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. instagram app on phone

    Instagram Is Tackling Body Image In A New Way

    Instagram is teaming up with National Eating Disorder Association to launch the #ComeAsYouAre campaign, encouraging users to interact with the app in a healthier way.

  2. Teens have figured out how to mess with Instagram’s tracking algorithm

    Teenagers are using group accounts to flood Instagram with random user data that can’t be tied to a single person.

  3. Twitter Unveils New ‘Manipulated Media’ Policy to Limit the Impact of Deepfakes

    After working on its manipulated media policy over the last few months, Twitter has this week unveiled its official rule against the posting of deceptive manipulated content, while it’s also launching a new tag for detected edited material.

  4. YouTube Moderators Are Being Forced To Sign A Statement Acknowledging The Job Can Give Them PTSD

    Documents discovered by The Verge reveal that the company puts the onus of mental health on its employees.

  5. How to Turn Depressing Social Media Into a Positive Influence

    Don’t let Facebook, Instagram or Twitter become negative aspects of your life. Here’s how to fix them.

  6. Facebook Launches New Course to Teach Journalists How to Spot Manipulated Media

    With misinformation causing significant division and disagreement online, and leading to widespread confusion around major issues, Facebook has launched a new education course, in partnership with Reuters, which aims to teach journalists what to look for in the use of manipulated media.

  7. Teens take Instagram seriously — and it’s costing some of them their personal data

    Minors on Instagram are switching to business accounts so they can see how many people view their posts, but they are exposing their contact details in the process.

  8. University of Michigan Professor Juan Cole on #WWIII Social Media Concerns

    Amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, Gen Z has taken to social media to share concerns over the possibility of “World War III” and a section on the FAFSA form that registers applicants in case of a military draft. Dive deeper into these topics with Juan Cole, PhD, professor of history at the…

  9. Data Breaches: A Pause, Then Life Goes On?

    What can matchmaking site data tell us about how consumers respond to major credit card and other data breaches? Quite a lot, actually.

  10. Illustration of computer on desk

    U-M’s Iffy Quotient Shows Steady Drop of Questionable Information on Social Media

    Although election rhetoric is heating up and cries of fake news still abound, the University of Michigan Center for Social Media Responsibility finds a continued decline in questionable content on Facebook and Twitter.