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Study: Social Networks Have Negative Effect On Individual Welfare

Posted by Soulskill on from the tweeting-can-cause-polio dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A study of 50,000 people in Italy has found the impact of social networking on individual welfare to be "significantly negative." The researchers found that improvements in self-reported well-being occurred when online networking led to face-to-face interactions, but this effect was overwhelmed by the perceived losses in well-being (PDF) generated by interaction strictly through social networks. The researchers "highlight the role of discrimination and hate speech on social media which they say play a significant role in trust and well-being. Better moderation could significantly improve the well-being of the people who use social networks, they conclude."

4 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. /. Is ostensibly a social network. by Culture20 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bail! Bail!

    1. Re:/. Is ostensibly a social network. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mod down this idiot. Modding down fixes every social network.

  2. social networking has destroyed society by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nobody ever talks to anyone anymore. People don't learn to respect and value each other in the real world without face time in the real world. Trust me, as someone who never engages in conversation with people, I'm thoroughly convinced that all people are complete shit!

  3. The mere existence of Facebook harms my well-being by Narcocide · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... and I don't even use it.