Social Media | Penn Today

Cutting social media time can lessen depression and loneliness

Melissa Hunt of the School of Arts and Sciences shared her research on social media and wellness. “The extent to which young people are using social media can interfere with time spent on activities that can more genuinely foster self-esteem, like getting your work done, or true intimacy, like hanging out with your friends in the real world,” said Hunt.

Q&A

Getting science right in the fake news era

Over his career as a science journalist, Carl Zimmer has seen legitimate science reporting denied and illegitimate science news taken as fact. In advance of a talk at Penn, Zimmer discusses the problem of misinformation and offers tips for avoiding being fooled by bogus science stories.

An informative study of information

A new report from The Lenfest Institue and the Annenberg School for Communications that studied how Philadelphia residents receive and seek information outlines seven ways publishers and the media outlets can best reach residents.

Can social media networks reduce political polarization on climate change?

A study from the Annenberg School for Communication shows that exposure to anonymous, bipartisan social networks can lead liberals and conservatives to improve their forecasting of global-climate trends.

When business blows up policy: How to regulate disruptions

Wharton professor Sarah Light outlines the challenge of regulating traditional business disruptors such as Uber and Airbnb, two companies with platforms that have no precedent in the business sector for regulation.

Report shows MSI leaders connecting with students through social media

A new report from Penn GSE’s Center for Minority Serving Institutions examines how presidents of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are using social media to interact with students, and what lessons leaders at all colleges could learn from them.

Alarm and response for emerging health threats: Social media, news, and Zika

Research finds that traditional news accounts and Twitter messages had different associations with risk perceptions and behavior during the 2016 U.S. Zika virus outbreak.

What makes food photos on Instagram popular?

A study out of the Annenberg School for Communication examines our likes and dislikes in relation to social media, and finds they are more habitual than aesthetic, and uncovers what elements make food photos go viral.

Texting and driving with the littlest passengers

Researchers found that in the previous three months, about half of parents admitted to reading texts and using social media while driving, and found a correlation between distracted driving and other risky behaviors behind the wheel.

How researchers and clinicians navigate social media

The silence after an inaugural tweet can be ego-crushing. For medical professionals, garnering a following is a quantifiable exercise not just in personal popularity, but in the medical field itself.

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