Social media in 2026.
Since it launched in the early 2000s, social media has changed a lot: how we socialise, how we do business, how we spend our free time, and much, much more.
However, it is clear that as well as being enjoyable and beneficial, social media also poses serious risks.
Research has linked frequent social media use to: increased rates of anxiety, depression and loneliness; reduced self-esteem; and reduced attention spans.
It has also been shown to: increase political and social polarisation; enable manipulation; and amplify misinformation.
The challenges of educating about social media.
Education struggles to keep up with technology:
Social media is constantly evolving and changing. By the time education catches up, its often too late—the platforms that people are using may be completely different.
Education often overlooks important dynamics:
Education often focuses on social media’s negative effects — things like cyber bullying, mental health issues and disinformation. However, to fully understand these outcomes, people need to understand their root causes.
Technology widens generational gaps:
Many teachers and educators didn’t grow up with social media. They might understand it, but not always from the perspective of the people they are trying to teach. This makes the transmission of relevant knowledge inherently difficult.
How does Viral Wise overcome these challenges?
As a small, independent initiative, Viral Wise can keep up with technology. Our workshops and learning materials make use of the latest research and findings. We draw on insights from sociology, psychology, neuroscience, media theory and many other disciplines to help people and communities in Ireland make sense of their digital lives.
As a youth-led initiative, Viral Wise understands social media from a young person’s perspective. This allows us to design workshops and learning materials that reflect how young people actually use social media in 2026.
Viral Wise goes beyond teaching people about the effects of social media use. Our workshops and learning materials help people understand the inner working of the platforms that play such a big role in their lives.
Viral Wise explores questions like:
What is an ad-revenue model?
What was the like button designed to do?
How does social media affect dopamine?
How does the for you page work?
What is rage-baiting?
How do influencers make money?
Our Mission
Help people and communities around Ireland make sense of the complicated and confusing world of social media.
Why?
So that they can develop healthier, more informed relationships with it!
About Tom
As a 25-year-old, Tom was part of the first generation to grow up with social media. In an article for The Journal, he explored his first-hand experience of its harms as a teenager.
Tom studied History and Political Science at Trinity College Dublin, where he specialised in the relationship between politics, culture and technology. In college, he also founded Mangrove Report, a student publication which explored how emerging technologies were shaping the future.
Since leaving university, Tom has worked with Uplift, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and the Hope and Courage Collective. His work has mainly involved researching social media’s effects, lobbying Irish and European politicians to strengthen regulation and educating the public about social media’s harms.
In his free time, Tom enjoys DJ-ing, hiking and surfing!
Learn more about Viral Wise workshops and explore your booking options: