What does social media think of Milan? The nss Social Portrait explores how the city is communicated online

Nowadays, getting to know a city is synonymous with scrolling through TikTok's For You page. On social media, an endless series of videos lists the most interesting corners of Italian capitals, the must-visit restaurants, the new openings, and the bars where fashion and nightlife enthusiasts gather. In Milan, however, the web doesn't only highlight the city's shiny aspects but also its darker sides. By bringing a slice of reality online, users are denouncing a city divided between the Fashion Week and the expensive rents, between experimental breakfasts and the pollution problem, manifesting a Milanese antithesis that has caused a deep division in the hearts of its inhabitants. The new Digital Cover of nss magazine, Ti Odio Milano Ti Amo, exactly frames the ambivalent feelings of the citizens of Lombardy's capital towards the city, a snapshot to narrate the incongruities governing Milan. To add an extra dimension to the project, nss has analyzed the public perception of Milan by specifically examining how it's discussed online.

To better understand the sentiments expressed by users when sharing content about Milan, nss's Social Portrait presents further analysis on Instagram. By reviewing the descriptions of the top thousand posts with the highest number of interactions on the platform in the last twelve months, using the sociological research The Parrot Dilemma (2023) and Google's AI, a picture has emerged that exactly reflects every expectation. Almost a third of the social media content related to Milan is communicated with a conflictual and accusatory tone, and often at the center of the themes are the top figures of the municipal administration. In contrast, posts expressing neutral or enthusiastic tones range between 8% and 11%, with feelings of hope and respect convincing only 7% of the total discourse. For what is called "respect," there remain crumbs of 1.8%. The report samples only the social sphere but provides an accurate proof of Milan's public perception: despite its cultural richness, ever-evolving, despite the new bars and the warm communities that flock to them, Milan continues to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of anyone who sets foot there, whether they're an art or architecture enthusiast, a content creator, or a financial consultant.