Navigating the social media landscape: unraveling the intricacies of safety perceptions

Abstract

The emergence of social media has greatly enriched the channels and sources of information through which individuals interact. However, there remains a lack of empirical research on its actual impact on personal safety. This study employed both Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and network analysis to explored the mechanisms by which social media engagement affects safety perceptions. Additionally, it examined gender differences from both micro-level perspectives (including general trust and perceived social support) and macro-level viewpoints (including personal belief in a just world). The findings revealed that perceived social support, general trust, and personal belief in a just world played a fully mediating role. A multi-group analysis indicated that males were more susceptibility to the influence of social media engagement, with their general trust exhibiting negligible impact on perceived safety. Consequently, this study argues that attention should be given not only how social media affects personal beliefs and safety perceptions, but also its impact on behavioral outcomes.