According to a new Equal Pay Day report by the Department of Labor on work-related compensation, men earn significantly less social media “likes” and “comments” than women despite working longer hours to create posts.
The report released today on #EqualPayDay shows that even though men offer equivalent social media content to that of women, social media interaction levels for the sexes are nowhere near reaching equality status for equal work.
Deputy Secretary of Labor Mike Malcolm, who said his department has received a steadily increasing number of discrimination complaints from males over the last 10 years, acknowledged the country still has a long way to go for work-related equality.
“Our research found that men work nearly 2½ times longer than women every year while trying to get their updates noticed on social media,” the Deputy said.
“They’ll post, delete, and repost the same update up to three times in hopes of spurring some kind of acknowledgment but usually end up disappointed. It’s disheartening to know that in this day and age equal work doesn’t always mean equal compensation. But recognizing the problem is the first step in correcting it.”
On average men earn 97 percent fewer “likes” and “comments” than women, the report says, and earn just a quarter of the social acknowledgment that women garner over a lifetime.
In fact, the Equal Pay Day report revealed that when a woman posts any image to her social network account, regardless of its content, she will earn at least 20 interactions 90 percent of the time. That figure jumps to 100 percent when a woman shows any kind of cleavage, wears workout clothing or is in a swimsuit.
“My girlfriend can post a picture of our dog’s morning crap and get 100 likes and comments,” said boyfriend James Thompson, who has spent seven years being ignored on Facebook.
“I’m still waiting to get my first like from someone other than my mom, great-aunt Lilly or Father Richard.”
The report also found that 99 percent of men interact with a woman’s social media posts in the hopes of one day getting lucky with her. Though, self-described nice guy Mark Armstead doesn’t want the report’s findings to give women the wrong impression.
“I want my female social media friends to know I will be here for you in the good times and the bad. Whether you’re on the rebound or just looking for a one night stand, I hope you remember who it was that built you up by liking each and every one of your posts.”