Whose voices and which effects? A scoping review of migration and social media effects

Social media plays a central role in shaping migration experiences and public perceptions of migration. However, despite growing research activity, no systematic overview exists on how social media effects are examined across host and migrant populations. This scoping review synthesizes 65 empirical studies on social media effects in the context of migration published between 2020 and 2025. Guided by the differential susceptibility to media effects model, the analysis focuses on content types, sample characteristics, the conceptualization of social media, effect types, and mediating and moderating factors. The findings reveal two largely disconnected strands of research: quantitative, host-focused studies that emphasize negative attitudinal effects, and qualitative, migrant-centered studies that focus on empowerment. Framing effects, platform affordances, producer perspectives, and individual, structural, and social factors remain largely neglected. Overall, the review highlights the need for integrative research that bridges the perspectives of both hosts and migrants and pays greater attention to how migrants themselves perceive, interpret, and respond to social media portrayals and migration-related content.