Social media analysis high in the Himalayan valleys
By : Michael Gibb
We often hear that social media is the bane of modern life, an unregulated, stress-inducing minefield that threatens young people. The United States Surgeon General, Dr Vivek Murthy, recently warned that social media poses a “risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents”.
However, researchers at CityU are balancing the scales by pointing out unique ways that the use of social media can benefit specific individuals and communities, enabling greater understanding and engagement through what they refer to as “serendipitous exposure”, i.e. when social media users don’t intentionally seek out certain kinds of information but instead come across it by chance during other online activities, which has significance for improving civic virtues.
Social media and engagement
Dr Muhammad Masood and his PhD supervisor Professor Marko M. Skoric of CityU’s Department of Media and Communication work at the intersection of digital media and social change.
“Our study shows that social media platforms have the potential to advance intergroup relationships as opposed to the number of studies in Western contexts where social media usage has been associated with growing polarisation in society,” says Dr Masood. “We found that those who have internet access and use social media regularly show more knowledge about and engagement with religious minorities than those who do not
The CityU researchers studied two adjacent remote valleys in the Himalayas of Pakistan—one with good internet access, Multinet, and the other, Nonet, that does not. They found that active social media users in Multinet serendipitously learn about other faiths, their religious practices and, importantly, the challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan. These serendipitous encounters with different religious groups are a by-product of their unrelated social media activities. Multinet villagers tended to be better informed and could name non-Muslim politicians and elites. However, this was not the case in Nonet, where people seemed to know less about other faith groups.
Unforeseen but welcome interactions
Dr Muhammad Masood “Serendipitous exposure largely explains the differences,” says Professor Skoric. “Social media users do not intentionally seek information about religious minorities but still serendipitously come across it while using social media for other activities. Moreover, social media users tend to have extensive networks of social ties, i.e., Facebook friends, which frequently cut across religious lines and likely act as the main facilitators of serendipity.”
The research suggests that mediated serendipity and increased interfaith contact promoted by social media platforms are essential contributors to democratic citizenship in present-day Pakistan, where religious minorities represent a small segment of the population and often face discrimination and persecution.
“The internet is like a new ‘tea shop’ for these Muslim villagers. Most villagers go online without clearly knowing what types of content they will find or whom they will meet or connect with, which might be anyone from “a non-Muslim” to “a foreigner” to “a girl” or “someone with these three backgrounds,” says Professor Skoric.
Harnessing innate optimism and curiosity
So whereas the current chatter about social media offers both “dystopic warnings” and “utopian promises”, the CityU findings provide a more nuanced perspective for understanding everyday social media use patterns that underpin the phenomenon of serendipitous exposure and interfaith contact and the potential democratic implications in a non-Western context.
“Dr Masood’s research paints a rather optimistic picture of the impact of social media platforms on interfaith relations in contrast with most news reports these days, which primarily focus on social media’s sinister impact on our communities and political institutions,” Professor Skoric says.
“The most important finding from this study is the continued importance of serendipitous exposure on social media, reflecting people’s innate curiosity and desire to explore diverse social contexts and engage with differences.”
The research was published in Social Media + Society under “From Silicon to Himalayan Valley(s): Tales of Serendipitous Exposure and Interfaith Contact on Social Media”.
