The Intersection of Generative AI and Social Media: Exploring Trends and Ethical Challenges – A Qualitative Perspective

Abstract

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in social media has brought about the transformation of the creation of content, personalization, and user engagement in the modern world, yet, raises severe ethical issues. The proposed qualitative research is devoted to the theme of generative AI and social media, where the researcher will consider the latest trends and ethical controversies attached to the combination of these two technologies. The study determines several important themes through thematic analysis of the existing literature, semi-structured interviews, and case studies, such as democratization of the content creation process, the spread of misinformation and deepfake, the lack of privacy and data security, the problem of bias in algorithms, intellectual property, and the necessity of ethical governance. According to the findings, generative AI has a two-sided character, both as an inventive opportunity and a threat to trust, equity and processes in democracy. The research points to the importance of effective ethics and practices and a multi-stakeholder approach in building a reliable solution to the responsible use of generative AI in social media and transparent methods in the process. By overcoming these predicaments, this study helps solve some legal and ethical concerns that need to be met to better accommodate innovation and ethical factors and provide a trustworthy and fairer digital environment.