It is a study of more than 1,500 adults in the United States that investigated whether social media connections made participants feel less lonely.
The conclusion, published in Public Health Reports , was that contact with people participants didn't know personally was linked to increased loneliness.
Neither linked to increased nor decreased loneliness
The researchers found that online contact that participants had with people they knew was not linked to increased or decreased loneliness.
“In-person meetings should be prioritized over social media contacts, even when these digital contacts are considered close,” says Brian Primack of Oregon State University, one of the authors.
Social media can be great for keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances, but it seems important to be seen in person as well.
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The researchers noted that about 35 percent of participants’ social media interactions were with people they had never met in person. They suspect that one reason why interacting with “strangers” is linked to loneliness is the high risk of misunderstanding. Simply connecting with someone on social media can lead to idealizing the person and their life. With no in-person interaction to balance that, feelings of loneliness can increase.
The platforms used by the participants in the study were Facebook, X, Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest and WhatsApp.
