Examining the impact of computer-mediated social networks on individual consumerism environmental behaviors

•CMSNs influence one’s awareness and intention in protecting the environment.•Message cues from influential actors in CMSNs support environmental consumerism.•Opportunities exist to influence individuals to protect the environment.•Important to examine technology’s impact on individual environmental responsibility.

Researchers have begun to examine the impact that information technology (IT) can have on the environmental behavior of individuals, organizations, environments and markets. Computer-mediated social networks (CMSNs) create a multi-nodal social environment where individual behavior is virtually impacted, and subsequently, physically modified. Human–computer interaction researchers have begun to study the impact that IT has on environmental sustainability. Interest has arisen around the influence on non-verbal cues in impacting social norms and encouraging consistent environmentally conscious behavior. Extant research has not yet considered the social interactions that occur within a CMSN and how such interaction might further facilitate the adoption of environmental behaviors. Using survey results of 234 individuals, this study examines the impact that CMSNs have on environmental consumerism, where individuals purchasing and consumption habits take one’s environmental impact into consideration.