Participants were measurably happier and less anxious.

But, disappointingly, not by a huge margin:

Perhaps this is due to the fact a significant number of users switched to less harmful online platforms and didn't stop using their phones.

Or perhaps there is actually something more sinister. My real concern with this study is the involvement of Meta.

We actually have evidence that Meta halted internal research about social media:

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/meta-buried-causal-evidence-social-media-harm-us-court-filings-allege-2025-11-23/

Would you study tobacco and have tobacco companies involved?

Would you study obesity and have Coca-Cola involved?

I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but could Meta actually bully/bribe Stanford in order to change the figures?

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[–] 13 points 10 months ago (5 children)

The only reason why I started to doomscroll social media, is because I want to keep tabs on how close my nation is to having a civil war. If it is to happen, I don't want to be completely surprised, and have some agency at my level.

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    … can’t you put a google alert on that?

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  • [–] 1 point 10 months ago

    I distrust Google and the mainstream media. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they simply ally with the Trump Regime, and remain silent about ICE death squads seeking out Democrats or something along those lines.

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