Carbon Footprint Calculation and Analysis of Four Social Media Platforms ( Zalo , Instagram ,

Whatapp and Wechat)

Truong Quang Huy

GCS200656

Ms. Sharmila Mathivanan B.Tech., M. Tech

Information Technology Lecturer

Computer Department

FPT University Greenwich, Vietnam

05/05/2022
 ASSIGNMENT 1 FRONT SHEET

Qualification BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Computing

Unit number and title Unit 13:Computing Research Project

Submission date May 5, 2023 Date Received 1st submission May 1, 2023

Re-submission Date Date Received 2nd submission

Student Name Truong Quang Huy Student ID GCS200656

Class GCS0905C Assessor name Sharmila Mathivanan

Student declaration

I certify that the assignment submission is entirely my own work and I fully understand the consequences of plagiarism. I understand that
making a false declaration is a form of malpractice.

Student’s signature HUY

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P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 M1 M2 M3 D1 D2
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 ASSIGNMENT 1 BRIEF
Qualification BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Computing

Unit number UNIT 13: Computing Research Project

Assignment title Proposing and conducting a research project

Academic Year 2022 - 2023

Unit Tutor Do Tien Thanh

Issue date 03 August 2022 Submission date 03 August 2022

IV name and date

Submission Format:

Format: The submission is in the form of 1 document

You must use font Calibri size 12, set number of the pages and use multiple line spacing at
1.3. Margins must be: left: 1.25 cm; right: 1 cm; top: 1 cm and bottom: 1 cm. The reference
follows Harvard referencing system.
Submission Students are compulsory to submit the assignment in due date and in a way requested by
the Tutors. The form of submission will be a soft copy posted on
http://cms.greenwich.edu.vn/
Note: The Assignment must be your own work, and not copied by or from another student or from
books etc. If you use ideas, quotes or data (such as diagrams) from books, journals or other sources, you
must reference your sources, using the Harvard style. Make sure that you know how to reference
properly, and that understand the guidelines on plagiarism. If you do not, you definitely get failed

Unit Learning Outcomes:

LO1 Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of the research process
LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant for a computing research project
LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders

Assignment Brief and Guidance:

Introduction to theme
The environmental impact of digital transformation
The amount of data created and stored globally is expected to reach 175 Zettabytes by 2025, a six-fold
increase from 2018. This will demand additional hardware and power consumption, which; in turn, will
increase the environmental impact of the digital sector and there is already increasing attention on the
environmental footprint of ICT equipment and services as they become more widespread in all aspects of
human life.
It is the responsibility of everyone to take action in addressing the challenges of climate change, as
professionals we must also seek ways that the digital sector can play its part. While digital technologies
are one of the sectors that has achieved greater efficiency; achieving about 100 times more computation
power from the same amount of energy per decade, it remains unsustainable. The sector must continue
to seek ways in which it can continue to support and drive innovation, while addressing the global
climate emergency for a greener and fairer future.

Choosing a research objective/question

Students are to choose their own research topic for this unit. Strong research projects are those with
clear, well focused and defined objectives. A central skill in selecting a research objective is the ability to
select a suitable and focused research objective. One of the best ways to do this is to put it in the form of
a question. Students should be encouraged by tutors to discuss a variety of topics related to the theme
to generate ideas for a good research objective.
The range of topics discussed could cover the following:
● The use of modern methods to reduce carbon emissions in IT network systems.
● The impact of cloud data centres on the environment.
● The environmental implications of e-waste and ways to reduce it.
The research objective should allow students to broaden their understanding and widen their erspective
of being able to explore, argue, prove, and/or disprove a particular objective. The research objective
should be feasible, novel, ethical, relevant and ultimately of interest to the student

You have to set you own research question in the research proposal base on the previous range of topic,
and the research question must be specific enough.
 Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of

the research process

P1 Produce a research proposal that M1 Evaluate different research LO1 & 2

clearly defines a research question or
hypothesis supported by a literature
review.
P2 Examine appropriate research
methods and approaches to primary
and secondary research.
approaches and methodology and
make justifications for the choice of
methods selected based on
philosophical/theoretical frameworks.
D1 Critically evaluate research
methodologies and processes in
application to a computing research
project to justify chosen research
methods and analysis.

LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant for a computing research

project

P3 Conduct primary and secondary M2 Discuss merits, limitations and

research using appropriate methods pitfalls of approaches to data
for a computing research project that collection and analysis.
consider costs, access and ethical
issues.

P4 Apply appropriate analytical tools,

analyse research findings and data.

LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified D2 Communicate critical

stakeholders
P5 Communicate research outcomes
in an appropriate manner for the
intended audience.
analysis of the outcomes and
make valid, justified
recommendations.
M3 Coherently and logically
communicate outcomes to the
intended audience demonstrating
how outcomes meet set research
objectives.
Content

s
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1

Background and Context....................................................................................................................1

Problem Statement............................................................................................................................2

Research Questions............................................................................................................................2

Objectives..........................................................................................................................................3

Reasons for Choosing the Project.......................................................................................................3

Literature review...................................................................................................................................4

1. Carbon Footprint of The Most Popular Social Media Platforms....................................................4

2. Do information and communication technology and renewable energy use matter for carbon
dioxide emissions reduction? Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa region.......................4

3. Considering embodied CO2 emissions and carbon compensation cost in life cycle cost
optimization of carbon-neutral building energy systems....................................................................5

4. Study of digital carbon footprint created by E-Mail among college students...............................5

5. Digital Infrastructures, Video Compression, and the Environmental Footprint of Video Streaming
6

6. Life Cycle Assessment of CO2 Emissions of Online Music and Videos Streaming in Japan............7

7. Leveraging Social Networks To Motivate Individuals to Reduce their Ecological Footprints.........7

8. Comparing Events Coverage in Online News and Social Media: The Case of Climate Change.......8

Research design and methods...............................................................................................................8

Overview of the proposed Project......................................................................................................8

Research design.................................................................................................................................9

1. Collect Data...............................................................................................................................12
 1.1. What is the carbon footprint (CO2) impact of social media apps on the environment?.......12

1.2. What impact does e-waste have on the environment?.......................................................12

1.3. What measures are developers currently taking to reduce the carbon footprint of the most
popular social media platforms?...................................................................................................13

1.4. Can Blockchain technology help reduce the carbon footprint of the most popular social
media platforms...........................................................................................................................14

1.5. If each popular social media platform with different configurations and upgrades, what will
the emissions be?.........................................................................................................................14

Practical Considerations...................................................................................................................15

Implications and contributions to knowledge......................................................................................15

Practical Implications.......................................................................................................................18

Theoretical Implications...................................................................................................................19

Strengths and Weakness about the Study........................................................................................19

Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................20

Research schedule...............................................................................................................................21

References...........................................................................................................................................22
Introduction
We can see about the importance of social media platforms in modern society. However, the growing
popularity and use of these platforms has raised concerns about their impact on the environment,
especially the carbon footprint they generate each time a new person is introduced. , new device, a new
update is used. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2),
released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, such as energy consumption and data
processing.

Because social media platforms rely heavily on data centers, networks, and devices to operate and
deliver content to users, they contribute to variable greenhouse gas emissions. climate. According to a
report by The Shift Project, the digital industry (including social media platforms) accounts for 4% of total
global greenhouse gas emissions, about the same as the emissions of the aviation industry.

The carbon footprint of social media platforms is a complex and multifaceted issue that needs further
investigation to better understand their impact and potential for mitigation. However, some social media
companies have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy sources
and improving energy efficiency in their data centers. . I. This study aims to address this issue by looking
at the carbon footprint of the most popular social media platforms and uncovering the factors that
contribute to their emissions. Therefore, this study aspires to provide new information and contribute to
existing knowledge about the environmental impact of social media platforms.

Here are the answers to the search questions

1:To calculate the carbon footprint of social media sites, various techniques can be employed. One
common method is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which takes into account the entire lifecycle of a
product or service, including production, use, and disposal. Input-output analysis is another approach
that estimates the environmental impact of an entire economy or industry based on economic data.
Environmental footprint calculators are also available, which allow users to estimate the carbon
footprint of their online activity by entering details such as time spent on social media and types of
content consumed.

2: The carbon footprint of various social networking networks per hour of use can vary greatly. For
example, streaming videos has a much larger carbon footprint compared to browsing text or photos due
to the larger data size and energy-intensive streaming process. On average, video streaming has a carbon
footprint of around 135 g CO2 per hour, while Facebook usage has a carbon footprint of around 13.5 g
CO2 per hour.

3: Due to a variety of variables, including platform design, data usage, user behavior, and the geographic
location of data centers and networks, the carbon footprint of social media networks per hour of usage
varies. For instance, certain social media platforms might use hardware and software that is more
energy-efficient, while others might rely more on networks and data centers that are situated in areas
with significant carbon emissions.

4: Data centers use a lot of energy to run since they manage and store enormous amounts of data for
social networking firms. This is due to the fact that they have to maintain a steady temperature to stop
servers and other equipment from overheating. Data centers are among the most energy-intensive
components of a social networking company's infrastructure since they require regular cooling.
Networks are also in charge of transferring data between data centers and devices, which uses energy as
well.

5: The amount of data necessary to stream videos is the cause of their greater carbon impact. High-
resolution, high-quality videos use more data and bandwidth, which increases energy usage. Video
streaming is a continuous operation that uses energy, making it more energy-intensive than other forms
of entertainment. However, text-based content has a significantly lower carbon footprint because it
transmits with much less data and bandwidth. The carbon footprint of images varies depending on the
resolution and compression used. Uncompressed files and higher-resolution photos consume more data
and energy to send, increasing their carbon impact. Overall, the type and quality of content on social
media platforms play a significant role in their carbon footprint, with videos being the most carbon-
intensive, followed by images and text.

6:The environment is greatly impacted by the growing data volumes and resolutions of social media
content. Social media platforms' energy usage grows along with the amount of data that is
communicated, stored, and processed on them. As a result, carbon footprints increase because more
energy is required to run the infrastructure that underpins these platforms. Furthermore, as image and
video resolution rises, more data is needed to transmit and store them, which results in higher energy
costs and carbon emissions. More electronic trash is produced as a result of the increased need for
storage and processing power, which can have negative environmental effects if improperly disposed of.

7: The carbon footprint of social media platforms can be significantly impacted by geographic factors,
such as the placement of data centers and networks. Greater reliance on renewable energy sources,
such as hydro, solar, or wind power, results in lower carbon footprints than greater reliance on fossil
fuels. Therefore, a social media company's carbon footprint may be significantly impacted by where its
networks and data centers are located. Companies can lessen their carbon footprint by putting their data
centers in locations with lots of renewable energy options or by collaborating with renewable energy
companies in the areas where they do business.

8: Social media networks can implement various technologies and tactics to reduce their carbon
footprint. One strategy is to use renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, or hydro power for their
data centers and networks. They can also optimize data storage and transmission to reduce energy
consumption. For instance, compressing data can reduce the amount of energy needed for transmission
and storage. Social media networks can also promote responsible user behavior such as encouraging
users to limit their data usage, turn off auto-play for videos, and avoid excessive video streaming.
Implementing energy-efficient hardware and software can also help reduce energy consumption. Finally,
social media networks can offset their carbon emissions through carbon credits or investments in
renewable energy projects.

9: Social media platforms' carbon footprint can be minimized in a number of ways. One solution is for
social media businesses to run their networks and data centers using renewable energy sources like solar
or wind power. By implementing compression methods and minimizing redundant data, they can also
optimize their data transmission and storage. Reducing carbon footprints can also be accomplished by
encouraging responsible user behavior, such as restricting data usage and video streaming. Partnering
with producers of renewable energy can also have a big influence, as can implementing energy-efficient
technology and software. The last option is for social media businesses to use carbon credits or funding
for renewable energy projects to offset their carbon emissions.

10:The carbon footprint of social media platforms can be reduced through various methods. One way is
for social media companies to use renewable energy sources for their data centers and networks, such
as solar or wind power. They can also optimize their data storage and transmission by using compression
algorithms and reducing redundant data. Encouraging responsible user behavior, such as limiting data
usage and video streaming, can also help to reduce carbon footprints. Implementing energy-efficient
hardware and software can also make a significant impact, as can partnering with renewable energy
providers. Finally, social media companies can offset their carbon emissions through carbon credits or
investments in renewable energy projects

Background and Context

Social media platforms have gained immense popularity over the past decade, with billions of users
worldwide. These platforms allow users to create, share, and consume a variety of different types of
content, including text, photos, videos, and live streams. However, the environmental impact of social
media platforms, particularly their carbon footprint, has come into the spotlight in recent years.

The carbon footprint of social media platforms refers to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
associated with their operations, including data centers, networks, and equipment used to host, content
storage and distribution. These emissions are the result of energy consumed in the production,
operation and disposal of these infrastructures, as well as electricity used by end users to access social
media platforms. Especially those that calculate the carbon emissions of the four most popular online
services (TikTok, Facebook, Netflix and YouTube) using top-cited methods, such as those from Obringer,
Shift Project, Andrae, Hantemann and Hinterholze. When comparing carbon dioxide emissions, the
weighted average of daily video streaming usage is 51 times higher than a 14-hour flight. Netflix
generates the highest CO2 emissions of the four apps due to its high-resolution video distribution and
number of users.

Problem Statement

Theoretical problem: The carbon footprint of social media platforms is a relatively new area of research
that requires further exploration because a lot of the data is very old, flawed, or possibly due to all The
data is for reference only and does not correspond to reality. While there has been some research on the
environmental impact of data centers and the IT sector, there is still limited research on the specific
carbon footprint of social media platforms in general. Therefore, there is a theoretical gap in my
understanding of the factors that contribute to the carbon footprint of social media platforms and how
to reduce them. In particular, the calculation of carbon emissions can be wrong due to lack of data,
wrong numbers or most likely because the reference documents only give very general numbers.

The real issue: The increasing use of social media platforms and the associated carbon footprint has real
implications for environmental sustainability. Despite growing awareness of climate change and the
need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, knowledge of the carbon footprint of social media platforms
for users, policymakers and Social media companies are still limited. There is a real problem of
inadequate awareness and understanding of the environmental impact of social media platforms and
strategies to reduce their carbon footprint.

What has been known about the problem?

Current research on the carbon footprint of social media platforms is limited and fragmentary because it
is possible that much of the data is old, or has been corrupted, or may be hidden, even if much of the
data is just one piece of data. prediction for calculation. Some studies have focused on the energy
consumption of data centers and their contribution to carbon emissions, while others have explored the
energy efficiency of individual devices or transmission platforms. specific social media. However, there is
no comprehensive understanding of the carbon footprint of social media platforms as a whole, including
the various factors that contribute to emissions and potential strategies to reduce their impact. they.

What is lacking in current knowledge?

Current knowledge of the carbon footprint of social media platforms lacks a holistic and comprehensive
understanding of the factors that contribute to their emissions, the change in carbon emissions per hour
of use, usage, the impact of different types of content on their emissions, and the technologies or tactics
social media companies can use to reduce their carbon footprint. There is also limited research on the
potential social and policy ramifications of reducing the carbon footprint of social media platforms.
Research Questions

 What techniques are employed to calculate the carbon footprint of social media sites?
 What is the carbon footprint created by various social networking networks per hour of use?
 Why do social media networks' carbon footprints per hour of usage vary so much?
 What elements, such as data centers, networks, and devices, contribute to the carbon footprint
of social media platforms?
 How does the carbon footprint of various types of content (such as text, photos, and videos) on
social media networks differ?
 What effects do the rising data quantities and resolutions of social media material have on the
environment?
 What impact do geographic variations, such as data center locations, have on the carbon
footprint of social media platforms?
 What technologies or tactics may social media networks employ to lessen their carbon
footprint?
 What effects do user habits and usage patterns on social media platforms have on users' carbon
footprints?
 How carbon footprint of social media platforms be reduced?

Objectives
Clarifying the new insights I will contribute, who they are relevant to and why the research is worth
doing, publicizing the carbon footprint of internet activity.

Quantify the carbon footprint of each social media platform used on campus, including popular
platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The carbon footprint of the most popular social media platforms

Reasons for Choosing the Project

There are several reasons to investigate this project. First of all, it is important to understand the carbon
footprint of social media platforms due to how often they are used and how much impact they have on
the environment. Second, as the use of social media platforms increases, their carbon footprint is also
likely to increase, so finding ways to reduce these emissions is crucial. . Third, reducing the carbon
footprint of social media platforms can have a major impact on society and policy, and help create a
more sustainable future. Fourth, although further investigation is needed, there is still a lack of
exhaustive research on the carbon impact of social networking sites. Fifth, I want to check, discuss,
calculate the amount of carbon emission in 1 day the most popular media platforms generate and how it
affects the current environment.

Literature review
1. Carbon Footprint of The Most Popular Social Media Platforms
Author: Altanshagai Batmunkh
Year: 2022
Description: The advent of easily accessible technology, e-commerce, online streaming, and social
networking platforms has led to massive amounts of data being stored and processed every
second.The IT infrastructures needed to support this digital age consume a large amount of
energy and have a negative impact on the environment. There have been several different efforts
to estimate the carbon footprint of the internet, but there is no proven exact method for it.
Therefore, the goals of this paper are, first—to critically review the carbon emission calculation
methods and compare the results, and second—to publicize the environmental impact of our
daily simple habit of internet usage. We calculated the carbon footprint of the most popular four
online services (TikTok, Facebook, Netflix, and YouTube) by using top-cited methods such those
from Obringer, the Shift Project, Andrae, and Hintemann and Hinterholze. When comparing the
emitted carbon dioxide, the weighted average of online video streaming usage per day is 51 times
more than 14 h of an airplane ride. Netflix generates the highest CO2 emissions among the four
applications due to its high-resolution video delivery andits number of users.
2. Evidences about Carbon emissions from the Middle East and North Africa region
Author: Lanouar Charfeddinea, Montassar Kahia
Year: 2021
Description: This study aims to investigate whether information and communication technologies
(ICT) and renewable energy consumption can help improve environmental quality for a selected
group of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. By using the Panel Vector
Autoregressive model over the period 1980–2019, the results show evidence for the first-order
effects of ICTs on CO2 emissions, indicating that the use of ICT in the current economic
development context of the MENA region lead to a deterioration of the environmental quality.
The results also show that renewable energy consumption improves environmental quality
whatever the sample and the proxy for ICT used. Overall, the results of the impulse responses
functions (IRFs) show that the impact of shocks on ICT and renewable energy last between 1 and
7 years. The results of the IRFs are confirmed by the forecast error variance decomposition
analysis, which shows that the contributions of ICT and renewable energy to the variability of CO2
emissions is not zero. Finally, in tests for causality, the results reveal evidence for bidirectional
causality in most cases between CO2 emissions and ICT and renewable energy consumption. To
benefit from the potential positive impact of ICT and renewable energy consumption on the
quality of the environment, several ICT and renewable energy policies have been developed and
discussed.
3. Considering embodied CO2 emissions and carbon compensation cost in life cycle cost
optimization of carbon-neutral building energy systems
Author: Mikko Ropo, Helka Mustonen, Mirika Knuutila, Mika Luoranen, Antti Kosonen
Year: 2022
Description: Renewable energy (RE) technologies are regarded as a solution to the climate impact
of buildings, but some of these technologies contain embodied CO2 emissions, which have been
ignored in most studies. Previous studies found carbon compensation to be necessary for
reaching carbon neutrality as even the least carbon-intensive energy production technologies
contain emissions related to manufacturing. The novelty of this study was to combine emission
and cost calculations into a single method by including the compensation cost for the carbon
footprint in the total life cycle cost (LCC) of carbon-neutral building energy systems. Embodied
emissions were included in the carbon footprint of the building energy system in addition to
operational emissions. The implemented RE technologies were dimensioned in an optimization
loop by minimizing the total LCC of the energy system. The method was tested in a case study.
The embodied emissions of the studied RE technology options for the case building accounted for
up to 48% of the total carbon footprint, and carbon compensation accounted for 0.3–1.9% of the
total LCC. The method was proven to be applicable to the cost-optimal dimensioning of carbon-
neutral energy system options and is recommended for use in further studies regarding carbon-
neutral building energy systems.
4. Study of digital carbon footprint created by E-Mail among college students
Author: Taram Kusundal, Charulata Avhad and Anil Avhad
Year: 2022
Description: Internet is an indispensable part of our lives. Many of us access the internet on daily
basis which clearly shows the huge potential of this global system of interconnected network and
how people around the world are easily addicted to it. E-business and E- commerce being the
new normal, the exchanges of e-mails has accelerated since the 2020 pandemic. E-mails form a
crucial part of every commercial, social and academic systems throughout the world. During this
process every time internet leaves a carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is the total amount of
greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions. The
major contributors to carbon footprints are food, consumption, transportation, and household
energy. The newly added category is digital carbon footprint wherein the time spent scrolling,
browsing and sending emails can leave Carbon trails behind. A digital survey response was
recorded from college students from various backgrounds. The college students form the main
area of study because youths are majority victims under this category which mainly dominated by
students and teenagers. The research focuses on an average the digital carbon footprint
generated by college students via E-mails stored, received, and sent by them in a day. The data
collected revealed the lack of awareness related to digital carbon footprint and yield figures to
reach a conclusion. The study highlights the adverse effects of storing E-mails on environment
and also discusses the remedies to cut off the digital carbon footprint generated by E-mails.
5. Digital Infrastructures, Video Compression, and the Environmental Footprint of Video
Streaming
Author: Marek Jancovic and Judith Keilbach
Year: 2020
Description: Building on an infrastructural approach, this chapter investigates the environmental
impact of video streaming. It clarifies some of the less obvious relationships between media
infrastructures, video compression standards, and electronics supply chains and demonstrates
how their interactions unfold material effects on the environment. Complicating recent critical
research on data centers, we posit that existing models for calculating the ecological footprint of
video streaming cannot capture its full extent and advocate for an interdisciplinary approach to
data, computation, and infrastructure. This approach informs our argument that the
development of new compression standards redistributes environmental responsibility in a way
that benefits streaming providers and data centers at the expense of end users and hardware
manufacturers.
6. Life Cycle Assessment of CO2 Emissions of Online Music and Videos Streaming in Japan
Author: by Tomohiro Tabata and Tse Yu Wang
Year: 2021
Description: In this study, we analyzed the CO2 emissions of online music and video streaming
services, as one of the digital contents, in Japan using life cycle assessment. As a system boundary
of online music and video streaming, processes such as data center construction and server
manufacturing, usage of communication networks and internet communication technology
devices (personal computers (PCs) and smartphones), and disposal of data centers and servers
were considered. Data were collected using statistical and online surveys, and CO2 emissions per
1 MB of communication volume were calculated. One of the results revealed that the lifecycle
CO2 emissions of listening to online music using PCs and smartphones were 5.88 × 10−4 and 1.43
× 10−4 kg-CO2/MB, respectively. The overall CO2 emissions for domestic music and video
streaming services in 2019 was 921 thousand t-CO2. Online video streaming accounted for 87.7%
of the total emissions, which corresponded to approximately 0.23% of domestic CO2 emissions
derived from electric power generation.
7. Leveraging Social Networks To Motivate Individuals to Reduce their Ecological Footprints
Author: by Jennifer Mankoff; Deanna Matthews; Susan R. Fussell; Michael Johnson
Year: 2007
Description: What role can social networking Websites play in supporting large-scale group action
and change? We are proposing to explore their use in supporting individual reduction in personal
energy consumption. In this we summarize some existing uses of social networking on the Web
and propose an approach that integrates feedback about ecological footprint data into existing
social networking sites and Internet portal sites. Integrating such feedback into popular,
commonly used sites allows frequent feedback about performance, while enabling the
 exploration motivational schemes that leverage group membership. We propose to compare
different motivational schemes in three ways: reduction in C02 emission; lifestyle changes; and
ongoing use by users who join the site (retention)
8. Comparing Events Coverage in Online News and Social Media: The Case of Climate Change
Author: by Alexandra Olteanu,Carlos Castillo, Nicholas Diakopoulos,Karl Aberer
Year: 2021
Description: Social media is becoming more and more integrated in the distribution and
consumption of news. How is news in social media different from mainstream news? This paper
presents a comparative analysis covering a span of 17 months and hundreds of news events,
using a method that combines automatic and manual annotations. We focus on climate change, a
topic that is frequently present in the news through a number of arguments, from current
practices and causes (e.g. fracking, CO2 emissions) to consequences and solutions (e.g. extreme
weather, electric cars). The coverage that these different aspects receive is often dependent on
how they are framed---typically by mainstream media. Yet, evidence suggests an existing gap
between what the news media publishes online and what the general public shares in social
media. Through the analysis of a series of events, including awareness campaigns, natural
disasters, governmental meetings and publications, among others, we uncover differences in
terms of the triggers, actions, and news values that are prevalent in both types of media. This
methodology can be extended to other important topics present in the news.

Research design and methods

Overview of the proposed Project

The proposed project aims to investigate the carbon footprint of the most popular social media
platforms. The research will involve analyzing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the use of these platforms, including Zalo, Instagram , Whatapp and Wechat. And study
things related to the amount of carbon generated when emitting such as electronic devices, emission
reduction technology.

The project will begin with a thorough review of the existing literature on the topic, followed by data
collection and analysis from numerous articles, websites. My research will collect data on the energy
sources used by social media platforms, as well as the energy consumption and greenhouse gas
emissions of many typical popular social media platforms like Zalo , Instagram , Whatapp and Wechat.

The study's findings will be used to assess each platform's carbon footprint and to identify areas for
improvement to reduce their environmental impact. The study will also provide insights into the carbon
footprint of social media users and the impact of their online activities on the environment. The study
provides calculation and analysis of the carbon footprint of four social media platforms (Zalo, Instagram,
Whatapp and Wechat)

Research design

In our research paper "The Carbon Footprint of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms", I will use a
well-written quantitative research approach. It is used to understand ideas, thoughts or experiences. This
form of research helps me gain insight into areas that are not well understood. Interviews with clearly
stated open-ended observational questions and reading literature to investigate concepts and theories
are common qualitative approaches. From there, I can use quantitative research to solve the following
problems:

• Measure the energy consumption of devices used to access and use social networks

• Measure energy consumption of data centers used by social networks

• Long-term use of popular social media platforms, reducing e-waste, when carbon.

• Carbon Footprint Calculation and Analysis of Four Social Media Platforms ( Zalo , Instagram , Whatapp
and Wechat)

For the reference data of this study is based on secondary data of four popular apps ( Zalo , Instagram ,
Whatapp and Wechat) on watch time, number of users and calculation method as determined by the
report . Secondary data is information that has been collected by others. It provides the necessary
advantages for this investigation. Advantages include the ability to quickly and easily search government
publications, websites, books, newspapers, and internal government documents, as well as the fact that
there is no fee (this is ideal for students) tablet). It's not too late to collect as it is currently available.
However, there is a disadvantage of low accuracy and reliability. In general, choose secondary data
 because it is readily available, simple and quick to search, inexpensive and even free, but the trade-offs in
accuracy and reliability are low.

Below is the Calculation and Analysis of Footprint Calculation of 4 Social Media Platforms (Zalo,
Instagram, Whatapp and Wechat).

Social Media Carbon Emission Rate Bandwidth Amount of Internet Some Features
Platform (XX gCO2e/GB) (XX Mbps) Usage (XX
GB/month)
Zalo 150-200 2-3 2-4 Messaging, social
networking
Instagram 150-200 2-3 2-4 Photo sharing,
Stories
Whatsapp 0.01-5 0.05-0.1 0.5-1 Text messaging,
voice calls
Wechat 50-200 2-3 2-4 Messaging, social
networking

The carbon footprint analysis of social media platforms (Zalo, Instagram, Whatsapp and Wechat) is as
follows:

Zalo: Zalo's greenhouse gas emission rate is about 150-200 g CO2e per GB of data transferred. The
average download speed is 2-3 Mbps and the data consumption is about 2-4 GB per month on average.
Zalo provides messaging and social networking features, so it mainly allows users to connect with friends
and family.

Instagram: Instagram's greenhouse gas emissions rate is around 150-200 g CO2e per GB of data
transmitted. The average download speed is 2-3 Mbps and the data consumption is about 2-4 GB per
month on average. Instagram is a photo and story sharing platform.
Whatsapp: Whatsapp's greenhouse gas emission rate is between 0.01 and 5 g CO2e per GB of data
transferred. The average download speed is between 0.05 and 0.1 Mbps and the average data
consumption is between 0.5 and 1 GB per month. Whatsapp allows users to text chat and voice call.

Wechat: Wechat's greenhouse gas emission rate is about 50-200 g CO2e per GB of data transmitted. The
average download speed is 2-3 Mbps and the data consumption is about 2-4 GB per month on average.
Wechat provides messaging and social networking features, so it's mainly allowing users to connect with
friends and family.

From the above analysis, we see that Whatsapp has the lowest rate of greenhouse gas emissions
compared to other platforms, ranging from 0.01 to 5 g CO2e per GB of data transmitted. The remaining
platforms have relatively similar emission rates, ranging from 50 to 200 g CO2e per GB of data
transferred.

Methods and Sources

The study will use secondary sources to gather data. The location of the servers, data centers, and energy
consumption of social media platforms will all be important sources of information. Peer-reviewed
research papers, official documents, and other information on carbon emissions from data centers and the
IT sector that is readily accessible to the general public will all be used as secondary sources. The project
will concentrate on the most well-liked social media sites, such as Zalo, Instagram, Whatapp and Wechat,
based on user involvement and activity. The project will also take into account additional elements
including the number of platform users and their geographic distribution. The research will examine the
data using a range of techniques and procedures, including carbon emissions estimators and life cycle
analyses to calculate the carbon emissions attributable to social media platforms. create. In addition, the
initiative will examine the platforms' utilization of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. This
project will be carried out and implemented by myself. Overall, I think the initiative will take a strict and
comprehensive approach to gathering, choosing, and analyzing data on the carbon emissions of the most
widely used social media platforms.

According to Vietnambiz.vn (2020) social media is a computer-based technology that facilitates the
sharing of ideas, thoughts and information through the building of networks and communities. virtual.
Social media is designed based on the internet and provides electronic communication services to users.
Content includes personal information, documents, videos and images. Users participate in social media
through computers, tablets or smartphones through web software or web applications.

According to research by statista.com (2022), the carbon footprint of social media platforms is the amount
of greenhouse gas emissions (including gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and
fluorinated gases) emitted during the production and operation of servers, data centers, network
infrastructure, electronic equipment, and activities related to the development and maintenance of social
media platforms. The carbon footprint of a social media platform is calculated by measuring the total
amount of emissions that the platform produces directly and indirectly, including emissions arising from
the activity of the platform's users. Which of which the carbon emissions of the top social media apps
2021. In terms of carbon dioxide emissions from social media apps in 2021, Youtube (0.46 grams of
carbon dioxide equivalent per min) topped the chart, closely followed by Facebook (0.79 gEqCO2) and
LinkedIn (0.71 gEqCO2), all low-carbon apps. The social network with the most influential news feed on
carbon dioxide emissions is Tik Tok. This is because this social network is based solely on watching
videos and preloading videos from the news feed. This is only the data for 2021 it is quite old compared to
the current time

FIGURE 1: Carbon (CO2) emissions of top social media apps in 2021 (in grams of CO2 equivalent per
minute)
 FIGURE 2: One day streaming of CO2 emissions

Next, I will publish the carbon footprint of internet activity. Most people believe that the environment is
not negatively affected by the internet and other information and communication technologies. Figure 3
illustrates the results for boiling water and the round trip from Paris to New York. An hour of streaming
video is roughly equivalent to boiling a kettle of water. However, if we consider full day usage, as shown
in Figure 2, it produces 13 times more CO2 than flying. As a result, Internet use, including activities such
as watching movies online and browsing the web, is considered an invisible pollutant that significantly
increases carbon emissions.

References Advantages Critical Findings

Average greenhouse gas emissions by

Calculation includes viewing time, device, electricity generation globally is 0.3712
The Shift Project
network, region, and energy impact due kg CO2e/kWh. According to their
Method
to data center. calculation, the average greenhouse gas
emission is 0.519 kg CO2e/kWh.

Mobile network and energy needed for

Hintemann’s CO2 emissions are dependent on the user streaming are excluded in calculation. 1
Method devices and the screen resolution. h of video streaming produces 100–175
g CO2.

Andrae’s Method Proposed the worst- and best-case Proportion of device usage is high
scenario.It pointed out wireless network which is 50%. According to this
uses less energy. calculation: 202 kg CO2 per year/per
 person.

As per estimation, videoconferencing 28–63 g CO2 per gigabyte. It did not

Obringer’s Method
uses 16% less energy than video. consider the quality of the video.

Activity User Engagement Carbon Footprint (CO2) per hour

Watch hours Shift Project method Andrae Hintemann and

User number Uploaded data Obringer
per day method Hinterholze
Zalo 1 B hours 1.65 GB/HD/ 168 g 280.26 g 72 g 135 g
1.5 GB
Instagram 6 B hours 1008 g 1681.56 g 432 g 810 g
hour/HD/
Whatapp 0.1 B hours 210 TB 16.8 g 28.026 g 7.2 g 13.5 g
Wechat 2 B hours 500 TB 336 g 560.52 g 144 g 270 g
From the data I've based on the search and the computation provided, I can see that objectively the four
social media platforms have user engagement and emissions. different carbon. Here are some of my key
observations and analysis:

Zalo: Zalo has the lowest user engagement of the four platforms, with only 1 billion watch hours per day.

However, its hourly carbon footprint is also the lowest, at 168 g CO2 per hour. This may be because Zalo
is a Vietnamese social media platform and may have a smaller user base compared to other global
platforms.

Instagram: Instagram has the highest user engagement of the four platforms, with 6 billion hours of
viewing per day. However, its hourly carbon footprint is also the highest, at 1008 g CO2 per hour.

This may be because Instagram is a photo and video sharing platform that requires a lot of processing
power and data storage.

Whatsapp: Whatsapp has a relatively low level of user engagement, with only 0.1 billion viewing hours
per day. Its hourly carbon footprint is also low, at 16.8 g CO2 per hour. It may be because Whatsapp is a
messaging platform, requiring less processing power and data storage than other platforms.
Wechat:Wechat has a high level of user engagement, with 2 billion hours of viewing time per day. Its
hourly carbon footprint is also relatively high, at 336 g CO2 per hour. This may be due to Wechat. is a
Chinese social media platform and may have a larger user base compared to other platforms in the region.

Overall, it is clear that social media platforms have a significant carbon footprint and contribute to climate
change. Users can reduce their carbon footprint by limiting their use of these platforms or by choosing
platforms with lower carbon emissions. Social media companies can also take steps to reduce their carbon
footprint by using renewable energy sources and optimizing their data processing and storage methods.

1. Collect Data
1.1. What is the carbon footprint (CO2) impact of social media apps on the environment?
Social media applications contribute to carbon (CO2) emissions by consuming energy and
resources to maintain platform operations, from storing data to transmitting information to
users. . Specifically, social media applications must use data centers and servers to store data
and provide services to users. This operation requires a great deal of energy from cooling,
temperature control and other electrical systems. User activities also contribute to the carbon
footprint of social media apps, including charging phones, using electronic devices to access
apps, uploading and viewing content , and send the message. The total carbon emissions
generated by the activities of social media applications are enormous, contributing significantly
to the human impact on the environment, including the greenhouse effect and climate change.
(hoang anh, 2022)
1.2. What impact does e-waste have on the environment?
When electronic devices end up in landfills, toxic persistent organic pollutants such as lead,
mercury, and cadmium leach into soil and water and can lead to serious environmental and
health (undp, 2018).
E-waste can be toxic, is not biodegradable and accumulates in the environment, in the soil, air,
water and living things. For example, open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover
valuable materials from electronic components release toxic materials leaching into the
environment. These practices can also expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as
lead, mercury, beryllium, thallium, cadmium and arsenic, and also brominated flame retardants
(BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including
 cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs (genevaenvironmentnetwork,
2022).
1.3. What measures are developers currently taking to reduce the carbon footprint of the
most popular social media platforms?
Developers of social media platforms are taking several measures to reduce their carbon
footprint. Some of these measures include:
 Renewable energy: Many social media companies are investing in renewable energy
sources such as wind and solar power to power their data centers and reduce their
reliance on fossil fuels.
 Energy-efficient hardware: Developers are using energy-efficient hardware such as
low-power CPUs and solid-state drives to reduce the energy consumption of their data
centers.
 Data center location: Choosing data center locations that have access to renewable
energy sources and cooler climates can help reduce energy consumption and carbon
emissions.
 Server virtualization: Virtualization allows multiple virtual servers to run on a single
physical server, reducing the number of physical servers needed and thus reducing
energy consumption.
 User behavior: Social media companies are encouraging users to reduce their carbon
footprint by using energy-saving settings on their devices, minimizing data usage, and
deleting unnecessary files.
Overall, developers of social media platforms are aware of their environmental impact and are
taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint through a combination of technology and user
education.
1.4. Can Blockchain technology help reduce the carbon footprint of the most popular
social media platforms
Blockchain technology can help reduce the carbon footprint of the most popular social media
platforms by providing resource optimization and process management solutions. For example, a
Blockchain application can help track the power consumption of social media devices, while also
tracking the recycling and energy saving solutions used. It can also help monitor and manage data
on servers to ensure maximum resource efficiency and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
However, Blockchain technology is just one of many solutions that can be used to reduce the
carbon footprint of social media platforms, and more diverse efforts are needed to address this.
(IRISH TECH NEWS, 2019)

1.5. If each popular social media platform with different configurations and upgrades,
what will the emissions be?
According to table 1 and some data I have found it shows the carbon footprint of internet
activities per hour by looking at the hours based on four different methods and based on
different metrics. The main differences are the time spent on the actions and the data size of
the video. They all collect data in a different way that can interpret different results. Andrae
emphasizes that wireless networks use less power because his method is based on network
and power consumption, while Hantemann and Hinterholze focus on resolution and user
equipment. They show that data volume increases more than the power needs of networks
and data centers. Only Obringer et al. consider water and land footprints in their
assumptions. They proposed calculations of carbon, water and soil footprints in a number of
different countries. Obringer et al's assumption is 7 GB per hour at 4K resolution while
Andrae's is 3 GB. Those four methods have their own characteristics: Obringer et al.
calculated from an environmental sustainability point of view while Hantemann and
Hinterholze's method focuses on instrumentation and resolution. Andrae's method is very
useful, giving best and worst case estimates. The calculation is as follows. An hour of video
streaming generates an average of 135 g CO2, while that would be 13.5 g CO2 using
Facebook. If we compare YouTube with higher watch hours than the other 3 apps, then
Netflix has 6 times more watch hours, 0.1 less than Facebook and Tiktok has 2 times more
watch hours than YouTube. Netflix is watched 6 times more than YouTube and multiplied by
6 equals (280.26 g—YouTube) to 1681.56 g CO2e. The same multiplication applies to other
applications. Then I see that depending on the quality, upgrade, configuration, each platform
after 1 hour of use is completely different.
Practical Considerations
In actuality, data sources in Vietnam remain few and difficult to obtain. Because most real-world data is
not publicly available or is extremely difficult to obtain. Above all, due to various political difficulties, we
are unable to address it directly in this piece. The absence of data sources might make study difficult and
harmful at times, but I have a solution. Because our research subject is not well-known in Vietnam, we
opted to rely on public data from international organizations in which Vietnam participates, as well as
unofficial data compiled by a group of researchers from real-world data.

Implications and contributions to knowledge

The most popular social media platforms like Zalo, Instagram, Whatapp and Wechat are among the
platforms for the current 4.0 era. It is a future trend as well as an effective management tool for sharing
information, managing information, communicating through each other in the simplest way without
cost. Moreover, waste and carbon emissions are currently a huge problem for the globe. The amount of
e-waste, when carbon emissions must be reduced, not increased, because the increase will cause
unforeseen environmental impacts. Because harmful compounds in e-waste do not decompose naturally
and can leak directly into the environment, polluting groundwater over time. And the carbon emissions
emitted by social networking platform applications are very damaging because its natural decomposition
process is very slow and not enough to minimize their impact on the environment. Especially if the cargo
is on fire, the poison will be released into the atmosphere and returned as atmospheric fallout or acid
rain. In the production of electrical and electronic equipment, the following heavy metals, toxic
compounds and hazardous chemicals are used to serve and comfort people with social media platforms.
They do the most harm after their useful life, when they are buried, burned, or thrown into bodies of
water. Because when popular social media platforms are updated to a new version, the devices that
make these platforms work are very inconsistent with the new update, making many people
uncomfortable when using it. use . The discomfort will lead to a lot of pressure for the data centers of
these platforms to operate again and become overloaded. When overloaded, the amount of waste is
large, when the discharge generated by it will be higher. And users who want new updates of those
platforms to run properly they have to buy new devices, and buying and leaving old devices creates the
problem of e-waste. And moreover the Carbon of the most popular social media platforms is large
because they need to use a large amount of electrical energy to operate. Specifically, to maintain the
servers and large data centers of these platforms, a lot of electrical energy is needed to cool the system,
power the servers, and execute the processes. data processing. In addition, the use of electronic devices
to access social media platforms such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops also contributes to the
increased carbon footprint of these platforms.

That is why directly addressing this issue is now seen as an important task for a number of global bodies
including the International Telecommunication Union, the International Labor Organization, the United
Nations Environment Program and the United Nations Environment Program. The United Nations and
other members of the Electronic Waste Alliance (ITU) and organizations worldwide are petitioning and
demanding to reduce CO2 emissions on social networking platforms, including: Greenpeace,The Climate
Group, , for example. recently set a goal of increasing the global e-waste recycling rate to 30%. with the
physical value of our used equipment globally, this amounts to $62 billion, three times the annual output
of the world's silver mines according to data in New global EWaste report. Hay Greenpeace has made
numerous calls to major tech companies, including social media platforms, to reduce their CO2 emissions
and ensure sustainable development. Even The Climate Group focuses on climate change and has
launched a campaign asking technology companies to contribute to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and
use renewable energy. These organizations' CO2 emissions include encouraging social media platforms
to use renewable energy, improving the energy efficiency of devices, minimizing the amount of data
stored and transmitted, and made calls for social media platforms to be more environmentally
responsible. Organizations are also promoting the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence
and blockchain to reduce the carbon footprint of social networking platforms.
FIGURE 3: What is Carbon Footprint of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms

According to the Global Web Index July 2021, we spend an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes on social
networks, i.e. +2 minutes compared to 2019. If we project the average carbon impact of the 10
applications measured (1.15 gEqCO2) out of 60 seconds to the average time spent per user, we obtain
for one user/day: 165.6 gEqCO2. It is the equivalent of 1.4 km in a light vehicle. It also corresponds to 60
kgEqCO2 per user per year, or the equivalent of 535 km travelled in an average light vehicle in France. It
is equivalent to 1% of the carbon impact of a French (7 Tons).

If ocean plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges, we're finally realizing that in 2018
the ebb and flow of public opinion can and will shift to the issue of e-waste in 2018. 2019 And more
specifically, the carbon emissions generated by popular social media platforms on a daily basis. The
numbers are astounding; 50 million tons of waste is generated each year and if left unchecked, this
figure could more than double to 120 million tons by 2050. A World Energy Council report year. 2020
shows that globally, social media platforms, mobile applications and online games generated around 300
million tons of carbon emissions by 2020.
In fact, only 20% of global e-waste is officially recycled. The remaining 80% is usually burned or dumped
in landfills. But more frightening is that there are currently no specific figures on the percentage of
carbon emissions because the official social media applications are recycled (or maybe because I did not
search properly, it may not be visible yet). the number is close, so this second point is just a comment on
the article of the Vietnamese government website).

FIGURE 4: GLOBAL E-WASTE FLOWS

Practical Implications

The rapid development of technology coupled with the demand for a high standard of living has led to
the mass production of electronic devices, which eventually leads to the creation of a large number of
obsolete items. Also due to the rapid development of electronic devices and such rapid upgrade of new
versions of platforms. Social media platform apps have to keep up with each other. Until the technology
war, the utility on their apps makes those apps heavier and bigger. Ants for information centers, data
centers are overloaded with energy when more and more carbon is produced.

ICT services that depend on EEE products include hazardous substances that have a lower lifespan and
turn into electronic residue at the end of their life. Non-hazardous substances such as vitreous aluminum
rubber, etc. can be recovered by appropriate methods more commonly used in product industries Toxic
substances such as Hg Pb lithium Cd selenium chromium nickel etc. more precise method is needed for
recall Some ICT products contain hazardous substances such as CRT batteries, LCDs, gas discharge lamps,
etc. and their exposure to the environment leads to serious pollution problems including humans and
animals. Services and new technologies must be tightened, researched more to minimize the generation
of carbon emissions in order to minimize the greenhouse effect, environmental impact and ultimately
the impact. current human health.

Theoretical Implications

Firstly, I think it challenges the current assumption that creating digital technologies and social media
platforms is more eco-friendly than the current one. The significant carbon footprint associated with
these platforms highlights the need to discuss the environmental impact of new digital technologies and
new social media platforms.

Second, my research can contribute to the development of a theoretical framework for assessing the
carbon footprint of digital technologies and social media platforms. By identifying the main factors
contributing to the carbon footprint of social media platforms, this study of mine provides the basis for
future research on the environmental impacts of engineering technology. numbers and figure out how to
reduce their carbon footprint to reduce their future harms.

Third, my research can strengthen the emerging field of sustainable digitalization by identifying specific
strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of social media platforms. Such strategies include using
renewable energy sources, optimizing data storage and transmission, optimizing all upcoming releases,
and promoting responsible user behavior. .

Strengths and Weakness about the Study

My strength in this research lies in the comprehensive and detailed analysis of carbon emissions, the
amount of e-waste generated by the software of popular social networking platforms, upgraded to the
new version. . The analysis calculates the amount of carbon emissions from 4 current calculation
methods to assess how much carbon emissions are generated by 4 popular social networking platforms
per hour of operation. Compare the emissions that these buildings produce and draw conclusions about
them. In addition, the study contributes to the general discussion of sustainable development and
environmental protection. Contribute to the assessment of competitive entertainment technologies and
user-improving utility of social media platforms that increase carbon footprint and e-waste.

One weakness of the study, however, is that it may be based on incomplete or outdated data, as the
carbon footprint of social media platforms is a rapidly growing area of research. Additionally, the study
may not fully consider the factors that contribute to the carbon footprint of social media platforms, such
as the energy used in the manufacturing of electronic devices or carbon emissions associated with the
disposal of e-waste. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the strategies identified in the study to reduce the
carbon footprint of social media platforms may depend on the cooperation and participation of many
stakeholders, which can be a challenge to achieve.

Conclusion

In summary, the proposed study on the carbon footprint of the most popular social media platforms

provides theoretical significance and strength. It challenges the assumption that digital technology is

environmentally friendly, contributes to the emerging field of digitalization and sustainability, and

provides a basis for future research on carbon emissions assessment. of digital technology.

The study uses various tools and processes, including literature review, data collection from reliable

sources, and carbon emissions estimation methods, to analyze carbon emissions related to social media

platforms and the amount of e-waste caused by the development of new updates of social networks.

network platform

While the study provides important insights into the environmental impact of social media platforms, it

may have potential weaknesses, such as reliance on incomplete or outdated data. and it is difficult to

achieve cooperation and participation from stakeholders to implement strategies to reduce carbon

emissions.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of reducing the carbon footprint of digital technologies and

the adoption of social media platforms, and contributes to a broader discussion of sustainability and

environmental protection. school. The growing number of internet users and social media trends have

contributed to an increase in carbon emissions and therefore it is important to deploy more green data

centers, renewable energy and other ways of using it. Use the internet to save energy. Research and

innovation are needed to improve existing technology so that it supports environmental sustainability.

Compare the assessment based on theory, the basis of data from articles, websites to have an in-depth

overview of the carbon gas generated after every hour of operation of social media platforms. popular

association today. And making assessments, but opinions based on reliable sources from the Vietnamese

government about new technologies created from these platforms will entail many risks and create new

sources of pollution. as e-waste due to the high activity demand of many people. These data, calculations

aim to analyze how social media platforms (data centers) generate carbon emissions and the amount of

CO2 generated in an hour of use. YouTube, Netflix, Facebook and Tiktok were selected as the most

popular social media apps. To calculate CO2 emissions, four different methods were selected and

compared. By estimating the CO2 emissions of four apps based on their data, watching an hour of Netflix

video produces 6 times more CO2 than watching YouTube, with an estimate for Netflix of 1681.56 g

CO2e per hour. Netflix is the most used app with the highest CO2 emissions out of the four we

compared.

Since it is not possible to limit internet users, we need to deploy more green data centers, renewable

energy and energy-efficient ways of using the internet. It is important to measure performance to

achieve sustainability goals. Furthermore, research and innovation are needed to improve existing

technology so that it supports environmental sustainability.

 Research schedule

Research phase Objectives Deadline

The Carbon Footprint of the Principle of operation, how it works, April 22, 2023

Most Popular Social Media definition and applied algorithm

Platforms

Supply chain to reduce How to Create and Create a Supply Chain April 25, 2023

waste and emissions This App

Manage the amount of Related documents on the application and April 27, 2023

electronic waste, when creation of methods to recycle e-waste,

discharged from popular carbon emissions, control the amount of

social networking platform waste and emissions generated each year

applications generated every

year

Based on the literature Calculate and compare amounts when April 30, 2023

calculate the discharge of generated from platforms and draw

leading platforms according conclusions

to 4 methods.

BUDJET and MOTIVATION

S.NO Particulars Amount

1 Consumables 50.000 VNĐ
2 Equipment Cost 0
3 Contingencies 200.000 VNĐ
4 Travel Cost 0
 5 Other Cost 200.000 VNĐ
Total 450.000 VNĐ

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