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424 Social Media Essay Topics & Research Title Ideas

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🏆 Best Essay Topics on Social Media

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• Social Media Effect on Young People
• Social Media Counterclaims: Benefits over Disadvantages
• The Influence of Social Media on Teenagers
• Social Media Has Improved Human Interactions
• The Influence of Social Media on Youth
• Should Social Media Be Banned?
• The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
• Impact of Social Media in Education Social media has positively impacted education by enabling learning, sharing, and collaboration, but continues to maintain concerns from a large body of students.
• Social Media Addiction Causes and Solutions This paper explores the causes and consequences of social media addiction and how psychological methods can help address the problem.
• Social Media: The Negative Impact on Relationships This analytical paper describes the dangers of social media platforms and how they can ruin people’s social and romantic relationships.
• Social Media Addiction: Causes and Effects Problematic or addictive social media (SM) use and its health implications have become popular research topics in recent years.
• Social Media: The Privacy Issues One of the disadvantages of social media is its exposure of people’s private lives to the online world and worldwide audience.
• Social Media Has Improved Human Communications The essay defines some of the critical social media terms. The use of social media has evolved and has resulted in a rapid increase in social and commercial factors.
• Recruitment and Social Media Employers in the contemporary world use various tools and strategies when recruiting individuals for their workforce. One such strategy is social media.
• Social Media and Friendships Overview This paper seeks to discuss why social media, as a medium of communication, might not be the right channel for making and maintaining genuine friendships.
• The Role of Social Media Within the Society Social media is one of the most frequently used ways of modern socialization and communication. It is used for personal needs, creativity, recreation, business promotion, etc.
• Social Media Addiction: How to Overcome the Problem Social media addiction is the extensive usage of social network platforms, including Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, disrupting individuals’ daily lives.
• Instagram vs. Facebook as Social Media Platforms The two overlapping social media sites, Facebook and Instagram, have stark differences in users’ age, the scope of engagement, and business marketing strategy.
• Life With or Without Social Media The paper discusses the major differences between life with social media and life without them, focusing on the matters of interpersonal communication value.
• Social Media and Traditional News Media Social media platforms have transformed how people communicate in today’s world. Information can easily reach any corner of the globe by just having a smartphone.
• Negative Effects of Social Media on Health While social media can help people communicate and learn more effectively, its negative effects should not be underestimated; they include depression, anxiety, bullying, etc.
• Classification of Social Media Users Social media has become an important tool for development goals. The most common social media platforms include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Social Media: Impact on Children Despite its benefits, social media is bad for children because it allows them to interact with content intended for adults.
• Annotated Bibliography: Social Media and Mental Health This article describes several sources about the connection and some other issues about social media and people’s mental health.
• Social Media Influence, Ethics, and Privacy Issues Social media remains one of the dominant internet services, which offers a new interactive opportunity: for political support, humanitarian aid, group activities, etc.
• Digital Marketing and Social Media The capabilities offered by the rapidly developing information technology segment have contributed to the speed, effectiveness, and affordability of digital marketing strategies.
• Children’s Use of Technology and Social Media: Essay Example Research conducted in various nations indicates that children and teenagers spend most of their time on social media sites than they do on other websites and mobile sites.
• How Social Media Shapes Our Identity Technologies form a new reality characterized by unique interaction patterns influenced by the culture and values topical at the moment.
• Nike Social Media vs. Adidas Social Media: Marketing Analysis This case study is aimed to study the official accounts of Adidas and Nike, on four of the most popular social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Effect of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health This study aims to assess the current relationship between social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health.
• Social Media: Negative Impacts Social media are gradually losing the function of communication tools and gaining the status of platforms that allow posting any content, including illegal and immoral materials.
• Social Media: Impact on Interpersonal Communication and Relationships Social media has surpassed email as the primary method of communication with individuals from all around the globe. It has proved beneficial to some and harmful to others.
• Gender Discrimination in Society and Social Media: Solutions The paper finds out to what extent discriminatory attitudes are present in different societies and how much social media induce them.
• Social Media’s Influence on American Culture This paper lays out the impacts that social media has had on American culture over time. It presents both negative and positive influences on the culture.
• Social Media: Annotated Bibliography An annotated bibliography on social media, effects of social media on society, effects on mental health and wellbeing, and election campaigning on social media.
• Social Media and Interpersonal Relationships Social media has undeniably impacted the nature of interpersonal relationships, and the result is rather ambiguous, although more negative changes can be identified.
• Social Media Impact on Teenagers’ Socialization Through the use of social media teenagers have well-established human connections, boosted communication skills, social skills, relationships, and a sense of responsibility.
• Social Media as a Distraction in Academics It is vital to recognize the ways in which social media can work as a distraction from academic pursuits and implement solutions to particular problems these platforms create.
• Social Media Platforms’ Impact on Human Loneliness Social media platforms are making humans lonelier than ever because people often spend much time on those platforms at the expense of physical interactions.
• Social Media Nature and Influence Social media’s interactive nature is highly influential; it breaks the traditional barriers of time and distance between people through social networking tools.
• Social Media and Freedom of Speech Social media has revolutionized how people communicate publicly and privately, allowing users to express thoughts and feelings freely.
• Social Media vs. Television and News Channels Social networks have become a key communication platform that shapes the knowledge and experience of young people.
• Social Media in Crisis Management of Restaurants Various firms are considering the use of social media to manage the crisis, especially if this involves rebuilding the image of the firm destroyed by negative publicity.
• Types of Social Media Users Users can be divided into six classes based on how many social media people use and how actively they engage: no-shows, newcomers, onlookers, cliques, mix-n-minglers, and sparks.
• Social Media Disadvantages for Adolescents A social network is a platform designed for the construction of social relationships. The active use of social networks harms adolescents.
• Social Media and Its Role Now and in the Future This document focused on the role of social media, now and in future. To achieve this goal, it focused on a number of issues that surround social media.
• Negative Impacts of Technology and Social Media on Young People’s Lives Social media has caused far-reaching negative repercussions on the lives of young people. Particularly, the negative effects of addition to SNS, related mental health issues, etc.
• The Negative Influence of Social Media on Teenagers’ Mental Health This essay is purposed to explain the aspects in which excessive use of social media affects teenagers’ mental health.
• Social Media: Advantages and Disadvantages The paper analyzes the various effects of social media and demonstrates that they should be treated critically, emphasizing their manifestations.
• Marketing Yourself and Social Media For many businesses, marketing strategies are aimed at obtaining the attention of consumers to their products and services.
• The Power of Social Media The popularity and high use of social media have adverse effects on society. The ability of people to hide their identity when interacting on social networks creates a room for cyberbullying.
• Are Social Media a Good Thing to Society? Recently, computer systems have been adopted, and human beings have developed communication to make the world a global village.
• Social Media for Children: Threat or Opportunity? The current paper discusses potential risks and opportunities of social media for children advising parents to be careful and telling about social media safety rules.
• The Effects of Social Media on People Social media affects the human brain both in the developmental stage and the developed stage, which leads to a reinforcement of the cycle of negative interdependence.
• The Impact of Social Media on Teenagers Despite the negative impact on teenagers, social media can benefit if used for specific purposes; for instance, they use them to produce memes and develop creativity.
• Relation Between Politics and Social Media The paper discusses social media have diverse effects on politics, including their influence on voting, the spread of fake news, and the proliferation of negative attitudes.
• The Influence of Social Media on Democracy Democracy entails the protection of human rights among individuals facing social, economic, and political challenges.
• The Impact of Social Media on Education Social media can distinguish between positive and negative impacts on education. The advantage is that social life is an integral part of the learning process.
• Social Media and Modern Society Due to the developed connectivity, community-building, and communication and information exchange, social media is primarily beneficial to modern society.
• Correlation Between Social Media and Communication Skills The effects that social media may have on a person’s development and ability to communicate with others have proven to be controversial.
• Fashion Industry and Social Media The impact of networking services causes more competition, honesty, and creativity in professional clothes design and marketing.
• Social Media’s Influence on the Restaurant Industry In the restaurant industry, customers can connect with restaurant owners or other customers via platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
• Social Media for the Purpose of Knowledge, Entertainment, and Communication Almost all people, especially the representatives of young generations, consider their smartphones and laptops to be an integral and rather significant part of their life.
• Social Media Promotion of Juvenile Delinquency Mass media is a great instrument for shaping public opinion, and it has a significant influence on people’s minds.
• WhatsApp: Social Media Security and Privacy This paper seeks to analyse the issue of social media security and privacy in WhatsApp, with the writer illustrating a variety of technical and policy.
• Social Media’s Influence and Their Role in Communication Social media tools help people to connect individuals awareness of an issue worldwide. This, in turn, helps to usurp authoritarian governments while uniting people in a crisis.
• Is Social Media Bad for You? Evidence and Unknown Social media has taken a notable position in people’s lives, although society has conflicting opinions on its effects in the long term.
• LEGO Social Media Strategy: Great Essay Sample LEGO is a business that engages its customers, uses various types of social media to reach out to various audiences, and focuses on creativity above all else.
• Apple and Samsung Firms’ Social Media Analysis Apple’s brand voice communicates the high quality of its brand in a consistent manner. The majority of Samsung’s blog articles communicate the brand’s excellent quality.
• Leveraging Social Media in the Luxury Industry: Recommendation for Dior Across the world, thhe luxury fashion is a dominant sector in the luxury industry since it registers consistent growth in sales and profits.
• Social Media Effect on Young People Although social networks provide people with opportunities and have several advantages, the constant time spent on social networks has many disadvantages.
• Critique of “Impact of Social Media…” by Jan et al. Facebook, as the most prominent and commonly utilized social media platform, has a significant influence on young people’s self-esteem.
• How Social Media Contribute to Mental Health While social media enhances individuals’ communication and interaction with other people, spending a lot of time on social networks can make people lonely.
• Has Social Media Ruined Our Culture The question addressed in the paper is whether social media platforms ruin people’s culture and force them to adapt, bringing about the convergence culture.
• Social Media and Social Isolation This paper provides an annotated bibliography of the three articles related to the topics of social isolation while using social networks and its harmful effects.
• Social Media Effects on Consumer Behaviour Social media creates a platform where businesspeople communicate and/or interact with their customers. Through social media, companies market their products to reach worldwide consumers.
• Social Media Impact on Globalization Among the many drivers of globalization, the advancement of digital social media platforms has been one of the most influential.
• The Influence of Drugs and Social Media Limitless online resources are used to search for helpful information and to harass, torment anonymously, or provoke others.
• Impact of Social Media on Mental Health Sites such as Facebook, email, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Reddit, and YouTube have led to a revolution in communication, specifically within the school.
• Social Media and Their Psychological Effects The overuse of social media results in low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other psychological issues.
• The Rise of Cancel Culture: Social Media Users’ Perspective The modern perception of media discourse has become one of the major contributors to the genesis and development of an innovative model of social cognition.
• How Social Media Affects Individual Freedom Everyone should consciously approach the use of social networks and not forget about real life. This is the only way to save freedom, mental health, and respect from others.
• Consumers’ Buying Behavior and Social Media The objective of the research is to examine how social media can put considerable value into shaping consumers’ buying behavior.
• Social Change Theory and Social Media Contemporary social change theory is an appropriate framework for talking about social media, but now social media dictate their rules to social theories.
• Are Social Media Ruining Our Culture? Even though social media are diversifying the world around people, they still have an ambiguous impact on culture and lifestyle.
• The Causes and Effects of Social Media on Relationships and Communication Communication has become easier and more complicated at the same time. The Internet has blended interpersonal and mass communication, making public and private lines less pronounced.
• Social Media Usage and Teenager’s Ecosystems Social media has complex impacts on the youth, which are majorly positive. However, it causes negative impacts in an educational, socio-political, and physiological manner.
• Social Media Impact on Mental Health Social media became popular only several decades ago, but at present, they constitute an important part of everyone’s daily routine.
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Influence on Younger Generation Social media is a trendy and convenient way of communication and self-expression among youth. It has both advantageous and disadvantageous sides.
• What Effects Does Social Media Have on Real-Life Communications? The widespread use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and WhatsApp has changed the way people communicate.
• Social Media Effects on Employees and Productivity Avoiding the wide range of adverse effects of social networks, especially those associated with a decrease in workers’ productivity, is impossible.
• Benefits of Using Popular Trend in Social Media Utilizing a popular trend in social media use is worthwhile since it improves users’ sense of belonging to the community, self-expression, and consumption.
• Social Media Addiction and How It Affects People Every year people spend more and more time on their smartphones or computers. The present essay discusses the topic of addiction to social media and smartphones.
• Politics and Social Media Relations It is hard to discuss politics in contemporary society without including the internet, especially social media, in the discourse.
• “Don’t Demonize Social Media…” by Frazer-Carroll The paper analyses research dossiers and news reports that have linked teens’ use of social media to mental health problems.
• Social Media Regulation as Question of Century Large corporations can control the flow of information while leaving only the content that fits their policy. That is the foremost fact in favor of regulating social networks.
• Social Media Usage in College Students Conducting a literature review demonstrates that there are many negative and positive aspects of social media usage among college students.
• Social Media Advertising in Business With the rise of globalization and the digital revolution, social media has become a vital tool for promoting businesses.
• Pros and Cons of Free Speech Regulations on Social Media Freedom of mass information is considered the central principle in any democratic state which necessary for political pluralism and cultural diversity.
• Effects of Social Media Use on Teenagers This paper aims to explore the impact of social media platforms on teenagers’ physical, social, and cognitive development.
• Social Media in Nursing Practice The use of social media can be considered profitable, but nurses should take into consideration the patient’s confidentiality before engaging in this activity.
• Walmart’s Online Marketing in Various Social Media By monitoring sales, Walmart may see trends in growth and season, which can help Walmart prepare its inventory for busy times.
• Impact of Internet and Social Media on Influencers The paper states that influencers and the Internet are inseparable elements of the whole. Influencers continue to be an essential part of the modern Internet.
• Social Media Impact on Mental Health Social media is proven to be not only a huge part of people’s everyday life but also a factor in their mental condition.
• Opportunities Social Media Provides Social media provides more opportunities for all to show different perspectives on the same issue and demonstrate the results of someone’s work more effectively.
• The Australian Social Media Industry’s Analysis The Australian social media industry has faced various challenges due to different factors, including ‘media mogul’ subjugated media.
• Social Media Through Lenses of Social and Applied Sciences This essay will evaluate the creation and development of social media from the perspective of the lenses of social and applied sciences.
• Social Media and Online Identity As a key platform for social interaction, it can be argued that this emergent technology influences how people behave both online and offline.
• Social Media in Aviation Crisis Management This report examines social media tools to comprehend how they are utilized to facilitate analytical response capabilities by airlines for effective crisis management.
• Social Media and the Modern Impact of Informatics The paper states that social media, blogs, and other forms of online communication also create new challenges in the patient-physician relationship.
• Gossip and Exclusion in Social Media Gossip and rumors spreading are immoral and tend to harm the people and those surrounding them but they can be viewed as contribute to yielding beneficial outcomes.
• The Impact of Social Media on the Development of the Humanity The paper describes the most significant developments of the influence of social media and identifies the results and how they impact individuals or larger groups.
• Social Media and Networking in Organizations Services such as Facebook and Twitter are highly focused on encouraging collaboration among employees, customers, and partners as well as acquiring new customers.
• Social Media and Its Effect on Mental Health This paper offers an analysis of the behavior of adolescents in terms of depression, anxiety and other conditions resulting from the alleged use of social media.
• Effects of Social Media and Internet Social scientists focus on social, economic, and political affairs, and social media and the Internet are highly useful.
• Social Media and the Modern Impact of Informatics This paper examines three examples of using social media and electronic systems to demonstrate the impact of the Internet and modern informatics on healthcare.
• Social Media Impact on Teenagers in the UAE This paper studies impact of social media on teenagers in the UAE. The research was based on a sample of 30 respondents through a mixture of direct interviews and questionnaires.
• Effects of Social Media on Mental Health Individuals devote a lot of time to their screens, thanks to social media and smartphones. There is no denying that smartphones and social media may harm people’s mental health.
• Social Media in Moderation This research argues that the moderate use of social media is the most mindful approach to incorporating these online assets into daily life.
• The Healthcare System: Effects of Social Media Healthcare professionals are grasping social media as an instrument in careers advancement. Registered nurses and health practitioners must be registered for vocational reasons.
• The Effect of Social Media during Adolescence Social media isolates the teen users from people around them as they concentrate more on their gadgets, with limited face-to-face interaction.
• Instagram: Social Media’s Negative Impact on Society Instagram and other social media have not only a negative influence. Over the past five years, the influence of Instagram has increased, both positive and negative.
• “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now” by Lanier Although the vast majority of people are aware of the hazardous effects of social networks, they still cannot imagine their life without them.
• Social Media Plagiarism: The Key Issues Oxford dictionary defines plagiarism as using someone else’s ideas, with or without their consent, by incorporating them into your work without full acknowledgement.
• Social Media Effects on Employees and Productivity Addiction to social media has severe ramifications for employees of an organization, and these implications may affect the organization’s overall productivity.
• Social Media Observation: Instagram The history of Instagram is young but attractive due to its simple and smart application structure created by Kevin Systrom, a Stanford University graduate.
• The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health The paper discusses the consequences of social media on people’s mental health, behavior, lifestyle and possible benefits.
• Social Media Marketing: Case Study The study suggests that social media marketing’s advantages can be visible through a link between the online word of mouth and high sales.
• Social Media Effects on Communication Behaviors Social media has caused negative effects on communication behavior such as eliciting a false feeling of connections and friendships.
• Social Media as a Cause of Anxiety and Depression Anxiety and depression are considerable problems for world society. Numerous studies have linked high social media use with high levels of anxiety and depression.
• Social Media and Video Games for Teenagers’ Self-Esteem Social media are more likely to harm the self-esteem of those adolescents. The influence of video games has a more supportive effect on self-esteem.
• Marketing Through Social Media The usage of social broadcasting sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit to sell company services and goods is known as social media marketing.
• Youth’s Use of Social Media and Its Impact on Narcissism This paper has presented an overview of the problem of narcissism that prevails in contemporary youth due to their problematic use of social media platforms.
• Social Media Influences on Young Adults The paper proves that social media impacts young adults because it destroys their understanding of time and exposes them to bullying and gossip.
• Does Social Media Use Contribute to Depression? Social media is a relatively new concept in a modern world. It combines technology and social tendencies to enhance interaction through Internet-based gadgets and applications.
• Social Media Impact and Governmental Regulations Claypool, Kennedy & Moss address the idea of government regulations as the possible solutions to the problem with the security of users’ personal data on social media.
• Social Media Enable Cultural Importation This essay is written to show that social media enables intercultural exchanges that enrich both groups instead of creating a one-way flow.
• Social Media Usage and Impact Dissemination of information has been made simple and faster since the discovery and creation of social media.
• How Is Social Media Affecting College Students? The use of social network websites has been extensive that they have not just attracted the interest of industry and academic researchers all over the world.
• Social Media and Mental Health Relationship The paper argues social media use can affect dire repercussions such as adverse mental health issues that’s why stringent measures should be imposed to avoid negative consequences.
• Social Media Impact on Interpersonal Relationships/Communication This paper aims to analyze how social media and the use of smartphones impacts interpersonal relationships and communication.
• Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube Influence on Activism and Revolution Social media’s impact on the progress of social activism and revolution on the world stage is vital, as it provides the free exchange of data among unlimited numbers of persons.
• The Impact of Social Media Technologies Social media allows for interaction and communication fostered by readily available, accessible and affordable means of communication.
• Social Media and Accountability in Organizations The increasing reliance on social media as an avenue for reporting customer grievances can work in favor of most companies.
• The Role of Social Networks in the Political and Social Activism of Citizens Social media allows for enhancing people’s investment into the social and political changes by exposing the personal significance of the latter two for an individual.
• Social Media in Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer Novel In Braithwaite’s novel ‘My Sister, the Serial Killer,’ various social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram have been used to convey positive and negative messages.
• Social Media: The Role of Cyber-Ethics The obsession with social media popularity urges users to use bots in order to increase “likes”, which is an example of unethical behavior.
• Social Media Misuse at Work: Work and Employment With technological advancement, humanity entered a new era of work environment, filled with smart devices, social media, and instant messaging that affect workers’ lives.
• Social Media and Latest Trends in Marketing In the last decade, social media have been actively used by businesses as instruments to promote their products and services.
• Role of Personality Traits in Social Media Behavior Social media has become one of the most prevalent communication and interaction digital tools in contemporary times.
• Restricting Unethical Marketing in the Social Media The government should impose strict measures for companies that try to exploit advertising for manipulation, deception, and dishonest representation of their products.
• Social Media: Positive and Negative Effects There are many possible advantages to today’s technologies; nevertheless, there are numerous spheres in which social media and constant Internet access have a detrimental effect.
• Amazon’s Social Media Services Amazon’s social media services are highly effective as the company understands that the customers are located in different countries and may require an individual approach.
• Social Media and Mental Health in Adolescents It is already quite clear that unrestricted use of social media increases the chances of anxiety and depression.
• What Made the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Go Viral on Social Media? This paper aims to analyze the viral campaign the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge utilizing Berger’s STEPPS model in the 2014.
• European Cultural Dresses Portrayed in Social Media The articles answer the questions: Are dresses an example of cultural imperialism and cultural hybridity? And how are they examples of cultural imperialism and cultural hybridity?
• Impacts of Social Media on Children’s Social Lives The discussion of social media’s effects on children’s lives has become a major contentious debate all over the world.
• Social Media and Mental Health The research will specify the factor of social networking and raise the question of whether the daily use of social media severely impacts mental health.
• The Role of Gender in Interactions via Social Media Females tend to focus on development of certain relationships and creating a community while males tend to use social media to get information, have fun and so on.
• Agents of Socialization: The Development of Social Media Platforms Socialization is crucial for community growth and economic development since it promotes the exchange of ideas and unity.
• Significance of Social Media and Communication The paper states that social media has become a significant part of today’s youth and is one of the newest inventions to hit the human race.
• Social Media Role in Gen Z Life The current generation, gen Z, is becoming more involved in recording every second of their life and expressing their identity.
• Social Media Relations in the Digital Age The principal hurdles to using social media are the absence of specialized abilities and disorientation in the two-way communication approach.
• The Social Media Impact on Globalization This paper explains the impact of media on globalization and how it has affected businesses. Many people are currently using social media to run business organizations.
• Cyberethics of Social Media Platforms This paper aims to discuss ethical issues in social networks, as well as the responsibilities of social media platforms and their web hosting companies
• Personal Change: Cutting Time Spend Online on Social Media Spending time with family, engaging in daily activities, and making inquiries from people who have experienced the challenge to be changed can help one succeed in change.
• Social Media Use and Self-Esteem Control in School Students This study will highlight the impact of social media on students’ self-esteem and suggests possible ways of avoiding negative influence.
• Personal Brand Management and Social Media
• Social Media as a Tool for Social Movements
• The Role of Business Ethics in Recruiting New Employees Using Social Media
• Social Media and its Effect on Children
• Invasive Social Media & Data Security
• Obesity Prevention: Social Media Campaign
• Social Media and Young Women’s Self-Perception
• Social Media Hindrance on Interpersonal Relationships
• Communication and Social Media Ethics in United Arab Emirates
• Social Media Marketing: The End User’s Attention and Factors Affecting the Popularity of Brand Posts
• Social Media’s Impact on Psychological Distress
• Positive and Negative Images on Social Media and TV
• Disordered Eating Due to Impact of Social Media
• Social Media in the Modern Workplace: Advantages and Challenges
• Social Media Evolution and How Does It Make a Difference in Today’s World
• Community Health Nursing Social Media Campaign
• Social Media Impact on Activism
• News on Social Media Can Replace the Traditional Media
• Social Media Access and Use for Children and Adolescents
• MAC Cosmetics Company’s Models and Social Media
• Social Media Use in Workplace. The Effect of Social Media on Employees’ Job Performance
• The Use of Social Media in Nursing
• Social Media Impact on Children
• Social Media Role in Managing Event Customer Relations
• Social Media Use and the Impact on Mental Health
• Social Media Tools’ Impact on Sports
• Social Media Influencing World Activism and Revolution
• Social Media Impact on Customers
• User Data and Privacy Protection in Social Media
• The Effect of Social Media in Changing Marketing
• Role of Social Media in Managing Customer Relationships
• Accounting, Social Media, Workplace Ethical Issues
• Social Media Influence on the Lives Today
• The Role of Social Media’s Influence on Revolution
• Social Media Role: Activism and Revolution
• Social Media’s Influence: Activism and Revolution
• Global Impact of Social Media in United Arabs Emirates
• Social Media’s Multifaceted Impact on Mental Health
• Art Activism, Feminism, and Social Media
• Ethics and Technology: Bots in Social Media
• Connectedness and Disconnect on Social Media
• The Impact of Social Media on Elite Sportsmen Performance
• Speech Regulation on Social Media
• The Use of Social Media by College Students
• Social Media: The Role in Modern Society
• Social Media and International Business
• Using Social Media to Support Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
• Free Speech Regulation on Social Media
• Adverse Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
• The Informal Power of the Governor in Texas in Social Media
• Social Media and Internet Advertising for Brand’s Success
• Nursing Occupation: Professional Side and the Use of Social Media Networks
• Successful Social Media Advertising: Strategies
• The Social Media: Effects on Young Adults
• Role of Social Media in Emergency Preparedness
• Social Media’ and Business’ Relationships in Indonesia
• Social Media’s Design Implementation
• Social Media: Science, Technology and Government
• Social Media Tool in Modern Marketing
• The Adolescents’ Social Media Use
• Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health Conditions
• Consequences of Secondary Trauma as a Result of Social Media Exposure
• Social Media Impacts on Adolescents
• Becoming Distant on Social Media
• Fake News on Social Media and How to Prevent It
• Discussion: Public Intimacy and Social Media
• Depression and Social Media in Scientific vs. Popular Articles
• Direct and Social Media Marketing Strategies and Techniques
• Social Media and Spirituality: Correlation Study
• Genius and Digital Legacy: A Social Media Post
• Social Media and Children’s Brains: Source Analysis
• Shaping Army-People Relations through Social Media
• Social Media Initiatives and Information Technology
• The Issue of Fake News on Social Media
• Social Media in Modern Society
• Marketing Campaign and Social Media Content Plan
• Social Media Networks’ Role in America
• The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
• Twitter: The Forces That Tend to Drive Social Media
• Social Media Analytics With Google and Other Tools
• Social Media for Fitness Trackers
• Social Media: A Distraction in the Workplace
• Social Media and Small Business
• Social Media and Its Use in Marketing
• The First Amendment Should Be Expanded to Include Social Media Networks
• Why Has Social Media Affected Political Campaigns?
• Social Media Behavior Analysis
• Social Media Companies: The Main Functions
• Communication: Living in a Bubble of Social Media
• Mass and Social Media in Modern Politics
• Social Media Use: The Effectiveness of a Social Media Campaign
• Increase in Social Media Usage and Marketing Future
• Social Media and Depression in Adolescents: The Causative Link
• Ethics: Social Media Policy
• Is Social Media a Good Thing to Society?
• Researching of Impact of Social Media
• Schools’ Access to Students’ Social Media
• Pricing Strategies’ Effects on Consumer Behavior on Social Media Platforms
• ”Using Social Media to Aid Your Job Search” Article Review
• Social Media Negatively Impacts Psychological Well-Being
• Analysis of Social Media Misinformation Aspects
• Diet Milk Tea Beverage and Signature Diet Soda: The Social Media Campaigns
• Social Media as a Form of Activism Today
• Social Media and Pursuit of Social Change
• The Emerging Issues of Social Media in the Modern Works
• Networks and Social Media in Business
• Case Communication in Social Media Networks
• Propaganda Machines on Social Media Platforms
• Impact of Social Media on Adolescence
• Privacy, Ownership, and Surveillance in Social Media
• The Problem of Misinformation From the Social Media Platforms
• Focus on Social Media as a Health Advocacy Tool for Adolescents
• Marketing and Interaction Through Social Media Platforms and Gender Inequalities
• Technology and Social Media Role in Customer Service
• National Campaign: Social Media Campaigns on Dentistry
• Social Media in Healthcare: Building Awareness and Preventing Epidemics
• Online Social Media Fatigue and Psychological Wellbeing
• Toyota, Tide, and Pepsi Firms’ Social Media Marketing
• N. Dieker on Keeping Social Media in Order
• Social Media and Associated Mental Health Risks
• The Social Media Reinforcement Bubbles
• How News Spread on Social Media Contests Based News Organizations
• Jair Bolsonaro and Hillary Clinton in Social Media
• The Cleaning Company and the Use of Social Media
• Unfollowing on Social Media
• Hillary Clinton and Jair Bolsonaro in Social Media
• Social Media for Patient Choice of Healthcare Provider
• Social Media and Issues Regarding the Use of Social Media
• Social Media and Ethically Informed Global Supply Chain
• Social Media Effectiveness in Engaging Consumers
• Benefits of Using Social Media
• Sensemaking Process: Socializing Social Media
• Social Media, Clients and the Helping Environment
• Does Social Media Contribute to the Absence of Close Friends?
• Print and Digital Ads on Mental Health Implications of Social Media
• Social Media Crisis Communication for Business
• The Role of Social Media Tools in Crisis Response and Recovery
• Technology and Dating: Social Media and Committed Relationships
• Ethical Use of Social Media: Users’ Anonymity and the Inviolability of Their Personal Data
• Use of Social Media in the Workplace
• Meaningful Relationships in the Age of Social Media
• Social Media and Social Networking in Modern Life
• The Influence of Social Media
• Professionalism and Social Media
• Nike Social Media Analysis
• Social Media as a Type of Addiction
• The Emergence of Social Media Enhanced the Partisan Media Exposure
• Social Media, Smartphones Have Become Obsession
• Wilson’s “Detecting Mass Protest Through Social Media”
• Social Media Activism During COVID-19
• Social Media Used as a Way to Hire or Fire an Employee
• Future of Social Psychology: Social Media Impact
• Households and Businesses: The Influence of Social Media
• Social Media Behaviors in Asia
• The Role of Social Media in Activisms and Revolution
• Social Media Tools in E-Commerce
• Conformity Feedback in Social Media
• Negative Affect of Social Media
• Social Media in Nursing: Pitfalls and Opportunities
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• Information Technology, Its Impacts on the Family, and the Ethical Issues of Using Social Media
• Social Media Manipulation from an Ethical Side
• Intel Corporation’s Social Media Policy
• Social Media in Real Life: Causes and Effects
• Social Psychology Research and Social Media
• “How to Turn Negative Social Media Into a Positive” by Ciccotelli
• Protect Your Firm From the 12 Risks of Social Media
• Human Resources: Social Media Policy in Companies
• Social Media as Educational Technology Among Marketing Educators
• Social Media Activism in the Arab Spring Revolution
• Databases, E-Commerce, Social Media at the Workplace
• Law Enforcement: Online Crimes and Social Media
• Nurses’ and Social Media’s Role in Healthcare
• Privacy and Integrity in Nurse’s Social Media Use
• Social Media in Business Across the Globe
• Social Media Categories for Public Health Promotion
• Nurse Leader’s Responsibility for Social Media Posts
• Facebook’s Social Media Algorithms Study Arguments
• Social Media in Bahraini Decree Law 47 of 2002
• Transparency of Services: Social Media and the Internet Usage
• Social Media Platforms and the Nature of Healthcare
• Social Media Applications in the Fashion Sector
• Affordable Care Act: Nursing and Social Media
• Social Media in Lives of Teens and Tweens
• Spreading Information with Social Media in Activism and Revolutions
• Social Media Changing Interpersonal Relationships
• Social Media Techniques for Communication Management
• Taylor St Baristas Company: Social Media Marketing Plan
• Social Media Usage in Transparency Services
• Obesity Education in Social Media for Children
• TopMobiShop’s Social Media Campaign
• Compass Vacation Company: Social Media Strategies
• Social Media’s Effect on Activism and Revolution on the World Stage
• Simulation and Social Media in Healthcare
• Social Media Policies and Code of Conduct
• Print and Social Media in 2011 Egyptian Revolution
• Social Media’s Influence in Activism and Political Revolution
• The Ways Social Media Controls Rebellion and Activism
• Asking for a Password from Social Media
• Social Media’s Influence on the Children and Teens Lives
• Social Media’s Influence Importance
• Social Media Effects: Problems Understanding
• The Effects of Social Media on Today’s Society
• Role of Social Media’s Influence on the World Stage
• The Role of Social Media in Activism and Revolution
• The Importance of Social Media in the Activist Movement
• The Role of Social Media’s Influence
• Social Media’s Influence Role in Activism
• Michael Reagan’s Role in Social Media
• The Impact of Social Media on Super Bowl Ads
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• How Does Social Media Affect Political Participation of Millennials?
• Can Social Media Increase Voter Turnout?
• How New Digital and Social Media Impacted Public Relations?
• Does Social Media Have Political Power?
• How Does Social Media Affect Our Romantic Relationships?
• How Facebook and Social Media Has Had an Impact on American Culture?
• Does Social Media Create a False Illusion for Women?
• How Does Social Media Affect the Fashion Industry?
• Can Social Media Improve Literacy and Communication Skills?
• How Does Social Media Use Influence People’s Body Image?
• Does Social Media Enhance Interpersonal Relationships?
• How Can Social Media Be Used to Improve Customer Care?
• Does Social Media Affect Teens Positive or Negatively?
• How Has Social Media Affected the Relationship Between Celebrities and Fans?
• Can Social Media Marketing Be an Abusive Marketing Tool?
• How Does Social Media Encourage Business Success?
• Can Social Media Help Save the Environment?
• Does Social Media Affect Performance of High School Students?
• How Fitness Clubs Can Leverage Social Media?
• Does Media Misrepresent Women Social Media Change Methods Advertising?
• How Has Social Media Impacted the Online Buying Behavior of Consumers in the UAE?
• Does Social Media Effect the Way Teenagers View Themselves?
• How Does Social Media Affect Bullying?
• Why Should Teachers Use Technology and Social Media?
• How Does Social Media Effect Time Management?
• The Effect of Cyberbullying on Users
• The Spread of AI-Generated Art on Social Media
• Privacy and Data Security Concerns in Meta Platforms
• How Social Media Promotes Acceptance and Tolerance
• How Social Media Marketing Impacts One’s Business
• Social Media’s Influence on Public Opinion and Political Activism
• Mindfulness as a Potential Solution to Social Media Addiction
• The Role of Social Media in Shaping Body Image
• How Social Media Shapes Youth Culture and Trends
• Social Media Marketing Strategies for Effective Consumer Engagement
• Inequities in Social Media Access
• The Use of Social Media in Education
• How Online Interaction Impacts Offline Relationships
• The Effects of Social Media on Sleep Patterns
• Cross-Cultural Engagement via Social Media
• The Echo Chamber Effect of Social Media and Political Polarization
• How Social Media Evolved from Early Platforms to Current Trends
• Why Do Social Media Influencers Affect Consumer Behavior?
• Social Media and Fake News: Addressing the Spread of Disinformation.
• The Role of Social Media in Crisis Communication and Disaster Response

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 424 Social Media Essay Topics & Research Title Ideas. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-media-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "424 Social Media Essay Topics & Research Title Ideas." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-media-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "424 Social Media Essay Topics & Research Title Ideas." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/social-media-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Social Media were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 9, 2024 .

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74 Best Social Media Research Paper Topics

Whether in college or high school, you will come across research writing as a student. In most cases, the topic of research is assigned by your teacher/professor. Other times, students have to come up with their topic. Research writing in school is inescapable. It’s a task you are bound to undertake to fulfill your academic requirements. If you are in college, there are several topics for research depending on your discipline. For high school students, the topic is usually given. In this article, we focus on social media and topics about social media.

A social media paper is a research paper about social media that studies social media generally or an aspect of it. To write research papers on social media, you’ll need to conduct thorough research for materials and scholarly materials that’ll assist you. For social media, most of the scholarly works will be media-focused.

Sometimes, Professors or teachers ask students to write an essay or research a topic without narrowing it down. In that case, students will have to develop specific research topics. If you’re writing a paper on social media, we’ve provided you with helpful topics to consider for research.

How to Start a Social Media Research Paper

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Before giving a research writing, Professors and teachers believe students already know how to write one. Not every student knows how to write a research paper in most cases.

Research writing follows a systematic pattern, which applies to research on social media. Below is the pattern of a research paper to use;

• Paper title
• Introduction
• Statement of problem
• Research methodology
• Research objective
• Critical analysis
• Results and discussion

Every research follows this basic pattern, and it also applies to your research paper on social media.

Social media has become a powerful tool for engagement of various kinds. Before now, social media was merely apps used for interpersonal affairs. Today, with the modification of digital technology, social media encompasses a lot more. Below are some social media topics to write about.

• The impact of social media in promoting interpersonal relationships
• A study on how social media is a vital tool for social change
• Social media censorship: A new form of restriction on freedom of speech
• The constantly growing oversharing nature of social media
• Social media is a vital tool for political campaign
• The proliferation of social media platforms into a buying space
• The juxtaposition of personal engagement and business on social media platforms

There is a wide range of topics to coin from social media for college students because social media is a platform with diverse issues that can form into topics. Here are some research topics about social media to consider.

• Breach of Privacy: A study on the ability of the government to monitor personal affairs on social media
• A study of the toxicity brewing within social media
• The increased cyberbullying perpetrated on social media platforms
• The evolution of Twitter into a space for diverse conversations
• A study of the emergence and growth of social media over the years
• Effects of social media: How social media is breeding laziness amongst children
• Social media as a distraction tool for students

If you are searching for interesting topics, there are many interesting research topics on social media. Examples of research paper topics that sound fun to choose from include;

• A study on how the emergence of social media and social media advertising has infiltrated its primary purpose
• An evaluation of how social media has created employment opportunities for people
• Social media influence and its negative impact on society
• Advertising on social media: Will influencer businesses take over advertising agencies?
• A study on ways to improve advertisement for social media engagement
• A look into how social media creates a distorted view of real life
• Social media and real-life: Does social media obscure reality?

Research questions are helpful when carrying out research in a particular field. To know more about your thesis on social media, you will need to create research questions on social media to help inform your writing. Some social media research questions to ask are;

• Are social media platforms designed to be addictive?
• What is a social media Algorithm, and how to navigate it?
• To what extent are personal data stored on social app databases protected?
• Can social media owners avoid government monitoring?
• Should parents allow their children to navigate social media before they are 15?
• Have social media jobs come to stay, or are they temporary?
• Is social media influencer culture overtaking celebrity culture?
• To what extent can social media help to curb racism and homophobia?
• Does social media exacerbate or curb discriminatory practices?
• Is social media an effective tool for learning?

Everyone has access to social media apps until they’ve reached a certain age. There are several social media essay topics for high school students to write about. Some social media titles for essays include;

• How social media affects the academic performance of students
• Why the use of social media is prohibited during school hours
• Why students are obsessed with Tiktok
• Running a profitable social media business while in high school and the challenges
• The dangers of overusing editing apps
• A critical essay on how editing apps and filters promote an unrealistic idea of beauty
• The death of TV: how social media has stolen student’s interest

The challenge students have with their topic ideas for research papers is that they’re broad. A good social media thesis topic should be narrowed down. Narrowing a topic down helps you during research to focus on an issue.

Some narrow social media topics for the research paper include;

• A study of how social media is overtaking Television in entertainment
• A study of how social media has overtaken traditional journalism
• An evaluation of the rise of influencer culture on Instagram
• YouTube and how it has created sustainable income for black content creators
• A comparative study of social media managers and content creators
• A study of the decline of Instagram since the emergence of Tiktok
• How Twitter breeds transphobic conversations

There are several areas of social media to focus your research on. If you are looking for some social media marketing topics, below are some social media research paper topics to consider;

• Influencer culture and a modified model of mouth-to-mouth marketing
• The growth of video marketing on Instagram
• Social media managers as an essential part of online marketing
• A study on how social media stories are optimized for marketing
• An analysis of social media marketing and its impact on customer behavior
• An evaluation of target marketing on social media

There are so many topics to choose from in this aspect. Some social issues research paper topics to explore are;

• The growth of cyberattacks and cyberstalking in social media
• Social media and how it promotes an unrealistic idea of life
• Social media and the many impacts it has on users and businesses
• Social media detox: Importance of taking scheduled social media breaks
• How social media enable conversation on social challenges

Writing a research paper on social issues touches on various areas. Some are challenging, while others are easier to navigate.

Below are some of the easy social issues topics to choose from.

• The growing issue of women’s and trans people’s rights
• Religious bigotry and how it affects social progress
• Sustainable living and why it’s important to the society
• The social impact of climate change and global warming

Social science is a broad discipline. If you are looking for social science essay topics, below are some social science topics for research papers to look into;

• Consumerism and how it’s perpetrated on social media
• How religious beliefs impact social relationships
• Inflation and how it affects the economy of a nation
• A study of the limited availability of work opportunities for minority groups
• A look into the concept of “low wage” jobs

Research writing is not always technical or challenging. Sometimes, it can be fun to write. It all depends on your choice of topic. Below are some topics on social media that are fun to work on;

• The importance of social media branding for small businesses
• A look into the monetization of Instagram
• User engagement and how it can be converted into business leads
• The study of emojis and their role in social media engagement
• From Instagram to Tiktok: the poaching nature of social media apps

Research writing on social media networking studies social networking and its design and promotion on social media platforms. Some research papers on social media networking are;

• The impact of social media networking on business owners
• Social media networking and how it impacts influencer culture
• Social media and how it’s used to build and develop social relationships
• How social media made social networking services easier

Social media research writing is one of the most interesting research to conduct. It cuts across several interesting areas. The writer can handle almost every aspect of the dissertation or thesis statement about social media . But, students who find it challenging should seek professional help. You can reach out to  our expert team of writers to help you handle every element of your writing. We have the best on our team who are always ready to give you their best.

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300+ Social Media Research Topics

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and it has transformed the way we communicate, share information, and interact with each other. As social media platforms continue to evolve and gain popularity, they have also become a rich source of data for researchers. Social media research is a rapidly growing field that encompasses a wide range of topics , from understanding the psychological and social effects of social media to analyzing patterns of user behavior and identifying trends in online conversations. In this era of data-driven decision-making, social media research is more important than ever, as it provides insights into how we use and are influenced by social media. In this post, we will explore some of the most fascinating and relevant social media research topics that are shaping our understanding of this powerful medium.

Social Media Research Topics

Social Media Research Topics are as follows:

• The effects of social media on mental health
• The role of social media in political polarization
• The impact of social media on relationships
• The use of social media by businesses for marketing
• The effects of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The influence of social media on consumer behavior
• The use of social media for education
• The effects of social media on language use and grammar
• The impact of social media on news consumption
• The role of social media in activism and social change
• The use of social media for job seeking and career development
• The effects of social media on sleep patterns
• The influence of social media on adolescent behavior
• The impact of social media on the spread of misinformation
• The use of social media for personal branding
• The effects of social media on political participation
• The influence of social media on fashion trends
• The impact of social media on sports fandom
• The use of social media for mental health support
• The effects of social media on creativity
• The role of social media in cultural exchange
• The impact of social media on language learning
• The use of social media for crisis communication
• The effects of social media on privacy and security
• The influence of social media on diet and exercise behavior
• The impact of social media on travel behavior
• The use of social media for citizen journalism
• The effects of social media on political accountability
• The role of social media in peer pressure
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships
• The use of social media for community building
• The effects of social media on gender identity
• The influence of social media on music consumption
• The impact of social media on academic performance
• The use of social media for social support
• The effects of social media on social skills
• The role of social media in disaster response
• The impact of social media on nostalgia and memory
• The use of social media for charity and philanthropy
• The effects of social media on political polarization in developing countries
• The influence of social media on literary consumption
• The impact of social media on family relationships
• The use of social media for citizen science
• The effects of social media on cultural identity
• The role of social media in promoting healthy behaviors
• The impact of social media on language diversity
• The use of social media for environmental activism
• The effects of social media on attention span
• The influence of social media on art consumption
• The impact of social media on cultural values and norms.
• The impact of social media on mental health
• The impact of social media on mental health.
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem.
• The use of social media for political activism and social justice movements.
• The role of social media in promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity.
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships and dating.
• The use of social media for customer service and support.
• The impact of social media on mental health and well-being among young adults.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and partisanship.
• The use of social media for health communication and behavior change.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards vaccination.
• The impact of social media on political participation and civic engagement.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and echo chambers.
• The use of social media for political campaigning and the manipulation of public opinion.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards vaccination and public health.
• The impact of social media on news consumption and trust in journalism.
• The use of social media for promoting sustainable fashion practices and ethical consumption.
• The role of social media in influencing beauty standards and body image.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and the role of social media influencers.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among healthcare professionals.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards gun violence and gun control policies.
• The impact of social media on social activism and advocacy.
• The use of social media for promoting cross-cultural communication and intercultural understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards climate change and environmental policies.
• The impact of social media on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and access to financial services for low-income individuals.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards immigration policies and refugee crises.
• The impact of social media on political activism and social movements.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology education in developing countries.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards gender and sexual orientation.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior in the food and beverage industry.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among first responders.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards racial justice and police brutality.
• The impact of social media on privacy concerns and data security.
• The use of social media for promoting interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards income inequality and economic justice.
• The impact of social media on the film and television industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among military personnel.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards privacy and data security.
• The impact of social media on the hospitality industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting intergenerational communication and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards animal welfare and animal rights.
• The impact of social media on the gaming industry and gamer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology skills among seniors.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards renewable energy and sustainability.
• The impact of social media on the advertising industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among children and adolescents.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards online privacy and security.
• The impact of social media on the beauty industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural preservation and heritage tourism.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards criminal justice reform.
• The impact of social media on the automotive industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among marginalized communities.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards sustainable development goals.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural communication in the workplace.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards mental health policies.
• The impact of social media on the travel industry and sustainable tourism practices.
• The use of social media for health information seeking and patient empowerment.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental activism and sustainable practices.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.
• The use of social media for promoting education and lifelong learning.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards mental health issues.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and fast fashion practices.
• The use of social media for promoting social entrepreneurship and social innovation.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun control.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of adolescents.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural exchange and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards climate change.
• The impact of social media on political advertising and campaign strategies.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy relationships and communication skills.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards police brutality and racial justice.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and personal finance management.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and fan engagement.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among marginalized populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration and border policies.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of journalists.
• The use of social media for promoting community building and social cohesion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards healthcare policies.
• The impact of social media on the food industry and consumer behavior.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gender equality.
• The impact of social media on the sports industry and athlete-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting financial inclusion and access to banking services.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards animal welfare.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among college students.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards privacy and data security.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards income inequality and poverty.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology skills.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards renewable energy.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among elderly populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards online privacy and security.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards criminal justice reform.
• The impact of social media on online activism and social movements.
• The use of social media for business-to-business communication and networking.
• The role of social media in promoting civic education and engagement.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and sustainable fashion practices.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural diversity and inclusion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards police reform.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of frontline healthcare workers.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and investment education.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental sustainability and conservation.
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem among adolescent girls.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration policies and refugees.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of healthcare professionals.
• The use of social media for promoting community resilience and disaster preparedness.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards the Black Lives Matter movement.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and artist-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy eating habits and nutrition education.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among college students.
• The impact of social media on the entertainment industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting workplace diversity and inclusion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards climate change policies.
• The impact of social media on the travel industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among military veterans.
• The role of social media in promoting intergenerational dialogue and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of educators.
• The use of social media for promoting animal welfare and advocacy.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards reproductive rights.
• The impact of social media on the sports industry and fan behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting financial inclusion and literacy among underprivileged populations.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among LGBTQ+ populations.
• The impact of social media on the food and beverage industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun ownership.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among caregivers.
• The role of social media in promoting sustainable tourism practices.
• The impact of social media on the gaming industry and gamer culture.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural heritage tourism and preservation.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards public transportation policies.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among homeless populations.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among immigrants and refugees.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship among youth.
• The use of social media for political mobilization and participation in authoritarian regimes.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration policies.
• The impact of social media on the professional development of teachers and educators.
• The use of social media for emergency communication during public health crises.
• The role of social media in promoting LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on body positivity and self-acceptance among women.
• The use of social media for public diplomacy and international relations.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of marginalized communities.
• The use of social media for crisis management and disaster response in the corporate sector.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental activism and conservation.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of entrepreneurs.
• The use of social media for medical education and healthcare communication.
• The role of social media in promoting cultural exchange and understanding.
• The impact of social media on social capital and civic engagement among young adults.
• The use of social media for disaster preparedness and community resilience.
• The role of social media in promoting religious pluralism and tolerance.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness.
• The use of social media for fundraising and philanthropy in the non-profit sector.
• The role of social media in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the travel and tourism industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for customer engagement and brand loyalty in the retail sector.
• The impact of social media on the political attitudes and behaviors of young adults.
• The use of social media for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• The use of social media for promoting animal welfare and adoption.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among the elderly.
• The impact of social media on the art industry and artist-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy food choices and nutrition.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards income inequality.
• The use of social media for promoting political satire and humor.
• The role of social media in promoting disability rights and advocacy.
• The use of social media for promoting voter registration and participation.
• The role of social media in promoting entrepreneurship and small business development.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among incarcerated populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun violence prevention.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural heritage and preservation.
• The impact of social media on mental health and well-being.
• The relationship between social media use and academic performance.
• The use of social media for emergency communication during natural disasters.
• The impact of social media on traditional news media and journalism.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and discourse.
• The use of social media for online learning and education.
• The impact of social media on the fashion and beauty industry.
• The use of social media for brand awareness and marketing.
• The impact of social media on privacy and security.
• The use of social media for job searching and recruitment.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and extremism.
• The use of social media for online harassment and cyberbullying.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability.
• The impact of social media on youth culture and identity formation.
• The use of social media for travel and tourism marketing.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and decision-making.
• The role of social media in shaping beauty standards and body positivity.
• The use of social media for crisis communication and disaster response.
• The impact of social media on the music industry.
• The use of social media for fundraising and philanthropy.
• The role of social media in promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness.
• The impact of social media on sports fandom and fan behavior.
• The use of social media for political lobbying and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on the entertainment industry.
• The use of social media for healthcare communication and patient engagement.
• The role of social media in promoting gender equality and feminism.
• The impact of social media on the restaurant and food industry.
• The use of social media for volunteerism and community service.
• The role of social media in promoting religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue.
• The impact of social media on the art industry.
• The use of social media for political satire and humor.
• The role of social media in promoting disability awareness and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on the real estate industry.
• The use of social media for legal advocacy and justice reform.
• The role of social media in promoting intercultural communication and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the automotive industry.
• The use of social media for pet adoption and animal welfare advocacy.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and wellness for marginalized communities.
• The impact of social media on the retail industry.
• The use of social media for promoting civic engagement and voter participation.
• The impact of social media on the film and television industry.
• The use of social media for fashion and style inspiration.
• The role of social media in promoting activism for human rights and social issues.
• The effectiveness of social media for political campaigns.
• The role of social media in promoting fake news and misinformation.
• The impact of social media on self-esteem and body image.
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships.
• The use of social media for online activism and social justice movements.
• The impact of social media on traditional news media.
• The impact of social media on interpersonal communication skills.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry.
• The use of social media for social support and mental health awareness.
• The use of social media for political lobbying and activism.
• The impact of social media on travel and tourism behavior.
• The use of social media for customer feedback and market research.
• The impact of social media on the restaurant industry.
• The role of social media in political activism
• The effect of social media on interpersonal communication
• The relationship between social media use and body image concerns
• The impact of social media on self-esteem
• The role of social media in shaping cultural norms and values
• The use of social media by celebrities and its impact on their image
• The role of social media in building and maintaining personal relationships
• The use of social media for job searching and recruitment
• The impact of social media on children and adolescents
• The use of social media by political candidates during election campaigns
• The role of social media in education
• The impact of social media on political polarization
• The use of social media for news consumption
• The effect of social media on sleep habits
• The use of social media by non-profit organizations for fundraising
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion
• The influence of social media on language and communication patterns
• The use of social media in crisis communication and emergency management
• The role of social media in promoting environmental awareness
• The influence of social media on music preferences
• The impact of social media on body positivity movements
• The role of social media in shaping beauty standards
• The influence of social media on sports fandom
• The use of social media for health promotion and education
• The impact of social media on political participation
• The role of social media in shaping parenting practices
• The influence of social media on food preferences and eating habits
• The use of social media for peer support and mental health advocacy
• The role of social media in shaping religious beliefs and practices
• The influence of social media on humor and comedy
• The use of social media for online activism and social justice advocacy
• The impact of social media on public health awareness campaigns
• The role of social media in promoting cultural diversity and inclusion
• The influence of social media on travel behavior and decision-making
• The use of social media for international diplomacy and relations
• The impact of social media on job satisfaction and employee engagement
• The role of social media in shaping romantic preferences and dating behavior
• The influence of social media on language learning and language use
• The use of social media for political satire and humor
• The impact of social media on social capital and community building
• The role of social media in shaping gender identity and expression
• The influence of social media on fashion and beauty advertising.

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Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice

• Published: 20 April 2020
• Volume 5 , pages 245–257, ( 2020 )

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• John A. Naslund 1 ,
• Ameya Bondre 2 ,
• John Torous 3 &
• Kelly A. Aschbrenner 4  

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Introduction

Social media has become a prominent fixture in the lives of many individuals facing the challenges of mental illness. Social media refers broadly to web and mobile platforms that allow individuals to connect with others within a virtual network (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or LinkedIn), where they can share, co-create, or exchange various forms of digital content, including information, messages, photos, or videos (Ahmed et al. 2019 ). Studies have reported that individuals living with a range of mental disorders, including depression, psychotic disorders, or other severe mental illnesses, use social media platforms at comparable rates as the general population, with use ranging from about 70% among middle-age and older individuals to upwards of 97% among younger individuals (Aschbrenner et al. 2018b ; Birnbaum et al. 2017b ; Brunette et al. 2019 ; Naslund et al. 2016 ). Other exploratory studies have found that many of these individuals with mental illness appear to turn to social media to share their personal experiences, seek information about their mental health and treatment options, and give and receive support from others facing similar mental health challenges (Bucci et al. 2019 ; Naslund et al. 2016b ).

Across the USA and globally, very few people living with mental illness have access to adequate mental health services (Patel et al. 2018 ). The wide reach and near ubiquitous use of social media platforms may afford novel opportunities to address these shortfalls in existing mental health care, by enhancing the quality, availability, and reach of services. Recent studies have explored patterns of social media use, impact of social media use on mental health and wellbeing, and the potential to leverage the popularity and interactive features of social media to enhance the delivery of interventions. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the risks and potential harms of social media for mental health (Orben and Przybylski 2019 ) and how best to weigh these concerns against potential benefits.

In this commentary, we summarized current research on the use of social media among individuals with mental illness, with consideration of the impact of social media on mental wellbeing, as well as early efforts using social media for delivery of evidence-based programs for addressing mental health problems. We searched for recent peer reviewed publications in Medline and Google Scholar using the search terms “mental health” or “mental illness” and “social media,” and searched the reference lists of recent reviews and other relevant studies. We reviewed the risks, potential harms, and necessary safety precautions with using social media for mental health. Overall, our goal was to consider the role of social media as a potentially viable intervention platform for offering support to persons with mental disorders, promoting engagement and retention in care, and enhancing existing mental health services, while balancing the need for safety. Given this broad objective, we did not perform a systematic search of the literature and we did not apply specific inclusion criteria based on study design or type of mental disorder.

Social Media Use and Mental Health

In 2020, there are an estimated 3.8 billion social media users worldwide, representing half the global population (We Are Social 2020 ). Recent studies have shown that individuals with mental disorders are increasingly gaining access to and using mobile devices, such as smartphones (Firth et al. 2015 ; Glick et al. 2016 ; Torous et al. 2014a , b ). Similarly, there is mounting evidence showing high rates of social media use among individuals with mental disorders, including studies looking at engagement with these popular platforms across diverse settings and disorder types. Initial studies from 2015 found that nearly half of a sample of psychiatric patients were social media users, with greater use among younger individuals (Trefflich et al. 2015 ), while 47% of inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia reported using social media, of which 79% reported at least once-a-week usage of social media websites (Miller et al. 2015 ). Rates of social media use among psychiatric populations have increased in recent years, as reflected in a study with data from 2017 showing comparable rates of social media use (approximately 70%) among individuals with serious mental illness in treatment as compared with low-income groups from the general population (Brunette et al. 2019 ).

Similarly, among individuals with serious mental illness receiving community-based mental health services, a recent study found equivalent rates of social media use as the general population, even exceeding 70% of participants (Naslund et al. 2016 ). Comparable findings were demonstrated among middle-age and older individuals with mental illness accessing services at peer support agencies, where 72% of respondents reported using social media (Aschbrenner et al. 2018b ). Similar results, with 68% of those with first episode psychosis using social media daily were reported in another study (Abdel-Baki et al. 2017 ).

Individuals who self-identified as having a schizophrenia spectrum disorder responded to a survey shared through the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) and reported that visiting social media sites was one of their most common activities when using digital devices, taking up roughly 2 h each day (Gay et al. 2016 ). For adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21 with psychotic disorders and mood disorders, over 97% reported using social media, with average use exceeding 2.5 h per day (Birnbaum et al. 2017b ). Similarly, in a sample of adolescents ages 13–18 recruited from community mental health centers, 98% reported using social media, with YouTube as the most popular platform, followed by Instagram and Snapchat (Aschbrenner et al. 2019 ).

Research has also explored the motivations for using social media as well as the perceived benefits of interacting on these platforms among individuals with mental illness. In the sections that follow (see Table 1 for a summary), we consider three potentially unique features of interacting and connecting with others on social media that may offer benefits for individuals living with mental illness. These include: (1) Facilitate social interaction; (2) Access to a peer support network; and (3) Promote engagement and retention in services.

Facilitate Social Interaction

Social media platforms offer near continuous opportunities to connect and interact with others, regardless of time of day or geographic location. This on demand ease of communication may be especially important for facilitating social interaction among individuals with mental disorders experiencing difficulties interacting in face-to-face settings. For example, impaired social functioning is a common deficit in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and social media may facilitate communication and interacting with others for these individuals (Torous and Keshavan 2016 ). This was suggested in one study where participants with schizophrenia indicated that social media helped them to interact and socialize more easily (Miller et al. 2015 ). Like other online communication, the ability to connect with others anonymously may be an important feature of social media, especially for individuals living with highly stigmatizing health conditions (Berger et al. 2005 ), such as serious mental disorders (Highton-Williamson et al. 2015 ).

Studies have found that individuals with serious mental disorders (Spinzy et al. 2012 ) as well as young adults with mental illness (Gowen et al. 2012 ) appear to form online relationships and connect with others on social media as often as social media users from the general population. This is an important observation because individuals living with serious mental disorders typically have few social contacts in the offline world and also experience high rates of loneliness (Badcock et al. 2015 ; Giacco et al. 2016 ). Among individuals receiving publicly funded mental health services who use social media, nearly half (47%) reported using these platforms at least weekly to feel less alone (Brusilovskiy et al. 2016 ). In another study of young adults with serious mental illness, most indicated that they used social media to help feel less isolated (Gowen et al. 2012 ). Interestingly, more frequent use of social media among a sample of individuals with serious mental illness was associated with greater community participation, measured as participation in shopping, work, religious activities, or visiting friends and family, as well as greater civic engagement, reflected as voting in local elections (Brusilovskiy et al. 2016 ).

Emerging research also shows that young people with moderate to severe depressive symptoms appear to prefer communicating on social media rather than in-person (Rideout and Fox 2018 ), while other studies have found that some individuals may prefer to seek help for mental health concerns online rather than through in-person encounters (Batterham and Calear 2017 ). In a qualitative study, participants with schizophrenia described greater anonymity, the ability to discover that other people have experienced similar health challenges and reducing fears through greater access to information as important motivations for using the Internet to seek mental health information (Schrank et al. 2010 ). Because social media does not require the immediate responses necessary in face-to-face communication, it may overcome deficits with social interaction due to psychotic symptoms that typically adversely affect face-to-face conversations (Docherty et al. 1996 ). Online social interactions may not require the use of non-verbal cues, particularly in the initial stages of interaction (Kiesler et al. 1984 ), with interactions being more fluid and within the control of users, thereby overcoming possible social anxieties linked to in-person interaction (Indian and Grieve 2014 ). Furthermore, many individuals with serious mental disorders can experience symptoms including passive social withdrawal, blunted affect, and attentional impairment, as well as active social avoidance due to hallucinations or other concerns (Hansen et al. 2009 ), thus potentially reinforcing the relative advantage, as perceived by users, of using social media over in person conversations.

Access to a Peer Support Network

There is growing recognition about the role that social media channels could play in enabling peer support (Bucci et al. 2019 ; Naslund et al. 2016b ), referred to as a system of mutual giving and receiving where individuals who have endured the difficulties of mental illness can offer hope, friendship, and support to others facing similar challenges (Davidson et al. 2006 ; Mead et al. 2001 ). Initial studies exploring use of online self-help forums among individuals with serious mental illnesses have found that individuals with schizophrenia appeared to use these forums for self-disclosure and sharing personal experiences, in addition to providing or requesting information, describing symptoms, or discussing medication (Haker et al. 2005 ), while users with bipolar disorder reported using these forums to ask for help from others about their illness (Vayreda and Antaki 2009 ). More recently, in a review of online social networking in people with psychosis, Highton-Williamson et al. ( 2015 ) highlight that an important purpose of such online connections was to establish new friendships, pursue romantic relationships, maintain existing relationships or reconnect with people, and seek online peer support from others with lived experience (Highton-Williamson et al. 2015 ).

Online peer support among individuals with mental illness has been further elaborated in various studies. In a content analysis of comments posted to YouTube by individuals who self-identified as having a serious mental illness, there appeared to be opportunities to feel less alone, provide hope, find support and learn through mutual reciprocity, and share coping strategies for day-to-day challenges of living with a mental illness (Naslund et al. 2014 ). In another study, Chang ( 2009 ) delineated various communication patterns in an online psychosis peer-support group (Chang 2009 ). Specifically, different forms of support emerged, including “informational support” about medication use or contacting mental health providers, “esteem support” involving positive comments for encouragement, “network support” for sharing similar experiences, and “emotional support” to express understanding of a peer’s situation and offer hope or confidence (Chang 2009 ). Bauer et al. ( 2013 ) reported that the main interest in online self-help forums for patients with bipolar disorder was to share emotions with others, allow exchange of information, and benefit by being part of an online social group (Bauer et al. 2013 ).

For individuals who openly discuss mental health problems on Twitter, a study by Berry et al. ( 2017 ) found that this served as an important opportunity to seek support and to hear about the experiences of others (Berry et al. 2017 ). In a survey of social media users with mental illness, respondents reported that sharing personal experiences about living with mental illness and opportunities to learn about strategies for coping with mental illness from others were important reasons for using social media (Naslund et al. 2017 ). A computational study of mental health awareness campaigns on Twitter provides further support with inspirational posts and tips being the most shared (Saha et al. 2019 ). Taken together, these studies offer insights about the potential for social media to facilitate access to an informal peer support network, though more research is necessary to examine how these online interactions may impact intentions to seek care, illness self-management, and clinically meaningful outcomes in offline contexts.

Promote Engagement and Retention in Services

Many individuals living with mental disorders have expressed interest in using social media platforms for seeking mental health information (Lal et al. 2018 ), connecting with mental health providers (Birnbaum et al. 2017b ), and accessing evidence-based mental health services delivered over social media specifically for coping with mental health symptoms or for promoting overall health and wellbeing (Naslund et al. 2017 ). With the widespread use of social media among individuals living with mental illness combined with the potential to facilitate social interaction and connect with supportive peers, as summarized above, it may be possible to leverage the popular features of social media to enhance existing mental health programs and services. A recent review by Biagianti et al. ( 2018 ) found that peer-to-peer support appeared to offer feasible and acceptable ways to augment digital mental health interventions for individuals with psychotic disorders by specifically improving engagement, compliance, and adherence to the interventions and may also improve perceived social support (Biagianti et al. 2018 ).

Among digital programs that have incorporated peer-to-peer social networking consistent with popular features on social media platforms, a pilot study of the HORYZONS online psychosocial intervention demonstrated significant reductions in depression among patients with first episode psychosis (Alvarez-Jimenez et al. 2013 ). Importantly, the majority of participants (95%) in this study engaged with the peer-to-peer networking feature of the program, with many reporting increases in perceived social connectedness and empowerment in their recovery process (Alvarez-Jimenez et al. 2013 ). This moderated online social therapy program is now being evaluated as part of a large randomized controlled trial for maintaining treatment effects from first episode psychosis services (Alvarez-Jimenez et al. 2019 ).

Other early efforts have demonstrated that use of digital environments with the interactive peer-to-peer features of social media can enhance social functioning and wellbeing in young people at high risk of psychosis (Alvarez-Jimenez et al. 2018 ). There has also been a recent emergence of several mobile apps to support symptom monitoring and relapse prevention in psychotic disorders. Among these apps, the development of PRIME (Personalized Real-time Intervention for Motivational Enhancement) has involved working closely with young people with schizophrenia to ensure that the design of the app has the look and feel of mainstream social media platforms, as opposed to existing clinical tools (Schlosser et al. 2016 ). This unique approach to the design of the app is aimed at promoting engagement and ensuring that the app can effectively improve motivation and functioning through goal setting and promoting better quality of life of users with schizophrenia (Schlosser et al. 2018 ).

Social media platforms could also be used to promote engagement and participation in in-person services delivered through community mental health settings. For example, the peer-based lifestyle intervention called PeerFIT targets weight loss and improved fitness among individuals living with serious mental illness through a combination of in-person lifestyle classes, exercise groups, and use of digital technologies (Aschbrenner et al. 2016b , c ). The intervention holds tremendous promise as lack of support is one of the largest barriers towards exercise in patients with serious mental illness (Firth et al. 2016 ), and it is now possible to use social media to counter such. Specifically, in PeerFIT, a private Facebook group is closely integrated into the program to offer a closed platform where participants can connect with the lifestyle coaches, access intervention content, and support or encourage each other as they work towards their lifestyle goals (Aschbrenner et al. 2016a ; Naslund et al. 2016a ). To date, this program has demonstrated preliminary effectiveness for meaningfully reducing cardiovascular risk factors that contribute to early mortality in this patient group (Aschbrenner, Naslund, Shevenell, Kinney, et al., 2016), while the Facebook component appears to have increased engagement in the program, while allowing participants who were unable to attend in-person sessions due to other health concerns or competing demands to remain connected with the program (Naslund et al. 2018 ). This lifestyle intervention is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial enrolling young adults with serious mental illness from real world community mental health services settings (Aschbrenner et al. 2018a ).

These examples highlight the promise of incorporating the features of popular social media into existing programs, which may offer opportunities to safely promote engagement and program retention, while achieving improved clinical outcomes. This is an emerging area of research, as evidenced by several important effectiveness trials underway (Alvarez-Jimenez et al. 2019 ; Aschbrenner et al. 2018a ), including efforts to leverage online social networking to support family caregivers of individuals receiving first episode psychosis services (Gleeson et al. 2017 ).

Challenges with Social Media for Mental Health

The science on the role of social media for engaging persons with mental disorders needs a cautionary note on the effects of social media usage on mental health and wellbeing, particularly in adolescents and young adults. While the risks and harms of social media are frequently covered in the popular press and mainstream news reports, careful consideration of the research in this area is necessary. In a review of 43 studies in young people, many benefits of social media were cited, including increased self-esteem and opportunities for self-disclosure (Best et al. 2014 ). Yet, reported negative effects were an increased exposure to harm, social isolation, depressive symptoms, and bullying (Best et al. 2014 ). In the sections that follow (see Table 1 for a summary), we consider three major categories of risk related to use of social media and mental health. These include: (1) Impact on symptoms; (2) Facing hostile interactions; and (3) Consequences for daily life.

Impact on Symptoms

Studies consistently highlight that use of social media, especially heavy use and prolonged time spent on social media platforms, appears to contribute to increased risk for a variety of mental health symptoms and poor wellbeing, especially among young people (Andreassen et al. 2016 ; Kross et al. 2013 ; Woods and Scott 2016 ). This may partly be driven by the detrimental effects of screen time on mental health, including increased severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, which have been well documented (Stiglic and Viner 2019 ). Recent studies have reported negative effects of social media use on mental health of young people, including social comparison pressure with others and greater feeling of social isolation after being rejected by others on social media (Rideout and Fox 2018 ). In a study of young adults, it was found that negative comparisons with others on Facebook contributed to risk of rumination and subsequent increases in depression symptoms (Feinstein et al. 2013 ). Still, the cross-sectional nature of many screen time and mental health studies makes it challenging to reach causal inferences (Orben and Przybylski 2019 ).

Quantity of social media use is also an important factor, as highlighted in a survey of young adults ages 19 to 32, where more frequent visits to social media platforms each week were correlated with greater depressive symptoms (Lin et al. 2016 ). More time spent using social media is also associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (Vannucci et al. 2017 ). The actual number of platforms accessed also appears to contribute to risk as reflected in another national survey of young adults where use of a large number of social media platforms was associated with negative impact on mental health (Primack et al. 2017 ). Among survey respondents using between 7 and 11 different social media platforms compared with respondents using only 2 or fewer platforms, there were 3 times greater odds of having high levels of depressive symptoms and a 3.2 times greater odds of having high levels of anxiety symptoms (Primack et al. 2017 ).

Many researchers have postulated that worsening mental health attributed to social media use may be because social media replaces face-to-face interactions for young people (Twenge and Campbell 2018 ) and may contribute to greater loneliness (Bucci et al. 2019 ) and negative effects on other aspects of health and wellbeing (Woods and Scott 2016 ). One nationally representative survey of US adolescents found that among respondents who reported more time accessing media such as social media platforms or smartphone devices, there were significantly greater depressive symptoms and increased risk of suicide when compared with adolescents who reported spending more time on non-screen activities, such as in-person social interaction or sports and recreation activities (Twenge et al. 2018 ). For individuals living with more severe mental illnesses, the effects of social media on psychiatric symptoms have received less attention. One study found that participation in chat rooms may contribute to worsening symptoms in young people with psychotic disorders (Mittal et al. 2007 ), while another study of patients with psychosis found that social media use appeared to predict low mood (Berry et al. 2018 ). These studies highlight a clear relationship between social media use and mental health that may not be present in general population studies (Orben and Przybylski 2019 ) and emphasize the need to explore how social media may contribute to symptom severity and whether protective factors may be identified to mitigate these risks.

Facing Hostile Interactions

Popular social media platforms can create potential situations where individuals may be victimized by negative comments or posts. Cyberbullying represents a form of online aggression directed towards specific individuals, such as peers or acquaintances, which is perceived to be most harmful when compared with random hostile comments posted online (Hamm et al. 2015 ). Importantly, cyberbullying on social media consistently shows harmful impact on mental health in the form of increased depressive symptoms as well as worsening of anxiety symptoms, as evidenced in a review of 36 studies among children and young people (Hamm et al. 2015 ). Furthermore, cyberbullying disproportionately impacts females as reflected in a national survey of adolescents in the USA, where females were twice as likely to be victims of cyberbullying compared with males (Alhajji et al. 2019 ). Most studies report cross-sectional associations between cyberbullying and symptoms of depression or anxiety (Hamm et al. 2015 ), though one longitudinal study in Switzerland found that cyberbullying contributed to significantly greater depression over time (Machmutow et al. 2012 ).

For youth ages 10 to 17 who reported major depressive symptomatology, there were over 3 times greater odds of facing online harassment in the last year compared with youth who reported mild or no depressive symptoms (Ybarra 2004 ). Similarly, in a 2018 national survey of young people, respondents ages 14 to 22 with moderate to severe depressive symptoms were more likely to have had negative experiences when using social media and, in particular, were more likely to report having faced hostile comments or being “trolled” from others when compared with respondents without depressive symptoms (31% vs. 14%) (Rideout and Fox 2018 ). As these studies depict risks for victimization on social media and the correlation with poor mental health, it is possible that individuals living with mental illness may also experience greater hostility online compared to individuals without mental illness. This would be consistent with research showing greater risk of hostility, including increased violence and discrimination, directed towards individuals living with mental illness in in-person contexts, especially targeted at those with severe mental illnesses (Goodman et al. 1999 ).

A computational study of mental health awareness campaigns on Twitter reported that while stigmatizing content was rare, it was actually the most spread (re-tweeted) demonstrating that harmful content can travel quickly on social media (Saha et al. 2019 ). Another study was able to map the spread of social media posts about the Blue Whale Challenge, an alleged game promoting suicide, over Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr, and other forums across 127 countries (Sumner et al. 2019 ). These findings show that it is critical to monitor the actual content of social media posts, such as determining whether content is hostile or promotes harm to self or others. This is pertinent because existing research looking at duration of exposure cannot account for the impact of specific types of content on mental health and is insufficient to fully understand the effects of using these platforms on mental health.

Consequences for Daily Life

The ways in which individuals use social media can also impact their offline relationships and everyday activities. To date, reports have described risks of social media use pertaining to privacy, confidentiality, and unintended consequences of disclosing personal health information online (Torous and Keshavan 2016 ). Additionally, concerns have been raised about poor quality or misleading health information shared on social media and that social media users may not be aware of misleading information or conflicts of interest especially when the platforms promote popular content regardless of whether it is from a trustworthy source (Moorhead et al. 2013 ; Ventola 2014 ). For persons living with mental illness, there may be additional risks from using social media. A recent study that specifically explored the perspectives of social media users with serious mental illnesses, including participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or major depression, found that over one third of participants expressed concerns about privacy when using social media (Naslund and Aschbrenner 2019 ). The reported risks of social media use were directly related to many aspects of everyday life, including concerns about threats to employment, fear of stigma and being judged, impact on personal relationships, and facing hostility or being hurt (Naslund and Aschbrenner 2019 ). While few studies have specifically explored the dangers of social media use from the perspectives of individuals living with mental illness, it is important to recognize that use of these platforms may contribute to risks that extend beyond worsening symptoms and that can affect different aspects of daily life.

In this commentary, we considered ways in which social media may yield benefits for individuals living with mental illness, while contrasting these with the possible harms. Studies reporting on the threats of social media for individuals with mental illness are mostly cross-sectional, making it difficult to draw conclusions about direction of causation. However, the risks are potentially serious. These risks should be carefully considered in discussions pertaining to use of social media and the broader use of digital mental health technologies, as avenues for mental health promotion or for supporting access to evidence-based programs or mental health services. At this point, it would be premature to view the benefits of social media as outweighing the possible harms, when it is clear from the studies summarized here that social media use can have negative effects on mental health symptoms, can potentially expose individuals to hurtful content and hostile interactions, and can result in serious consequences for daily life, including threats to employment and personal relationships. Despite these risks, it is also necessary to recognize that individuals with mental illness will continue to use social media given the ease of accessing these platforms and the immense popularity of online social networking. With this in mind, it may be ideal to raise awareness about these possible risks so that individuals can implement necessary safeguards, while highlighting that there could also be benefits. Being aware of the risks is an essential first step, before then recognizing that use of these popular platforms could contribute to some benefits like finding meaningful interactions with others, engaging with peer support networks, and accessing information and services.

To capitalize on the widespread use of social media and to achieve the promise that these platforms may hold for supporting the delivery of targeted mental health interventions, there is need for continued research to better understand how individuals living with mental illness use social media. Such efforts could inform safety measures and also encourage use of social media in ways that maximize potential benefits while minimizing risk of harm. It will be important to recognize how gender and race contribute to differences in use of social media for seeking mental health information or accessing interventions, as well as differences in how social media might impact mental wellbeing. For example, a national survey of 14- to 22-year olds in the USA found that female respondents were more likely to search online for information about depression or anxiety and to try to connect with other people online who share similar mental health concerns when compared with male respondents (Rideout and Fox 2018 ). In the same survey, there did not appear to be any differences between racial or ethnic groups in social media use for seeking mental health information (Rideout and Fox 2018 ). Social media use also appears to have a differential impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing between females and males (Booker et al. 2018 ), highlighting the need to explore unique experiences between gender groups to inform tailored programs and services. Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals frequently use social media for searching for health information and may be more likely compared with heterosexual individuals to share their own personal health experiences with others online (Rideout and Fox 2018 ). Less is known about use of social media for seeking support for mental health concerns among gender minorities, though this is an important area for further investigation as these individuals are more likely to experience mental health problems and online victimization when compared with heterosexual individuals (Mereish et al. 2019 ).

Similarly, efforts are needed to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health among ethnic and racial minorities. A recent study found that exposure to traumatic online content on social media showing violence or hateful posts directed at racial minorities contributed to increases in psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, and depression among African American and Latinx adolescents in the USA (Tynes et al. 2019 ). These concerns are contrasted by growing interest in the potential for new technologies including social media to expand the reach of services to underrepresented minority groups (Schueller et al. 2019 ). Therefore, greater attention is needed to understanding the perspectives of ethnic and racial minorities to inform effective and safe use of social media for mental health promotion efforts.

Research has found that individuals living with mental illness have expressed interest in accessing mental health services through social media platforms. A survey of social media users with mental illness found that most respondents were interested in accessing programs for mental health on social media targeting symptom management, health promotion, and support for communicating with health care providers and interacting with the health system (Naslund et al. 2017 ). Importantly, individuals with serious mental illness have also emphasized that any mental health intervention on social media would need to be moderated by someone with adequate training and credentials, would need to have ground rules and ways to promote safety and minimize risks, and importantly, would need to be free and easy to access.

An important strength with this commentary is that it combines a range of studies broadly covering the topic of social media and mental health. We have provided a summary of recent evidence in a rapidly advancing field with the goal of presenting unique ways that social media could offer benefits for individuals with mental illness, while also acknowledging the potentially serious risks and the need for further investigation. There are also several limitations with this commentary that warrant consideration. Importantly, as we aimed to address this broad objective, we did not conduct a systematic review of the literature. Therefore, the studies reported here are not exhaustive, and there may be additional relevant studies that were not included. Additionally, we only summarized published studies, and as a result, any reports from the private sector or websites from different organizations using social media or other apps containing social media–like features would have been omitted. Although, it is difficult to rigorously summarize work from the private sector, sometimes referred to as “gray literature,” because many of these projects are unpublished and are likely selective in their reporting of findings given the target audience may be shareholders or consumers.

Another notable limitation is that we did not assess risk of bias in the studies summarized in this commentary. We found many studies that highlighted risks associated with social media use for individuals living with mental illness; however, few studies of programs or interventions reported negative findings, suggesting the possibility that negative findings may go unpublished. This concern highlights the need for a future more rigorous review of the literature with careful consideration of bias and an accompanying quality assessment. Most of the studies that we described were from the USA, as well as from other higher income settings such as Australia or the UK. Despite the global reach of social media platforms, there is a dearth of research on the impact of these platforms on the mental health of individuals in diverse settings, as well as the ways in which social media could support mental health services in lower income countries where there is virtually no access to mental health providers. Future research is necessary to explore the opportunities and risks for social media to support mental health promotion in low-income and middle-income countries, especially as these countries face a disproportionate share of the global burden of mental disorders, yet account for the majority of social media users worldwide (Naslund et al. 2019 ).

Future Directions for Social Media and Mental Health

As we consider future research directions, the near ubiquitous social media use also yields new opportunities to study the onset and manifestation of mental health symptoms and illness severity earlier than traditional clinical assessments. There is an emerging field of research referred to as “digital phenotyping” aimed at capturing how individuals interact with their digital devices, including social media platforms, in order to study patterns of illness and identify optimal time points for intervention (Jain et al. 2015 ; Onnela and Rauch 2016 ). Given that most people access social media via mobile devices, digital phenotyping and social media are closely related (Torous et al. 2019 ). To date, the emergence of machine learning, a powerful computational method involving statistical and mathematical algorithms (Shatte et al. 2019 ), has made it possible to study large quantities of data captured from popular social media platforms such as Twitter or Instagram to illuminate various features of mental health (Manikonda and De Choudhury 2017 ; Reece et al. 2017 ). Specifically, conversations on Twitter have been analyzed to characterize the onset of depression (De Choudhury et al. 2013 ) as well as detecting users’ mood and affective states (De Choudhury et al. 2012 ), while photos posted to Instagram can yield insights for predicting depression (Reece and Danforth 2017 ). The intersection of social media and digital phenotyping will likely add new levels of context to social media use in the near future.

Several studies have also demonstrated that when compared with a control group, Twitter users with a self-disclosed diagnosis of schizophrenia show unique online communication patterns (Birnbaum et al. 2017a ), including more frequent discussion of tobacco use (Hswen et al. 2017 ), symptoms of depression and anxiety (Hswen et al. 2018b ), and suicide (Hswen et al. 2018a ). Another study found that online disclosures about mental illness appeared beneficial as reflected by fewer posts about symptoms following self-disclosure (Ernala et al. 2017 ). Each of these examples offers early insights into the potential to leverage widely available online data for better understanding the onset and course of mental illness. It is possible that social media data could be used to supplement additional digital data, such as continuous monitoring using smartphone apps or smart watches, to generate a more comprehensive “digital phenotype” to predict relapse and identify high-risk health behaviors among individuals living with mental illness (Torous et al. 2019 ).

With research increasingly showing the valuable insights that social media data can yield about mental health states, greater attention to the ethical concerns with using individual data in this way is necessary (Chancellor et al. 2019 ). For instance, data is typically captured from social media platforms without the consent or awareness of users (Bidargaddi et al. 2017 ), which is especially crucial when the data relates to a socially stigmatizing health condition such as mental illness (Guntuku et al. 2017 ). Precautions are needed to ensure that data is not made identifiable in ways that were not originally intended by the user who posted the content as this could place an individual at risk of harm or divulge sensitive health information (Webb et al. 2017 ; Williams et al. 2017 ). Promising approaches for minimizing these risks include supporting the participation of individuals with expertise in privacy, clinicians, and the target individuals with mental illness throughout the collection of data, development of predictive algorithms, and interpretation of findings (Chancellor et al. 2019 ).

In recognizing that many individuals living with mental illness use social media to search for information about their mental health, it is possible that they may also want to ask their clinicians about what they find online to check if the information is reliable and trustworthy. Alternatively, many individuals may feel embarrassed or reluctant to talk to their clinicians about using social media to find mental health information out of concerns of being judged or dismissed. Therefore, mental health clinicians may be ideally positioned to talk with their patients about using social media and offer recommendations to promote safe use of these sites while also respecting their patients’ autonomy and personal motivations for using these popular platforms. Given the gap in clinical knowledge about the impact of social media on mental health, clinicians should be aware of the many potential risks so that they can inform their patients while remaining open to the possibility that their patients may also experience benefits through use of these platforms. As awareness of these risks grows, it may be possible that new protections will be put in place by industry or through new policies that will make the social media environment safer. It is hard to estimate a number needed to treat or harm today given the nascent state of research, which means the patient and clinician need to weigh the choice on a personal level. Thus, offering education and information is an important first step in that process. As patients increasingly show interest in accessing mental health information or services through social media, it will be necessary for health systems to recognize social media as a potential avenue for reaching or offering support to patients. This aligns with growing emphasis on the need for greater integration of digital psychiatry, including apps, smartphones, or wearable devices, into patient care and clinical services through institution-wide initiatives and training clinical providers (Hilty et al. 2019 ). Within a learning healthcare environment where research and care are tightly intertwined and feedback between both is rapid, the integration of digital technologies into services may create new opportunities for advancing use of social media for mental health.

As highlighted in this commentary, social media has become an important part of the lives of many individuals living with mental disorders. Many of these individuals use social media to share their lived experiences with mental illness, to seek support from others, and to search for information about treatment recommendations, accessing mental health services and coping with symptoms (Bucci et al. 2019 ; Highton-Williamson et al. 2015 ; Naslund et al. 2016b ). As the field of digital mental health advances, the wide reach, ease of access, and popularity of social media platforms could be used to allow individuals in need of mental health services or facing challenges of mental illness to access evidence-based treatment and support. To achieve this end and to explore whether social media platforms can advance efforts to close the gap in available mental health services in the USA and globally, it will be essential for researchers to work closely with clinicians and with those affected by mental illness to ensure that possible benefits of using social media are carefully weighed against anticipated risks.

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Dr. Naslund is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (U19MH113211). Dr. Aschbrenner is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (1R01MH110965-01).

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John A. Naslund

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Ameya Bondre

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John Torous

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Kelly A. Aschbrenner

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Naslund, J.A., Bondre, A., Torous, J. et al. Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities for Research and Practice. J. technol. behav. sci. 5 , 245–257 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-020-00134-x

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Received : 19 October 2019

Revised : 24 February 2020

Accepted : 17 March 2020

Published : 20 April 2020

Issue Date : September 2020

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-020-00134-x

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