“There are only two industries that refer to their customers as ‘users’,” stated Edward Tufte, a professor emeritus at Yale. “Illegal drugs and software companies.” Recent research supports Tufte’s statement, revealing that heavy users of social media tend to post automatically and without much thought. As these heavy users become desensitized to the positive feedback they receive, such as likes and comments, they may post content that could be considered inappropriate by new or infrequent users. This disregard for consequences also contributes to the spread of misinformation.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, analyzed metrics from Instagram and Facebook to compare the behavior of frequent social media users with that of infrequent or new users. The researchers explored whether social rewards, such as likes and shares, motivated both types of users equally. They also investigated whether habitual posting occurred regardless of social rewards.
The findings, published in the journal Motivation Science, showed that habitual social media users develop posting habits that depend on their frequency of platform usage. Those who use social media daily tend to shift from posting with a specific goal in mind to posting automatically, with little consideration for the content or its potential impact. This automatic behavior often leads to a craving to share content frequently, resembling addiction.
Moreover, the study revealed that social rewards, particularly likes, predominantly influenced new or infrequent users, while daily or habitual users were less affected by them. The researchers concluded that much of social media usage is driven by long-established habits formed over time.
The researchers further emphasized that the design of social media platforms encourages users to automatically share engaging information, regardless of its accuracy or potential harm. Offensive statements, cyberbullying, and false news tend to be amplified and spread faster than the truth. The researchers argued that social media platforms, with their emphasis on sharing already-shared content, effectively promote outrage as a marketable commodity. Internal research by Facebook even demonstrated that the ease of resharing contributes to the propagation of misinformation.
To address the issues of misinformation, hate speech, and mental health, the researchers highlighted the need for social media companies to reshape their platforms and programming. They emphasized that interventions that work for one type of user may not be effective for another. In order to change the behavior of habitual users, significant structural changes will be required on social media sites.
In conclusion, the study underscores the automatic and habit-driven nature of social media posting among heavy users. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing the structure and programming flaws of social media platforms to combat the spread of misinformation and promote healthier online interactions.
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