Does the Internet Make the World Worse? Depression, Aggression and Polarization in the Social Media Age
Abstract
Since the 1990s, the influence of the internet and social media in daily communication has skyrocketed. This has brought both remarkable opportunities and perceived perils. Recent years have seen increases in suicide and mental health concerns, political polarization, and online aggression. Can such phenomenon be connected causally to communication via social media? This article reviews the evidence for perceived deleterious effects of social media on several areas of human welfare, including political polarization, depression and suicide, aggression, and cyberbullying. In addition to examining contemporary evidence from psychological studies, a historical analysis is included to examine whether we truly live in a uniquely difficult time or whether similar patterns of social behavior can be witnessed in other, pre-internet times. It is concluded that evidence may link social media to some negative social outcomes but in ways that are nuanced and complicated, often interacting with user motivations and personalities and situational variables. An increased focus on preregistered, standardized scientific methods and cautious interpretation of effect sizes can help clarify real versus phantom effects of social media.
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Direct evidence supporting conclusions that algorithms fuel mental-health issues and political polarization remains scarce.
“However, direct evidence supporting these conclusions remains scarce (Bail, 2021; Ferguson, 2021; Sumpter, 2018).”
From Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media. (2024) · cites this paper as Ferguson, 2021
The direction of effects between social-media usage and mental health is unclear.
“The direction of effects between social-media usage and mental health is unclear (Ferguson, 2021; Luhmann et al., 2022; Orben et al., 2019);”
From Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media. (2024) · cites this paper as Ferguson, 2021
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Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media.
Metzler, H., & Garcia, D. (2024) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/17456916231185057 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
“However, direct evidence supporting these conclusions remains scarce (Bail, 2021; Ferguson, 2021; Sumpter, 2018).”
Background
- Authors
- Ferguson, C. J.
- Affiliations
- Stetson University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ferguson, Christopher J.
- Venue
- Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2021-12
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 116-135
- ISSN
- 0270-4676 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-4183
- OpenAlex
- W4200311412
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 7.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Bulletin of Science Technology & Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Communication › Social Media and Politics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Digital Media and Philosophy
- Keywords
- social media, internet influence, depression, suicide, political polarization, online aggression, cyberbullying, mental health, comparative history, user motivation, personality, effect size interpretation
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