Social Media | Penn Today

Journalist and activist Maria Ressa on ‘facts, truth, trust’

In the annual Annenberg Lecture, the Nobel Peace Prize winner discussed being the target of online attacks and what it will take to ensure that truth prevails.

Social media has evolved as a crucial tool during election cycles—but it can also be misused

Pinar Yildirim of the Wharton School explains why the technology behind social media platforms can amplify misinformation and conspiracy theories.

How to read your social media feeds on Election Day

Dean John L. Jackson, Jr. of the Annenberg School for Communication says that the internet’s ability to create and spread evidence from scratch necessitates better evaluation of information.

Influencers debate leaving Twitter, but where would they go?

Cary Coglianese of Penn Carey Law says that the marketplace of ideas may sort itself out if advertisers and users leave the new Twitter.

AP sources: Musk in control of Twitter, ousts top executives

Pinar Yildirim of the Wharton School says that Elon Musk has shifted his Twitter position from unfettered free speech to content moderation in order to keep advertisers and subscribers.

Person sitting in the dark, leaning on a desk, staring at a cell phone. A coffee cup and pile of papers sit nearby.

The language of loneliness and depression, revealed in social media

By analyzing Facebook posts, Penn researchers found that words associated with depression are often tied to emotions, whereas those associated with loneliness are linked to cognition.

What to know about Ozempic, TikTok’s favorite weight loss drug

Ariana Chao of the School of Nursing discusses the science, side effects, and efficacy of semaglutide, a weight loss medication touted by influencers.

Is Alex Jones verdict the death of disinformation? Unlikely

Dean John Jackson of the Annenberg School for Communication says that the Alex Jones verdict sends an important message in support of facts over ideological disinformation.

The challenges of transforming Twitter

In a cowritten op-ed, Andy Wu of the Wharton School outlines the five key principles that Elon Musk should follow to fundamentally change the course of Twitter.

Three screenshots of Instagram influencer, at left Nadiya Hussein and. her daugher, center is Harnaam Kaur, and left is Amena Khan.

British South Asian social media influencers balancing race, religion, ethnicity, and gender

Annenberg professor Aswin Punathambekar’s new paper examines life online for three social media influencers, including Nadiya Hussain from “The Great British Bake Off.”

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