social media phd topics

• Privacy Policy

Home » 300+ Social Media Research Topics

300+ Social Media Research Topics

Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and it has transformed the way we communicate, share information, and interact with each other. As social media platforms continue to evolve and gain popularity, they have also become a rich source of data for researchers. Social media research is a rapidly growing field that encompasses a wide range of topics , from understanding the psychological and social effects of social media to analyzing patterns of user behavior and identifying trends in online conversations. In this era of data-driven decision-making, social media research is more important than ever, as it provides insights into how we use and are influenced by social media. In this post, we will explore some of the most fascinating and relevant social media research topics that are shaping our understanding of this powerful medium.

Social Media Research Topics

Social Media Research Topics are as follows:

• The effects of social media on mental health
• The role of social media in political polarization
• The impact of social media on relationships
• The use of social media by businesses for marketing
• The effects of social media on body image and self-esteem
• The influence of social media on consumer behavior
• The use of social media for education
• The effects of social media on language use and grammar
• The impact of social media on news consumption
• The role of social media in activism and social change
• The use of social media for job seeking and career development
• The effects of social media on sleep patterns
• The influence of social media on adolescent behavior
• The impact of social media on the spread of misinformation
• The use of social media for personal branding
• The effects of social media on political participation
• The influence of social media on fashion trends
• The impact of social media on sports fandom
• The use of social media for mental health support
• The effects of social media on creativity
• The role of social media in cultural exchange
• The impact of social media on language learning
• The use of social media for crisis communication
• The effects of social media on privacy and security
• The influence of social media on diet and exercise behavior
• The impact of social media on travel behavior
• The use of social media for citizen journalism
• The effects of social media on political accountability
• The role of social media in peer pressure
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships
• The use of social media for community building
• The effects of social media on gender identity
• The influence of social media on music consumption
• The impact of social media on academic performance
• The use of social media for social support
• The effects of social media on social skills
• The role of social media in disaster response
• The impact of social media on nostalgia and memory
• The use of social media for charity and philanthropy
• The effects of social media on political polarization in developing countries
• The influence of social media on literary consumption
• The impact of social media on family relationships
• The use of social media for citizen science
• The effects of social media on cultural identity
• The role of social media in promoting healthy behaviors
• The impact of social media on language diversity
• The use of social media for environmental activism
• The effects of social media on attention span
• The influence of social media on art consumption
• The impact of social media on cultural values and norms.
• The impact of social media on mental health
• The impact of social media on mental health.
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem.
• The use of social media for political activism and social justice movements.
• The role of social media in promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity.
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships and dating.
• The use of social media for customer service and support.
• The impact of social media on mental health and well-being among young adults.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and partisanship.
• The use of social media for health communication and behavior change.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards vaccination.
• The impact of social media on political participation and civic engagement.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and echo chambers.
• The use of social media for political campaigning and the manipulation of public opinion.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards vaccination and public health.
• The impact of social media on news consumption and trust in journalism.
• The use of social media for promoting sustainable fashion practices and ethical consumption.
• The role of social media in influencing beauty standards and body image.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and the role of social media influencers.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among healthcare professionals.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards gun violence and gun control policies.
• The impact of social media on social activism and advocacy.
• The use of social media for promoting cross-cultural communication and intercultural understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards climate change and environmental policies.
• The impact of social media on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and access to financial services for low-income individuals.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards immigration policies and refugee crises.
• The impact of social media on political activism and social movements.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology education in developing countries.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards gender and sexual orientation.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior in the food and beverage industry.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among first responders.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards racial justice and police brutality.
• The impact of social media on privacy concerns and data security.
• The use of social media for promoting interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards income inequality and economic justice.
• The impact of social media on the film and television industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among military personnel.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards privacy and data security.
• The impact of social media on the hospitality industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting intergenerational communication and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards animal welfare and animal rights.
• The impact of social media on the gaming industry and gamer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology skills among seniors.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards renewable energy and sustainability.
• The impact of social media on the advertising industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among children and adolescents.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards online privacy and security.
• The impact of social media on the beauty industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural preservation and heritage tourism.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards criminal justice reform.
• The impact of social media on the automotive industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among marginalized communities.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards sustainable development goals.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural communication in the workplace.
• The role of social media in shaping public attitudes towards mental health policies.
• The impact of social media on the travel industry and sustainable tourism practices.
• The use of social media for health information seeking and patient empowerment.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental activism and sustainable practices.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.
• The use of social media for promoting education and lifelong learning.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards mental health issues.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and fast fashion practices.
• The use of social media for promoting social entrepreneurship and social innovation.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun control.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of adolescents.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural exchange and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards climate change.
• The impact of social media on political advertising and campaign strategies.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy relationships and communication skills.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards police brutality and racial justice.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and personal finance management.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and fan engagement.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among marginalized populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration and border policies.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of journalists.
• The use of social media for promoting community building and social cohesion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards healthcare policies.
• The impact of social media on the food industry and consumer behavior.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gender equality.
• The impact of social media on the sports industry and athlete-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting financial inclusion and access to banking services.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards animal welfare.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among college students.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards privacy and data security.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards income inequality and poverty.
• The use of social media for promoting digital literacy and technology skills.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards renewable energy.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among elderly populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards online privacy and security.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards criminal justice reform.
• The impact of social media on online activism and social movements.
• The use of social media for business-to-business communication and networking.
• The role of social media in promoting civic education and engagement.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry and sustainable fashion practices.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural diversity and inclusion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards police reform.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of frontline healthcare workers.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and investment education.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental sustainability and conservation.
• The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem among adolescent girls.
• The use of social media for promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration policies and refugees.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of healthcare professionals.
• The use of social media for promoting community resilience and disaster preparedness.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards the Black Lives Matter movement.
• The impact of social media on the music industry and artist-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy eating habits and nutrition education.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among college students.
• The impact of social media on the entertainment industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting workplace diversity and inclusion.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards climate change policies.
• The impact of social media on the travel industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among military veterans.
• The role of social media in promoting intergenerational dialogue and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of educators.
• The use of social media for promoting animal welfare and advocacy.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards reproductive rights.
• The impact of social media on the sports industry and fan behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting financial inclusion and literacy among underprivileged populations.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among LGBTQ+ populations.
• The impact of social media on the food and beverage industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun ownership.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among caregivers.
• The role of social media in promoting sustainable tourism practices.
• The impact of social media on the gaming industry and gamer culture.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural heritage tourism and preservation.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards public transportation policies.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among homeless populations.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among immigrants and refugees.
• The use of social media for promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship among youth.
• The use of social media for political mobilization and participation in authoritarian regimes.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards immigration policies.
• The impact of social media on the professional development of teachers and educators.
• The use of social media for emergency communication during public health crises.
• The role of social media in promoting LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on body positivity and self-acceptance among women.
• The use of social media for public diplomacy and international relations.
• The impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of marginalized communities.
• The use of social media for crisis management and disaster response in the corporate sector.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental activism and conservation.
• The impact of social media on the professional development and networking of entrepreneurs.
• The use of social media for medical education and healthcare communication.
• The role of social media in promoting cultural exchange and understanding.
• The impact of social media on social capital and civic engagement among young adults.
• The use of social media for disaster preparedness and community resilience.
• The role of social media in promoting religious pluralism and tolerance.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness.
• The use of social media for fundraising and philanthropy in the non-profit sector.
• The role of social media in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the travel and tourism industry and consumer behavior.
• The use of social media for customer engagement and brand loyalty in the retail sector.
• The impact of social media on the political attitudes and behaviors of young adults.
• The use of social media for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• The use of social media for promoting animal welfare and adoption.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and well-being among the elderly.
• The impact of social media on the art industry and artist-fan interactions.
• The use of social media for promoting healthy food choices and nutrition.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards income inequality.
• The use of social media for promoting political satire and humor.
• The role of social media in promoting disability rights and advocacy.
• The use of social media for promoting voter registration and participation.
• The role of social media in promoting entrepreneurship and small business development.
• The use of social media for promoting mental health and well-being among incarcerated populations.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and attitudes towards gun violence prevention.
• The use of social media for promoting cultural heritage and preservation.
• The impact of social media on mental health and well-being.
• The relationship between social media use and academic performance.
• The use of social media for emergency communication during natural disasters.
• The impact of social media on traditional news media and journalism.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and discourse.
• The use of social media for online learning and education.
• The impact of social media on the fashion and beauty industry.
• The use of social media for brand awareness and marketing.
• The impact of social media on privacy and security.
• The use of social media for job searching and recruitment.
• The impact of social media on political polarization and extremism.
• The use of social media for online harassment and cyberbullying.
• The role of social media in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability.
• The impact of social media on youth culture and identity formation.
• The use of social media for travel and tourism marketing.
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and decision-making.
• The role of social media in shaping beauty standards and body positivity.
• The use of social media for crisis communication and disaster response.
• The impact of social media on the music industry.
• The use of social media for fundraising and philanthropy.
• The role of social media in promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness.
• The impact of social media on sports fandom and fan behavior.
• The use of social media for political lobbying and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on the entertainment industry.
• The use of social media for healthcare communication and patient engagement.
• The role of social media in promoting gender equality and feminism.
• The impact of social media on the restaurant and food industry.
• The use of social media for volunteerism and community service.
• The role of social media in promoting religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue.
• The impact of social media on the art industry.
• The use of social media for political satire and humor.
• The role of social media in promoting disability awareness and advocacy.
• The impact of social media on the real estate industry.
• The use of social media for legal advocacy and justice reform.
• The role of social media in promoting intercultural communication and understanding.
• The impact of social media on the automotive industry.
• The use of social media for pet adoption and animal welfare advocacy.
• The role of social media in promoting mental health and wellness for marginalized communities.
• The impact of social media on the retail industry.
• The use of social media for promoting civic engagement and voter participation.
• The impact of social media on the film and television industry.
• The use of social media for fashion and style inspiration.
• The role of social media in promoting activism for human rights and social issues.
• The effectiveness of social media for political campaigns.
• The role of social media in promoting fake news and misinformation.
• The impact of social media on self-esteem and body image.
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships.
• The use of social media for online activism and social justice movements.
• The impact of social media on traditional news media.
• The impact of social media on interpersonal communication skills.
• The impact of social media on the fashion industry.
• The use of social media for social support and mental health awareness.
• The use of social media for political lobbying and activism.
• The impact of social media on travel and tourism behavior.
• The use of social media for customer feedback and market research.
• The impact of social media on the restaurant industry.
• The role of social media in political activism
• The effect of social media on interpersonal communication
• The relationship between social media use and body image concerns
• The impact of social media on self-esteem
• The role of social media in shaping cultural norms and values
• The use of social media by celebrities and its impact on their image
• The role of social media in building and maintaining personal relationships
• The use of social media for job searching and recruitment
• The impact of social media on children and adolescents
• The use of social media by political candidates during election campaigns
• The role of social media in education
• The impact of social media on political polarization
• The use of social media for news consumption
• The effect of social media on sleep habits
• The use of social media by non-profit organizations for fundraising
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion
• The influence of social media on language and communication patterns
• The use of social media in crisis communication and emergency management
• The role of social media in promoting environmental awareness
• The influence of social media on music preferences
• The impact of social media on body positivity movements
• The role of social media in shaping beauty standards
• The influence of social media on sports fandom
• The use of social media for health promotion and education
• The impact of social media on political participation
• The role of social media in shaping parenting practices
• The influence of social media on food preferences and eating habits
• The use of social media for peer support and mental health advocacy
• The role of social media in shaping religious beliefs and practices
• The influence of social media on humor and comedy
• The use of social media for online activism and social justice advocacy
• The impact of social media on public health awareness campaigns
• The role of social media in promoting cultural diversity and inclusion
• The influence of social media on travel behavior and decision-making
• The use of social media for international diplomacy and relations
• The impact of social media on job satisfaction and employee engagement
• The role of social media in shaping romantic preferences and dating behavior
• The influence of social media on language learning and language use
• The use of social media for political satire and humor
• The impact of social media on social capital and community building
• The role of social media in shaping gender identity and expression
• The influence of social media on fashion and beauty advertising.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

200+ Funny Research Topics

500+ Sports Research Topics

300+ American History Research Paper Topics

500+ Cyber Security Research Topics

500+ Environmental Research Topics

500+ Economics Research Topics

Explore your training options in 10 minutes Get Started

• Graduate Stories
• Partner Spotlights
• Bootcamp Prep
• Bootcamp Admissions
• University Bootcamps
• Coding Tools
• Software Engineering
• Web Development
• Data Science
• Tech Guides
• Tech Resources
• Career Advice
• Online Learning
• Internships
• Apprenticeships
• Tech Salaries
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• University Admissions
• Best Schools
• Certifications
• Bootcamp Financing
• Higher Ed Financing
• Scholarships
• Financial Aid
• Best Coding Bootcamps
• Best Online Bootcamps
• Best Web Design Bootcamps
• Best Data Science Bootcamps
• Best Technology Sales Bootcamps
• Best Data Analytics Bootcamps
• Best Cybersecurity Bootcamps
• Best Digital Marketing Bootcamps
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Browse All Locations
• Digital Marketing
• Machine Learning
• See All Subjects
• Bootcamps 101
• Full-Stack Development
• Career Changes
• View all Career Discussions
• Mobile App Development
• Cybersecurity
• Product Management
• UX/UI Design
• What is a Coding Bootcamp?
• Are Coding Bootcamps Worth It?
• How to Choose a Coding Bootcamp
• Best Online Coding Bootcamps and Courses
• Best Free Bootcamps and Coding Training
• Coding Bootcamp vs. Community College
• Coding Bootcamp vs. Self-Learning
• Bootcamps vs. Certifications: Compared
• What Is a Coding Bootcamp Job Guarantee?
• How to Pay for Coding Bootcamp
• Ultimate Guide to Coding Bootcamp Loans
• Best Coding Bootcamp Scholarships and Grants
• Education Stipends for Coding Bootcamps
• Get Your Coding Bootcamp Sponsored by Your Employer
• GI Bill and Coding Bootcamps
• Tech Intevriews
• Our Enterprise Solution
• Connect With Us
• Publication
• Reskill America
• Partner With Us

• Resource Center
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s Degree

The Top 10 Most Interesting Social Media Research Topics

Finding social media research topics you’re interested in is tricky. Social media is a fairly new field, and the constant arrival of new technology means that it’s always evolving. So, students have a lot to think about in their search for topics.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through social media research paper topics that are timely and relevant. We’ll also show you examples of social media research topics you can get inspiration from. Lastly, we’re going to lay out some social media research questions you can ponder while formulating your topic.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong social media research topic.

A strong social media research topic requires clarity of focus. This means that your topic must be timely, relevant, and coherent. This allows your research topic to be compelling and easily understandable to others.

Tips for Choosing a Social Media Research Topic

• Know the trends. Learning what social media topics are trending allows you to know the relevant issues and emergent themes in the field of social media. This also lets you know what topics are well-researched and which ones are still emerging.
• Explore knowledge gaps. Knowing what previous researchers have written prevents you from repeating knowledge that has already been explored and shared. Nobody wants to reinvent the wheel when doing research. Exploring knowledge gaps lets you increase the impact of your work and identify opportunities for further research.
• Choose something that you’re interested in. Diving deep into a topic that you’re interested in motivates you to learn more about it. The research process becomes more engaging when you know you care about your topic.
• Be specific. Knowing what you want to research and what you don’t want to research are keys to the research process. This entails narrowing down your topic to a specific area, subject, theme, or relationship. You want to know the scope and the limitations of your study.
• Check your timeframe. Limiting your topic to a specific timeframe helps in narrowing down what you need to study. For example, you can decide to study a phenomenon that has emerged in just the last three years. By doing this, you’re making sure that your research is both specific and relevant.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

The difference between a research topic and a research question is in the scope. Research topics tend to be broader than research questions. Research topics focus on a specific area of study within a larger field, while a research question further narrows down what you are researching. A good research question allows you to write on your topic with greater precision.

How to Create Strong Social Media Research Questions

The key to creating strong social media research questions is learning enough about your topic to know where the gaps are. This means that you have to conduct a thorough social media literature review, reading previous studies until you have a handle on what’s been said and what questions are still unanswered. Your question will emerge from this preliminary research.

Top 10 Social Media Research Paper Topics

1. a comparative review of facebook, instagram, and tiktok as primary marketing platforms for small businesses.

A lot of small businesses have flocked to various social media sites to market their products and services. Social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok are platforms that deliver constant online content to their users. Comparing the marketing and advertising strategies of these online platforms will shed light on how social media helps businesses .

2. The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health

Mental health has been an important topic in social media research these past few years. Social media use and its connection to mental health has even been the subject of systematic reviews. This means that there’s a huge body of previous studies that you can look to when developing your research question.

Exploring both the positive effects and negative impacts of social media sites on mental health helps people and firms establish guidelines that help user communities. This research topic might also cover strategies for helping social media users improve their mental health.

3. The Role of Social Media in Political Campaigning

Social media is a new tool for political campaigning. Exploring what social media strategies have been conducted by politicians running for office helps in determining how social media aids in political campaigning. Studying new strategies like user-generated content for political campaigning allows you to know how voters interact with political candidates.

4. The Role of Social Media in Disinformation

The rise of fake news has coincided with the rise of social networking websites. This topic involves dissecting how social media technologies allow certain types of online content to thrive and make it easier for bad actors to spread disinformation.

5. How Social Media Can Benefit Communities

More and more social issues have been popularized through online content. Diving deep into how social media can facilitate organizational networking lets you compare the traditional and new organizing strategies being created in digital spaces. It also lets you understand how social media activity influences trends in virtual communities.

6. The Effects of Social Media Exposure on Child Development

Children also use social media sites. Some children use social networking sites under the supervision of their parents, and some do not. Social interaction, online or not, affects how children develop. Studying the psychological effects of social media exposure lets you know how social media may improve or derail the growth of children.

7. How Communication Has Evolved Through Social Media

Body language, tone of voice, and other non-verbal cues are absent in online forms of communication. In their place, emojis and other new ways to express thoughts and emotions have appeared. Learning how social media changes the way we talk to one another allows you to develop a theory of communication that takes into account the role of digital communities.

8. Social Media Platforms as Primary News Sources

A lot of people now are getting their daily dose of news and current events through social media. News networks have also established their social media presence on platforms that they can use to deliver news and current events to their audiences. Researching this topic lets you investigate the changes and innovations in information dissemination.

9. How Social Media Paves Way for Non-Traditional Advertising

Regular social media posts, advertisements, and other forms of online content aren’t the only ways businesses market to their audiences. Social media has paved the way for user-generated content and other non-traditional types of online marketing. With this topic, you can learn social media marketing strategies that have been capitalized on the social connection fostered by social networking websites.

10. Impacts of Social Media Presence on Corporate Image

More businesses increasingly build and curate their digital presence through various social networks. Knowing how a business can improve its corporate image through social media influence clarifies the role of technology in modern economics and online marketing.

Other Examples of Social Media Research Topics & Questions

Social media research topics.

• Social Media Addiction and Adolescent Mental Health
• The Rise of Social Media Influencers
• The Role of Social Media Sites as Political Organizing Tools Under Repressive Governments
• Social Media Influencers and Adolescent Mental Health
• How Social Media Is Used in Natural Disasters and Critical Events

Social Media Research Questions

• How was Facebook used as a political campaigning tool in the 2020 United States presidential election? 
• What social platforms are the most effective in influencing consumer behavior?
• How does user-generated content boost the credibility of a business?
• How do different types of online content disseminated through popular networks affect the attention span of people?
• What are the most effective forms of online content and social media strategies for increasing sales conversions for small businesses?

Choosing the Right Social Media Research Topic

Choosing the right social media research topic helps you create meaningful contributions to the discipline of social media studies. Knowing the most popular topics in the field can make you an expert on social media. By reading up on previous studies, you will not only be more informed but you will also be in a position to make a positive impact on future studies.

Studying the relationship between social media and different fields produces valuable knowledge. Even if you’re only interested in exploring one social platform or a single social media event or phenomenon, your research can help people better understand how social media engagement changes the face of social relationships in the world at large.

Social Media Research Topics FAQ

Social media is a computer-based technology that allows digital communities to exchange information through user networks. Various social media networks specialize in text, photo, or video transfer. All of these are ways for people on the Internet to share information and ideas with each other.

Social media research is important because it helps you contribute to the growing body of knowledge about digital social settings. In 2021, according to DataReportal, at least 4.88 billion people around the world use the Internet . The more that people connect with each other through the social media domain, the more their quality of life changes, for better or worse.

According to Statista, the most popular social media platforms right now are Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp , each of which has at least two billion users. These social networks allow users to share text, picture, and video content with one another.

People use social media to connect with each other, share information, and entertain themselves. Social media sites can broadly serve all of these purposes or be focused on just one of these functions.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

What's Next?

Get matched with top bootcamps

Ask a question to our community, take our careers quiz.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Why Choose Us
• Vision and Mission
• Hire Writers
• How it Works

Latest Social Media Dissertation Topics for 21st Century Students

Table of Contents

What Constitutes Social Media?

Dissertation writing and when is it required, 50+ interesting social media dissertation topic ideas, how to choose the best topic for your social media dissertation, mistakes to not make while choosing a dissertation topic, how can assignment desk help you write a social media dissertation, frequently asked questions.

In recent decades, the world has changed very fast, and it is hard to keep up. With changing times, social media dissertation topics are increasingly becoming a popular choice for students. Issues are available in abundance, but to secure top grades, you need the one that is unique, relevant and impacts society. It would be best if you had a topic that makes the long process of dissertation writing an exciting journey.

Social media is a combination of web-based applications or platforms developed, operated, and maintained by social media organizations. People can share information, ideas, and interests and express themselves on these platforms using videos, photos, comments, and texts. In addition, online social networks can be created on social media connected by a social media profile to different people or groups of people.

It is different from traditional media as it offers two-way communication to the user who was absent in the older forms of media. It enables constructive contributions and discussions. With its increasing influence on our life, topics related to social media are increasingly becoming popular in dissertation writing.

But what is a dissertation, and why one is required to write it? Below is some information regarding it.

It is a document that a student must submit to prove he is eligible for a particular degree or qualification to pursue a profession. It is a detailed document that consists of a student's knowledge of the topic and the details of the research and findings. The basic structure of a dissertation is:

• Content Table
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology

A dissertation can be of varying details, complexity, and research level, which depends on the university and program. The time taken may also vary according to this.

The grades you aim to achieve in a subject depend primarily on the quality of your dissertation. The most important part is the topic selection. As many dissertations are written yearly, topics get exhausted or outdated quickly. Therefore, one has to choose a theme carefully after doing thorough research.

Here is a list of the most exciting and trending social media dissertation topics that have significance in the current social media scenario. You can choose or get an idea about the topic of your interest from the list.

Need Personalised Assistance from Our Experts?

Share Your Requirements via Whatsapp!

1. Social Media and the World

a). How has social media changed the world?

b). How has social media changed the way we communicate?

c). Is social media doing more harm than good?

d). How is social media contributing to the good of society?

e). Can social media impact political leanings?

f). Studying the use of social media in the COVID-19 era? Awareness vs. Misinformation

g). Has social media made the government more accountable towards the citizens?

h). How instrumental was the role of social media in building consensus for Brexit?

i). Role of social media in promoting gender equality

2. Social Media and Mental Health

a). Impact of social media on a young mind

b). How does trending syndrome affect self-esteem?

c). Why is validation on social media so important for the young generation?

d). Does social media create a false sense of fame?

e). Why are social media and suicide being linked increasingly?

f). Social media helped in reducing the stigma attached to depression.

g). How did social media provide mental support to people stuck alone during the lockdown?

h). How does cyberbullying impact the confidence of young people?

i). Social media can induce an inferiority complex among people.

3. Social Media and Marketing

a). How has social media changed branding techniques?

b). Does brand popularity on social media translate into real customers?

c). Developing an effective social media marketing strategy

d). How is a consumer turned into a product by marketers?

e). Social media - A boon for young start-ups

f). Traditional marketing vs. New age marketing

g). How is personal information used to serve targeted ads on social media platforms?

h). Social media makes companies more responsible for customers.

i). How can resources be used to influence trends?

j). How are companies that don't use social media marketing surviving?

4. Social Media and Traditional Media

a). How has news consumption changed because of social media?

b). Is print news becoming irrelevant in the social media age?

c). Radio on the brink of extinction - Age of Podcast

d). Is television news going to survive YouTube storm?

e). How do subscription-based media models get boosted by social media?

f). Social media has reduced the cost of news gathering.

g). How is social media making people less informed and more opinionated?

5. Social Media and Education

a). Can social media act as an alternative to traditional education?

b). Can virtual classrooms provide complete education?

c). Why should fact-checking be made a permanent part of the curriculum?

d). Are historical facts being altered or rewritten using social media?

e). How is social media addiction reducing the attention span of students?

f). Social media is affecting the reading habit of children.

g). Contribution of social media in the dissemination of information.

6. Social Media and Young People

a). How social media users' intertwined social lives smart teenagers?

b). Explain about the Online communities stating about social media and mental illness

c). What are the repercussions of social media addiction and is it a thing?

d). What can we infer about young people's politics from their usage of social media?

e). Young people's development of resilience: The unexpectedly protective function of social media

f). What do you understand by the term connective journalism? Main potential issues with social media, explain.

g). How social media may be constructively embraced in civic education.

h). Youth education and the sharing of genuine tales on social media.

7. Social Media and Society

a). How is social media helping NGOs in raising funds?

b). Role of social media in raising awareness about environmental issues.

c). Social media plays an essential role in reporting crimes.

d). Was Facebook justified in Cambridge Analytica Case?

e). Is fake news on social media disturbing the peace of our society?

f). How does social media become the voice of the oppressed?

g). Social media has forced people to lead a dual life online and offline.

h). How happy are you can not be measured by social media numbers

8. Miscellaneous

a). Post-Truth World - A world full of alternative facts

b). Is social media helping in reviving democratic values?

c). Social media has made us more citizen than before

d). How did Russia hijack US presidential elections using fake news campaigns?

e). Rags to riches - How are social media stars formed?

f). How did social media expose racism in the premier league?

g). Can social media restriction be termed as curbing of human rights?

h). Is blaming social media for fake news? Are we shooting the messenger?

The topics suggested above are a few of many that can be taken up for your following social media dissertation  ideas . But it would be best if you kept in mind a few things before going for one. Below we have elaborated on how to and what not to do when choosing a topic.

Struggling to Find Best Dissertation Topic?

Get a Unique Title & Dissertation Proposal Outline for FREE!

You May Be Interested In: Top 5 Best Fonts for Dissertation to Make it Look Organized

Interest:  A topic should be selected based on your interest. Dissertation writing is a long process, and significant research is needed. If the social media dissertation idea  is not attractive, you can quickly get bored while reading and writing daily about it. It can impact the quality of your work.

Information:  Gather enough information about the field and try to find as much data and work on it. It would help if you started with an area with a broad base. Research for as much material as possible and prepare a list of avenues you want to explore. The material that you gather should help you write the entire document.

Concise : When gathering data, look for aspects that interest you the most. Narrow down your search and start focusing on a particular stream related to your field. You can get confused between different choices, so it is essential to make up your mind quickly and firmly fix it on one topic. You will not doubt your choice after work has started.

Resources:  Evaluate the resources available to you; don't choose topics that are beyond them. Your skill sets, level of knowledge and research, funding availability, and peer support should also play a part in the process.

Now, you have learned how to choose a topic, but you must also avoid mistakes that students frequently make while doing it. Read below to understand some common mistakes.

Writing in a Jiffy:  Students tend to hurry while selecting topics without doing enough thinking. As a result, they don't go deep into the subject to explore unique ideas.

No Value Addition:  They don't evaluate what they will contribute to the field. They go for the topics that have already been done and are not adding anything new to the area. The document produced is just of average quality that has already been repeated many times, resulting in middle grades.

Choosing Without Discussion:  Discuss your topic ideas with your peers and teachers. They can help you refine your search and give an outsider's perspective on your thought process. They can tell you what has already been done and how you can bring a fresh twist.

These are the mistakes that one makes while choosing a topic. Many students turn to us when they can't find  media dissertation topics  or struggle to write the document. You can rely on the experts of the Assignment Desk for unmatched assistance with your dissertation.

Assignment Desk is a popular choice among students seeking assistance with dissertation writing on different subjects. We have a team of experts who have been helping students for years. Some features that you may love about our  dissertation help  service are:

• Unlimited Revisions
• Plagiarism-Free Work
• Refund Policy
• High Customer Satisfaction
• On-Time Delivery

You will get the best solutions from us that can get you the highest grade in your dissertation. We work for your success. Order Now!

Need Help with Social Media Dissertation?

Get a 100% Original Dissertation Written by EXPERTS

1. What Is an Ideal Approach to Writing Social Media Marketing Dissertation?

One of the best ideal approaches for writing a social media marketing dissertation is that students should choose the topic, conduct in-depth research on the same, and identify all relevant information and sources. In addition, the writing should be firm and clear, attracts readers' attention, and last proofread the dissertation to make it error-free.

2. Why Should I Buy a Social Media Marketing Dissertation Topic From You?

Social media marketing is one of the competitive fields. It requires attractive and eyes catchy topics to grab readers' attention. Our expert writers provide the best and most impressive social media marketing dissertation topic based on in-depth research that helps students secure higher academic grades.

Share Your Requirements Now for Customized Solutions.

Delivered on-time or your money back

Our Services

• Assignment Writing Service
• Essay Writing Help
• Dissertation Writing Service
• Coursework Writing Service
• Proofreading & Editing Service
• Online Exam Help
• Term paper writing service
• Ghost Writing Service
• Case Study Writing Service
• Research Paper Writing Service
• Personal Statement Writing Service
• Resume Writing Service
• Report Writing Service

To Make Your Work Original

Check your work against paraphrasing & get a free Plagiarism report!

Check your work against plagiarism & get a free Plagiarism report!

Quick and Simple Tool to Generate Dissertation Outline Instantly

Get citations & references in your document in the desired style!

Make your content free of errors in just a few clicks for free!

Generate plagiarism-free essays as per your topic’s requirement!

Generate a Compelling Thesis Statement and Impress Your Professor

FREE Features

• Topic Creation USD 3.87 FREE
• Outline USD 9.33 FREE
• Unlimited Revisions USD 20.67 FREE
• Editing/Proofreading USD 28 FREE
• Formatting USD 8 FREE
• Bibliography USD 7.33 FREE

Get all these features for

USD 80.67 FREE

RELATED BLOGS

What Is Content Analysis? Types, Steps, and Applications

Can Turnitin Detect ChatGPT? How it Works?

How to Answer “To What Extent” Questions? Structure, Tips, and Examples

Know All about Purposive Sampling | Definition, Example & FAQs

5 Paragraph Essay: Format, Tips and Examples | 2024

What Is Thematic Analysis? Merits, Demerits and Its Approach

Professional assignment writers.

Choose a writer for your task among hundreds of professionals

Please rotate your device

We don't support landscape mode yet. Please go back to portrait mode for the best experience

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Know more

Calculate the Price

Professional Academic Help at Pocket-Friendly Prices!

Estimated Price

Limited Time Offer

Exclusive Library Membership + FREE Wallet Balance

1 Month Access !

5000 Student Samples

10,000 Answers by Experts

Get $300 Now

Dissertation Topics Focused on Social Media and Young People

Social media has become firmly rooted within the lives of young people and is now one of the core barometers of their sense of self-worth. Here we have five custom topics that examine various differing issues surrounding young people’s interaction with social networking.

1) The interconnected social lives of social-media-savvy teens

Social media has never been so diverse in its offer to young people – there is now a greater variety of platforms open to young people than ever before. What functions do these differing platforms play in the social lives of teens, and do different platforms serve different social functions? Reference: Boyd, D., 2014. It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press.

2) Online ‘thinspiration’ and ‘pro-ana’ groups – social media and mental illness

Social networking – especially visual platforms such as Instagram or Snapchat – can significantly influence young people’s sense of body image and body dissatisfaction. Online groups which use ‘thinspiration’ to encourage the use of extreme dieting behaviours have been linked to increased severity of eating disorders. Pro-anorexia groups also encourage those already suffering from an eating disorder to not seek help and to actively become more ill. How and why are these groups accessed and how do members interact with each other in them? Reference: Homewood, J. and Melkonian, M., 2015. ‘What factors account for internalisation of the content of pro-ana websites’. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 86(9), pp.e3-e3.

3) 5 more minutes…is social media addictive and what are the effects of this?

Young people turn to, and become strongly invested in any platform that enables them to link with peers and fit in with their sub-group. It is widely accepted that social networking can be an arena in which young people are compulsively checking in on, and interacting with. At what stage does this compulsion become addiction, how does this addiction manifest itself and what are the effects? Reference: Hawi, N.S. and Samaha, M., 2016. ‘The relations among social media addiction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in university students’. Social Science Computer Review, p.0894439316660340.

4) What does young people’s use of social media tell us about their politics?

Increasingly political parties are becoming more aware of the importance of engaging young adults (18+) with their policies through social networking. In the UK 2017 general election, for example, the mobilisation of the youth vote via social media channels was attributed to the surprise result. How, then, do young people engage in politics through the channels of social media and what effect does this engagement have on voting behaviours? Reference: Loader, B.D., Vromen, A. and Xenos, M.A., 2014. The networked young citizen: social media, political participation and civic engagement. Routledge.

5) Building resilience in young people – the surprising protective role of social media

Despite the plethora of negative attention paid to the dangers of young people’s use of social media, there is a view that moderate use of social networking can help build resilience and wellbeing in young people. However – what does ‘moderate use’ constitute, and how is this achieved? Moreover, are their certain populations of young people – those with mental health problems, LGBT individuals, for example – who are more likely to benefit from moderate social networking use? Reference: Chong, E.S., Zhang, Y., Mak, W.W. and Pang, I.H., 2015. ‘Social Media as Social Capital of LGB Individuals in Hong Kong: Its Relations with Group Membership, Stigma, and Mental Well‐Being’. American journal of community psychology, 55(1-2), pp.228-238.

6) Connective journalism: how social media can cause problems.

Connective journalism is concerned with how problems arise through social networking where young people learn of different opinions to their own immediate experiences. The news arises increasingly from interactions on social media and networking rather than being produced and edited by a team of professionals. Can this process cause problems? Reference: Clark, L. S., and Marchi, R., 2017. Young People and the Future of News: Social Media and the Rise of Connective Journalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

7) Is the student/teacher relationship changing due to social media?

The question as to whether it is appropriate for teachers to communicate through social media with their students and if so, what are the boundaries are questions that arise during this investigation of social media. Who and how are these interactions monitored by and are there any feedback systems for either the teachers or the students? Reference: Miller, D., Costa, E., Haynes, N., McDonald, T., Nicolescu, R., Sinanan, J., Spyer, J., Venkatraman, S., and Wang, X., 2016. How the World Changed Social Media. London: UCL Press.

8) How citizenship education can positively embrace social media.

This topic involves an exploration of national identity and roots, through social networking, with regards to citizenship education and young people. Such areas as individuals in poorer countries possibly being disadvantaged by the lack of access to social media technology could be considered, along with an examination of citizenship education itself. Reference: Elinor L., Brown,Anna Krasteva, and Maria Ranieri, (eds). 2016. ELearning and Social Media: Education and Citizenship for the Digital 21st Century. Charlotte, N.C: Information Age Publishing.

9) Collaborative learning through social media connections.

This topic investigates the ways in which social media could be examined so as to understand the growth of collaborative learning and cultures within a community. It acknowledges the constant information seeking from learners together with the possibility of sharing information and that they should be considered more as possible co-producers of content rather than simply consumers. Reference: Sharratt, L., and Planche, B., 2016. Leading Collaborative Learning: Empowering Excellence. Corwin: Thousand Oaks, California.

10) Youth education and social media’s conveyance of true stories.

The effects of social media as an educational tool to convey real life stories and events to young people needs to be carefully examined, in that there are both advantages and disadvantages in the actions of social media. What is truth? What is a true story? Who decides it is true and is it helpful? Are all questions that could arise from studying this topic. Reference: Pickard, V., and Yang, G., (eds)., 2017. Media Activism in the Digital Age. London: Routledge.

11) Young people and social media-Are young people shunning the mainstream media?

The rise of social media has completely transformed the way that people get their news. Social networking creates a more fluid concept of information and a horizontal distribution of knowledge about the world. Are young people are shunning the mainstream media, preferring instead to get the news about the world from social networking? How is this phenomenon impacting on the lives of young people? Reference: Humphreys, A. (2016) Social Media-Enduring Principles, Oxford University Press, Oxford

12) Does the spread of “fake news” affect usage of social media by young people?

In recent times, social networking has been blamed for the spread of “fake news.” Social networking enables people to say what they want. This means that there is a lot of information that circulates on the social networking that cannot possibly be verified. Has the use of social networking by young people been affected by the spread of “fake news”? Is this a phenomenon that worries young people? Reference: Brake, D. (2016) Sharing our Lives Online: Risks and Exposure in Social Media, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and New York

13) Has social media become a learning tool for young people in the Western world?

Social scientists argue that social networking has the potential to become a valuable learning tool. What is the rate of adoption of this methodology amongst young people? Have young people have adopted social networking as a learning tool? Has adoption of social networking become a learning tool that enhances the learning experience for young people? Reference: Wu, T. (2011) The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires, Vintage, London

14) Is social media responsible for the rise in mental illness amongst young people?

In recent times, there has been a significant increase in mental illness amongst young people, particularly in North America and Western Europe. Is there an established a link between the rise in mental illness amongst young people and the increased use of social networking? In which way is the increased use of social networking impacting on the mental health of young people? Reference: O’Reilly, T. (2017) WTF?: What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us, Harper Business, London

15) Has social media been a factor for a renewed interest in politics amongst young people?

The recent elections that took place in the United States and Western Europe show the importance of social networking as an instrument for political debate. However, is social networking a medium for polarisation in the political realm? How is this phenomenon affecting young people? Has social networking become an instrument for the renewed interest in politics amongst young people, as seen in the wave of support for progressive movements across Western Europe and North America? Reference: Greenfield, A. (2017) Radical Technologies: The Design of Everyday Life, Verso, London

You may also like

Research in Media Psychology

Main navigation.

The Stanford Department of Communication has long been a pioneer in studying the relationships between digital media, psychology and behavior. In the early nineties, Clifford Nass and his graduate students were among the first in the world to empirically examine constructs such as agency and anthropomorphism. Soon thereafter Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass published their landmark book,  The Media Equation , which set the stage for a new research paradigm based on the notion that the brain has not evolved to differentiate mediated experiences from actual ones. Indeed, one of the fastest growing divisions of the International Communication Association, Communication and Technology, is substantially based on the work of Stanford scholars.

Currently, the area focuses on a number of ways in which digital media affect people.  Jeremy Bailenson  directs the  Virtual Human Interaction Lab  and studies the phenomenon of digital human representation, especially in the context of immersive virtual reality.  Jeff Hancock  uses computational linguistics to analyze interpersonal relations in social media.  Gabriella Harari  studies the ways the digital technologies we use everyday reveal our personality structures and shape our life outcomes.  Nilam Ram  studies the dynamic interplay between psychological and media processes and how they change from moment-to-moment and across the life span.  Byron Reeves  utilizes physiological measures to understand media effects in multiplayer game technology, and develops applications for using those networked games to address critical issues such as global warming.

Students and faculty in the media psychology area collaborate frequently with other departments on campus. Current Communication faculty have active collaborations with scholars in computer science, education, psychology, engineering, linguistics, the business school, and MediaX. The department also draws a steady stream of visits from new media technology researchers.

Faculty — Media Psychology

Postdoctoral Scholars — Media Psychology

Doctoral Students — Media Psychology

Selected Graduates in Academia

• Mark Miller, Ph.D. 2023. Assistant Professor, Computer Science, Illinois Institute of Technology
• Mu-Jung Cho , Ph.D. 2020. Postdoc, Stanford School of Medicine, Pediatrics
• Dave Miller , Ph.D. 2019. Postdoc, Cornell University
• Dave Markowitz , Ph.D. 2018. Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, University of Oregon
• Jakki Bailey , Ph.D. 2017. Assistant Professor, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin
• Rene Kizilcec , Ph.D. 2017, Assistant Professor, Information School, Cornell University
• James Scarborough , Ph.D. 2017, Lecturer, Department of Communication, Cal Poly
• James Cummings , Ph.D. 2016. Assistant Professor, Emerging Media Studies, Boston University
• Jamy Li , Ph.D. 2016. Assistant Professor, Human Media Interaction, University of Twente, Netherlands
• Andrea Stevenson Won , Ph.D. 2016. Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University
• Yeon Joo , Ph.D. 2014, Associate Professor, Department of Digital Media, Myungji University
• Dean Eckles , Ph.D. 2012, Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management
• Kathryn Segovia , Ph.D. 2012, Head of Learning Experience Design, Stanford d.school
• Grace Ahn , Ph.D. 2011, Associate Professor, College of Journalism, University of Georgia
• Jesse Fox , Ph.D. 2010, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University
• Roselyn Jong-Eun Lee-Won , Ph.D. 2009, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University
• Leila Takayama , Ph.D. 2008, Associate Professor, Psychology, University of California Santa Cruz
• Sohye Lim , Ph.D. 2006, Associate Professor, EWHA Women’s University
• Kevin Wise , Ph.D. 2004, Associate Professor, Department of Advertising, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Eun-Ju Lee , Ph.D. 2000, Professor, Seoul National University
• Katherine Isbister , Ph.D. 1998, Professor, Department of Computational Media at University of California Santa Cruz
• Osei Appiah , Ph.D. 1998, Professor, School of Communication, The Ohio State University
• Brian Fogg , Ph.D. 1997, Research Scholar, Stanford
• Youngme Moon , Ph.D. 1996, Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School
• Benjamin Detenber , Ph.D. 1995, Professor, School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
• S. Shyam Sundar , Ph.D. 1995, Distinguished Professor, Penn State University
• Glenn Leshner , Ph.D. 1994, Professor, College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Oklahoma University
• Michael Basil , Ph.D. 1992, Professor, School of Business, University of Lethbridge
• Barbara Brown , Ph.D. 1989, School of Business, San Jose State (retired)
• Michael Slater , Ph.D. 1988, Director and Professor, School of Communication, The Ohio State University

Selected Graduates in Industry and Nonprofit

• Hanseul Jun, Ph.D. 2022. Software Engineer, Apple
• Mufan Luo , Ph.D. 2021. Robinhood
• Annabelle Ho , Ph.D. 2019, UX Researcher, Google
• Catherine Oh , Ph.D. 2019, Researcher, Google
• Megan French , Ph.D. 2018, UX Researcher, Facebook
• Ketaki Shriram , Ph.D. 2017, CTO, Krikey
• Leo Yeykelis , Ph.D. 2015, Head of UX Research, VMWare
• Lorin Dole , Ph.D. 2011, UX Researcher, Google
• Helen Harris , Ph.D. 2011, UX Research Manager, Google
• Jiang Hu , Ph.D. 2011, Oracle
• Katherine Murray , Ph.D. 2011
• Victoria Groom , Ph.D. 2010
• Shailendra Rao , Ph.D. 2010, Uber
• Vanessa Vega , Ph.D. 2010, Research Associate, Rockman Et Al
• Jane Wang , Ph.D. 2010
• David Danielson , Ph.D. 2008
• Nick Yee , Ph.D. 2007, Co-Founder and Analytics Lead, Quantic Foundry
• Eva Jettmar , Ph.D. 2006
• Scott Brave , Ph.D. 2003, CTO, Fullcontact, Inc.
• Li Gong , Ph.D. 2001, Researcher, SAP
• Raoul Rickenberg , Ph.D. 1999
• Peter Orton , Ph.D. 1995, Media Research Scientist, IBM (retired)
• David Voelker , Ph.D. 1994, Strategic Communication Consultant
• Seth Geiger , Ph.D. 1990, President, Smith-Geiger Media Research

PhD in Emerging Media Studies

New media poses challenges for society and complexities for researchers. Are you ready to tackle both?

Academic Bulletin

• Degree Requirements
• PhD Students
• Request Info

The Boston University PhD program in Emerging Media Studies is the nation’s first doctorate program in emerging media and its critical, daily role in modern life.

COM’s unique program prepares its doctoral students to become sophisticated researchers and critical thinkers who are ready to advance the fields of communication, sociological, and media leadership. Designed for students with a master’s degree, this program helps candidates gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of emerging media in society and organizations and hone their research skills through independent, innovative, and mentored research.

Recent and upcoming dissertation topics address a wide array of topics, such as social perceptions of robots, the effects of television binge-watching, and media framing of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Meet COM’s First Doctoral Recipient, Sarah Krongard

It seems there’s always something to celebrate at COM, and the 2019 fall semester marked one particularly noteworthy achievement — PhD…

Learning and Teaching

EMS graduate students are taught and mentored by some of the leading researchers and thinkers in the field.  The faculty make full use of the most advanced theories and methods to examine communication phenomena — from social media, streaming content, and AR/VR to Big Data and AI. Under their guidance, students learn how to conduct and analyze social science research concerning all types of emerging media. 

 As a doctoral student, you’ll serve as a teaching fellow while enrolled in the program. On average, you should expect to serve as a teaching fellow a minimum of two times during the program.

Resources for Research 

COM graduate students get ready for careers by rolling up their sleeves for hands-on research.

All Emerging Media Studies students contribute to COM’s annual #ScreentimeBU conference, an opportunity to present their research in the field of digital communication and society as well as exchange their views with peers and field leaders concerning important contemporary issues. By showcasing the fruits of your research, you’ll share their ideas with the general public and industry leaders. Additionally, the conference provides an opportunity for you to develop your public communication capabilities and receive input from industry experts in a professional setting.

CENTER FOR MOBILE Communication Studies

Laptops, smart phones, and tablets have been transformed from novelties to necessities. But we’re only beginning to understand how they have transformed us.

EMS students also take advantage of research opportunities at COM’s Communication Research Center , COM’s primary research hub, and the state of-the-art technology offered at the Zimmerman Family Social Activation Center, that puts in-depth social media analytics at your fingertips.

Funding Support

Because the doctoral program is immersive and requires full-time participation for a number of years, all PhD students in Emerging Media Studies are funded for the duration of their study, up to a maximum of five years. Funding includes a full tuition scholarship, health insurance credit, and stipend in return for teaching and research obligations. Students with their own funding for the program (through the Fulbright Commission, government funding or other source) will still be required to serve as a teaching fellow for at least one semester. Compensation will be provided.

Benefit from Boston

One of BU’s greatest resources is its location. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the world, Boston is “America’s college town,” a city rich in history while remaining on the forefront of culture and innovation. Boston is a Top 10 U.S. media market, and home to some of the world’s best creative agencies, media companies and leading employers — offering boundless opportunities for internships and careers.

More than 80%

of our graduate students receive scholarships.

Purpose Driven

COM stands out from our peers. Our faculty offers a mix of researchers and practitioners who endorse a cross-discipline, hands-on approach to learning. Our location lies at the heart of an electric, media-savvy city.

But it may be COM’s shared values that matter most. We believe that communication requires diversity, critical thinking, and creative expression. We believe that communication must be grounded in truth, authenticity, effectiveness, and purpose. We believe that communication builds understanding among people and across society.

Emerging Media Research

Physiological response to political advertisement: examining the influence of partisan and….

This study investigates voters’ physiological response to real political advertisements that are issue focused and sponsored by three different political…

Does world system theory rein in social media? Identifying factors contributing…

This article examined how social media content has shaped the representation of countries for publics around the world. Based on…

The Robot Rights and Responsibilities Scale: Development and Validation of a…

The discussion and debates surrounding the robot rights topic demonstrate vast differences in the possible philosophical, ethical, and legal approaches…

The Social Contagion Potential of Pro-Vaccine Messages on Black Twitter

Black Americans in the US not only suffered from disproportionately high hospitalization and death rates throughout the pandemic but also…

Meet the Emerging Media Faculty

Chris Chao Su

Assistant professor, emerging media studies.

Chris Wells

Associate professor, emerging media studies.

Daniel Park

Visiting assistant professor, emerging media studies.

Feld Professor of Emerging Media

James Cummings

Kelsey Prena

Emerging media news, com’s new dalton professor knows disinformation from personal experience.

When Robots Deliver the News

Joan Donovan, Nationally Recognized Expert in Misinformation and Disinformation, Joins COM Faculty

Emerging Media Studies

• Department of Sociological Studies

Digital media and society

Digital media are integral to society and to everyday life, as platforms shaping public processes and values, and as intimate devices for living, connecting and networking.

The Digital Media and Society research area in the Department for Sociological Studies is concerned with a broad range of digital media/society issues, including: 

• Self-representation and online identities in relation to gender, age, race & ethnicity, globalisation;
• Digital infrastructures;
• Digital media and activism;
• Digital media and marginalised groups (eg relating to gender, race, sexuality);
• Mobile digital media and digital marketing;
• Digital media and health, mental health and well-being;
• Visual digital cultures;
• Digital research methods and ethics;
• Digital media theory (eg relating to politics, expertise and time).

Our research has been funded by ESRC (e.g. Making Climate Social ), AHRC (e.g. Drones in Visual Culture ), EPSRC (e.g. Trust In Data ), the European Commission (e.g. Queer Migrant Identities Online ), Australian Research Council (e.g. Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis ), the Norwegian Research Council (e.g. Data Visualization In Society ), Leverhulme (e.g. Tracking Ourselves? Caring for ourselves through everyday monitoring  and  Previvorship in the platform society. Cancer genetic risk in the digital age ),  Wellcome (e.g. Mix and Match: constituting racialised communities in UK stem cell donation and projects on tweeting rare diseases), the Nuffield Foundation (e.g. Living With Data ), and the British Academy (e.g.   Vaccine voices  and on secret-telling apps). 

Our research is regularly featured in national and international media, for example BBC TV and radio, the Guardian and Independent newspapers, and Wired magazine.

Digital Media and Society researchers play leadership roles in the main international associations in our field, including: 

• The Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR);
• The International Communications Association (ICA);
• The European Communications Research and Education Association (ECREA);
• The UK’s Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MECCSA);
• The British Sociological Association (BSA).  

Digital Media and Society PhD students are currently researching topics such as:

• The role of data visualisation in society;
• Digital health, from self-tracking and digital fitness companies to digital health activism;
• Self-representation, connectivity and intimacy – on WeChat, dating apps, gaming communities;
• Social media and environmentalism, including climate change communication and social norm messaging;
• Data, AI, algorithms and inequality;
• Digital and data-driven research methods;
• Gender and digital media;
• Covid-19 in the media. 
• Health, science and expertise on social media

Digital Media and Society PhD students and researchers are actively involved in the Sociological Studies' research themes (especially  Everyday Life & Critical Diversities  and  STeMiS ) and in Faculty of Social Sciences’ interdisciplinary research groups ( Digital Society Network , Migration Research Network , iHuman ).

People in the digital media and society research area include:

Dr hannah ditchfield.

Digital identity (and the presentation of self) Online interaction Social media/platform affordances Everyday perceptions of digital media Digital methods and ethics Qualitative research methods

Dr Ysabel Gerrard

Young people’s experiences of social media  Digital identities (particularly gender) Digital research methods and ethics

Dr Eva Haifa Giraud

Alternative & activist media Food politics ‘Lifestyle’ ethics Online dis/misinformation & hate speech Mediated activism Science & technology studies Social & cultural theory

Dr Matthew Hanchard

Critical data studies  Digital sociology/Digital geography  Media and communications Medial sociology Research methods Urban studies/Smart cities research Science and technology studies

Dr Briony Hannell

Youth, gender, race & sexuality Participatory culture & fandom Popular media cultures Belonging & (cultural) citizenship Feminist methodologies Feminist pedagogies & informal learning cultures

Dr Tim Highfield

Digital methods Visual social media Politics &/of digital media Time & digital media Everyday digital cultures Digital media platforms & their cultural & political interventions

Dr Eva Hilberg

The biopolitics of patient activism Intellectual property & Global Health Digital technologies & health The politics of molecular conceptions of life Foucauldian methods & Critical Theory

Dr Lianrui Jia

Political economy of media Platform studies App studies Media and financialization Media industries Media policy and regulation

Professor Helen Kennedy

New media theory, practice & creativity Social media data mining, big data analytics and data visualisation The myths of new media Media industries & cultural labour

Dr Ozge Ozduzen

Media activism Digital politics Contentious digital publics Visual cultures Online conspiracy theories Online racism

Dr Warren Pearce

Digital methodologies Expertise on digital platforms Social life of climate change Environmental imagery Computer vision Governance of climate knowledge Science communication Science and technology studies (STS)

Dr Preeti Raghunath

Global Media Policy Global Data Economy

Dr Harrison Smith

Surveillance Data analytics industries The geoweb Mobile digital culture Digital marketing

Dr Stefania Vicari

Digital methods Digital publics Health and illness Platform studies Networks

Dr Kate Weiner

Everyday health practices Mundane health technologies Lay/professional knowledge Genetics Prevention Qualitative methods Science & technology studies Sociology of health & illness

Dr Ros Williams

Health & social media Digital health Sociology of health & illness Genetics Race & ancestry Science & technology in society/STS Digital methods Tissue donation & biobanking

Related information

Our research

Current projects

The University's cross-faculty research centres harness our interdisciplinary expertise to solve the world's most pressing challenges.

• PhD in Clinical Psychology
• Clinical Concentrations

PhD in Psychology

• PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Media & Technology
• PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development
• Media Psychology
• Master’s in Media Psychology
• Media Psychology Certificate
• Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Psychology
• Postdoctoral Certificate in Respecialization in Clinical Psychology
• Neuropsychology Specialization Training Program
• PhD Degree Completion Program
• PhD in Human Development
• PhD in Organizational Development and Change
• EdD Leadership for Change
• Doctoral Concentrations
• Master’s in Organization Development and Leadership
• Evidence Based Coaching Certificate
• ALL PROGRAMS
• COURSE CATALOG
• Request for Information
• Upcoming Info Session
• Degrees & Programs
• Transfer Credits
• Scholarships & Fellowships
• Tuition & Fees
• Office of Admissions
• Office of Financial Aid
• Veterans Services
• Office of Student Services
• myFielding (University Intranet)
• Moodle (Learning.Fielding.edu)
• Library Student Login
• One-Stop Student Center
• Contact An Advisor
• Student Advising
• REQUEST INFO
• 800.567.8910
• Alumni Events
• Alumni News
• Alumni Services

with an emphasis in Media & Technology

Where technology meets human experience.

[pictured alum: Dr. Lawrence Drake II, Class of 2015 – Bethune-Cookman University Interim President]

" * " indicates required fields

*All Fields are required. By submitting this form, you agree to be contacted regarding your request and are confirming you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

for the Working Professional

$9,890/ term

No standardized tests needed

NEXT START DATE

Sept. 4, 2024

Program Director

Brian Cutler, PhD

PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Media & Technology

The Fielding PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Media & Technology prepares students to work at the intersection of psychology theories and media technologies. The curriculum blends the study of social behaviors, cognition, perception, and emotion with the research skills you need to be a specialist in psychology applied to media and technology. How people interact with, use, and respond to media affects every aspect of life, from relationships, education, entertainment, and marketing to addressing the pressing social and ethical issues of a digital world. Media psychology is not an end goal, it is a powerful set of skills that make you better able to tackle your passion and change the world, to harness and leverage the power of media technologies to do what matters most to you.

You will join students come from a variety of professional experiences and academic backgrounds with a common goal. You will join a community of scholar-practitioners—changemakers—who recognize that media psychology gives you the ability to see through the noise and focus on the drivers of human behavior to get to the heart of the issue, whether it’s technology development, communications strategies or expanding the field of academic knowledge.

APPLY NOW for FALL 2024

Media Psychology News

The latest news, announcements, and special events from Fielding’s Media Psychology program.

How Granfluencers are Breaking Stereotypes on TikTok

By Pam Rutledge | 2024-03-28T10:28:09-07:00 March 28th, 2024 |

AI Doesn’t Change Why Kids Should Learn to Code

By Pam Rutledge | 2024-03-22T10:32:13-07:00 March 22nd, 2024 |

Beyond Bans: How Can Teachers Tackle Social Media at School?

By Pam Rutledge | 2024-02-29T06:08:36-08:00 February 29th, 2024 |

What is Media Psychology?

Application requirements.

Media psychology starts with psychology.  Where traditional communication, media studies, sociology, or psychology programs focus on process or isolate media from human experience, media psychology looks for answer to the ‘why.’  Why do people react to media the way they do?  Why do people use some technologies more than others?  Why does technology use impact wellbeing?  Why does social representation matter? Why does social media influence how people feel about themselves? Why do people connect with stories?

In the media psychology program, you will gain an expertise of psychology to apply to media and technology. You can explore the ways in which cognition, emotion, and instinct can influence human responses to different media stimuli and alter technological impact. You can use these skills to anticipate consumption and use patterns, look for leverageable solutions to global problems, promote technology design that promotes economic, social, and environmental progress.  We give you the theoretical foundation and the skills to put your passion and commitment to work.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Online Application Form
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Statement of Purpose
• Critical Thinking Writing Sample
• Official Transcript
• No GRE Required

Start your application NOW!  

What we do..

Media psychologists are finding new roles across multiple domains. Fortune 100 companies, for example, increasingly recognize the need for applying media psychology to organizational communications, structure, products and strategy. Our graduates have innovated new roles working with companies like Mozilla, Fox Films, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom and Disney among others, as well as crafting new business and consulting opportunities and developing successful advocacy campaigns. Special projects within the program give students the opportunity to have real-life experience during the course of their education. Recent projects include partnering with the Department of Defense deconstructing the narrative, cognitive and neuroscience triggers of terrorism in the social space and developing brand-aligned corporate social responsibility programs for companies like Grub Hub.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT FIELDING?

• Customize Your Learning Experience

Tailor your degree to follow your passions and achieve your goals.

Partner with faculty to create a customized plan of study and research.

Study current trends and topics that have social impact , such as immersive media and augmented reality, media literacy, neuromarketing, psychology-based user experience research skills, and brand storytelling.

Use what you already know to inform your research.

Take charge  of your educational journey.

Your goals come first.  Every faculty member is committed to helping you build a program that will achieve your goals, from individual coursework to your dissertation.

Create media content

Develop communication strategies, educate the public, advise technology developers, speak at conferences globally, consult for media companies, publish academic research.

Why Choose Fielding’s Media Psychology program?

Follow Your Passion

From documentary filmmakers and educators to brand marketers and social advocates, students find their intellectual home in media psychology and leave equipped to achieve their goals and make a difference.

Qualifying Exam Presentation: Digital Emotion Regulation of Positive Emotions

The Fielding Qualifying Exam (QE) is the final step in the doctoral program preceding the dissertation. In media psychology, is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their breadth and depth of knowledge of the theory and research in their chosen area of specialization and it establishes the direction they wish to pursue in their dissertation.

As a media psychology doctoral student, Jay Grant’s QE and subsequent research, focus on the use of digital technologies for emotional regulation with an interest in positive media psychology.  Jay explores how the range of technologies from immersive technology and gaming to social media enable people to manage their emotional experiences.  This is increasingly important as people have on-demand access to social environments nearly anytime and anywhere. In considering the current landscape, Jay’s review encompasses emotion theories and self-determination theory to explain the phenomenon of digital emotion regulation with an emphasis on positive emotions, the components of emotional intelligence and social contexts.

Join Over 7,500 Fielding Alumni Located Around The World!

Change the world. Start with yours.™

• First Name *
• Last Name *
• Your Location * Your Location USA Canada International
• Program of Interest * Program of Interest PhD in Clinical Psychology PhD in Psychology with an Emphasis in Media & Technology PhD in Psychology PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development PhD in Human Development PhD in Organizational Development and Change EdD in Leadership for Change MA in Organization Development and Leadership MA in Infant, Child, Family Mental Health and Development MA in Applied Media Psychology Certificate in Evidence Based Coaching Certificate in Media Psychology Neuropsychology Specialization Training Program Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Certificate of Respecialization in Clinical Psychology

Contact Info

Fielding Graduate University 2020 De la Vina Street Santa Barbara, California 93105

Phone: 1-800-340-1099 Admissions: 805-898-4026

Email: [email protected]

Web: Fielding.edu/apply-now

Recent Posts

• Provost Wendi S. Williams, Ph.D., Presenting at the Western Psychological Association Convention on April 26
• Qualitative Research from Start to Finish In-Person Seminar in Santa Barbara, California
• Statement From the President: Transforming the Climate Conversation on Earth Day

• About the LSE Impact Blog
• Comments Policy
• Popular Posts
• Recent Posts
• Subscribe to the Impact Blog
• Write for us
• LSE comment

Jon Fairburn

March 2nd, 2021, socially distanced networks – 5 reasons phd students should engage with social media now.

1 comment | 85 shares

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Peer support, finding a place within academia, staying up to date with the latest research, communicating research to wider audiences and navigating life after PhD. Ema Talam and Jon Fairburn outline five ways in which social media, and in particular Twitter, can make all the difference to PhD research at a time when regular academic life has been severely disrupted.

Doing a PhD is hard : lack of work-life balance, uncertainty about the future, diminishing satisfaction with the PhD programme over time, isolation, harassment and discrimination are all too common experiences. COVID-19 has only exacerbated these challenges.

Whilst by no means a panacea, at a time when undertaking a PhD is even more of a fragmented and disjointed experience, social media provides an important space for connection. We – a PhD student and an experienced researcher with over 25 years of experience in academia – put forward the five following reasons why PhD researchers at any stage of the process can benefit from engaging with academic social media and why it is more important now than before COVID-19 pandemic.

Peer Support

Let’s start with the peer support. With universities in lockdown and many PhD students working from home, the informal support that comes from working as part of a research community has diminished. Despite its sometimes hostile reputation, peer support is strongly present on Twitter. Readers new to academic Twitter might consider following general academic hashtags, such as #AcademicTwitter , #AcademicChatter and #AcademicMentalHealth , or specifically PhD centred discussions on #phdchat and #virtualnotviral . Whilst a hashtag is not a peer support network, in difficult times they provide pathways to resources and opportunities to meet likeminded people that can make all the difference.

You may even find your peer group is larger than you anticipated. The sudden shift to remote teaching and learning early last year, placed experienced professors and PhD researches running their first classes from all fields in the same position of learning to teach remotely for the first time. The hashtags above as well as being links to a wider research community have also been an invaluable resource for teaching tips and tricks, learning resources and even free training. Do not be afraid to ask questions related to teaching or any aspect of academic life.

Whilst a hashtag is not a peer support network, in difficult times they provide pathways to resources and opportunities to meet likeminded people that can make all the difference.

Finally, Twitter can also be used as a tool for co-ordinating and engaging with existing PhD communities, for instance through organising synchronous and a-synchronous events, such as remote writing retreats .

Navigating your academic discipline(s)

In a similar way hashtags can also be used to find academic communities, for economists #econtwitter is a good place to start as is RePEc’s list of economists on twitter . Learned societies and their social media accounts, e.g. in our fields the Royal Economic Society or Regional Studies Association , also provide useful points for finding the latest news from a particular discipline and often provide tailored advice for how certain disciplines approach social media.

For better or worse, social media is a surveillance network. By following academics whose work you are interested in, you can not only directly engage with them, but by simply following you can develop a sense of the research, networks and events they are interested in. These can help you orient your research towards academic communities and projects that may not be represented within your own institution.

While approaching people at conferences can be intimidating, it is almost impossible on Zoom events due to lack of time dedicated for informal networking or even any breaks at all

Social media can also be a source of inspiration for looking beyond your immediate discipline. The shift to digital as a result of the lockdown, has considerably lowered barriers to attending conferences and seminars. These events are regularly advertised via social media and are a great opportunity for you to attend new areas of research and expose yourself to new ideas and methods that can benefit your PhD.

While approaching people at conferences can be intimidating, it is almost impossible on Zoom events due to lack of time dedicated for informal networking or even any breaks at all. Fortunately, the back channel provided by social media, such as Twitter, can provide a means of keeping the conversation going. Look out for event hashtags, which can be used to preview your work, or just to signal your presence and highlight what you found interesting. Finally, in digital environments where genuine engagement can often be minimal, a considered question or engagement is invaluable and can even lead to future collaboration.

Keeping up to date with the latest research

Not all academic dialogue resides in published academic papers. Many academics post and discuss newly published papers on Twitter. Social media such as twitter, are also central to sharing non-standard research outputs like blogposts, infographics, or even datasets. As COVID-19 has demonstrated much influential research has circulated via social media in the form of preprints , long before final publication. These can all be very useful for PhD students to track new developments in their fields of study.

Communicating your research to wider audiences

COVID-19 has also demonstrated the importance of social media as part of the public sphere and having a profile has become increasingly important for making your work visible to important stakeholders, the media and the general public. Established organisations, such as NGOs, or even your university, are likely to have significant audiences on social media and present opportunities to share your research with non-academic audiences.

This could involve simply tagging potential interested stakeholders in posts or taking part in more structured engagements. Simply being on social media does not guarantee public engagement , but it is a platform that allows you to connect to potential research users, which can be invaluable at a time when social contact of any type is minimal.

Life after PhD

Institutions and academics often share information about the job openings on Twitter. Following academics in your field of study can ensure that you have information about new job openings. Twitter makes it easy for information about job openings to be shared – your network can either tag you in posts about job openings or send a direct message. By building your social networks around your research interests, you are more likely to find relevant information about job openings in the field(s) of interest, whether in or outside of the academia. Many government agencies, firms and universities also have their professional profiles on LinkedIn, where they share information about new job opportunities. Additionally, on LinkedIn, you can easily indicate your openness to work or share your CV should you wish to. Both platforms can be used to seek for advice regarding job applications and help write stronger applications.

PhD students (and their supervisors) are sometimes sceptical about the use of social media and the time that will be spent on social media. Engaging with academic social media does not have to involve huge time investments – it can involve only several minutes per day and directly depends on what you want to get out of it. We would argue the benefits of using academic social media far outweigh the costs.

Note: This article gives the views of the authors, and not the position of the Impact of Social Science blog, nor of the London School of Economics. Please review our  Comments Policy  if you have any concerns on posting a comment below.

Image Credit: Adapted from Jon Tyson , via Unsplash. 

About the author

Ema Talam is a final year PhD in Economics student at Staffordshire University. She is interested in the topics of firm-level productivity, innovation and exporting, as well as innovation policies. Follow Ema on Twitter on @ematalam.

Jon Fairburn is Professor of Sustainable Development at Staffordshire University. He teaches on the MSc Digital Marketing Management amongst other courses. Follow him on Twitter @ProfJonFairburn.

It’s true that there are job ads and occasionally interesting posts or discussions on Twitter and other social media sites. However, in my experience, the vast majority of social media posts are either complaints about working too hard or posts about (US) politics, especially culture wars and identity politics issues.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Related Posts

In 2021 let’s do institutional academic social media better.

January 14th, 2021.

Should supervisors be training PhD students to achieve impact?

November 18th, 2020.

Equipping PhD researchers for social media success

November 7th, 2020.

“If you use social media then you are not working” – How do social scientists perceive altmetrics and online forms of scholarly communication?

March 20th, 2019.

Visit our sister blog LSE Review of Books

Put a stop to deadline pressure, and have your homework done by an expert.

167 Outstanding Media Dissertation Topics For Students

Media is one of the most-studied topics, especially during the technological proliferation in most parts of the world. That is why it almost close to impossible to miss an issue on media during your college or university studies. But this comes with its fair share of challenges. Not all students can curate top-notch media dissertation topics for high grades. It is copy-pasting the already existing research topics on media and thus overshadows the original intent of research – to add new knowledge.

For you to excel in such a venture, seeking expert help from competent UK writers would be the best route to take. Nonetheless, our top ENL writers have compiled a list of 167+ writing ideas that will inspire you to write a world-class media dissertation paper. Have a look at them, and feel free to use any of them for your next college assignment.

Custom Media Dissertation Topics

• Why most students pursue undergraduate degrees in media
• The role of government intervention in the practice and efficiency of the media
• Discuss the primary function of media in addressing national security issues
• Describe the effect of an atmosphere devoid of peace on the operation of media
• Why do many students and professionals flood the media landscape?
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the media curriculum for college and universities
• The role of media in achieving the growth and development of societies
• How can the press enable a business-friendly environment for investors?
• The impact of mass media allotting specific airtime to reports and discussions on terrorism
• How citizens can use the media to expose crime and sensitize others against criminal acts

The Best Social Media Dissertation Topics

• The role of international symposiums on social media
• How the use of social media is connected to deep-rooting changes in citizens’ self-concepts
• Compare and contrast social media versus mainstream media
• Discuss the use of social media among American during the coronavirus pandemic
• Analyze the trends and emerging narratives related to social media
• Evaluate the use of social media by age and gender among American citizens
• How do income levels affect the way different people use social media?
• Factors affecting the frequency of using social media in America
• Describe how people access social media using different web browsers
• The severe forms of online harassment among Americans

Advanced Social Media Dissertation Ideas

• What is the role of reading online blogs among US citizens?
• How social media is propagating false, incorrect, and inaccurate information
• The impact of information that is biased or meant to mislead deliberately
• A social network analysis of the #Coronavirus hashtag in America
• Discuss the impact of misinformation and COVID-19
• Discuss influencer marketing and consumer behavior post-COVID-19
• How social media has used a cause of hate speech
• Evaluate the behavior of social media in the new decade
• Harnessing social media consumption in fighting the covid-19 pandemic among the youth.
• Dealing with pandemic stigma: social media usage during covid-19 in America

Top-Notch Topics For Dissertation on Social Media

• Social media fake news in times of the covid-19 pandemic
• Trends in social media marketing in the United States
• Discuss social media addiction among teenagers in developed nations
• A pandemic problem: social media and misinformation
• The battle in understanding consumer audiences using social media
• How is the aspect of anonymity exemplified in social media?
• Social listening – what can brands learn from online conversations?
• Reading of online blogs by geo-location in the United States of America.
• Critical social media discoveries during the coronavirus pandemic
• Discuss social media and governance in the United States

Media Dissertation Topic Ideas For Students On Cinema

• The role of theatres and auditoriums in advancing cinema
• Discuss the role of technological advancements in the media on cinema
• How cinema is being used to inform and entertain audiences in the 21 st century
• The impact of coronavirus restrictions on cinema halls
• Should media institutions have cinema labs for researching the field?
• How is cinema adapting in the age of online streaming platforms
• Discuss the interplay between audio and video in preparing cinema halls
• Are the charges in cinema halls shutting the doors too many?
• Why should institutions have cinema halls together with programs that advance the same?
• The implications of media studies on the development of cinema

Social Media Marketing Dissertation Topics

• The impact of the declining circulation rates of newspapers on marketing
• Malpractices involved in social media marketing
• The role of short videos and animations in social media marketing
• Why it is advisable to use posters and text-based messages in social media advertising
• What are the qualities of a social media marketer in the 21 st century?
• Why should organizations invest in social media marketing over other platforms?
• Discuss the performance of brands using social media vis-à-vis other marketing platforms
• Compare and contrast sales made through social media marketing over mainstream advertising.
• What are the pros and cons of social media marketing?
• Implications of over-emphasizing social media marketing over other media

Hot Dissertation Topics in Media and Communication

• The impact of training on media and communication to journalism students
• The role of data repositories on social media consumption in America
• What is the implication of media and communication journals to the field?
• The development of social media sites and apps
• How influencers, brands, and bloggers converge
• Analyze extensive data mining and the challenges with social media
• The role of media and communication institutions to the practice
• Discuss the aspect of ‘breaking news in media and communication
• Is the media playing its role of information and education efficiently?
• Why more research needs to be done in the field of media and communication

Media Dissertation Titles on Films

• The role of film classification boards on producing clean content
• How films are eroding morals and traditions in society today
• The influence of film celebrities on teenagers and adolescents
• What is the role of the government in censoring films?
• Discuss the production process of movies and series.’
• What is the impact of location and weather in the shooting of a film?
• What determines the acceptance of a film to mainstream media?
• Are films manipulating children by using them as characters?
• Why it is challenging to manage obscene and immoral films
• Evaluate the general impact of cinema on society at large

Social Media And Mental Health Dissertation Topics

• The effect of online harassment on the mental health of an individual
• How social media is a crucial contributor to suicides among teenagers
• The role of social media in causing depression among youths
• Why are most social media users prone to living fake lives?
• The implication of body-shaming on social media
• Why spending too much time on social media can cause a mental breakdown?
• The impact of mental health awareness campaigns on social media
• How to deal with social media harassment and bullying
• Why most students using social media have a high self-esteem
• How often should one use social media to prevent mental breakdown

Digital Media Dissertation Topics

• The role of digital media platforms in political campaigns
• Discuss the rate of people living in rural areas accessing cyber cafes
• Why most people living in urban areas access social media from public hotspots
• How the use of media has generated a lot of market and academic research
• Discuss the acceptance, appropriation, and adoption of digital media sites
• Analyze immediacy, hypermedia, and remediation of digital media
• What is the implication of digital photography?
• How virtual reality is transforming the medical sector
• Discuss the use of mediated spaces in the technological era
• The role of the World Wide Web in digital media

Dissertation Topics On New Media

• The implication of ubiquitous computing in new media technologies
• Discuss the different theories and concepts in new media
• Critique the evolution from old to new media
• Analyze the traces left behind by media change in America
• What are the legal and ethical issues relating to digital media
• Appraise the various impacts of new media on the society
• Discuss what is ‘new’ about new media technologies
• Analyze the different new media technologies: A case of interactivity
• Discuss social media as ‘The Fifth Estate.’
• New media and group mobilization for action based on Clay Shirky’s works

Media and Cultural Studies Dissertation Ideas

• How media has been used to preserve culture and traditions
• The implication of media on eroding cultural norms
• Discuss the interrelationship between media and culture
• The rise of new media culture
• Discuss the convergence culture
• Evaluate the digital culture
• What new media draws from history
• Theories and practices of media culture
• A critical look at the effects of culture on media
• How culture inhibits media development

Sociology Media Dissertation Topics

• Discuss the statement that media has made the world a global village
• The implication of media on the interactions between people
• How media is a cause of conflicts among people
• The impact of media on how people view each other
• Areas of media sociology that needs adequate research
• Why media can be a crucial pillar in peace-building processes
• How media improves social relations
• Trends in media sociology
• Media sociology and peace of journalists and reporters
• Discuss the contribution of cybersecurity to media sociology

Social Media And Consumer Behaviour Dissertation

• Creative social media marketing techniques
• Principles of consumer purchasing behavior on digital platforms
• Writing compelling copies that attract consumers on social media
• Ethical and legal issues in social media consumer behavior
• Developing a powerful business beat
• Exploring questions for media morality in advertising
• Evaluate various ISO audit reports on consumer behavior
• Global economy dynamics in consumer behavior
• Why are most youths the majority of online consumers
• Accompaniments for effective social media marketing messages

Updated Media Studies Dissertation Ideas

• Discuss the ethics of web publishing
• The media’s role in monitoring security institutions
• Obstacles and challenges in media reporting
• Has the press lagged in its watchdog role?
• Impact of the media internalizing official perspectives on perceived threats to national security
• The climate of securitization after the September 11 attack
• Discuss the monopolization of media ownership
• The impact of ‘dumbing-down news.’
• The role of judicial deference to media independence
• The relationship between media and security institutions

Media Effects On Children Writing Ideas

• The role of video games on the behavior of children
• How television is impacting the development of children
• Why parents should monitor their children while using media
• Discuss the safety of children on social media
• How media has led to children kidnapping
• Should the watershed period be revised?
• The implication of online learning using digital media to children
• How children interact with the media
• Who is to blame for obscene images shown to children in the media?
• Media and erratic behavior among children

Social Media Trending Topics

• Cyber-attack simulations
• Selling of advertising space on social media
• Impact of subscription groups
• Using sponsored tweets
• Generating traffic for websites
• Social media and infodemic
• Trends of misinformation on coronavirus
• False conspiracy theories on Facebook
• Side-stepping news media interrogation
• Increased social media literacy levels

You can score top grades with our fast and cheap online writing help. Impress your professor with one of our British media dissertation topics today!

Get on top of your homework.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Write my thesis
• Thesis writers
• Buy thesis papers
• Bachelor thesis
• Master's thesis
• Thesis editing services
• Thesis proofreading services
• Buy a thesis online
• Write my dissertation
• Dissertation proposal help
• Pay for dissertation
• Custom dissertation
• Dissertation help online
• Buy dissertation online
• Cheap dissertation
• Dissertation editing services
• Write my research paper
• Buy research paper online
• Pay for research paper
• Research paper help
• Order research paper
• Custom research paper
• Cheap research paper
• Research papers for sale
• Thesis subjects
• How It Works

74 Best Social Media Research Paper Topics

Whether in college or high school, you will come across research writing as a student. In most cases, the topic of research is assigned by your teacher/professor. Other times, students have to come up with their topic. Research writing in school is inescapable. It’s a task you are bound to undertake to fulfill your academic requirements. If you are in college, there are several topics for research depending on your discipline. For high school students, the topic is usually given. In this article, we focus on social media and topics about social media.

A social media paper is a research paper about social media that studies social media generally or an aspect of it. To write research papers on social media, you’ll need to conduct thorough research for materials and scholarly materials that’ll assist you. For social media, most of the scholarly works will be media-focused.

Sometimes, Professors or teachers ask students to write an essay or research a topic without narrowing it down. In that case, students will have to develop specific research topics. If you’re writing a paper on social media, we’ve provided you with helpful topics to consider for research.

How to Start a Social Media Research Paper

Social media topics to write about, social media research topics for college students, interesting topics to research for fun, research questions about social media, social media essay topics for high school students, narrow research topic ideas students can consider, research paper on social media marketing, good social topics for research papers, easy social issues to write about, social science research topics for college students, interesting research topics for high school students, comprehensive social networking research papers, final words about social media topics.

Before giving a research writing, Professors and teachers believe students already know how to write one. Not every student knows how to write a research paper in most cases.

Research writing follows a systematic pattern, which applies to research on social media. Below is the pattern of a research paper to use;

• Paper title
• Introduction
• Statement of problem
• Research methodology
• Research objective
• Critical analysis
• Results and discussion

Every research follows this basic pattern, and it also applies to your research paper on social media.

Social media has become a powerful tool for engagement of various kinds. Before now, social media was merely apps used for interpersonal affairs. Today, with the modification of digital technology, social media encompasses a lot more. Below are some social media topics to write about.

• The impact of social media in promoting interpersonal relationships
• A study on how social media is a vital tool for social change
• Social media censorship: A new form of restriction on freedom of speech
• The constantly growing oversharing nature of social media
• Social media is a vital tool for political campaign
• The proliferation of social media platforms into a buying space
• The juxtaposition of personal engagement and business on social media platforms

There is a wide range of topics to coin from social media for college students because social media is a platform with diverse issues that can form into topics. Here are some research topics about social media to consider.

• Breach of Privacy: A study on the ability of the government to monitor personal affairs on social media
• A study of the toxicity brewing within social media
• The increased cyberbullying perpetrated on social media platforms
• The evolution of Twitter into a space for diverse conversations
• A study of the emergence and growth of social media over the years
• Effects of social media: How social media is breeding laziness amongst children
• Social media as a distraction tool for students

If you are searching for interesting topics, there are many interesting research topics on social media. Examples of research paper topics that sound fun to choose from include;

• A study on how the emergence of social media and social media advertising has infiltrated its primary purpose
• An evaluation of how social media has created employment opportunities for people
• Social media influence and its negative impact on society
• Advertising on social media: Will influencer businesses take over advertising agencies?
• A study on ways to improve advertisement for social media engagement
• A look into how social media creates a distorted view of real life
• Social media and real-life: Does social media obscure reality?

Research questions are helpful when carrying out research in a particular field. To know more about your thesis on social media, you will need to create research questions on social media to help inform your writing. Some social media research questions to ask are;

• Are social media platforms designed to be addictive?
• What is a social media Algorithm, and how to navigate it?
• To what extent are personal data stored on social app databases protected?
• Can social media owners avoid government monitoring?
• Should parents allow their children to navigate social media before they are 15?
• Have social media jobs come to stay, or are they temporary?
• Is social media influencer culture overtaking celebrity culture?
• To what extent can social media help to curb racism and homophobia?
• Does social media exacerbate or curb discriminatory practices?
• Is social media an effective tool for learning?

Everyone has access to social media apps until they’ve reached a certain age. There are several social media essay topics for high school students to write about. Some social media titles for essays include;

• How social media affects the academic performance of students
• Why the use of social media is prohibited during school hours
• Why students are obsessed with Tiktok
• Running a profitable social media business while in high school and the challenges
• The dangers of overusing editing apps
• A critical essay on how editing apps and filters promote an unrealistic idea of beauty
• The death of TV: how social media has stolen student’s interest

The challenge students have with their topic ideas for research papers is that they’re broad. A good social media thesis topic should be narrowed down. Narrowing a topic down helps you during research to focus on an issue.

Some narrow social media topics for the research paper include;

• A study of how social media is overtaking Television in entertainment
• A study of how social media has overtaken traditional journalism
• An evaluation of the rise of influencer culture on Instagram
• YouTube and how it has created sustainable income for black content creators
• A comparative study of social media managers and content creators
• A study of the decline of Instagram since the emergence of Tiktok
• How Twitter breeds transphobic conversations

There are several areas of social media to focus your research on. If you are looking for some social media marketing topics, below are some social media research paper topics to consider;

• Influencer culture and a modified model of mouth-to-mouth marketing
• The growth of video marketing on Instagram
• Social media managers as an essential part of online marketing
• A study on how social media stories are optimized for marketing
• An analysis of social media marketing and its impact on customer behavior
• An evaluation of target marketing on social media

There are so many topics to choose from in this aspect. Some social issues research paper topics to explore are;

• The growth of cyberattacks and cyberstalking in social media
• Social media and how it promotes an unrealistic idea of life
• Social media and the many impacts it has on users and businesses
• Social media detox: Importance of taking scheduled social media breaks
• How social media enable conversation on social challenges

Writing a research paper on social issues touches on various areas. Some are challenging, while others are easier to navigate.

Below are some of the easy social issues topics to choose from.

• The growing issue of women’s and trans people’s rights
• Religious bigotry and how it affects social progress
• Sustainable living and why it’s important to the society
• The social impact of climate change and global warming

Social science is a broad discipline. If you are looking for social science essay topics, below are some social science topics for research papers to look into;

• Consumerism and how it’s perpetrated on social media
• How religious beliefs impact social relationships
• Inflation and how it affects the economy of a nation
• A study of the limited availability of work opportunities for minority groups
• A look into the concept of “low wage” jobs

Research writing is not always technical or challenging. Sometimes, it can be fun to write. It all depends on your choice of topic. Below are some topics on social media that are fun to work on;

• The importance of social media branding for small businesses
• A look into the monetization of Instagram
• User engagement and how it can be converted into business leads
• The study of emojis and their role in social media engagement
• From Instagram to Tiktok: the poaching nature of social media apps

Research writing on social media networking studies social networking and its design and promotion on social media platforms. Some research papers on social media networking are;

• The impact of social media networking on business owners
• Social media networking and how it impacts influencer culture
• Social media and how it’s used to build and develop social relationships
• How social media made social networking services easier

Social media research writing is one of the most interesting research to conduct. It cuts across several interesting areas. The writer can handle almost every aspect of the dissertation or thesis statement about social media . But, students who find it challenging should seek professional help. You can reach out to  our expert team of writers to help you handle every element of your writing. We have the best on our team who are always ready to give you their best.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

272 Media Dissertation Topics For Excellent Scores

If you are reading this blog post, it means you are looking for the absolute best media dissertation topics. We know, starting the dissertation can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t know what to write about. To help you out, our experienced writers and editors chimed in and suggested a long list of potential topics. After choosing the best of them, we are proud to present you our ultimate list of 272 media dissertation topics.

We know you are probably reluctant to give our topics a try. After all, there are many websites that promise to give you original topics (yet very few can be trusted). Truth be told, our company has been founded with a simple goal: to help the student get the best possible grades. We are all about helping you succeed. You can find thousands of topics on a wide array of subjects on our blog, as well as in-depth guides and even essay examples. Of course, you can also get help with your academic paper from our team of US and UK writers. With more than 10 years of industry experience, we are your best choice if you need any kind of academic help.

Why Choose Our Media Dissertation Topics?

But why would you want to use any of our media dissertation topics? You can probably find some other topics elsewhere on the Internet. While this is true, there are at least 4 major reasons to pick one of our topics:

Our list of topics is 100% free to use. You can pick any of these ideas and use it (you can even reword our topics). You don’t need to give us any credit. This list of 272 media topics is periodically updated. This means that you can expect to find a unique idea that nobody in your class has thought of. We offer students much more than some social media dissertation ideas. Our list includes mental health issues, cultural studies, communication, social media marketing, and a lot of other fields. Our topics make writing a dissertation easier. We’ve selected topics that have plenty of resources and information about them on the Internet. Doing the research should be a piece of cake.

We know you’re anxious to get to the fun part. Keep in mind that writing a dissertation takes months of work. In other words, pick the topic as soon as possible and start working on your project ASAP. In case you need help with certain parts of your thesis, our PhD experts are here for you. Now, let’s present you the 272 media dissertation topics we’ve promised, organized into 24 major sections:

Social Media Dissertation Topics

Of course, you are probably interested in writing about social media. After all, it’s here to stay. So, why not pick one of our interesting social media dissertation topics:

• In-depth history of social media
• An analysis of viral content
• What are social media bots?
• Discuss new social media technology
• A qualitative comparison of social media services
• Social media and politics
• Social media and school admissions
• Social media court cases
• Analyze social media impact on businesses in the US
• Stereotyping on social media
• Discuss political polarization on social media
• Ownership of content issues
• Decentralization of social media services
• Effects on collective memory
• Data harvesting on social media

Best Social Media Dissertation Ideas

Didn’t find what you were looking for in the list above? No problem, we also have an entire list of the best social media dissertation ideas right here:

• Emotional effects of social media
• Analyze sleep disturbance
• Interpersonal interaction on social media
• Social media as a news source
• Is social media trustworthy?
• Social media and extremist groups
• Social media censorship
• Privacy best practices
• Discuss social media deplatforming
• Social media activism
• Effects of social media on the environment
• Global warming and social media
• Comments and their effects on our perception
• Brands using social media
• PR campaigns on social media

Social Media Marketing Dissertation

If you are more interested in writing about something related to marketing, our ENL writers have put together a list of awesome social media marketing dissertation ideas:

• Campaigns for local businesses
• Best Twitter tactics
• Best Facebook tactics
• Best LinkedIn tactics
• Best WhatsApp tactics
• Best Yelp tactics
• Best Instagram tactics
• Best Snapchat tactics
• Best YouTube tactics
• Best Tumblr tactics
• Discuss influencer marketing
• Ethics of social media marketing
• Most successful campaigns
• In-depth analysis of ROI data
• Compare 3 marketing techniques
• Compare various ad formats
• Passive approach vs. active approach
• Modern SMM algorithms

Freedom of Expression Ideas

Freedom of expression is an integral part of media in the United States and the United Kingdom. Check out our list of free freedom of expression ideas:

• Freedom of expression in India’s Constitution
• Security of the state and freedom of expression
• Contempt of court cases
• Defamation cases in India
• Core political speech in the United States
• True Threats in freedom of speech
• Freedom of speech censorship in the UK
• Freedom of expression censorship in China
• Speech restrictions in Europe
• Obscenity and freedom of expression
• Military secrets and freedom of expression
• Nuclear data in freedom of speech
• Internet speech and its censorship

Complex Media Dissertation Ideas

If you want to impress your professor, you can choose a relatively difficult topic (it also means more work, remember). Here are some complex media dissertation ideas for you:

• The role of mass media during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Media houses: can they be trusted?
• Media people safety in war zones
• Media and its effects on violence
• Al-Jazeera promoting extremism
• Terrorism in the media in Iraq
• Individual privacy affected by media
• Protecting information sources in the media
• States censoring media outlets
• In-depth analysis of China’s media censorship

Topics About Cinema

Would you like to research something related to cinema? It is, after all, a part of media. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of original topics about cinema:

• Censorship in China cinemas
• An in-depth look at cinema media in 2023
• Censorship in North Korean cinemas
• Censorship in United States cinemas during WWII
• Using mass media in cinemas
• Censoring films: the reasons behind the decision
• Ways to censor cinema movies in 2023

Dissertation Topics in Media and Communication

Here are the best dissertation topics in media and communication that our experts came up with (you can use any of them for free, of course):

• Licensing regulations in the United States
• Self-regulation of media outlets in the UK
• Social impact of media communication
• Social media and privacy issues
• Means of communication in electronic media
• Media and communication in the private sector
• Media and communication in the public sector
• Media and communication in the military sector
• Internet regulation of media in China
• Self-regulation in Eastern Europe
• News literacy in media communication
• Social impact of poor communication in the media
• Communication psychology: an in-depth look

Media Dissertation Titles

Perhaps you are just looking for some interesting media dissertation titles to get you started. Check out these titles and pick the one you like:

• An individual’s right to free press
• An in-depth look at Iran’s censorship program
• The moral right to present the truth
• Censorship and its effects on creative works in China
• Regulating cyberviolence in Europe
• Intellectual property issues in the media
• X-Factor: a case study
• Protecting our children from inappropriate content
• Cross-cultural media: a means of advancing tolerance
• Mass media eliminating stereotypes
• The cultural shift caused by new media in the US
• Copyright laws and their effects on mass media

Social Media and Mental Health Dissertation Topics

Yes, it has been proven that social media can affect mental health. So, why not choose one of our excellent social media and mental health dissertation topics:

• Social media negative mental health effects
• New media and its effects on youth
• Twitter: Trending Topics
• Delayed sleep caused by social media
• Depression caused by social media
• Alternatives to social media in 2023
• Social media and poor academic results
• Social media causing memory loss
• An analysis of negative consequences of social media
• Mood and anxiety disorders
• Real life vs social media
• Social media friends are not really friends

Digital Media Dissertation Topics

Are you interested in digital media? Who can blame you! Here are some exceptional (and 100% original) digital media dissertation topics that you can use right now:

• Definition digital media
• The rise of digital media over the last decade
• Discuss the digital revolution
• Copyright issues in digital media
• Internet-based news outlets
• Major disruptions caused by digital media
• Analyze digital multimedia
• The work of engineer Vannevar Bush
• The importance of a digital edition
• Content creation in digital media
• Restricting access to digital media
• Censorship of digital media in China
• North Korea digital media analyzed
• An in-depth look at a digital media service

Dissertation Topics on New Media

Your professor will surely be more than interested in learning something new and exciting about new media. Pick one of our dissertation topics on new media right now:

• Discuss new media in the music field
• Youth and new media
• Discuss globalization in relation to new media
• Is new media bringing social change to the US?
• Discuss political use of new media
• Ethical problems with new media
• New media and national security
• Wikipedia: a good example of new media
• Compare cyberculture to new media
• New Media and virtual communities
• New media and radical movements
• New media and extremism

Topics About Films

You can, of course, write about movies. They are a part of media, after all. To help students out, we have compiled a list of the best topics about films:

• Femininity in films
• The effects of film media on US youth
• Negative effects of film media on UK teens
• Films: creating an illusion
• Film media in North Korea
• Violence in film media
• Use of film media during wartime
• Introducing revolutionary ideas through film media
• Film media and politics
• The change in perception over the last 10 years
• Compare and contrast 2 films
• Film media and censorship in China
• Analyze film media in Iran

Media and Cultural Studies Dissertation Ideas

You are encouraged to write about cultural studies as they relate to media. In fact, you can simply choose one of our media and cultural studies dissertation ideas:

• Structure of cultural studies
• Sociology in media
• Discuss the globalization of media
• Discuss cultural forms created by media
• Benefits of a Media and Cultural Studies course
• Mass media’s effects on our culture
• Media promoting cultural diversity

Censorship and Media Ideas

Nowadays, censorship is affecting not only the media, but our rights as well. Here are some exceptional censorship and media ideas for you to choose from:

• Censorship of media in China
• Censorship of media in North Korea
• Media censorship in Iran
• Restricting freedom of speech in the United States
• Internet media censorship
• In-depth analysis of censorship in Eastern European countries
• Censorship in films
• Protecting children from inappropriate news
• Censorship in electronic communications
• Government-regulated censorship programs in the UK
• Freedom versus responsibility in the media
• China’s censorship of Hong Kong news outlets

Radio and TV Ideas

Radio and TV are two of the most important parts of media. So, why don’t you take a look at our best radio and TV ideas:

• Is radio still relevant today?
• Radio jamming technology
• TV media analyzed
• Using radio for space communication
• TV and radio: building blocks of mass media
• Different forms of media on TV
• Different forms of media on the radio
• TV media censorship
• Regulations of radio media in the US
• The International Telecommunications Union
• Audio broadcasting vs. video broadcasting
• Radio station licensing regulations
• Fake news on TV news programs

Sociology Media Dissertation Topics

Interested in sociology? No problem! Our experienced writers managed to create a unique list of sociology media dissertation topics. Pick the one you like today:

• An in-depth look at sociology in the media
• Sociology effects on mass media
• How does social media relate to sociology?
• Media sociology and its functions
• Sociological theory and media practice
• Negative effects of the use of sociology in the media
• Most notable sociological concepts in mass media

Social Media and Consumer Behavior Dissertation

Did you know that social media has been shown to affect consumer behavior? Check out these social media and consumer behavior dissertation ideas:

• Social media effects on consumer behavior
• Negative effects on consumer behavior
• Social media increases spending
• Social media and its effects on the buying decision
• Successful social media campaigns
• Social media for brand awareness
• The wrong approach to social media marketing
• Influencer marketing on social media
• Is social media indispensable for consumers?
• Digital marketing on social media
• Decision making in consumer behavior
• Facebook vs. Twitter: consumer behavior
• Instagram vs. Pinterest: consumer behavior

Media Studies Dissertation Ideas

If you want to discuss media studies, we have some interesting ideas for you. Choose one of these media studies dissertation ideas and reword it as you see fit:

• What are media studies?
• The history of the media studies discipline
• Cultural studies
• How much can you earn with a media studies degree?
• Philosophy in media studies
• Social theory in media studies
• Political economy in media studies
• Main parts of a Media Studies course
• Anthropology in media studies
• Studying mass media as part of media studies
• Is media studies a good degree?

Media Effects on Children

This is a very interesting topic for a dissertation. Discussing media effects on children can make your dissertation stand out from the rest. Here are some examples:

• Social media effects on children
• Mass media effects on youth in the United States
• Digital media effects on children in the UK
• Cyberviolence caused by mass media
• Sleep problems caused by social media
• Social media and its link to depression
• What does “constantly connected” mean?
• Fake news and their negative effects
• Violence in the news
• Protecting children from negative media effects
• New media in the US
• Unregulated digital media dangers

Journalism and Privacy Ideas

Discussing journalism and privacy issues will surely make your dissertation stand out. Here are our best and most interesting journalism and privacy ideas:

• Privacy issues in digital media
• Copyright problems in mass media
• Journalism and the right to privacy
• Negative effects of journalism on individual privacy
• Privacy laws in the United States
• Privacy laws in the United Kingdom
• The right to privacy in journalism
• When can a journalist invade your privacy?
• The 5 rules of journalism
• Reporting on personal lives
• The debate over privacy and journalism
• Keeping journalists’ privacy safe
• Information source privacy laws
• An in-depth look at privacy of journalists in war zones

Topics About Newspapers

Newspapers are not dead. In fact, many of them are thriving. Here are some of the best topics about newspapers that you can use for your dissertation:

• Are newspapers still relevant in 2023?
• Newspaper censorship in the US
• Newspaper censorship in China
• Newspapers versus digital media outlets
• Digital versions of newspapers
• Fake news in newspapers in the United Kingdom
• Promoting extremist theories in newspapers in Iran

Interesting Social Media Trending Topics

New and exciting things are happening every day on social media. Why not write about them? Check out these interesting social media trending topics and pick the one you like:

• Discuss the rise of ephemeral content in social media
• Social media versus social commerce in the United States
• The rise of video content on social media platforms
• Live streaming quickly becoming the new norm
• Virtual reality will become the new standard in social media
• Stories are the new content format on social media
• The latest social media trend: augmented reality
• Inclusivity and how brands are using social media to achieve it
• Authenticity of brands on social media
• Chatbots and their importance for social media in 2023

Media and Culture Topics

Studies have shown that media and culture are dependent on one another. This is why you should definitely pick one of our awesome media and culture topics:

• The importance of a Media and Cultural studies degree
• How mass media is influencing our culture
• An in-depth look at popular culture in the media
• Media culture in the United States versus the UK

Easy Dissertation on Social Media Topics

We’ve left the best for last. If you don’t want to spend too much time working on your dissertation, you should choose one of these easy dissertation on social media topics:

• Discuss the impact of online news outlets on the public in the United States
• Social media and the way it promoted tolerance and diversity
• Cultural benefits of social media in African countries
• How social media is improving communication among teens in the UK
• Most notable social media censorship cases
• Is social media really helping us make new friends?
• Most important trends in social media in 2023
• Governments accessing the personal information of individuals on social media
• Social media: the good, the bad, the ugly

Need Some Help?

Need some help from our professional UK writers? Writing a dissertation can be a very difficult thing to do, we know. This is why we have only British ENL writers and editors on our team. If you are a college or university student who needs a top-notch dissertation, you must work with the best academic writing company on the Internet. Your professor will be thrilled to read our custom content (written just for you, according to your requirements), so you can rest assured that you will get the high grades you deserve.

Our writing service is not only fast, but also cheap. As soon as you realize you need help with a dissertation, get in touch with us online and tell us more about your project. We will assign our most experienced writers and editors to your project. And remember, you also get a 100% Money Back guarantee. Get an original, written from scratch dissertation in record time from our team!

Make PhD experience your own

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Social Media

Social media’s positive power for young people, social media has the promise of providing increased well-being..

Updated November 15, 2023 | Reviewed by Ray Parker

• While social media has been tied to negative outcomes for youth, new research highlights the positive.
• Despite the prevalence of social media, the fundamental need for connection among young people remains.
• Social media, when used to maintain offline connections, can foster well-being.

Thanks to my best friend (whom I met at age 13) and her incredible archival abilities, our teen years are expertly preserved like some '90s-era time capsule. Recently, she unearthed (and promptly shared on Instagram) one of our notes that I’d passed to her in eighth grade, complete with colored ink and silly drawings.

She saved most of these notes, individual sheets of notebook paper containing urgent social commentary on the happenings at J.T. Hutchinson Junior High School, expertly folded for efficient delivery into outstretched hands or locker vents. These notes were our daily lifelines to each other, serving as intentional points of connection and friendship .

Almost 30 years later, young people have traded paper and pens for notes shared via smartphones and text threads. Or Snapchat. Or Instagram. The number of delivery methods has grown exponentially since 1994.

Today’s mediums may be more sophisticated, but they help meet the same core need all teenagers possess: to feel connected to their community of friends and peers.

Much of what we understand today about young people and social media skews toward the negative. And this is necessary, as we must understand what may be harmful about these platforms.

Yet, discoveries of the negative tend to bear questions about the opposite—if we know what’s harmful, what’s helpful? Unsurprisingly, the answer lies in connection.

Springtide Research Institute’s most recent report, The State of Religion & Young People 2023: Exploring the Sacred, showed that while some young people didn’t believe sacred moments could happen online, others expressed that they could—and could be as meaningful as those offline. Young people’s descriptions of what made those moments sacred varied greatly, but the common thread was how digital interfaces allowed them to connect to someone or something important.

In this case, digital spaces acted as connective tissue between the physical, the emotional, and the metaphysical, serving as a container for young people to experience connection and the accompanying emotions—more often than not, those moments benefited their well-being.

So what if social media could be part of the wellness solution rather than the pathology problem? Current research is beginning to explore these more nuanced dissections, pointing to how social media interactions can promote positive outcomes.

• Researchers Soojung Jo and Mi Young Jang reviewed prior studies to understand how young people achieve emotional well-being via social media. They found that emotional well-being on social media is defined as,

Being happy and maintaining emotional health through relationships with others via internet-based communication platforms.

Well-being generally occurs when young people approach social media to connect with others, feel safe, or gain information. As a result, they gain better relationships with peers and more positive moods.

• Researchers Chia‑chen Yang, Sean Holden, and Jati Ariati created a framework to understand young people’s social media use concerning their psychological well-being. The model includes activities performed on social media, motives for social media use, and communication partners connected through social media.

Their model shows that:

• Social media use is associated with increased well-being when young people engage actively, directly interacting with followers with whom they have relationships, actively creating or sharing content, or using it to maintain or be entertained.
• Social media is associated with decreased well-being when young people use it to compensate for something lacking. Their use is more passive (i.e., browsing), and their communication partners are mainly those with whom they don’t have strong relationships.

Notice what lies at the core of what is associated with positive well-being instead of the negative. It’s the presence of connection versus a search to alleviate disconnection.

Those experiencing positive outcomes are interacting with people they’re close to and receiving social support based on their interactions with their content. Those experiencing negative outcomes search for connections and turn to social media to fill a void.

Even then, research shows that sometimes these young people still feel they’re falling short, whether they’re genuinely not connecting with others or the connections they are experiencing just aren’t satisfying their need for closeness.

For social media to be a conduit for positive outcomes, young people’s motivations for use matter. For them to be guided to social media for entertainment, there’s a good chance that their core needs for friendship and connection are being met elsewhere. For them to want to use social media to maintain relationships, it means those relationships were formed and solidified offline.

To make social media a place for positive outcomes, what matters most is what’s happening outside it. Social and digital spaces can’t be the only place where life, and the connection that comes with it, is happening. To ensure this technology serves as a conduit for well-being, one of the most impactful things we can do as adults is to ensure young people use it as one of many avenues for connection rather than seeking it out as the primary way to manufacture it.

Whether sheets of folded notebook paper or a series of direct message (DM) threads, young people will use what’s available to them to create meaningful connections. As adults, we must help set the conditions so social media remains a tool and doesn’t become a crutch.

Jo, S. & Jang, M.Y. (2023). Concept analysis of adolescent use of social media for emotional well-being. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 29 (1). https://doi-org.fgul.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/ijn.13116

Smith, D., Leonis, T & Anandavalli, S. (2021). Belonging and loneliness in cyberspace: impacts of social media on adolescents’ well-being, Australian Journal of Psychology , 73:1, 12-23. DOI: 10.1080/00049530.2021.1898914

Yang, C.; Holden, S. M; Ariati, J. (2021). Social media and psychological well-being among youth: The multidimensional model of social media use. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review , 24 (3), 631-650. DOI:10.1007/s10567-021-00359-z

Angela Patterson, Ph.D., is a media psychologist and head writer for Springtide Research Institute, which surveys and interviews young people on topics like mental health, technology, and spirituality.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Teletherapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

share this!

April 23, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

Staying on trend: Research dives into aligning social media skills development to industry expectations

by Adam Pope, University of Alabama at Birmingham

New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Collat School of Business is revealing how college students grasp social media marketing concepts, and what industry leaders are looking for when they enter the workforce.

Teaching social media marketing presents unique challenges, according to lead author Nicole Beachum, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Marketing, Industrial Distribution and Economics. The field is ever-changing, demanding professors to keep pace with evolving platforms, algorithms and tools. Balancing class preparation, research and other job responsibilities adds to the complexity of effective teaching in this dynamic domain.

One challenge, Beachum says, is that social media courses may require frequent material updates each semester.

"The landscape itself changes so quickly that it's even hard for people who work full time in the industry to keep up," Beachum said. "From the emergence of new social media platforms to the numerous changes to each social media platform, change is one of the only constant aspects of digital marketing."

The study, published in the Journal of Marketing Education , found that meta skills are still incredibly important for students. The study also makes the case that client-based projects drastically enhance meta-skill acquisition among undergraduate students compared to simulations alone.

"Even if a person has technical experience in social media marketing, it is still essential that they are good communicators, have time management skills, enjoy learning, etc.," Beachum said. "As with many jobs, simply having the technical skills is not sufficient in being a part of a team and being able to communicate effectively with teammates, clients and customers."

Beachum says students are often more up to date on the actual new and upcoming social media platforms than their professors, which can be an interesting dynamic.

"A professor isn't going to just go in and teach 'what is Instagram' to students who are already completely familiar with the platform ," Beachum said. "Instead, they have to be able to explain—and understand themselves—how different marketing and advertising on Instagram for a company is compared to using it personally."

Beachum adds that the research indicates professors should understand and effectively explain the advertising dashboards, providing students with access to these tools and analytics within the classroom.

The study also utilized interviews from marketing managers to find out what they want from new social media marketing graduates. The goal was to understand the skills graduates need for the job market. Additionally, the study explored how classroom assessments are seen by hiring managers.

Among the feedback, it was recommended that students need guidance in articulating their learning experiences, especially from simulations, in resumes, portfolios and interviews, adding that encouraging the capture of simulation content and reflection papers can aid in communicating their skills and value effectively.

Other feedback included that video content creation and editing skills are increasingly essential in the job market. Basic knowledge of HTML, content management platforms and search engine optimization, or SEO, provides a competitive edge. Integrating these topics into the curriculum enhances students' marketability.

Provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham

Explore further

Feedback to editors

Global study shows a third more insects come out after dark

5 hours ago

Cicada-palooza! Billions of bugs to blanket America

7 hours ago

Getting dynamic information from static snapshots

Ancient Maya blessed their ballcourts: Researchers find evidence of ceremonial offerings in Mexico

Optical barcodes expand range of high-resolution sensor

Apr 26, 2024

Ridesourcing platforms thrive on socio-economic inequality, say researchers

Did Vesuvius bury the home of the first Roman emperor?

Florida dolphin found with highly pathogenic avian flu: Report

A new way to study and help prevent landslides

New algorithm cuts through 'noisy' data to better predict tipping points

Relevant physicsforums posts, interesting anecdotes in the history of physics.

20 hours ago

Cover songs versus the original track, which ones are better?

23 hours ago

Favorite Mashups - All Your Favorites in One Place

Great rhythm sections in the 21st century.

Apr 24, 2024

Biographies, history, personal accounts

Apr 23, 2024

History of Railroad Safety - Spotlight on current derailments

Apr 21, 2024

More from Art, Music, History, and Linguistics

Related Stories

Weak self-control, social media and targeted advertising increase impulse buying, says study

Apr 3, 2024

Social media outages hurt small businesses—so it's important to have a backup plan

Mar 6, 2024

Actions needed beyond lawsuit to address social media's influence on youth, say experts

Apr 19, 2024

How teachers can use social media to improve learning this fall

Jun 24, 2020

Research reveals possible link between teen personalities, social media preferences and depressive symptoms

Jan 18, 2024

Beyond likes, shares, and comments: How can brands use social media to stimulate both engagement and sales?

Oct 5, 2022

Recommended for you

Which countries are more at risk in the global supply chain?

Training of brain processes makes reading more efficient

Apr 18, 2024

Researchers find lower grades given to students with surnames that come later in alphabetical order

Apr 17, 2024

Study finds world economy already committed to income reduction of 19% due to climate change

Building footprints could help identify neighborhood sociodemographic traits

Apr 10, 2024

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

• Publications
• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Many Americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen

Social media plays a crucial role in Americans’ news consumption . Half of all U.S. adults say they at least sometimes get news there, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey .

Those who get news on social media name a variety of things that they like about it, including convenience, speed and the element of social interaction. But some social media news consumers also express concerns about news there being inaccurate, low quality and politically biased. The share who say inaccuracy is the aspect they dislike most has increased from 31% to 40% in the past five years.

These findings come from a broader Center survey of U.S. adults’ news habits . The survey asked Americans who get news on social media to describe – in their own words – the things they like and dislike most about getting news there. Their responses were then sorted into categories.

Pew Research Center asked two open-ended questions about what people like and dislike most about getting news on social media as part of a survey on U.S. adults’ news habits. The survey of 8,842 U.S. adults was conducted from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2023.

Everyone who completed the survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the  ATP’s methodology .

We asked all respondents who say they get news on social media to answer the open-ended questions. Responses were manually coded into categories. In total, we coded 4,507 open-end responses on what respondents like the most and 4,453 responses on what respondents dislike the most.

Here are the  questions used for the fall 2023 survey , along with responses, and its  methodology .

We asked whether Americans prefer social media or news outlets for various types of information on a separate ATP survey conducted March 20-26, 2023, among 3,576 U.S. adults. Here are the questions used for the spring 2023 survey , along with responses, and its  methodology .

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest report in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

What Americans like about getting news on social media

The aspects of getting news on social media that Americans value have not changed much since 2018 , the last time we asked these questions. Convenience remains the top thing people like most about getting news on social media. One-in-five social media news consumers say this, with responses such as “It’s at my fingertips,” “I can easily get it” and “It’s available all the time and anywhere.”

Another 9% say they like the speed with which they can get news there, describing news on social media as “fast and to the point” and “quick and easy to digest.”

Smaller shares say they like interaction with others , the up-to-date nature of the news, the content or format , and the variety of sources and stories .

Meanwhile, 7% of Americans who get news on social media say they don’t like anything about the experience, and an additional 32% did not offer a response.

What Americans dislike about getting news on social media

Many social media news consumers also see downsides to getting news this way. Four-in-ten Americans who get news from social media say inaccuracy is the thing they dislike most about it – an increase of 9 percentage points since 2018. This category of responses includes concerns about unverified facts, misinformation, “fake news” and unreliable sources.

A much smaller share of social media news consumers (8%) say they dislike the low quality of news there, with some giving clickbait or a lack of in-depth coverage as examples. Others say the news on social media is too biased or political (6%) or they don’t like the way people behave there (5%).

Another 1% of social media news consumers say censorship is what they dislike most. This category – which we used for the first time in the 2023 survey – includes responses such as “Too much censorship by the sites” and “I really dislike when some of my view points are removed.” There are no significant differences in the shares of Democratic and Republican social media news consumers who say they’re concerned about news censorship on social media. In fact, there are no partisan differences within any of these complaint categories.

Just 4% of respondents say they don’t dislike anything about getting news on social media. Another 31% did not answer the question.

Social media posts versus news outlets: Which do Americans prefer for certain types of information?

The perceived downsides of getting news on social media may help explain why many Americans prefer to go directly to news outlets instead. In a separate Center survey, U.S. adults who say they at least sometimes get news on social media were asked whether they prefer reading social media posts or going directly to news outlets for five different types of information. Those types of information include the basic facts about an issue or event as well as in-depth information and opinions on it.

Americans prefer to get four of the five types of information from news outlets over social media. However, a substantial share say they like getting each type of information from news outlets and social media about the same.

For example, 45% of respondents say they prefer news outlets for getting the most in-depth information about an issue or event, while only 11% prefer social media posts for this. An additional 34% say they value both sources equally, while 8% say they prefer neither option.

Social media news consumers also tend to prefer news outlets over social media to get:

• The basic facts about an issue or event (39% vs. 14%)
• Up-to-date information about an event as it is happening (34% vs. 21%)
• Information about how an issue or event impacts them (31% vs. 15%)

In each of these cases, roughly four-in-ten or more say they like social media and news outlets about the same.

In contrast, equal shares of Americans prefer news outlets and social media when it comes to opinions on an issue (22% each).

Previous Center research has shown that younger Americans are more likely than older Americans to prefer getting news from social media , and that pattern also appears in the findings of this survey. Adults under 30 express a clear preference for using social media over news outlets to get opinions on an issue (36% vs. 13%) and up-to-date information as an event is happening (35% vs. 21%). Americans ages 65 and older are much more likely to prefer news outlets over social media for every type of information we asked about. 

• Digital News Landscape
• Media Industry
• News Habits & Media
• Social Media & the News

Luxuan Wang is a research associate at Pew Research Center

Naomi Forman-Katz is a research analyst focusing on news and information research at Pew Research Center

Introducing the Pew-Knight Initiative

News platform fact sheet, a profile of the top-ranked podcasts in the u.s., most u.s. journalists are concerned about press freedoms, nearly a quarter of americans get news from podcasts, most popular.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Age & Generations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Economy & Work
• Family & Relationships
• Gender & LGBTQ
• Immigration & Migration
• International Affairs
• Internet & Technology
• Methodological Research
• Non-U.S. Governments
• Other Topics
• Politics & Policy
• Race & Ethnicity
• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

Reprints, Permissions & Use Policy

Om Fahad: Iraqi social media influencer shot dead by motorbike gunman

Om Fahad, who has nearly half a million TikTok followers, became famous for posting light-hearted videos where she dances to Iraqi music.

Saturday 27 April 2024 15:16, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

A well-known Iraqi social media influencer has been shot dead in her car by a gunman who was on a motorbike.

Om Fahad, whose real name is Ghufran Sawadi, was killed outside her home in Baghdad's Zayouna district on Friday, according to the AFP news agency, citing security officials.

It appears the unidentified attacker pretended to be delivering food to the victim, one security source said.

Her assistant Nour al Suwaidi was injured in the shooting.

CCTV showed the gunman on a motorbike riding past the stationary car and then parking behind a nearby wall.

The attacker then got off his bike and, still wearing his crash helmet, walked several metres up to the vehicle before opening fire with a pistol. He then ran back to the bike and sped off.

Photos showed Om Fahad's body slumped in her seat and there were at least three bullet holes in a window of the car.

An investigation has been launched by the authorities into the circumstances of the killing as they try to track down the gunman.

Om Fahad, who has nearly half a million TikTok followers, became famous for posting light-hearted videos where she dances to Iraqi music.

Six days ago, she shared footage of herself driving in a car and also posing in front of a mirror. They have each been watched hundreds of thousands of times.

The influencer was sentenced to six months in prison in February last year for sharing videos that a court ruled contained "indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality".

A campaign was launched in 2023 by the Iraqi government to clamp down on social media content which broke the country's "morals and traditions".

@om.fahd9 معليكم بلكفشهًً 😜🤣🤣🤣🐆🐆🐆😡 ♬ الصوت الأصلي - om.fahd9

@om.fahd9 ♬ الصوت الأصلي - om.fahd9

The interior ministry set up a committee to look for "offensive" clips on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, with several influencers being arrested.

"This type of content is no less dangerous than organised crime," the ministry declared in a promotional video which asked the public to help by reporting such content.

"It is one of the causes of the destruction of the Iraqi family and society."

Speaking last year, interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan argued the morality campaign has "nothing to do with freedom of expression".

In 2018, gunmen in Baghdad shot dead Tara Fares, who was a model and influencer.

Read more: Injuries after explosion at Iraq military base UK soldiers 'exposed' to toxic chemical in Iraq must get answers

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

After years of war and sectarian conflict following the 2003 US-led invasion that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq has returned to some semblance of normality despite sporadic violence, political instability and corruption.

But civil liberties, particularly among women and sexual minorities, are still constrained in a conservative and male-dominated society.

Related Topics

Social media can be used to increase fruit and vegetable intake in young people

Researchers from Aston University have found that people following healthy eating accounts on social media for as little as two weeks ate more fruit and vegetables and less junk food.

Previous research has shown that positive social norms about fruit and vegetables increases individuals' consumption. The research team sought to investigate whether positive representation of healthier food on social media would have the same effect. The research was led by Dr Lily Hawkins, whose PhD study it was, supervised by Dr Jason Thomas and Professor Claire Farrow in the School of Psychology.

The researchers recruited 52 volunteers, all social media users, with a mean age of 22, and split them into two groups. Volunteers in the first group, known as the intervention group, were asked to follow healthy eating Instagram accounts in addition to their usual accounts. Volunteers in the second group, known as the control group, were asked to follow interior design accounts. The experiment lasted two weeks, and the volunteers recorded what they ate and drank during the time period.

Overall, participants following the healthy eating accounts ate an extra 1.4 portions of fruit and vegetables per day and 0.8 fewer energy dense items, such as high-calorie snacks and sugar-sweetened drinks, per day. This is a substantial improvement compared to previous educational and social media-based interventions attempting to improve diets.

Dr Thomas and the team believe affiliation is a key component of the change in eating behaviour. For example, the effect was more pronounced amongst participants who felt affiliated with other Instagram users.

The 2018 NHS Health Survey for England study showed that only 28% of the UK population consumed the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Low consumption of such food is linked to heart disease, cancer and stroke, so identifying ways to encourage higher consumption is vital. Exposing people to positive social norms, using posters in canteens encouraging vegetable consumption, or in bars to discourage dangerous levels of drinking, have been shown to work. Social media is so prevalent now that the researchers believe it could be an ideal way to spread positive social norms around high fruit and vegetable consumption, particularly amongst younger people.

Dr Thomas said:

"This is only a pilot intervention study at the moment, but it's quite an exciting suite of findings, as it suggests that even some minor tweaks to our social media accounts might lead to substantial improvements in diet, at zero cost! Our future work will examine whether such interventions actually do change our perceptions of what others are consuming, and also, whether these interventions produce effects that are sustained over time."

Dr Hawkins, who is now at the University of Exeter, said:

"Our previous research has demonstrated that social norms on social media may nudge food consumption, but this pilot demonstrates that this translates to the real world. Of course, we would like to now understand whether this can be replicated in a larger, community sample."

• Staying Healthy
• Diet and Weight Loss
• Food and Agriculture
• Beer and Wine
• Computers and Internet
• Communications
• Food groups
• Healthy diet
• Diabetic diet
• Streaming media

Story Source:

Materials provided by Aston University . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Lily Hawkins, Claire Farrow, Meshach Clayton, Jason M Thomas. Can social media be used to increase fruit and vegetable consumption? A pilot intervention study . DIGITAL HEALTH , 2024; 10 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241241262

Cite This Page :

Explore More

• Collisions of Neutron Stars and Black Holes
• Advance in Heart Regenerative Therapy
• Bioluminescence in Animals 540 Million Years Ago
• Profound Link Between Diet and Brain Health
• Loneliness Runs Deep Among Parents
• Food in Sight? The Liver Is Ready!
• Acid Reflux Drugs and Risk of Migraine
• Do Cells Have a Hidden Communication System?
• Mice Given Mouse-Rat Brains Can Smell Again
• How Do Birds Flock? New Aerodynamics

Trending Topics

Strange & offbeat.

Social media reacts to the Lions taking Ennis Rakestraw Jr in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft is a momentous occasion for Detroit — and not just because it’s hosting the event .

Coming off an NFC North championship and the first NFC championship game appearance in more than 30 years, the Detroit Lions have a valuable opportunity to bolster an already talented and promising roster that figures to make them a contender in the years to come under coach Dan Campbell.

In the draft’s first round on Thursday night, the Lions traded with the Dallas Cowboys to move up from the No. 29 overall pick to the No. 24 overall selection, where they chose Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold to help shore up the team’s secondary.

REQUIRED READING: NFL draft live updates, Day 2: With 230,000 tonight, Detroit approaching attendance record

In the second round on Friday, they followed that up by selecting yet another cornerback, Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr. with the No. 61 overall pick, with none other than Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders and Detroit mayor Mike Duggan taking the stage to announce it.

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

Like any draft selection, Detroit’s choice elicited an outpouring of opinions on social media, both from within and outside the Lions fan base. There was only so much variation in the analysis, though, with Detroit’s addition of Rakestraw receiving widespread praise.

Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Rakestraw heading to the Lions: