DUBAI: Is social media really as social as the name suggests? According to one new report, the answer is no.
A new study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests that if you typically spend more than two hours on social media, your chances of feeling isolated are higher, The Independent reported Monday.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh questioned 1,787 adults in the US aged between 19 and 32 about their use of 11 social media sites, including Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine, Snapchat, Reddit and LinkedIn.
The research was conducted between October-November 2014 and found that individuals who visit social media networks more than 58 times a week are three times more likely to feel isolated and lonely than people who visit below nine times per week.
However, the newspaper notes that it is not clear whether social media use is a cause of loneliness or whether it is simply that people who already feel lonely tend to spend longer periods of time on the platforms.
“We do not yet know which came first — the social media use or the perceived social isolation,” co-author Elizabeth Miller, professor of paediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, said, according to The Independent.
Social media junkies feel more isolated, new study says
Social media junkies feel more isolated, new study says
Where We Are Going Today: Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa
- We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying
Relatively new on the block, Taste and Tales by Chef Shagufa, located in Jeddah’s Al-Rehab district, has been making quite a buzz on social media.
So, on a cool Friday morning at 7:00 a.m., five of my cousins and I decided to visit the restaurant to experience its much-talked-about traditional South Asian breakfast for ourselves.
We ordered the restaurant’s hyped breakfast thali (platter), which included sooji halwa (semolina pudding), kheer (rice pudding), chickpea curry, potato curry, pickles, pooris (fried, fluffy bread), and paranthas (layered flatbread), all served in beautiful copper serveware.
We shared three platters among the six of us, and needless to say, the portions were generous and the flavors satisfying.
Personally, I enjoyed everything on the platter except the semolina pudding, which I found a little bland for my taste.
For drinks, five of us ordered milk tea, which was fairly good. One of my cousins opted for their famed Pakola lassi and couldn’t stop raving about it. Since she didn’t let any of us sample it, we’ve decided it’s something to try on our next visit.
Our total bill came to SR150 ($40), slightly higher than what nearby restaurants charge for similar breakfast platters. However, the taste, presentation, and overall ambience more than make up for the difference.
Not many South Asian restaurants in Jeddah offer decent dine-in breakfast seating for families, but Taste and Tales stands out. With its simple interiors and modest seating, the space is clean, comfortable, and welcoming. It’s definitely a place I’d visit again with my female friends, cousins, and family.
