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The Real Value of Fake Internet Points: Networked Social Likes, Life Satisfaction, and Loneliness

The potential for being “liked” on social networking sites to increase life satisfaction and reduce loneliness was tested in a nationally representative web survey and again over time. The initial sample was matched to U.S. Census percentages for sex, race, ethnicity, age, and region of residence in October of 2019 ( N = 1250). A smaller group of respondents was surveyed in January and April of 2020, with the final wave occurring after the COVID-19 pandemic had begun ( N = 665). Results suggest that having posts liked on sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram contributes to life satisfaction, and life satisfaction mediates the influence of networked social likes on loneliness. Digital demonstrations of social support relate to thinking life is good, which can diminish perceived isolation. This was true in the lead-up to the pandemic, and in the midst of it, with social likes reducing loneliness by first increasing one’s sense of cognitive well-being.