This talk will cover how social media has been studied academically over the past decade, focusing on how systematic research is conducted on such a heterogeneous environment. In addition, the talk will describe some of the major research findings regarding social media use including why people use it, under what conditions that use is good and bad, and the social effects of social media use.

Cliff Lampe, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. He has researched social media for the past 15 years. His work with colleagues on Facebook use and social capital has been cited thousands of times. He is a member of the Social Media Research Lab and Center for Social Media Responsibility. Dr. Lampe regularly consults with policy makers, tech leaders and the press on issues related to social media.

This is the first in a six-lecture series. The subject is Social Media Research: What We Know Now. The next lecture will be January 16, 2020. The title is: Mobile Media and Parenting.