Tasynthesis of critical studies of social media based on data-driven analysis

Document Type : Scientific-Research Article

Authors
Maryam Razani 1
mohammad hadi homayoun 2
mohammadsadegh nasrollahi 3
1 Student of ImamSadiq University
2 geo
3 ISU
10.30497/rc.2025.247356.2081
Abstract
Although social media has become an inseparable part of human life today, a serious question arises as to whether this pervasive phenomenon is culturally neutral or directional? The answer to this question is important because domestic social media is adapted in terms of architecture and design logic, and it is natural that, assuming the cultural directionality of foreign examples, it is reproducing the Western value system. The aim of this article is to explore the perspective of Western scholars on the cultural directionality of social media, and in this regard, the question arises as to what cultural aspects of existing social media are harmful from the perspective of Western scholars and how are they formed? To answer this question, a meta-synthesis approach has been put on the agenda, and by using the method of collecting text mining and the purposeful selection of scientific texts and the skill of the data-based analysis method, the central category has been reached: "values, norms, and self-centered needs" as the most important cultural and value aspect. In this regard, the “neoliberal foundation” and “imperialism” were found to be the most important causal conditions of this central category, as well as the most important background conditions of “hybrid warfare” and “super surveillance security commercial apparatus” and the most important intervening conditions were “user ignorance” and “myth of inevitability”. The interaction between users and the mechanism of social media with important categories such as “algorithmic governance”, “mind-distorting methods” and “virtual exploitation” were extracted from the studied texts. And finally, consequences such as “destruction of civil participation”, “plural gatherings”, “mental harm” and “cost of popularity” were obtained.
Keywords
Social media
social media pathology
social media critique
virtual culture
virtual lifestyle
Subjects
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Religion & Communication
Volume 33, Issue 1 - Serial Number 69
religion and communication
September 2026
Pages 1-44