Two sides of a coin: understanding social media use and its relationships to online perceived discrimination and life satisfaction

This study explores how Chinese migrants in Singapore navigate their overseas lives through social media use. Survey data collected from Chinese migrants reveals that social media use serves as a double-edged sword: while it is positively associated with migrants’ life satisfaction, it also heightens their perception of online discrimination. Furthermore, results also suggest an essential role of self-esteem: elevated self-esteem correlates with improved life satisfaction and a decrease in online perceived discrimination. Besides, self-esteem can moderate the relationships between social media use and both life satisfaction and online perceived discrimination. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.