Browse recent news stories from the University of Michigan, as well as from respected outlets around the nation, about the most popular social media platforms, tools and trends.

  1. Cliff Lampe Nikki Sunstrum on Social Media' Impact and Path to Improvement. Michigan Minds podcast.

    Social Media’s Impact and Path to Improvement

    In this episode of Michigan Minds, Cliff Lampe, PhD, professor of information at the U-M School of Information, joins U-M director of social media and public engagement Nikki Sunstrum to discuss social media, online behavior, and digital citizenship.

  2. The State of Online Harassment

    Roughly four-in-ten Americans have experienced online harassment, with half of this group citing politics as the reason they think they were targeted. Growing shares face more severe online abuse such as sexual harassment or stalking.

  3. Social Media Integrity Blog, Episode 9: Priyanka Tomar

    Priyanka Tomar, creator of the @goodstuffaa Instagram account, aims to destigmatize the “one size fits all” approach to health and wellness. As a college student navigating a new environment, it is challenging to prioritize your well-being. The personal narratives of U-M students shared on @goodstuffaa emphasize the individuality and unique meaning that “health” has to…

  4. Social Media Integrity Blog, Episode 8: Maize and Blues

    The Maize and Blues project (@maizeandblues) was created by three Art & Design 203 students. In learning about creating socially engaged art, these students aim to increase connection within the U-M by providing a platform to share authentic stories. People can anonymously submit audio clips in response to a weekly prompt; the clips are then…

  5. Young people want justice for bad social media behavior, more action from platforms

    Research by U-M School of Information associate professor Sarita Schoenbeck indicates that most young adults want a wider range of putative and reparative remedies for online harassment, as opposed to merely banning offenders from the social platform.

  6. More than half of Instagram influencers ‘engaged in fraud’, with 45 per cent of accounts ‘fake’

    The Instagram influencer market is expected to continue growing, yet an overwhelming proportion of influencers are engaged in fraudulent account activity. HyperAuditor estimates that only “55% of Instagram accounts are held by real people.”

  7. “For Your Eyes Only” Multimedia Installation by Yasmine Nasser Diaz

    Yasmine Nasser Diaz is an artist based in Los Angeles, and the 2021 Efroymson Emerging Artist at U-M’s Institute for the Humanities. She began her series of bedroom installations in 2018, “For Your Eyes Only” being the fourth iteration. The three previous installations were designed to be immersive and interactive: viewers were encouraged to come…

  8. How Healthy Are Social Media Platforms?

    Social media communication has become more prevalent than ever before. People have turned to these platforms to advocate, share information, and connect at a time when in-person interactions are limited due to COVID-19 mitigation measures. With the shift to virtual communication, ensuring reliability and accuracy has become increasingly important.  Social media acts as a gatekeeper…

  9. Snapchat launches new digital literacy program

    In time for Data Privacy Day, Snapchat releases a new “Safety Snapshot” channel aimed at educating users about safety and privacy online.

  10. Digital learning tools arrive on TikTok

    Educators, scientists, and other field experts are sharing informational videos in the #LearnOnTikTok community. Additionally, TikTok is partnering with Quizlet for users to further explore topics of interest.