Twitter is a social media platform that is used by over 23%
of Americans to share news and rumors about breaking events. Many news
organizations are concerned that users' activities on Twitter are highly
reactive to the moment. However, many people still enjoy the site's benefits,
such as a way to share what they are reading and learn about new topics. Some
may be surprised to find that Twitter can be an effective tool for tracking the
news.
One study found that nearly as many Twitter users use it to
keep up with the news as they do to post on it. This was the result of an
online survey of more than 4,700 social media users. The American Press
Institute partnered with Twitter to conduct the study. They also interviewed a
number of non-Twitter users.
Using a tool called the GDELT Project, the researchers
compared the coverage of Twitter to that of a standard news channel and a
Google search. Using this comparison, they came up with a timeline that showed
how the three platforms behaved over a 12-hour period.
The results were interesting. The most important thing to
note was that, for the most part, Twitter and Google searches did not move much
over the course of a day. In addition, there were only a handful of notable
tweets and retweets during this time. Interestingly, Twitter and news coverage
peaked in the early morning and tapered off in the late evening. While Twitter
was able to boast a number of other achievements, the most impressive was the
first tweet to break the news of a dam burst in Houston.
Compared to other social media sites, Twitter has a higher
rate of engagement. As a result, the average user spends more time on the
social network. A third of people said they are using the platform several
times per day. Approximately 12% said they were posting on the platform at
least once a week.
Other results showed that a large percentage of people say
they are influenced by the news that comes from Twitter. Most people reported
that they like reading news that is entertaining or helps them do their jobs
better. More than half of them said they enjoy talking about it with friends.
Not only does it help them keep abreast of the news, but it also makes them
feel relaxed.
Although the study did not explore the impact that Twitter
has had on the news industry, the study did show that Twitter can be an
effective signal to news publishers. It is important to note, however, that
while Twitter is a great place to stay informed, the service has its drawbacks.
Another concern about the platform is its safety. According
to the study, one in four Twitter users reported having experienced a security
breach. Twitter did not respond to an email request for comment. Nevertheless,
it is clear that a large portion of Twitter users are worried about the
platform's fate.
