University of Technology Sydney: Using social networks can cause 46 harms

A study conducted by the University of Technology Sydney in Australia showed that using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can cause 46 harms to users, including anxiety, depression and fatigue, affecting physical and mental health as well as work and study.

The researchers said that past studies have focused on the "benefits and potential" of using social networks, while the harms have largely been ignored, and that "the extreme popularity of social networks highlights the importance of both the benefits and harms of using them." Currently, social networks such as Facebook and Instagram have more than 3.6 billion users worldwide.

The researchers analyzed more than 50 papers published between 2003 and 2018 related to the use of social networks.

The researchers grouped the harms of social networking into six categories: social communication costs, harassing content, privacy concerns, security threats, cyberbullying and poor performance.

The researchers say a better understanding of the harms of using social networks could encourage self-regulation among users and help software developers, educators and policymakers develop measures to minimize harm.

Phoenix Technology