to maintain flow when we're constantly stopping what we're doing in order to record our activity and share it online. As a result, we distance ourselves from the beneficial experience of being completely caught up in something we enjoy or something we're good at. The same goes for spending time with other people: If we're communicating with online friends instead of paying attention to the person in front of us, we're missing the opportunity for a moment of real, face-to-face connection.

What Parents Can Do

What realistic approaches can parents take to help their teens create a healthier relationship to social media and prevent social media addiction? Parents can have a significant positive impact, Wilson says. In the #Being13 study, parents who kept a close eye on their child's social media accounts had a profound effect on their psychological well-being, virtually erasing the negative impact on their teen of online conflict.

Here are a few steps to take.

Talk openly with your teen about social media and the feelings associated with its use.

Set aside screen-free zones, like the dinner table and bedrooms, and make sure everyone (including adults) abides by them.

Be a good role model. Show your teen by example that it's important to unplug regularly and to find offline activities they enjoy.

Keep tabs on your teen's social media accounts. For a younger teen, help them set up an account and install all privacy restrictions. For an older teen, know which social media sites they are on, talk with them about what to post and what not to post, and create ground rules.

Learn about social media-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Educate yourself so you can be proactive in talking to your teen about what's new (and possibly dangerous) in cyberspace.

Take time off from the apps. A 2022 study found that taking just one week off social media improved participants' overall level of well-being while reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Ultimately, Kristin says, you can't control everything about the way your teen interacts with social media, but you can help them create a positive sense of self that doesn't require validation from an online world.

Sources
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2022; doi: 10.1089. Photos courtesy of unsplash.
Int J Res Paediatric Nursing. 2021; 3 (1): 69-78.
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2016 Nov; 19(11): 638-648
Psychol Sci. 2016 Jul; 27(7): 1027-35.
PLoS One. 2013 Aug 14; 8(8).
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2014 Oct; 17(10): 652-657.
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2014 May; 17(5): 281-6.
Psychiatr Danub. 2012 Mar; 24(1): 90-3.
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2010 Aug; 13(4): 357-64.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Looking for Likes: Teen Social Media Addiction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teenagers are among the biggest consumers of social media-but is it consuming them? In recent years, scientists have discovered an increasing number of troubling links between social networking and mental health challenges, ranging from distress to major depression. Furthermore, research is also zeroing in on the effects of teen social media on the adolescent brain.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Media Addiction in Teens and Young Adults - Paradigm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Paradigm Treatment, we offer proven treatments and therapies for teens and young adults dealing with social media addiction. Learn more here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teenage social media addiction can be described as preoccupation and obsession. A teenager with a social media addiction has become so engrossed in the virtual world that it has impacted the real world, causing harmful effects. While many teens engage in social media through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vine, Snapchat, and others, teens who are addicted to social media see a negative impact on their real life relationships and responsibilities.

Dominant Characteristics of Social Media Addiction in Teens

Paradigm Malibu explains that social media addiction most often entails two distinct characteristics of addiction: the extensive amount of time spent on social media and the underlying reasons why they're engaged online.

A teen with a social media addiction has an overwhelming desire to participate in the virtual world. The teen will feel internal pressure to check their updates, add new statuses, post a photo, or engage in other online activity. A teen addicted to social media will prefer the virtual connections and relationships to those in real life. As the teenage years are a pivotal time for social growth in teens, this desire can be harmful as the teen may not develop healthy or appropriate social skills.

Another common characteristic of teens addicted to social media is the desire to create an attractive and "likable" virtual view of their life. A teen may spend more time taking photos of their 'fun activity' then they actually spend participating in and enjoying it. A teen may become so consumed with taking photos of themselves on the beach, at a concert, etc. that they actually miss enjoying the beach or concert.

While the teenage experience is full of pressures and stresses about being 'good enough' it is even more so for a teen with a social media addiction. The constant pressure to gain 'likes' and comments hinders their ability to find their true identity in an authentic way.

Statistics on Teen Social Media Addiction

Newport Academy cites a variety of statistics regarding teenage social media addiction:

92% of Teenagers Go Online Everyday

24% of Teens Are Online 'Almost Constantly'

76% of Teens Engage in Social Media - 71% are on Facebook, 52% on Instagram, 41% on Snapchat, 33% use Twitter and 14% are on Tumbler

77% of Parents Say Their Teens Are Distracted By Devices When They Are Together

59% of Parents Believe Their Teens Are Addicted to Their Mobile Devices

50% of Teens Believe They Are Addicted To Their Mobile Device

Causes of Teenage Social Media Addiction

Teenagers can become addicted to social media for a number of reasons. Mom Junction cites a list of reasons that a teen may become addicted.
A Teen May feel:
The virtual world may act as an escape from the problems of the world. This activity will set a precedent for the next time an uncomfortable or negative feeling creeps into the teen's life.

A teen may feel disconnected from friends or families. They may feel as though they don't belong. This may lead a teen to build their virtual world where they feel safe, accepted and loved.

A teen who is shy is prone to social media addiction. Struggling with real life relationships, teens can be confident behind the keyboard, making new friends and expressing themselves more openly.

Is Social Media Addiction the Sign of a Disorder?

According to Newport Academy, kids who feel isolated or unhappy are at a particular risk for social media addictions. When paired with these negative feeling and emotions, other disorders can emerge or be more easily recognized. Social media addiction may amplify the symptoms of ADHD, teen depression, oppositional defiant disorder, and teen anxiety. Social media addiction is a never ending spiral. More is always required to satisfy the addiction.

How Social Media Addiction Affects the Adolescent Brain

Social media addictions can affect the chemical processes of the brain. Studies have found that when a teen receives a 'like' on social media, the same circuits of the brain are activated that would be if the teen had won money or eaten chocolate.

The rush of dopamine to the brain as a result of positive feedback creates a type of high. This begins a cycle of desire for the teen to recreate that positive feeling. More posting, checking and watching are a result.

Studies suggest that teens with social media addictions are more likely to develop other addictions. As the brain desires more and more positive 'highs', social media and reactions from the virtual world are not always able to readily deliver. Teens may then turn to drugs, alcohol, and other drugs to create the same sensation.

How Does Social Media Addiction Affect Teens?

Social media addiction not only directly affects a teen's brain processes and chemicals, but other areas of life. A study found that the more teens used Facebook the more their overall satisfaction with life declined.

Studies suggest that when a teen focuses solely on themselves and showing off their 'best self' they actually reduce self-esteem. Facebook and other social media activity has led to symptoms of both low self-esteem and narcissism.

Teens tend to compare themselves to others online. This is particular dangerous as it not only lowers self-esteem but can also lead to depression, eating disorders, self-harming behaviors and substance abuse.

Social media prohibits a teen to be fully absorbed in an activity. Referred to as flow state, the brain is constantly interrupted from a flow of rest and relaxation with social media posts and updates. This restricts and inhabits the teens' ability to fully rest and relax in their activity.

Treatment for Social Media Addiction in Teens

With many teens in America owning a cellular device, many parents are finding limiting and controlling social media use nearly impossible. Talking openly with your teen, setting limits and boundaries, and developing a social schedule are all ways parents can encourage their teens to live a healthy and balanced life.

For some teens, the social media addiction has already begun to affect other parts of their lives. Teens who are depressed, anxious, or exhibit other behavioral symptoms along with social media addiction may be candidates for more extreme measures.

Shepherd's Hill Academy offers a unique solution to combating social media addiction. A Christ-based therapeutic boarding school, Shepherd's Hill Academy boasts a proven wilderness component to offer healing to teens with social media addictions. The 12 month program at SHA is a wakeup call to teens who are living solely in a virtual world. The program includes a rustic living environment, free of modern conveniences, peer pressure, and most importantly, mobile devices.

Teens participating in the program at Shepherd's Hill Academy will focus on developing healthy habits and behavior in order to live a productive and successful life. Through individual counseling, group therapy, equine therapy, and a fully accredited educational environment, teens are given some of the best resources available. A strict 5 to 1 student to staff ratio ensures your child is safe, mentored, and meeting their personal goals.

Is your teen addicted to social media? Are they engaging in harmful behavior or having trouble living life in the real world? Learn how Shepherd's Hill Academy may be a great fit for your teen! Inquire online or call us today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teens and Social Media Addiction - Shepherd's Hill Academy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teenage social media addiction can be described as preoccupation and obsession. A teenager with a social media addiction has become so engrossed in the virtual world that it has impacted the real world, causing harmful effects. While many teens engage in social media through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vine, Snapchat, and others, teens...