Podcast: Worse Weather Amplifies Social Media Activity

4/14/2025

This research article investigates how weather conditions influence social media activity by analyzing billions of posts from Facebook and Twitter between 2009 and 2016 alongside meteorological data. The study reveals that both extreme temperatures and precipitation independently lead to increased online engagement, with compounded weather events causing even greater surges. Notably, these effects persist at an individual level and surpass the social media activity seen during major social events like New Year's Eve in New York City. The authors highlight that environmental factors play a significant and often overlooked role in shaping digital social interactions, affecting both weather-related and general online posting. The findings suggest that adverse weather drives people to engage more online, potentially due to reduced offline opportunities.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39903688/