Social media

13 July 2015
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In Australia, social media is damaging the art of conversation

In Australia, social media is damaging the art of conversation

Almost three in five people (57 per cent) in Australia are calling their family and friends less frequently since the rise of social media. According to a survey of more than 1,000 Australians, nearly four out of five (79 per cent) believe social media and technology are causing us to lose the art of conversation. Some two-thirds (63 per cent) say it's easier to text a friend or a loved one...

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13 July 2015
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Less than one in five people online follow TV on Twitter

Less than one in five people online follow TV on Twitter

Less than one in five (18 per cent) people online follow the show they’re watching on television via Twitter. Traditional TV viewers in the US, dubbed "couch potatoes" in a recent report, are the largest segment but only account for one third (33 per cent) of people online who watch TV. Very focused on TV when watching it, they never phone or text people about what they’re watching and hardly...

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13 July 2015
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Social networking can help people lose weight

Social networking can help people lose weight

Social networking programmes designed to help people lose weight could play a role in the global fight against obesity. Analysis by researchers from Imperial College London combining the results of 12 previous studies shows that such programmes have achieved modest but significant results in helping participants lose weight. The paper is one of 10 reports on global healthcare policy written for...

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13 July 2015
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Use of online networks may threaten subjective well-being in several ways

Use of online networks may threaten subjective well-being in several ways

Online networking can play a positive role in subjective well-being through its impact on physical social interactions. Can, of course. But, the overall effect of networking on individual welfare is significantly negative. That's because participation in social networking sites (SNS) might destroy social trust, while on the other hand, face-to-face interactions are positively associated with...

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13 July 2015
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Facebook posts reveal personality traits, but changes complicate interpretation

Facebook posts reveal personality traits, but changes complicate interpretation

People can accurately detect the personality traits of strangers through Facebook activity; however, changes to the social media site in the past three years could be making it harder to do so. Researchers from the University of Kansas sampled 100 Facebook users, paralleling the demographics of the social networking site, and asked them to fill out a personality survey. A group of coders looked at...

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6 July 2015
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News media in the US losing role as gatekeepers

News media in the US losing role as gatekeepers

The US government is doing a better job of communicating on Twitter with people in sensitive areas like the Middle East and North Africa without the participation of mainstream media organisations, according to a study co-authored by a University of Georgia researcher. The study looked at the US State Department's use of social media and identified key actors who drive its messages to audiences...

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6 July 2015
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Social media may discourage free expression on controversial subjects

Social media may discourage free expression on controversial subjects

No, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are not fronts for free expression when it comes to controversial issues. Certainly not in the United States. In fact, social media has been discouraging free expression, rather than encouraging it, when the subjects at hand are controversial, even offline. The conclusions are from a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, in association...

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