User habits and social media type as predictors of news consumption and sharing

Abstract

User behavior patterns when consuming and sharing information on social networks are analyzed, paying special attention to the effects of the type of presentation and the type of social network. As is common when analyzing activity on social networks, the experience sampling method was used, in which a group of volunteer participants are asked, at different times, a set of questions about their recent activity or experience. The sample consisted of 279 subjects. The results show that news that requires a greater effort is usually shared through closed networks, while in open networks there is a tendency to share more superficial information. No significant differences are found between the degree of reading of the news and the type of social network where it is shared. Moreover, the level of consumption does not influence the degree of reading of the shared material. The level of enjoyment of the news is found to influence its degree of reading. The differences between networks highlight that, on Facebook, the frequency of use influences the dynamics of consumption and sharing, with shared news being more impactful and useful. In contrast, in the case of Twitter, there is a greater preference for so-called soft information.