Tag: social

Social Media’s Impact On Divorce
SEX & RELATIONSHIPS, TOP FOUR

Social Media’s Impact On Divorce

Social media has impacted our society in many good ways. Our lives have been made easier. Pretty much anything we want to know is quickly found at the end of a mouse click. We save time and effort by ordering products and planning travel online. We easily catch up with friends on numerous social media sites. But, there is also a down side.. Media and Relationships Research has found that these sites can have a negative impact on relationships and may even contribute to divorce. A spouse may spend so much time that they neglect family time and hurt relationships. The temptation is there to look up former girlfriends or boyfriends and connecting could trigger past feelings and/or start an affair. One recent study from the journal, Computers in Human Behavior, used information gathered f...
The Rise Of Digital Handouts On Venmo And Cash App – What It Says About Our Fraying Social Safety Net
CULTURE, TOP IMAGE

The Rise Of Digital Handouts On Venmo And Cash App – What It Says About Our Fraying Social Safety Net

A college student pleading for grocery money. A driver in need of an unexpected car repair. A worker out of a job because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A single mom who needs to pay the internet bill to support her kids’ distance learning. In all of these cases, people turned to Twitter to ask for financial support during the pandemic. Not thousands of dollars. Just a few bucks. Whatever online followers could spare. As a consumer sociologist, I study digital culture and social media. I’ve noticed an uptick in these requests on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, which are made possible by the growing popularity of peer-to-peer payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, Cash App and Zelle. This diverges from traditional crowdfunding in which official online campaigns are set up for lofty fundraising ...
Life Without Facebook: The Anti-Social Media Experiment
SOCIETY

Life Without Facebook: The Anti-Social Media Experiment

  What that really means is getting off Facebook. While I have accounts on Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn, I rarely visit those sites. But Facebook is different. For some reason, even when I vow not to visit, it draws me in. Calls to me. Compels me to log in and browse my feed. And yet when I do, more often than not I walk away aggravated, not inspired. So why do I keep going back? I'm not sure, but it's definitely time to step back and re-evaluate. I joined Facebook in 2007 to keep an eye on my daughter when she went away to college. In 2008, like many other business owners, I began using it to market my business. I began amassing a huge friends list, accepting friend requests from everyone who sent me one. For awhile everything was hunky dory. Until it wasn't anymore. I'm not e...
Gossip Is A Social Skill – Not A Character Flaw
GOSSIP MUCH, THE TRENDS

Gossip Is A Social Skill – Not A Character Flaw

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, some communities in the Philippines consider gossiping so odious that they’ve outright banned it. But aside from the difficulty of enforcing this sort of ordinance, should gossip really get such a bad rap? Yes, in its rawest form, gossip is a strategy used by individuals to further their own reputations and interests at the expense of others. Studies that I have conducted confirm that gossip can be used in cruel ways for selfish purposes. At the same time, how many can walk away from a juicy story about one of their acquaintances and keep it to themselves? Surely, each of us has had firsthand experience with the difficulty of keeping spectacular news about someone else a secret. When disparaging gossip, we overlook the fact that it’s a...
In An Age Of Social Media Do Unbiased Jurors Exist? – Dzokhar Tsarnaev, (Boston Marathon Bomber) Supreme Court Appeal
SOCIETY

In An Age Of Social Media Do Unbiased Jurors Exist? – Dzokhar Tsarnaev, (Boston Marathon Bomber) Supreme Court Appeal

Thaddeus Hoffmeister, University of Dayton The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument on Oct. 13, 2021, in the case of Dzokhar Tsarnaev, the lone surviving Boston Marathon bomber. While much of the news coverage has focused on whether the court will uphold the death penalty for Tsarnaev, the case also presents a fundamental question for this era: Is it possible to find unbiased citizens to serve on a jury in high-profile cases during an age of ubiquitous social media? This aspect of the case focuses on the “voir dire” process, which employs a French term that roughly translates to “speak the truth.” Voir dire occurs prior to the start of trial, when lawyers or the judge, depending on the jurisdiction, question prospective jurors to determine whether they harbor any kind of bias or prejud...
When In-Person LGBTQ Communities Are Lacking – Social Media Gives Support To Youth
LGBTQ

When In-Person LGBTQ Communities Are Lacking – Social Media Gives Support To Youth

Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley College Teens today have grown up on the internet, and social media has served as a space where LGBTQ youth in particular can develop their identities. Scholarship about the online experiences of LGBTQ youth has traditionally focused on cyberbullying. But understanding both the risks and the benefits of online support is key to helping LGBTQ youth thrive, both on- and offline. I am a senior research scientist studying the benefits and challenges of teen social technology and digital media use. My colleagues, Rachel Hodes and Amanda Richer, and I recently conducted a study on the social media experiences of LGBTQ youth, and we found that online networks can provide critical resources for them to explore their identities and engage with others in the community...
We Do Social-Good – Follow The-IRL On Social Media
SELF

We Do Social-Good – Follow The-IRL On Social Media

Follow The-IRL On Social Media.We do Social-Good. Follow us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Follow our Parent Company on Instagram & Linkedin. If you want to contact TheIRL for some reason or send us a tip on a great news story for us to cover, email us Here.
MacKenzie Scott’s $8.5 Billion Commitment To Social And Economic Justice Is A Model For Other Donors In 5 Ways
MONEY

MacKenzie Scott’s $8.5 Billion Commitment To Social And Economic Justice Is A Model For Other Donors In 5 Ways

Elizabeth J. Dale, Seattle University The author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced on June 15, 2021, that she and her husband Dan Jewett had given US$2.7 billion to 286 organizations, including universities, arts organizations and other nonprofits. It was her third announcement of this kind since she first publicly discussed her giving intentions in May 2019. Scott has donated about $8.5 billion to a constellation of nonprofits she calls “high-impact organizations in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked.” She’s emphasizing racial justice, women’s rights and LGBTQ equality. The $5.8 billion Scott gave to charity in 2020 amounted to nearly 2% of the $324 billion donated by individuals over the course of the year. In early 2021, she ...
Feeling Strong Social Support Can Break The Pattern Of Troubling Signs Of Stress Pregnant Women’s Brains Show
SOCIETY

Feeling Strong Social Support Can Break The Pattern Of Troubling Signs Of Stress Pregnant Women’s Brains Show

Even before the pandemic, there was plenty for expectant mothers to worry about. Pregnant women must withstand a barrage of arguably well-intentioned, but often hyperbolic, warnings about their health and what’s to come, including concerns about everything from what to eat, to what to wear, to how to feel. Health professionals know that mothers-to-be experience predictable increases in anxiety levels before infants are born. Maternal mental health has been steadily deteriorating in the U.S., particularly among poor and minority women. The calls to “be afraid, be very afraid” are, of course, countered by the equally strong cautions for pregnant women to not worry too much, lest it lead to long-term negative outcomes for them and their infants. Such warnings are not entirely off base. Mate...
The Power of Celebrity Endorsements in Social Media Marketing
CELEBRITIES

The Power of Celebrity Endorsements in Social Media Marketing

Turn on the TV, check Facebook, look at an ad in print or online and there's a good chance you'll see a celebrity endorsing a product. This very common marketing practice has been around for decades and has only picked up more traction in today's social media driven environment. Add to our culture's fascination with celebrities and their lives, social media has enabled many people to connect and keep up with their favorite celebs on a daily basis. Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and many other social media networks, a celebrity now has instant access to thousands, if not millions, of fans to share things about their life, but also to promote themselves, their beliefs, and also products and companies. Unfortunately for many businesses, when it comes to utilizin...