Pew Research Center
Bots in the Twittersphere
The role of so-called social media “bots” – automated accounts capable of posting content or interacting with other users with no direct human involvement – has been the subject of much scrutiny and attention in recent years. These accounts can play a valuable part in the social media ecosystem by answering questions about a variety of topics in real time or providing automated updates about news stories or events.
Americans’ complicated feelings about social media in an era of privacy concerns
Amid public concerns over Cambridge Analytica’s use of Facebook data and a subsequent movement to encourage users to abandon Facebook, there is a renewed focus on how social media companies collect personal information and make it available to marketers. While there is evidence that social media works in some important ways for people, Pew Research Center studies have shown that people are anxious about all the personal information that is collected and shared and the security of their data.
About a quarter of US adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online (Pew Research Center)
Submitted by benton on Sun, 03/18/2018 - 14:53What Google searches can tell us about Americans’ interest in guns (Pew Research Center)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 12:15Nearly one-in-five Americans now listen to audiobooks (Pew Research Center)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Thu, 03/08/2018 - 11:12Social Media Use in 2018
The social media landscape in early 2018 is defined by a mix of long-standing trends and newly emerging narratives. Facebook and YouTube dominate this landscape, as notable majorities of U.S. adults use each of these sites. At the same time, younger Americans (especially those ages 18 to 24) stand out for embracing a variety of platforms and using them frequently. Some 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds use Snapchat, and a sizeable majority of these users (71%) visit the platform multiple times per day.