Exposing the Dark Side of Social Media

Social media’s chokehold on the way we’re informed about the world and communicate with each other is leading us down an increasingly dangerous path. Media literacy is alarmingly low, and trust in traditional news outlets is falling. As a result, ‘people are very susceptible to being manipulated by false information that spreads online,’ says Dr. Rosanna E. Guadagno, Associate Professor of Persuasive Information Systems at Finland’s University of Oulu. ‘Social media was supposed to be about connection, but now it's about manipulation and unethical influence.’ 

Rosanna has a lifelong interest in the intersection of social psychology and technology – specifically, the areas of influence and persuasion. ‘Why are some people really good at getting others to do what they want, or to change their opinions to match theirs? I study both why we're influenced by the content and people we interact with online, and ways to stop people being influenced.’ The real world effects of this influence can be seen in everything from the rise of the far right to Russia’s disinformation campaign around the 2016 US election. 

Having taught at universities across the US, Rosanna’s research has traced how developments in technology, from email to VR, influence social interactions. Her recently-published first book explores the psychological mechanisms behind social media influence. ‘The more I worked on the book, the less I used social media. I hope more people will abandon social media, and that with the next wave of technologies, we will treat people as the customers, not as the data. We need something that facilitates real human connections.’

Following years of studying the impact of digital influence in the US, Rosanna seized the opportunity to continue her work in a country where media literacy is among the highest in the world. At the University of Oulu, Rosanna works as part of the world-leading Oulu Advanced Research on Service and Information Systems centre, where researchers are equipped with the tools to both investigate and design information systems. Taking up this role meant shifting gears: ‘For most of my career I've been a psychology professor, and now I'm a professor of information systems. But information systems as a field is interdisciplinary by nature, and psychology is one of the disciplines that feed into it.’ By bringing together experts from diverse fields in a collaborative environment, the research centre is best placed to address the issues with information systems – issues that sit at the nexus of technology, psychology, and sociology.

‘A lot of my research is trying to develop tools to help vet and verify information that spreads on social media. But we're also developing a video game as a teaching tool to help people understand that they need to fact check information, rather than just accept it as true because their aunt or uncle shared it.’ The group’s work highlights that, while it can be dangerous, persuasive design can be harnessed for good to spark positive change. Working in Finland also provides a unique context for Rosanna’s research. ‘Finland is one of the few countries in the world where trust in news sources and institutions is actually increasing. So, I'm starting a series of studies comparing the United States to Finland on different interventions.’

This contrast isn’t just something Rosanna is interested in from a research perspective, but has personally experienced since moving her family to Finland from the US – and in many ways, Finland comes out on top. ‘We want to stay here long term. Public transportation is really good, and it's incredibly safe here. I don't worry about my kids taking the bus late at night. And I can walk to work, which gives me a lot more time. I feel like it's a more relaxed way of life.’ The language difference isn’t an issue – although she’s been learning Finnish through free classes offered by the university, Rosanna notes it’s easy to get by with English. Another highlight is the city’s unique location, close to the Arctic Circle and surrounded by forest. ‘I can see the northern lights from my driveway, which is really cool. I feel much more connected to the beauty of this world here than I did in the Bay Area, spending way too much time in my car.’

Rosanna urges other researchers who might be considering a cross-country move to take the leap. ‘Life is sometimes about taking risks. I'm really happy with my choice, and would definitely recommend it to others.’