DiSoNa: Digital - Social - Sustainable
Social media can encourage impulsive and excessive consumption. The project analyzes systemic structures in social media systems that promote consumption and derives evidence-based suggestions for more sustainable social media ecosystems.
Factsheet
- Schools involved Business School
- Institute(s) Institute for Public Sector Transformation
- Research unit(s) Data and Infrastructure
- Strategic thematic field Thematic field "Humane Digital Transformation"
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration (planned) 01.07.2025 - 31.12.2028
- Head of project Prof. Dr. Jan Bieser
- Keywords Digitalization, sustainability, social media, consumption
Situation
In Switzerland, around 7 million people are already active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Using these platforms has become one of the most popular leisure activities, especially among young people. Studies show that this influences consumer behavior and can stimulate both digital and physical consumption by encouraging impulsive, excessive, or status-driven purchasing decisions. This often leads to higher consumption and increases resource use, with negative ecological consequences.
Course of action
This project investigates consumption-increasing incentive structures in social media ecosystems, assesses their potential impact based on empirical evidence, and initiates a constructive discourse on necessary and implementable changes. The project is implemented by the Bern University of Applied Sciences and the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, and is funded by the Mercator Foundation Switzerland.
