viral ad on YouTube — The Budweiser Super Bowl ad “Puppy Love” was one of the most-viewed commercials in history. (Image/Anheuser-Busch via YouTube)

What makes an ad go viral on YouTube?

Unlike expensive TV time, YouTube is free and has over 1 billion users. But how do you grab them with an enticing ad? One USC Marshall professor has a few tips.

Athletics

Arye Abraham USC — Arye Abraham broke his first big story when he was only 16; now in law school, he continues to be a connected source of NBA news. (Photo/Courtesy of Arye Abraham)

Law student by day, news-breaking NBA insider by night

Meet Arye Abraham, the only student at the USC Gould School of Law with more than 38,000 Twitter followers and dozens of NBA contacts in his cellphone.

Health

cartoon e-cigarette ads — A USC study found that non-e-cigarette users who saw cartoon images in ads were more likely to start using them in the future. (Illustration/Diana Molleda, iStock)

Study finds e-cigarette cartoon ads may increase young adults’ likelihood of vaping

USC researchers discovered that young adults who had never used e-cigarettes were more likely to start if they recognized the cartoons used in their ads.

Health

Study: Exposure to videos of race-based violence can lead to mental health issues

A new USC study finds that viewing violent videos of police shootings may be harmful to the mental health of adolescents of color.

Science/Technology

David Craig social media research — David Craig believes that social media has created an entirely new medium for content creators to form relationships with their audiences. (Photo/Courtesy of David Craig)

Social media entrepreneurs: Community leaders or corporate sellouts?

USC Annenberg’s David Craig delves into the fragile distinction between leading an online community and being a corporate-backed influencer.

Health Science/Technology

Young people smoking via social media ads — USC expert Robert Kozinets studies how tobacco companies have marketed their products to young people. (Photo/Shutterstock)

How tobacco companies use social media to hook a new generation of smokers

USC’s Robert Kozinets documents how Big Tobacco is crafting creative Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns — with dubious motives.

University

loneliness in college — Starting school in a new city and feeling disconnected on social media can create a sense of isolation, USC experts say. (Illustration/iStock)

USC tackles ‘loneliness epidemic’ in a world of social media

Feeling alone at college, especially as a freshman, is nothing new. But in an era of Facebook friends and Instagram followers, Trojans consider: How do you encourage real friendships?

Health

e-scooter social media — Instagram posts rarely show Bird e-scooter users with helmets or other protective gear, USC researchers say. (Photo/USC News staff)

E-scooter companies should consider safety on social media, USC study finds

Research suggests that the vehicles aren’t promoted with protective gear in mind.

Athletics

Athletes on social media: Thomas Williams — Thomas Williams went on to play in the NFL and is now a motivational speaker and author who is well-versed in new media. (Photo/Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

How athletes are building and leveraging their personal brands

USC experts join with the NFL to guide players on everything from public speaking to social media.

Cultural appropriation and appreciation: Panel — Viet Thanh Nguyen, right, speaks on a panel that includes Rebecca Hall, Melissa Chan, Josh Kun and Aditi Mayer, from left, on the topic of "Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation?" at the USC Pacific Asia Museum. (USC Photo/Michael Owen Baker)

What is the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation?

A panel of experts, including MacArthur “Genius Grant” awardees Viet Thanh Nguyen and Josh Kun, explains the history of cultural appropriation and growing awareness in the digital era.

Business Science/Technology

illustration concept viral network — USC expert Kimon Drakopoulos, who studies how fake news spreads, is working on a behavioral experiment to study how people consume and internalize information. (Illustration/iStock)

Fake news isn’t just bad news: It’s bad for the bottom line, too

USC Marshall research also suggests that Facebook users who help expose falsehoods should be compensated.

University

Staying safe on social media: data tracking illustration — Are you a savvy social media user? Someone may be tracking your data or trying to influence your online behavior.(Illustration/iStock)

5 ways to stay safe on social media

USC researchers weigh in on the biggest social media dangers — and how to avoid them.

Seniors and technology — Older generations getting on social media find more opportunities to interact with their families. (Photo/Stocksy)

Grandparents’ move to Facebook spurs both embarrassing ‘fails’ and opportunities

Social networks are like nightclubs — where parents and grandparents sometimes crash the party — USC expert says.

Policy/Law

How Twitter, Instagram and other Social Media are Transforming Diplomacy

The USC Center of Public Diplomacy’s Jay Wang weighs in on how technology is changing the rules of policymaking.

University

illustration twitter concept showing clashing of social media and violence — USC researchers studied the wording of tweets surrounding certain topics and searched for key phrases to do with morality. (Illustration/Nina Dehghani)

Social media posts may signal whether a protest will become violent

USC study also finds that people are more likely to condone using violence to defend their beliefs when they think others share their moral values.

Science/Technology

What’s in store for the future of facebook? (Photo/Pixabay)

Is this the beginning of the end for Facebook?

In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and a #DeleteFacebook movement, USC experts look at how this week’s events might impact the social network.

University