{"id":40349,"date":"2024-11-01T09:58:54","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T13:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/?post_type=bu-article&p=40349"},"modified":"2024-11-01T10:02:40","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T14:02:40","slug":"social-media-negatively-impacts-women-more-than-men-americans-say-in-survey","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/social-media-negatively-impacts-women-more-than-men-americans-say-in-survey\/","title":{"rendered":"Social media negatively impacts women more than men, Americans say in survey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Social media impacts women more negatively than men, according to most Americans, but traditional media does a better job giving equal attention to issues that affect both. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest Media & Technology survey<\/a> by Boston University\u2019s College of Communication found that three times as many than not, for example, say social media content negatively impacts women more than men, in terms of body perception, lifestyle and self-esteem (52% agree vs. 17% disagree). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the idea that TV, magazines, radio and newspapers \u201cgive equal attention to issues that affect women and issues that affect men,\u201d respondents were almost evenly split (32% agreed, 35% disagreed). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most surprising result was the proportion of people, an average of 35%, that have no clear position when it comes to having an opinion on how women’s issues are covered or portrayed in the media,\u201d said Nivea Canalli Bona<\/a>, a master lecturer at Boston University\u2019s College of Communication. \u201cThis could be a sign of low media literacy, which shows that people are not critical of the role media plays in perpetuating stereotypes. It can further point to the need for more media literacy projects in the country \u2013 with the goal of fighting misinformation and disinformation – which should investigate the gender issue.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Bona said, fake news is \u201ca proven hot ideological subject\u201d since twice as many Democrats as Republicans, 51% and 25%, respectively, believe fake news can harm women more than men. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When considering media as a whole, respondents agreed that women were likely to be harmed more than men by misinformation (33% agreed vs. 20% disagreed); misrepresented (42% vs. 21%), and portrayed in ways that reinforced gender stereotypes (50% to 14%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While women agreed with these statements at notably higher rates, men said they recognized the unequal treatment. For example, by more than two-to-one men agreed that media coverage \u201coften reinforces gender stereotypes with regards to social roles for women and men.\u201d, with (45% agree vs 20% who disagree). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When considering traditional media, people between the ages of 35-54 are the most critical, with 41% pointing to gender inequalities in media coverage, compared with those 18 to 34 (31%) or people 55 and older (33%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne possible explanation here is that older people have reduced perception of gender imbalances in traditional media coverage, given that it is a recent discussion, since media literacy organizations started pointing more assertively to the need of gender balanced representation,\u201d Bona said. \u201cMiddle-aged people were the ones waking up to these imbalances and the younger generation does not consume traditional media.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survey Summary <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Respondents to this month\u2019s Media & Technology Survey were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with five statements: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The traditional media (TV, magazines, radio, newspapers) give equal attention to issues that affect women and issues that affect men.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n