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Released: 27-Apr-2022 3:45 PM EDT
Langvardt Discusses Free-Speech Implications of Musk's Twitter Purchase
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Elon Musk has a difficult and probably impossible task ahead of him, because free speech ideals aren't well-suited to social media. Platform administrators -- even those with strong libertarian impulses -- wind up policing online speech.

Released: 25-Apr-2022 9:00 AM EDT
Anyone can be a cyberbully, not just people who are unhinged
University of Michigan

People who have high premeditated or impulsive aggressive tendencies online are likely to cyberbully others, according to a new University of Michigan study.

18-Apr-2022 12:45 PM EDT
For Cooperative Teams, Modesty Leaves the Best Impression
American Psychological Association (APA)

People may forgo displaying luxury brands and other signals of status when they want to convince others that they will collaborate well with a team, as people who signal their wealth and social status could be perceived as uncooperative, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Newswise: Cleaning up Online Bots’ Act – and Speech
Released: 21-Apr-2022 8:00 AM EDT
Cleaning up Online Bots’ Act – and Speech
University of California San Diego

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed algorithms to rid speech generated by online bots of offensive language, on social media and elsewhere.

Released: 19-Apr-2022 1:50 PM EDT
Praising essential workers — nurses, grocery workers, corrections officers — is not just a good thing, it’s critical to their recovery from burnout
Brigham Young University

Remember when all those Twitter and Instagram posts thanking front-line workers blew up after the COVID pandemic hit? Turns out those were a big deal to essential workers.

Released: 15-Apr-2022 2:30 AM EDT
Social Media–Based Interventions for Health Behavior Change in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background: Despite the wealth of evidence regarding effective health behavior change techniques using digital interventions to focus on residents of high-income countries, there is limited information of a similar nature for low- an...

11-Apr-2022 11:05 AM EDT
Lies That 'Might' Eventually Come True Seem Less Unethical
American Psychological Association (APA)

People may be willing to condone statements they know to be false and even spread misinformation on social media if they believe those statements could become true in the future, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Released: 14-Apr-2022 8:05 AM EDT
Pivotal Midterm Elections 2022: American University Launches Experts and Events Resource Guide for Journalists
American University

Pivotal Midterm Elections 2022: American University Launches Experts and Events Resource Guide for Journalists

Newswise: COVID-19 Beliefs Are Influenced by Politicians, Not Scientists, Researchers Suggest
Released: 13-Apr-2022 10:05 AM EDT
COVID-19 Beliefs Are Influenced by Politicians, Not Scientists, Researchers Suggest
JMIR Publications

Our data speaks to the reality that health information and ‘facts’ can be subjective and manipulated in service of political agendas rather than public health goals, which is problematic if we ever want to get out of this pandemic. It’s encouraging, however, that constituents who are more critical and skeptical of their local government seem to be less susceptible to misinformation and perhaps even agendas employing it. [Nicholas A. Palomares, coauthor and professor at the department of communication studies, University of Texas, Austin]

   
Released: 12-Apr-2022 2:00 PM EDT
Social Media, Public Health, and Community Mitigation of COVID-19: Challenges, Risks, and Benefits
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Shortly after the first case reports in 2019, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Early messages from trusted experts, which later proved to be inadequate or incorrect, highlight the need for continual adjustment of messages to the public as scientific...

Released: 11-Apr-2022 2:20 PM EDT
Russian Trolls Tried to Distract American Voters with Entertainment
Cornell University

In a finding that has implications for the 2022 midterm elections, Cornell University researchers found Russia tried to distract liberal voters during the 2016 presidential campaign with a seemingly innocent weapon – tweets about music and videos.

Released: 11-Apr-2022 2:00 PM EDT
The Impact and Applications of Social Media Platforms for Public Health Responses Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Literature Review
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background:  Social media platforms have numerous potential benefits and drawbacks on public health, which have been described in the literature. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our limited knowledge regarding the potential health...

Released: 7-Apr-2022 3:00 PM EDT
Digital Visual Communication for Public Health: Design Proposal for a Vaccinated Emoji
Journal of Medical Internet Research

In the 21st century, the internet and particularly social media have become essential platforms for the spread of health information (including misinformation and disinformation). One of the distinguishing features of communication on these platforms...

Newswise: The gender gap: Nature or nurture? It’s complicated, says a large Facebook study ​
Released: 7-Apr-2022 8:00 AM EDT
The gender gap: Nature or nurture? It’s complicated, says a large Facebook study ​
Southern Methodist University

A study from SMU (Southern Methodist University) and UC3M (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) in Spain produced some surprising results: the gap separating the interests of men and women on some topics is larger in countries known for promoting gender equality than in countries with more rigid gender roles.

Newswise: Selfies May Drive Plastic Surgery by Distorting Facial Features
Released: 6-Apr-2022 12:00 PM EDT
Selfies May Drive Plastic Surgery by Distorting Facial Features
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Cellphone “selfies” distort facial features, an effect that may be driving an uptick in requests for plastic surgery, UT Southwestern researchers show in a new study. The findings, reported in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, highlight an unexpected consequence of social media and the need for plastic surgeons to discuss this phenomenon with their patients.

Newswise: Likes, shares and drug deals: WVU researchers create model that detects illicit drug trafficking on social media
4-Apr-2022 10:25 AM EDT
Likes, shares and drug deals: WVU researchers create model that detects illicit drug trafficking on social media
West Virginia University

Researchers at West Virginia University have found that social networking platforms can serve as a direct-to-consumer marketing tool for drug dealers to sell illicit drugs.

Released: 5-Apr-2022 9:05 AM EDT
Chatbots deployed in response to COVID-19 pandemic
University of Georgia

If you’ve been to a clinic for a vaccine or COVID test during the past two years, you’ve likely interacted with a chatbot. Chatbots are computer programs designed to simulate conversation with human users. Scalable to answer thousands of questions simultaneously, easily accessible to the public, and enabling social distancing, chatbots were ubiquitous during the COVID-19 pandemic.

   
Released: 31-Mar-2022 2:45 PM EDT
Effect of Source Type and Protective Message on the Critical Evaluation of News Messages on Facebook: Randomized Controlled Trial in the Netherlands
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background: Disinformation has become an increasing societal concern, especially due to the speed that news is shared in the digital era. In particular, disinformation in the health care sector can lead to serious casualties, as the ...

Newswise: New Podcast Series to Confront COVID-19 Disinformation
Released: 31-Mar-2022 9:50 AM EDT
New Podcast Series to Confront COVID-19 Disinformation
George Washington University

The four-part series, hosted by award-winning journalist and GW Professor Frank Sesno, will examine how falsehoods about COVID-19 are spread and what can be done to combat misinformation

   
Newswise: The 25 Happiest U.S. City Park Systems, Ranked by Scientists
24-Mar-2022 10:50 AM EDT
The 25 Happiest U.S. City Park Systems, Ranked by Scientists
University of Vermont

Feeling unhappy? Go find a park—the bigger the better—and try taking a walk outdoors. That’s the takeaway of a major new study measuring the happiness effects of city parks in the 25 largest U.S. cities. The happiness benefit of urban nature on users was akin to the mood spike people experience on holidays like Thanksgiving or New Year’s Day. The research is the largest study of its kind—using massive amounts of data from social media—to quantify the mood boosting benefits on urban nature. The happiest place on Twitter? The great outdoors. The study will appear March 30 at 2 pm EST in PLOS One journal.

   
Newswise: For those thinking about plastic surgery, selfies give a distorted view
Released: 30-Mar-2022 12:15 PM EDT
For those thinking about plastic surgery, selfies give a distorted view
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

If you're like a lot of people, an unflattering view on a smartphone "selfie" might start you thinking about rhinoplasty or other cosmetic surgery procedures. But that smartphone shot isn't giving you the true picture, as selfies introduce measurable distortions in the size and perception of facial features, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Newswise: Digital DisruptHERS: A New Model for Equity in Women's Sport
Released: 30-Mar-2022 11:25 AM EDT
Digital DisruptHERS: A New Model for Equity in Women's Sport
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Women’s History Month. The 50th anniversary of the federal Title IX gender equity law. The NCAA Women’s Final Four. Women's sport is a topic getting more attention recently. But a UNLV sport marketing expert says it’s critical that we focus attention on improving gender equity all the time — and she has a winning formula for turning the tide.

Released: 29-Mar-2022 2:00 PM EDT
Tracking Public Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccination on Tweets in Canada: Using Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background: The development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines have generated optimism for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and a return to normalcy. However, vaccine hesitancy, often fueled by misinformation, poses a major barrier to...

Released: 28-Mar-2022 3:40 PM EDT
Scientists find that the impact of social media on wellbeing varies across adolescence
University of Cambridge

Girls and boys might be more vulnerable to the negative effects of social media use at different times during their adolescence, say an international team of scientists.

Released: 28-Mar-2022 10:10 AM EDT
New Study Reveals Why Facebook Ads Can Miss Target
North Carolina State University

New research offers insight into why Facebook’s targeted advertising can be more like a wild pitch. Researchers knew Facebook creates interest profiles based on each user’s activities, but the new study finds this process doesn’t account for the context of these activities.

Released: 25-Mar-2022 2:05 PM EDT
Yes, microplastics have been found in human blood
Newswise

An article says that microplastics have been found in human blood for the first time. We rate this claim as true, although more studies are needed to determine if these substances in humans are associated with a public health risk.

Released: 25-Mar-2022 12:55 PM EDT
True and false claims: online behaviors behind COVID-19 vaccine uptake
Health Data Science

Vaccine uptake constitutes a key barometer as governments lead the communities out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Facts and fake news have apparently influenced vaccination willingness. But how valid is this proposition?

Released: 25-Mar-2022 12:45 PM EDT
Puff Bars, Tobacco Policy Evasion, and Nicotine Dependence: Content Analysis of Tweets
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background: Puff Bars are e-cigarettes that continued marketing flavored products by exploiting the US Food and Drug Administration exemption for disposable devices. Objective: This study aimed to examine discussions...

Released: 23-Mar-2022 2:30 PM EDT
Social Media–Delivered Patient Education to Enhance Self-management and Attitudes of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal of Medical Internet Research

Background: The use of mobile health technologies has been necessary to deliver patient education to patients with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This open-label randomized controlled trial evaluat...

Released: 22-Mar-2022 10:55 AM EDT
Emotion, stress cues in social media posts might be early warnings in epilepsy deaths
Binghamton University, State University of New York

A new study from an international team of researchers — including two from Binghamton University — demonstrates that social media could be used to detect behaviors preceding sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled epileptic seizures.

   
Released: 16-Mar-2022 12:45 PM EDT
What’s the prevailing opinion on social media? Look at the flocks, says UB researcher
University at Buffalo

A University at Buffalo communication researcher has developed a framework for measuring the slippery concept of social media public opinion.

Released: 15-Mar-2022 3:00 PM EDT
The Public Perception of the #GeneEditedBabies Event Across Multiple Social Media Platforms: Observational Study
Journal of Medical Internet Research

In November 2018, a Chinese researcher reported that his team had applied clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats or associated protein 9 to delete the gene C-C chemokine receptor type 5 from embryos and claimed that the 2 newborns would have lifetime immunity from HIV infection, an event referred to as #GeneEditedBabies on social media platforms.

Newswise:Video Embedded pat-mitchell-a-dangerous-woman
VIDEO
Released: 14-Mar-2022 11:40 AM EDT
Pat Mitchell: A ‘dangerous woman’
University of Georgia

This story is part of a series, called Georgia Groundbreakers, that celebrates innovative and visionary faculty, students, alumni and leaders throughout the history of the University of Georgia – and their profound, enduring impact on our state, our nation and the world.

Released: 11-Mar-2022 11:55 AM EST
Mental health concerns on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic
Health Data Science

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on mental health concerns on Twitter in the US, and certain groups of people, such as males and white, were more likely to express such concerns, according to a study from the University of Rochester.

Released: 11-Mar-2022 11:40 AM EST
Children’s health fears due to rise in screen time
Anglia Ruskin University

A new study shows that children’s digital screen time has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in potential risks to physical health.

Newswise: Social media shopping: Why it won't take off in the US yet
Released: 10-Mar-2022 4:20 PM EST
Social media shopping: Why it won't take off in the US yet
Arizona State University (ASU)

A recent report by a company that specializes in information technology services predicted social commerce worldwide will grow into a $1.2 trillion business by 2025. We talked to Pei-yu Sharon Chen about how realistic this prediction is. Chen is the chair and professor in the Department of Information Systems and co-director of the Actionable Analytics Lab in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

Newswise: Professor: How TikTok can affect marginalized communities
Released: 10-Mar-2022 2:40 PM EST
Professor: How TikTok can affect marginalized communities
Arizona State University (ASU)

Sarah Florini, an associate professor of film and media studies in the Department of English at Arizona State University, and Elizabeth Grumbach, director of digital humanities and research at the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics talk about how TikTok treats marginalized communities.

Released: 4-Mar-2022 4:20 PM EST
AI helped protect businesses from COVID-19 risks
Anglia Ruskin University

A new study has found that artificial intelligence (AI) apps helped protect small and medium-sized businesses against many of the risks that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic – yet only a quarter of small firms currently use them.

Newswise: People spreading misinformation are ridiculed rather than met with facts
Released: 3-Mar-2022 6:05 AM EST
People spreading misinformation are ridiculed rather than met with facts
University of Copenhagen

Democracy is largely based on the idea that we as citizens can discuss matters openly with citizens aiming to be truthful.

Released: 2-Mar-2022 5:25 PM EST
Facebook’s Vaccine Misinformation Policy Reduces Anti-Vax Information
George Washington University

Following years of growing vaccine opposition and several outbreaks of measles--a vaccine-preventable disease--Facebook established in 2019 its first policy to stop the spread of misinformation about vaccines. Researchers at the George Washington University wondered if the new policies actually worked to stop the spread of misinformation. Jiayan Gu, PhD student along with Lorien Abroms, Professor of Prevention and Community Health and their colleagues created a new paradigm for evaluation of the policy. The team found that Facebook’s policy did reduce people’s interactions with vaccine misinformation.



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