Social media users’ perceptions of roles and responsibilities
Keywords:
social media, user behavior, ethics, roles, role theoryAbstract
This purpose of this study was to understand how respondents understand the roles and associated responsibilities of social media users. An online survey (n=395) asked users of the most popular social media platforms how they view their role and that of other users, and who they say is currently responsible for and who should be responsible for various aspects of content on social media sites. Results of the survey indicate that a majority view social media companies or journalists as responsible for keeping users informed, maintaining civility on social media sites, and other obligations. The only area where the majority said users bear responsibility was to report harmful content. The survey results reveal how users see themselves as having little responsibility for the content on social media sites and expect social media companies and journalists to provide oversight. Given how much the behavior of social media users influences what content is displayed to other users—directly, through the content they post, and indirectly, through the content they click, watch, like, or comment on—assessing the attitudes shaping user behavior are essential to understanding and ultimately positively affecting social media.
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