Social media dependency is a central mechanism through which digital vulnerability takes shape, making it critical to understand for research, design, and policy. This study distinguishes between functional dependency (needs-based reliance) and psychological dependency (compulsive engagement) and investigates how these dimensions intersect. We surveyed 873 adult users across Europe, measuring both dependency forms alongside demographics, well-being, motivations, platform choice, and exposure to manipulative design features. Latent profile analysis and multinomial logistic regression revealed five distinct dependency profiles: functional use, low-dependency pragmatic use, high-dependency social use, moderate-dependency hedonic use, and very high-dependency multi-motivated use. These findings show dependency is not uniform but layered and dynamic, shifting with users' circumstances and socio-technical contexts. By situating dependency within both individual and design-related factors, the study advances theoretical debates on digital vulnerability and offers a profiles-based lens that helps inform the design of more autonomy-supportive social media platforms.

While social media’s positivity bias has been linked to various well-being implications, little is known about how it relates to young adults’ romantic cognitions and outcomes. This study explores the associations between perceived exposure to positively-biased romantic social media content and relationship satisfaction, as well as fear of being single (FOBS). A cross-sectional survey (N = 605) was administered and a separate model was tested for young adults in a committed relationship for the outcome relationship satisfaction and for single young adults for the outcome FOBS, by using Structural Equation Modeling. Both models considered romantic partner expectations as a mediator and tested gender and social comparison orientation (SCO) as moderators. Perceived exposure to positively-biased portrayals was negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. There was no link with FOBS. For young adults in a committed relationship, higher partner expectations related positively to relationship satisfaction but were not predicted by exposure to positively-biased portrayals. For singles, exposure to such content did predict higher partner expectations but this did not, in turn, relate to FOBS. Also no significant moderation effects were found for gender and SCO. Our findings highlight the nuanced ways in which the positivity bias can relate to romantic outcomes and underscore the value of authenticity on social media.

Research on bystander intervention (BI) during public harassment, that is, intrusive and intimidating (sexual) behaviors in public spaces, remains scarce, creating knowledge gaps regarding its frequency, influencing factors, and impact. This study addresses these gaps by examining BI experiences among an age-diverse sample (16–82 years) living in 10 Belgian municipalities, based on 541 reports collected through an online platform in 2023. Moreover, this study examines BI from two perspectives: receiving help during a specific incident and offering help oneself. BI occurred in only 28% of public harassment incidents with witnesses present, and around half of respondents had ever intervened. Given that prior research on violent conflicts reports much higher intervention rates, this low intervention rate suggests that harassment is perceived as less dangerous and supports the need to raise awareness about its harms. Intervention was more likely when bystanders knew the victim, underlining the potential of fostering a stronger sense of community to encourage intervention. Finally, this study found that victims were significantly more likely to report perceived support when bystanders intervened, highlighting the value of promoting BI.

This study presents a scoping review and crime script analysis of the modus operandi of online romance scammers. Online romance scams are a form of fraud in which perpetrators fabricate online romantic relationships with victims, aiming to emotionally manipulate and, ultimately, financially exploit them. The review aims to synthesize existing research on how scammers operate and to develop a comprehensive crime script that can guide prevention and policy efforts. A literature search was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus. The search yielded 318 initial results, which were screened for relevance using ASReview Lab and supplemented with 14 additional sources from reference lists and Google Scholar. In total, 50 empirical studies were included based on their descriptions of scammer behaviors. Data were analyzed by coding relevant passages on scammer actions and process models, which were then categorized into scenes and actions to construct a crime script. The resulting script identifies nine major scenes in the scam process: (1) preparation (the Setup); (2) target selection (the Hunt); (3) initial contact (the Hook);(4) transition to private communication (the Shift); (5) grooming; (6) the Sting; (7) financial transaction (the Payout); (8) the Squeeze (e.g., sextortion); and (9) the Aftermath (e.g., revictimization). Each scene includes multiple possible actions and variations, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of scammers. The review underscores gaps in previous process models by highlighting non-linearity, scammer adaptability, and revictimization in the online romance scam process. This study contributes to both theory and practice by offering a detailed framework for understanding and reducing (the harm following) online romance scams.