Awakening Sleeping Giants in Brazil

Last week saw a huge uprising take place in Brazil against right wing propaganda. Sleeping Giants is a US organisation that encourages brands to remove their ads from right wing platforms. Breitbart News lost out on over €8 million worth of publicity due to reporting stemming from the organisation's 280,000 followers. Sleeping Giants has worked …

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The Inside Story of Instagram

No Filter is a detailed and balanced account of the birth of Instagram, an app which has changed the social landscape and impacted the world of entertainment, celebrity, travel and business. On the flip side, it's also had a massive influence on body image issues, social comparison and mental health. Author Sarah Frier offers an …

Can we talk about Zoom Fatigue?

Hard to believe we've reached week 8 of lockdown isn't it? The first few weeks of quarantine were a breeze, seeing friends at the click of a button, scheduling quizzes, dance parties and dinners via video call. The novelty of Zoom backgrounds and clap hand emojis delighted us. But what happens when your workday consists …

Seeking Online Therapy during the Covid crisis

As the lockdown period continues, many are feeling the pressure. Financial troubles, job losses, social isolation and fears for the health of family and friends are compounding and the effects on mental health cannot be denied. Medical experts warn of a looming mental health crisis in the coming months due to our current unprecedented circumstances. …

Data in the time of Covid

The world is still in the grip of social isolation measures, and many countries are on almost total lockdown in a bid to tackle the Covid-19 virus. Footfall in main shopping districts around the world is at an all time low. Traffic emissions have fallen drastically and a reduction in industrial output has seen a …

Fighting the Infodemic

In February, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO made a speech to the Munich Security Conference, highlighting the importance of accurate reporting on the emerging coronavirus. He noted "We're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus, and is just as dangerous." Conspiracy …

Instagram and Introversion

Previous research suggests strong associations between extroverted and introverted traits and certain user behaviour patterns on social media. Social media use is generally categorised as either active or passive. Active use involves communicating with others, chatting with friends, commenting on photos etc. Passive users can be described as “lurkers”, observing photos and browsing profiles without …

Cyberbullying on Instagram

During their April F8 conference, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri committed to cracking down on cyberbullying within the platform. The company have delivered and recently introduced the Restrict feature. Classic guidance on dealing with bullies has always been that if you ignore bullies, they will quickly lose interest. This new restriction tool allows users to inhibit …

Video Game Addiction – Fact or Fiction?

In 2018, video game addiction was classified by the World Health Organisation as a mental health condition. Cases of problematic gaming have become more visible in recent years and tales of total absorption have sparked a moral panic. Parents are terrified of their children getting hooked on Fortnite and the media continue to report on …

Technochauvinism and AI Bias

Technochauvinism is a recent addition to cyber vernacular. Coined by data journalist Meredith Broussard, it refers to the view that technology will always improve things, and that technological solutions should always be favoured over traditional approaches. How many times have you tried scanning your groceries through the self check outs with painful results? These chipper …