The dark side of Instagram: How voyeurism and malicious envy drive negative gossip?

Abstract Studies on the dark side of Instagram use have typically examined voyeurism, malicious envy, and negative gossip independently. However, the complex interrelationships between these phenomena remain underexplored, and our understanding of their underlying drivers and potential harm is limited. This study seeks to address this gap by proposing a model that hypothesizes the interaction mechanisms between these negative outcomes within the framework of Social Comparison Theory (SCT). The model specifically examines the mediating role of malicious envy and the moderating effect of time spent on Instagram on the relationship between voyeurism and negative gossip. Additionally, gender differences across these variables are assessed. Data were collected from 415 undergraduate Instagram users in Turkey through an online survey and analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. The results revealed that voyeurism positively predicted both negative gossip and malicious envy, and malicious envy positively predicted negative gossip on Instagram. Furthermore, malicious envy mediated the relationship between voyeurism and negative gossip, strengthening this association. Time spent on Instagram was found to positively moderate the relationship between voyeurism and negative gossip, indicating that the more time individuals spend on the platform, the stronger the link between voyeurism and negative gossip.