Using social media can help delay the effects of aging and improve the physical and mental well being of elderly people, according to a new study from the University of Exeter in the UK. Seniors in a study group that received social media training showed improved cognition and increased confidence in their ability to handle day-to-day tasks. They also displayed a stronger sense of personal identity and reported feeling less lonely -- lessening the risk of depression, a major factor in mental and physical decline associated with aging.

Invisible Children, the nonprofit that produced "Kony 2012" -- widely regarded as the most successful viral video in history -- will shut down over the next year, the company announced Monday morning. The humanitarian organization will wind down its operations by the end of 2015, beginning with an immediate round of layoffs.

If you feel like you saw a lot more satin this week than usual, it's not just your imagination. The lovely ladies of Victoria's Secret dominated social media with the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, according to MediaPost's Digital Engagement Index, a new social measurement tool powered by ListenFirst, tracking activity across major social platforms for the 500 biggest brands listed by Redbooks.

While it's probably not time to start digging its grave, social media seems to have reached saturation in the U.S., where it originated. That's according to a new global survey of media usage by Ofcom, the British telecoms regulator, citing results from its own independent research panels in countries around the world. Ofcom also found that social network usage appears to be declining in the UK.

People say they're "addicted" to all kinds of stuff that actually turns out to be benign -- sure, you may really like those pumpkin spice lattes, but when they go away you don't get all twitchy and irritable. However people who say they're addicted to social media might be telling the truth, as another study suggests that yep, social media is literally addictive.

While market researchers have identified social media as a potential treasure trove of consumer insights, any data derived from social media should be treated with caution, because in reality the people who post most frequently aren't necessarily representative of a brand's actual customer base.

Recently a lot of attention has been paid to "dark social," referring to visits to social platforms and sites connected to them, that can't be accounted for with the usual Web measurement tools. There's been all kinds of speculation as to its potential sources: is it people sharing stuff on email? Instant messaging? Private networks? Measurement error? Ghosts? Space aliens? (Okay, maybe not those last ones).

Long held up as a model for big city law enforcement in the U.S. and abroad, this week the New York City Police Department finds itself making headlines around the world for the wrong reason : the controversy after a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer who killed an African-American man, Eric Garner, after placing him in a chokehold this summer. As protests continue in New York and across the U.S., the NYPD faces calls for reform and doubts about its ability to maintain public trust. These are obviously complicated issues that will require a multifaceted response …

Long held up as a model for big city law enforcement in the U.S. and abroad, this week the New York City Police Department finds itself making headlines around the world for the wrong reason -- the controversy surrounding the decision of a grand jury not to indict the police officer who killed an African-American man, Eric Garner, after placing him in a chokehold last summer.

OK, I readily admit this is completely juvenile, and I'm sure someone will complain that I really shouldn't dignify it by writing about it. But "dignity" has never been our watchword here at the Social Graf, and it's just too funny to ignore, darn it. And there just may be a social media marketing lesson here: If you really want your campaign to go viral, maybe you should try including shocking profanity?