SOUTH LANARKSHIRE, Scotland — Facebook can be a breeding ground for misinformation. Now, the husband of one cancer patient is warning that the social media platform could be providing people with bogus treatments for the disease. Cancer patients are being bombarded with “miracle cures” on Facebook, ranging from salt water and sound videos to dangerous …
WASHINGTON — Being Facebook friends with wealthier or more successful people can make it less likely that you’ll suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke, a new study reveals. Researchers working with the American College of Cardiology say better economic connectedness on social media displays a link to lower rates of premature death from heart …
LONDON — The modern person leaves behind an online trail of 9,828 photos, 10,811 social media posts, and 126 email addresses over their entire life. The findings come from a new survey of 2,000 adults, revealing that the average person shares over a third of their life online (36%) — which is still viewable long …
NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, Germany — It’s hardly a secret that social media isn’t the best use of our time. Still, millions keep on scrolling, clicking, and commenting for hours on end. Now, researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen have documented some of the unique ways headlines on Facebook “bait” users into interacting with posts. The general topic …
ORLANDO, Fla. — Does a parent’s posting habits on Facebook really change the way they interact with their kids? A new study finds parents who tend to post tons of pictures of their children on social media often have a more friend-like parenting style in general. A team from the University of Central Florida says …
PULLMAN, Wash. — Conspiracy beliefs are solidified by people who fully trust the information they see on social media platforms, a recent study finds. A conspiracy is a belief that an event (often historical) occurred because of some larger, nefarious plan. Although they are usually false theories, researchers from Washington State University say that the …
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — American politics may be in a disheveled state right now, but it’s apparently making more people aware of their rights as citizens, a new survey reveals. Researchers from the University of the Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center say knowledge about civics has actually increased over the last year — reaching its highest levels …
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Although many media outlets brand themselves as “news you can trust,” relying on them during the pandemic may actually feed you more misinformation. A new study finds people who trust television and social media for COVID-19 news actually know less about the virus. Researchers at Penn State add those who rely the …
NEW YORK — For some, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are avenues for connecting more closely with relatives and friends. For others, they’re ego-boosters fueled by the showering of praise via “likes” and comments from one’s followers. According to a new international study, however, social media users who chase “likes” have thinking patterns …
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through Facebook only to come away feeling more abused than amused? If so, your experience matches that of other Facebook users in a recent survey about their online experience. Although 95 percent of respondents said they check their Facebook account daily, researchers find almost half (46%) …