Understanding the Impact of Social Media: When Does It Help or Harm?

MigraVoice* expert, Dr. Alexandra Masciantonio, a social psychologist and researcher specialising in the psychological and societal effects of social media explores how digital platforms influence mental health, paying particular attention to vulnerable groups such as youth.**

The Dual Nature of Social Media

Research across psychology, communication studies, and sociology shows that social media can both support and undermine mental health. One of the most studied mechanisms is social comparison: users are exposed to idealized representations of others’ lives, which can trigger feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, or low self-esteem. This is especially true for young people, who are navigating critical identity development stages and may be particularly sensitive to peer validation online.

However, social media can also foster social support, connection, and solidarity. For marginalized communities, including ethnic and sexual minorities, online platforms can offer safe spaces to share experiences, find validation, and build community—especially when such support is lacking offline.

How Platforms Shape Experiences

Masciantonio’s research also explores how different platforms shape user experiences. For instance, Instagram tends to emphasize positive self-presentation and personal connections, while Twitter/X often encourages critical commentary and political engagement. These differences in platform architecture and social norms influence how people share and process information online.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Masciantonio and her colleagues examined how people engaged with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok. They found that the overall effect of social media on well-being is weak, contrary to alarmist media narratives. Their conclusion: the impact is not uniformly negative or positive— it depends on what platforms are used, by whom and why.

This insight is crucial when considering vulnerable groups. Aggregated data often masks disparities: for example, adolescents or individuals facing social exclusion are more likely to experience negative effects on social media. Similarly, TikTok’s highly personalized algorithm, which tailors content to user behavior, may amplify echo chambers or problematic content for users already at risk.

What Can Platforms Do?

In her recent work, Dr. Masciantonio increasingly emphasizes the importance of policy-oriented recommendations and tech accountability. Platform design plays a crucial role in either mitigating or amplifying harm. Recommendations for social media companies include:

Enhancing transparency in algorithmic curation so users understand how their feeds are shaped, but also ensuring that this information is accessible and understandable, as media literacy remains low.
Providing users with more control over what they see (e.g. options to toggle between chronological and personalized feeds).
Strengthening content moderation to better protect vulnerable users from harmful material such as violence or self-harm.
Collaborating with youth organizations and mental health NGOs to co-design features that support user well-being.

Conclusion

Rather than asking whether social media is good or bad, Dr. Masciantonio encourages a more nuanced question: For whom is it good or bad, and under what circumstances? By focusing on user diversity, platform design, and usage context, researchers, NGOs, and policymakers can better protect those most at risk—while preserving the social benefits that digital platforms can offer.

This is the second blog article in our MigraVoice series written by our MigraVoice expert Alexandra Masciantonio. Interested in contributing writing a blog piece? Sign up for MigraVoice, then send an email to advocacy@thelondonstory.org with a proposal!

*This project is co-funded by the European Union (Project number: LC-02408780). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.Project: ŁC 02408780 — Migrant Voices Matter in the European Media — CNECT/2022/8240201.

** The thoughts expressed in the blog pieces published are that of the author and no responsibility of the organization can be asserted from the pieces.