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Researchers at the University of South Florida, in partnership with Cyber Florida at USF, have released results from a nationwide survey to better understand patterns of social media usage. Subjects consist of common uses of social media including e-commerce and political engagement as well as some effects of usage on social and mental well-being.

Among the key findings:

Social media is increasingly used for e-commerce. Over half of Americans (54%) report having clicked on a link to an advertisement in their feed during the past month, and nearly half (47%) report having shopped for a product or service on social media in the same time period.

Americans have relied heavily on social media to stay connected during the pandemic. More than two-thirds of respondents (68%) say that they have relied on social media to stay connected with friends and family during the COVID-19 pandemic. A similar majority (63%) say that theyve used social media more frequently during the pandemic, while nearly half (49%) say that social media has been good for their mental health during this time.

Most adult social media users pay close attention to the amount of time they spend on social media. Nearly six in 10 (59%) Americans say that they spend four or more hours on social media each week, but over half of the survey respondents (53%) say that they closely monitor the amount of time they spend on social media sites.

Most Americans say that keeping up with social media can be stressful. Over half of the survey respondents (57%) report that keeping up with social media can be stressful. However, nearly three-quarters (74%) say that they dont feel pressured to post interesting content on their own accounts.

Facebook users say that they encounter diverse points of view on the platform. According to data collected by the Pew Research Center, Facebook remains the most widely used social networking platform in the United States, and users increasingly rely on the platform for political news and information. Despite concerns that social media may limit exposure to alternative viewpoints, our results show that nearly eight in 10 Facebook users (79%) feel that they often encounter political views on the platform that are different than their own.

Despite relying on social media for news and information, most Americans dont trust the information they encounter there. While over half of the survey respondents (58%) say that they rely on Facebook at least a little to stay informed about news and politics, three-quarters (75%) are not confident in the accuracy of the political information that they encounter on the platform.

Most Americans also say that they dont trust social media companies when it comes to keeping their personal information secure. A majority of Americans (62%) say that they are either not very confident or not at all confident in the ability of social media companies (such as Facebook and Twitter) to keep their personal information secure.

Political incivility and misinformation lead to unfriending on Facebook. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) report having unfriended or unfollowed someone on Facebook due to their political posts. The most commonly unfriended accounts are acquaintances (17%) and strangers (9%). When asked to cite their reasons for unfriending, respondents emphasized political posts that they found morally objectionable (18%) or untruthful (18%).

Despite concerns over the security of their personal information, many social media users continue to engage in risky online behaviors. Just under a third of respondents (29%) report having held an ongoing conversation with a stranger on social media over the past 30 days. During the same time period, roughly a quarter also report having engaged in behaviors that could inadvertently share the information in their user profiles, such as completing surveys (23%) and quizzes/games (28%) that appear in their feeds.

Teenagers arent the only ones whose body image and self-esteem are negatively affected by social media. Nearly one-third of respondents (32%) reported sometimes feeling bad about the way they look when they see what others post on social media. Female respondents were slightly more likely than male respondents to agree (36% compared to 27%).

The survey included a representative sample of 1,000 adult social media users, fielded Nov. 2-8, 2021. Results are reported with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error +/-3 %.

A second round of results, which examines social medias influence on public discourse, is set to be released next week.

The complete survey results can be found here.

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University of South Florida researchers release findings from nationwide social media opinion survey - University of South Florida

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In a recent study, it has been found that social media and depression are linked together to a large extent. Social media in today`s time is not just used by young people but also by people of all ages. Dr. Roy Perlis who is the lead author of this study stated that mental health is very much affected by any changes on social media.

Perlis stated that social media is very much helpful for people to be connected during these tough times and people can get much information as well. However, there is much misinformation available as well which affects mental health drastically especially on young people.

For this study, 5400 adults were chosen and none of them had any symptoms of depression or anxiety when the study began. However, after a period of 12 months and with the introduction of social networking sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat symptoms of depression were clearly visible on these people. There has been no proof that social media is the root of evil.

In this study two-third were women and there was an initial survey on how much they use social networking sites on a daily basis. The people in the study were also asked how much news they watch or read on a daily basis. After the first follow-up session there was at least 9% of the total number showed depression symptoms.

The risk of depression was more visible in people who were 35 years of age and among them, the most known app was Snapchat or TikTok. However, for people below the age of 18, the app that most influenced depression was Facebook. Perlis stated that as of now they are not sure how this is directly acting as a catalyst for depression and more research is needed to draw out conclusive evidence.

Amanda Giordano from the University of Georgia states that there have been many studies that co-relate to the above study. One of the major noted things is that people see other people`s success and want to achieve that or think about why they are lagging. They invariably start to compare their life with others even though the other person would be from a different background. This can lead to a depressive state as one will find successful people more on social media as they will post their success stories.

Giordano stated that rather than picking up the positive points on how they became successful many people start to think about their negative points and end up in the cycle of demotivating themselves. She also stated that the same cannot be said for everyone, some people have pushed their life ahead after hearing the positive talks and took on keynotes to make their life better.

People above the age of 35 who face depression from social media are mainly because they see people who are quite young and achieving things much faster. This makes them think that they dont have enough time and anxiety and depression kick in with this. Giordano mentioned that one can only get out of this cycle if they are willing to work on themselves and not see the negative aspects but also positive aspects as well.

It has also been noted that many people procrastinate while watching social media and then end up regretting the wasted time. Social media addiction is quite real and many people suffer due to this. Many of the researchers state that parents should enforce only a limited amount of time for their kids on social media so as to develop their other areas as well.

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. Her investigative works exposed to child sex-trafficking and environmental issues. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

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Depression Is High Among People Who Are Active On Social Sites - Powdersvillepost.com

Although the days of large PPP loans and forgiveness are over, for now, there are small business grants across the country taking place year-round. The latest business grant news reveals offers from Dove Chocolate for women entrepreneurs as well as a Los Angeles Job Creators Quest Grant,South Dakota FAST Launch Grants,Avon Lake Small Business COVID-19, and others.

The benefit of these types of grants is they help businesses and entrepreneurs in a given category or segment. This not only identifies and solves a particular issue but it also highlights the need to help said issue by the government and other sources. Dove Chocolates grant is a great example of this. The brand has a big reach, providing this grant will showcase many women entrepreneurs who otherwise wouldnt get the recognition they deserve. And being on the company site or social media channel could be all the recognition they need to receive funding from investors or lenders.

If you are a small business owner looking for a grant, look for them online, the SBA, as well as your local Chamber of Commerce.

Read:Latest Business Grants News Dove Chocolates Offering Money to Women Entrepreneurs

There are lots of great deals and special promotions at this time of year thanks to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional trend, and many of them are just what a small business needs.

Small business owners are willing to do almost anything to have a successful holiday season in 2021. In fact, 44% of business owners say theyd listen to Jingle Bells on repeat this year if it meant having a successful holiday season for their business with no disruptions. Thats not all theyd do, either.

If you are redesigning your company website to address the demands of todays consumers and technology, there is a common pitfall you should avoid. And that is overlooking the mobile experience of your audience. According to a study by Best SEO Companies titled, Why Companies Are Prioritizing the Redesign of their Website, website redesign is currently in hyperdrive.

With a little under half the US labor force working from home during 2021, it certainly seems like remote working has become a big a part of our new normal. As the infographic compiled by TrackTime24 below shows, most work-from-home (WFH) employees report being happy with the situation. However, it has caused many employers to have trust issues with their work force.

TikTok, the video focused social networking service, has released a 2021 Holiday Guide for Business. The guide was launched on November 16, just ahead of the holiday season in the US, which runs from late November to early January.

Apple recently launched their new Apple Business Essentials service which incorporates device management, 24/7 support and iCloud storage. The service is currently available in beta and will include multiple flexible subscription plans aimed at small businesses with up to 500 employees.

A new report by Biz2Credit reveals that among small businesses who took Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans those in finance and retail had done well in recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

The twelfth edition of Small Business Saturday will be held this Saturday on November 27, 2021, and is geared to encourage consumers to support local businesses by shopping small.

Image: Depositphotos

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In the News: Grants Between $1k and $10K Available For Small Businesses - Small Business Trends

Social media continues to transform the world of communications and marketing. Platforms within the space currently enjoy some of the greatest popularity they have ever seen.

October 2021 research from Global WebIndex reveals about 57.6% of the globes population uses social media, spending about 2 hours and 27 minutes on platforms each day.

Usage spans across generational lines and demographics and unsurprisingly only spiked as COVID-19 lockdowns began to dominate the world. Additional research reveals the typical social media user participates on an average of 6.6 platforms. Some use even more.

Current market leader Facebook, with about 2.89 billion monthly active users, was the first platform to cross one billion registered accounts. YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger round out the top five most popular social networks as of October 2021 by the number of active users.

While traditional social media platforms remain popular, a growing number are becoming dissatisfied due to concerns about usability, security, and privacy. Centralized servers mean social media companies maintain complete control over data, often selling information to outside entities for marketing and advertising purposes. Centralization also opens up the prospects of hacks exposing critical data and concerns about losing information entirely if there is a system failure.

Unsurprisingly, these critical issues have left many wondering how blockchain technology could revolutionize the social media industry, especially as relationships between creators and audiences shift towards ones that are less reliant on advertising and more about accountability.

As social media becomes more hyper-focused and fragmented, many speculate niche platforms focusing on specific components could prove to be popular for users interested in more tailored content.

Decentralized social networks like BitClout, essentially similar to Twitter, allow users to connect with others across the world and buy Creator Coins for creators and influencers. BitClout users can use coins to bet on the future perceived value of the creator who in return can share special, Creator Coin holder exclusive content.

Many using traditional social media have lamented losing posts and content as centralization means a project team member can edit or delete information on their own accord.

Blockchain-based social media platforms like LoveChain solve this issue by providing users an immutable platform to celebrate and share their love for friends, family, hobbies, and pets.

Founded in Sydney Australia, the LoveChain blockchain-based ecosystem includes the social networking platform, integrated third-party apps, content creators, and an online store. LoveChain social networking users interact on a virtual version of lovelocks found across the world.

LoveChain stands alone in the social media world for being the first platform that allows users to create NFTs from the content they create. Users can then keep, share, or sell their NFTs within the LoveChain marketplace.

Each user profile is assigned a cryptographically generated code number that symbolizes the unique relationship between them and the platform. Love-focused subgroups allow participants to create themes and interact with others in these spaces.

The entire ecosystem is powered by the $LOV token, subject to a quarterly swap for merchant goods and services. LoveChain also features the LOVR rewards token that users can collect through platform interaction like content creation, building a follower base, obtaining likes, and sharing posts and data.

LoveChain is the first social media platform rewarding content creators with tokens built into an integrated wallet. LOVR tokens can be used to collect discounts and other benefits with platform merchant partners.

Social media fans turning to LoveChain will find a feature-rich platform with an attractive user experience. Users can change the sequence of their posts on feeds to achieve the best engagement, all while uploading a wide range of media and content.

Any media can be permanently saved to the blockchain to create a keepsake, but users also maintain full control over how their data is shared and used. Customization and personalization tools allow for unique profile styling as part of the overall user experience.

Blockchain-based social media platforms like LoveChain maintain a range of advantages and benefits over their traditional counterparts.

Decentralization helps mitigate unethical data usage, promotes freedom of expression, and the inclusion of cryptocurrency (especially within platform wallets) enhances the rewards and payment process. Overall, the marriage of social media and blockchain technology only looks set to continue as technological development continues to advance.

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Record, Recreate and Resonate: Welcoming Social Platforms into the Blockchain World - NewsBTC

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LIZHI INC. ("LIZHI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LIZI), a leading online UGC audio community and interactive audio entertainment platform in China, is excited to announce that, for the third year in a row, it has been named one of Chinas Top 100 Internet Companies of 2021 by the Internet Society of China (ISC).

Mr. Jinnan (Marco) Lai, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LIZHI, said, We are very pleased to be listed as one of the Chinas Top 100 Internet Companies of 2021 for the third consecutive year. Looking forward, we will amplify our globalization strategy to more effectively anticipate and satisfy users diversified needs, and continuously bring high-quality audio experiences to a wider range of users through diverse usage scenarios.

Founded in 2013, LIZHI has built an audio ecosystem with a global presence. In January this year, LIZHI launched the LIZHI Podcast App, a new vertical podcast platform, which has been integrated into a variety of in-car scenarios, providing drivers and passengers with more options for their in-car entertainment experience. LIZHI has partnered with leading auto companies and Internet of Vehicles platforms including Tencent WeScenario, Li Auto, XPeng Motors, and WM Motor.

Last month, LIZHI announced that the LIZHI Podcast App has been integrated into Huaweis HarmonyOS Ecosystem. It also marked the debut of LIZHI Podcasts one-click seamless connectivity feature, which supports the cross-screen connection and use of LIZHI Podcast between HarmonyOS-equipped devices for an uninterrupted podcast experience, making LIZHI Podcast the first Chinese podcast platform to achieve two-way seamless connectivity between mobile devices and vehicles.

Prior to receiving this award, LIZHI was recently named among the Top 20 Internet Companies in Guangzhou in 2021 and Most Innovative Internet Companies in 2021 by the Guangzhou Internet Society. As a member of the Pilot Enterprise Cooperation Alliance of Online Audiovisual Industry in Guangdong Province, LIZHIs Audio Engineering Technology Research Center has also been recognized by the Guangdong Science and Technology Department on its 2021 list of Engineering Technology Research Centers of Guangdong Province.

About LIZHI INC.

LIZHI INC. (the "Company" or "LIZHI") has built an audio ecosystem with a global presence consisting of audio-based social networks, podcast content portfolios and audio communities. The Company aims to bring people closer together through voices by its product portfolios. LIZHIs audio-based social networking products offering, including TIYA App, caters to users evolving interest in social interactions in real time online and enables users to connect with friends having similar interests, entertain, chat online, and share their daily lives through voices. LIZHI also offers a vertical podcast platform, LIZHI Podcast, that provides users with curated content drawn from its extensive content library built over the years, as well as new podcasts provided by selected content creators. Since the launch of LIZHI App in 2013, the Companys flagship platform, LIZHI has cultivated a vibrant and growing online UGC audio community and interactive audio entertainment platform where users are encouraged to create, share, discover and enjoy audio, and experience immersive and diversified entertainment features through audio. LIZHI envisions a global audio ecosystem a place where everyone can be connected through voices and across cultures. LIZHI INC. has been listed on Nasdaq since January 2020.

For more information, please visit: https://www.lizhiinc.com/en orhttp://ir.lizhi.fm.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Companys beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as may, will, expect, anticipate, target, aim, estimate, intend, plan, believe, potential, continue, is/are likely to or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Companys filings with the Securities Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:LIZHI INC.IR DepartmentTel: +86 (20) 3866-4265E-mail: ir@lizhi.fm

The Piacente Group, Inc.Jenny CaiTel: +86 (10) 6508-0677E-mail: Lizhi@tpg-ir.com

In the United States:The Piacente Group, Inc.Brandi PiacenteTel: +1-212-481-2050E-mail: Lizhi@tpg-ir.com

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LIZHI Named One of China's Top 100 Internet Companies of 2021 - GlobeNewswire