Social Media and Information Overload: Survey Results

TL;DR

This survey of 587 UK social media users reveals high engagement levels, diverse user behaviors, and concerns about information overload, especially among microbloggers and Twitter users, highlighting the need for better filtering tools.

Contribution

This study provides empirical insights into user engagement, behaviors, and overload experiences across multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Findings

High engagement with Facebook and professional media

Microbloggers experience the most information overload

Many Twitter users desire filtering tools

Abstract

A UK-based online questionnaire investigating aspects of usage of user-generated media (UGM), such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, attracted 587 participants. Results show a high degree of engagement with social networking media such as Facebook, and a significant engagement with other media such as professional media, microblogs and blogs. Participants who experience information overload are those who engage less frequently with the media, rather than those who have fewer posts to read. Professional users show different behaviours to social users. Microbloggers complain of information overload to the greatest extent. Two thirds of Twitter-users have felt that they receive too many posts, and over half of Twitter-users have felt the need for a tool to filter out the irrelevant posts. Generally speaking, participants express satisfaction with the media, though a significant minority express a range of concerns including information overload and privacy.