Researchers say funding is critical to understanding the effects of social media

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Understanding the effects of a constantly changing social media landscape has grown more challenging with potential federal policy changes that would limit the funding required to study outcomes that vary greatly across gender, socio-economic status and demographics, according to a paper published last month by a University at Buffalo researcher.

“The issues arising from social media use are affecting people’s lives and in the absence of funding, a lot of important decisions would have to be made without the benefit of empirical research,” said Melanie Green, PhD, professor and chair of UB’s Department of Communication.

“Continuing to provide research attention on these questions is valuable if we hope to make the right decisions about the effects these tools have on individuals and societies.”

Social media has embedded itself in modern society. Teens in the U.S. reported being online “almost constantly,” while adults are likely to visit at least one platform daily, according to studies by the Pew Research Foundation.

“Not all of that use is detrimental,” says Green, an expert in media effects and the corresponding author of the paper, published in the journal Social and Personality Psychology Compass. “Social media can constructively engage communities, but it can also serve as a vehicle for bullying, sexual harassment, body image issues, and misinformation.

“Research into these areas can help guide policymaking, such as rules about students using cellphones in schools,” she says. “Learning about the effects of these technologies and behaviors is a crucial part of that decision-making process. Importantly, research can help highlight when and for whom social media will have positive versus negative effects.”

Green and co-authors David Lee, PhD, associate professor of communication at UB, and Gavin Raffloer, a communication graduate student, conducted a research overview for a special issue of the journal that highlighted key advances in social media research and how funding cuts may constrain future work on the effects of social media.

Social media platforms evolve quickly, with new features and new issues that demand up-to-date research. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have added to the complexity of many of these issues and effects. For example, some users may come to rely on artificial intelligence for social interactions or support, and research is needed to understand the costs and benefits of this kind of engagement.

Some important effects of social media are not even visible or measurable exclusively through observation or interviewing. Toward that end, Lee has conducted pioneering research with studies using biomarkers in the blood to explore the relationship between social media use and possible links to depression and other health consequences in vulnerable populations.

The search for answers will involve work across various disciplines, including psychology, communication and political science.

“The combined work in these disciplines can help us make wise choices about social media,” says Green. “Government policies should encourage and support this research.

“We should strongly consider what’s at risk and what we would lose if we don’t invest in creating the knowledge that comes out of continued research.”