Wolfson GBF publishes research on racial discrimination on social media

Social-media interactions have become increasingly central in modern life. According to some estimates, about 60% of people across the world use social media, with the typical user spending around 2.5hrs per day on these platforms. In the United States, nationally representative surveys have found that although only 5% of adults used social media in 2005, the number had grown to 70% by 2019.

Do racial minorities face discrimination when attempting to build ties on social media? That is, do they face unique disadvantages in this domain that are not faced by members of the majority ethnic group? There is relatively little research into these questions despite the increasing importance of social media in daily life.

Wolfson GBF, Mohsen Mosleh, alongside co-authors from Northwestern University and University of Illinois, this month published a paper examining whether racial minorities face discrimination when attempting to build ties on social media. The results demonstrated that, at least in terms of building connections on social media, liberals and conservatives don’t differ in racial discrimination.

To read the press release about the study, click here.