Angry Online Stanford Scientists Have A Tool That Could Detox Your

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 6, 2025, 7:23 PM

angry online stanford scientists have a tool that could detox your

A new Stanford-led study is challenging the idea that political toxicity is simply an unavoidable element of online culture. Instead, the research suggests that the political toxicity many users encounter on social media is a design choice that can be reversed. Researchers have unveiled a browser-based tool that can cool the political temperature of an X feed by quietly downranking hostile or antidemocratic posts. Remarkably, this can occur without requiring any deletions, bans, or cooperation from X itself. The study offers the takeaway that algorithmic interventions can meaningfully reduce partisan animosity while still preserving political speech. It also advances a growing movement advocating user control over platform ranking systems and the algorithms that shape what they see, which were traditionally guarded as proprietary, opaque, and mainly optimized for engagement rather...

The research tool was built by a multidisciplinary team across Stanford, Northeastern University, and the University of Washington, composed of computer scientists, psychologists, communication scholars, and information scientists. Their goal in the experiment was to counter the engagement-driven amplification of divisive content that tends to reward outrage, conflict, and emotionally charged posts, without silencing political speech. Using a large language model, the tool analyzes posts in real time and identifies several categories of harmful political subject matter, including calls for political violence, attacks on democratic norms, and extreme hostility toward... When the system flags such content, it simply pushes those posts lower in the feed so they are less noticeable, like seating your argumentative uncle at the far end of the table during the... Stanford University researchers conducted one of the largest randomized controlled trials on social media and emotional health, shedding light on the emotional impact of a social media detox and who can benefit most with... In recent years, concerns about the impact of social media on mental health have moved from the margins to the mainstream.

From policymakers to parents, many are asking whether constant connectivity is coming at a psychological cost. Now, a landmark study headlined by Hunt Allcott and Matthew Gentzkow, both professors at Stanford University in California and research associates at the National Bureau of Economic Research, offers new evidence on that question. Drawing on one of the largest randomized controlled trial (RCT) experiments ever conducted on the topic, their research explores what happens when people step away from platforms like Facebook and Instagram and whether a... In the digital era, where social media platforms dominate daily routines, new research is shedding light on how disengaging from these networks may impact mental health. A large-scale, randomized study by economists Hunt Allcott, Matthew Gentzkow, and their collaborators, recently released as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), offers some of the most comprehensive evidence... Titled “The Effect of Deactivating Facebook and Instagram on Users’ Emotional State” (NBER Working Paper No.

33697), the study involved over 35,000 users who were randomly assigned to deactivate either Facebook or Instagram in the six weeks leading up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election. “We ran two parallel experiments, with Facebook and Instagram as the respective “focal platform.” For each focal platform, Meta drew a stratified random sample of users who were in the U.S., were age 18... From August 31 to September 12, Meta placed survey invitations at the top of these users’ focal platform news feeds,” the study explains. In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, smartphones, laptops, tablets, and social media dominate our daily lives. While technology has many benefits, excessive screen time can lead to mental exhaustion, anxiety, poor sleep, and decreased productivity.

A digital detox is a conscious effort to reduce or eliminate screen use, allowing your mind and body to recover. Research has shown that constant exposure to screens, notifications, and information overload can overstimulate the brain, increasing stress levels and affecting overall well-being. Practicing a digital detox not only improves mental health but also enhances relationships, focus, and mindfulness. Constant notifications, emails, and social media updates can trigger a continuous stress response in the body. This chronic stress may increase cortisol levels, which can lead to anxiety, irritability, and even physical health issues like headaches and digestive problems. A digital detox allows your nervous system to relax, reducing feelings of being “always on” and promoting calmness.

Exposure to blue light from smartphones and laptops disrupts melatonin production, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Late-night scrolling can make it difficult to fall asleep and reduce deep sleep cycles, leading to fatigue and decreased cognitive performance. Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or stuck in an endless cycle of doomscrolling? It might be time to take a break from your smartphone. A new study by the University of Texas at Austin suggests that limiting internet access on your phone for just two weeks can significantly improve mental well-being, mood, and focus. Researchers followed 467 participants aged 18 to 74, tracking their mental health and attention levels over a month-long period.

The results were eye-opening: 91% of participants experienced at least one positive change, while 71% reported improved mental health, and 73% felt an overall boost in well-being. One of the most striking findings was the effect on mood. Participants took a standard mental health survey assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and their responses showed notable improvements. The reduction in depressive symptoms was comparable to — or even greater than — those observed in studies on antidepressant medications. While this doesn't suggest that going offline is a substitute for medical treatment, it highlights the tangible benefits of reducing screen time. Additionally, not only did mental health improve, but participants also saw a noticeable boost in attention spans.

Researchers found that their ability to focus on tasks increased significantly, with effects comparable to regaining a decade of cognitive sharpness. The study also revealed that stepping away from the internet led to better lifestyle choices. Participants reported spending more time outdoors, engaging in hobbies, socializing, and even sleeping better. The longer they went without constant online distractions, the more these benefits compounded, creating a positive feedback loop. So, how can you cut back on screen time without feeling disconnected? Start small by taking short breaks, turning off notifications, or setting app limits.

You can also schedule tech-free times during meals or before bed, try a digital detox for a day, or even switch to a basic phone. Finding offline activities like reading, exercising, or simply being present in the moment can help reinforce healthier habits. While the internet is an integral part of daily life, this study proves that taking breaks from it can be a powerful tool for improving overall well-being. Maybe it’s time to put the phone down and experience life beyond the screen. If you have ever sworn off social media for a week or two because you sensed it was feeding your anxiety or dampening your mood, you may be on to something. A new study out last week in JAMA Network Open found that cutting down on social media use even for a week can significantly reduce mental health symptoms in young adults.

It's part of a growing body of research that shows that taking breaks from scrolling and posting can be a mental health boon, especially for young people. For example, a recently published meta-analysis found that limiting social media is tied to a statistically significant boost in "subjective well-being." Most studies on the impacts of social media ask users to recall how much time they spend on their phones or these platforms, as well as other aspects of their health like mood and... But that data is often unreliable, says psychiatrist John Torous, director of the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and author of the new study. Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.

We’ve all seen how social media platforms like X are used to “dunk” on others, by resharing posts with a (usually snarky or incendiary) comment to draw in likes and engagement. But the open-source X alternative Mastodon has rolled out some innovative new features to protect against malicious “dunking” when users quote-share each other. The platform will now support quote posts for the first time this week, starting on its largest servers mastodon.online and mastodon.social and more widely following Mastodon’s upcoming 4.5 software update. But users will have control over how they are quoted. Users will receive a notification when their post is quote-shared and will be able to remove the original post from the other user’s post. Users will also be able to adjust their settings to stop a particular post from being quote-shared in the future.

In addition, users will be able to permanently block a user from quote-sharing any of their posts, as a hedge against malicious dunks. They will also be able to limit who can quote them, including restricting it to followers only or just themselves.

Angry Online Stanford Scientists Have A Tool That Could Detox Your

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