Digital - Social - Sustainable? Sustainable Consumer Behavior on Social Media (DiSoNa)

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.

A person holds a phone with both hands; On the phone you can see an advertisement for glasses; there are many emojis visible like thumbs-up, hearts and smilies

Key data

Description

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.