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Unpacking the negative welfare effect of social media: Evidence from a large scale nationally representative time-use survey in China

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  • Bao, Te
  • Liang, Bin
  • Riyanto, Yohanes E.

Abstract

Recently, concerns have been raised on the adverse impacts of social media on people's subjective well-being. Using a large and representative sample of Chinese individuals, we explore the effects of social media browsing and social media communication on users' life satisfaction. The results show that while social media browsing has a strong negative impact on users' subjective well-being, there is no significant impact generated by social media communication. The relative income and social comparison are the main drivers of the result. The negative impact of social media browsing is more pronounced for low-income people than for high-income people. We do not find support for other possible mechanisms like information cocoons of information fragmentation.

Suggested Citation

  • Bao, Te & Liang, Bin & Riyanto, Yohanes E., 2021. "Unpacking the negative welfare effect of social media: Evidence from a large scale nationally representative time-use survey in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:69:y:2021:i:c:s1043951x21000687
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2021.101650
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bao, Te & Wei, Lijia & Yu, Yang, 2022. "The impact of information interventions on public opinion on social media regulation: Evidence from a survey on Twitter’s Trump Ban," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 101(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social media use; Subjective well-being; Life satisfaction; Social comparison; Information cocoon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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