Carbon Footprint of The Most Popular Social Media Platforms

It highlights the significant energy consumption associated with IT infrastructures that support digital activities, emphasising that the internet’s carbon emissions have been a subject of various estimation efforts, yet no universally accepted calculation method exists. The research employs four different methods to calculate the carbon footprint of the social media platforms. Each method considers different factors such as device type, network impact, and user behavior. The findings reveal significant differences in carbon emissions associated with each platform. The results indicate that Netflix generates the highest emissions among the platforms due to its high resolution, number of users, and viewing hours. The paper argues that common perceptions underestimate the environmental impact of internet usage. It compares the carbon emissions from one hour of streaming video to other activities, establishing that internet activities can generate substantial carbon footprints, often invisible to users.