What effects does first exposure to social media have on former haredi Jews?

A new study has contributed to uncovering what effect social media may have on ultra-Orthodox Jews who have chosen to disaffiliate from Judaism and encounter new forms of technology for the first time, Ben-Gurion University (BGU) announced on Wednesday.

The university explained that many Jews from the ultra-Orthodox community leave their “close-knit” communities, where they had never been exposed to the effects of social media, if they choose to become secular.

It added that studies show how less than 20% of ultra-Orthodox individuals in Israel are typically exposed to social media.

The study aimed to look at ex-ultra-Orthodox Jews’ use of social media after their first encounter with it to see what effect it had on them, the university said.

The BGU study surveyed 1,146 ex-ultra-Orthodox individuals in the summer of 2022 about how they used social media to cope with stress. Most participants lived in Israel, while a minority were from the United States and other countries, the university said.

The study aimed to determine whether social media was used as a means to avoid or escape stress (known as escapism) or if it was used positively to help the participants solve the problems they faced.

Participants provided information on their daily use of various social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, WhatsApp, and other instant messaging tools.

The study also explored their methods of coping through social media—whether through escapism, avoidance, or problem-solving—and how these behaviors impacted their mental health and resilience.

What did the study find?

The study found that people who left the ultra-Orthodox sector used social media primarily to cope through escapist methods, followed by problem-focused methods. At the same time, avoidant coping was the least common type.

Using social media for problem-solving has been shown to be associated with “positive mental health,” according to the study. Conversely, it noted that the more that one engaged with escapist and avoidant forms of coping through social media, the lower their levels of positive mental health and resilience.

“To our knowledge, there is currently no research on the role of social support and social media use among those who disaffiliate from high-cost religions,” said Dr. Yossi David of the Department of Communication Studies and head of the Communication and Social BIAS.

“Our results point to the need for better education for healthier use of new media technologies in general and social media in particular, which is particularly important for vulnerable individuals such as those going through major life changes and using social media for the first time,” the researchers of the study explained.