Abstract
Social media platforms differ in their communicative and social affordances. These differences can explain the mixed findings regarding the positive or harmful association of social media use with well-being. This study uses representative surveys from Pew Research, Simmons National Consumer Survey, and Gallup Sharecare together with Google Trends data to analyze the association of social media use with well-being and depression at the individual- and regional-level. In region-level data from 2015-2018, frequent Facebook use is positively associated with well-being while frequent Instagram use is negatively associated with well-being. This is also corroborated by regional digital trace data from 2014-2018. Many of the effects are replicated in a region-level analysis of social media use with region-level depression diagnoses trends. Subgroup analyses support the reinforcement hypothesis, since the positive effects of social media on well-being are experienced by white, high-income subgroups at both the individual and the county level, while negative effects -- specifically, of Instagram use -- are observed on younger and minority populations. The findings suggest that that a monolithic perspective of social media platforms may need to be reconsidered, especially in the context of their social and psychological impact.
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