Date Time Health ads in users’ customized online sites may evoke negative reactions Tweaking the look of a social media profile may subtly alter a person’s reaction to health messages that appear on the site — and influence whether the users heed the advice of those messages, researchers say. Image: Penn State Tweaking the look of a social media profile may subtly alter a person’s reaction to the health messages that appear on that site, according to researchers. They add that these reactions could influence whether the users heed the advice of those messages. In a study, the researchers found that people who gained a feeling of control when they customized an online website were more likely to perceive the health message as a threat to their freedom, lowering the chance that they will adopt the message’s advice. On the other hand, when customization bolstered the users’ sense of identity, they did not resent the message as much and were more willing to consider the ads’ recommended behavioral changes, according to the researchers.