Billions of people across the globe sign up to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with others globally, voice their opinions, and be updated on the latest developments in their topics of interest. As a result, we are inundated with abundant information and news, which are brought to our attention by the chime of our phones. My previous blog post covered the strategies that news apps employ to continuously deliver news to users. However, in this post, we will explore an exciting element of the virtual world: social media. More specifically, this post will investigate the various methods social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook use to present news to their users.
Twitter users have various options for acquiring information. On the right side of their account page, a section titled "You might like" suggests several Twitter accounts to follow, which are identified based on the user's interest and browsing history. Below this section, another column titled "What's happening" lists some of the trending news and topics on Twitter. Both of these options allow users to explore a multitude of news that they may be interested in. By using user preferences, Twitter adopts a clever tactic to encourage users to search for more news and information. At the top left corner of the user's account page, a hashtag symbol guides users to a range of news selections. The first option, "For you", offers users personalized news that encompasses topics they are interested in. Next, the category titled "Covid-19" provides the latest developments regarding the global pandemic. This is an effective way to inform users of the most pressing matter. The "Trending" category lists all of the currently circulating topics that are widely discussed on Twitter. This is followed by a "News" section with links to actual newspaper articles, pertaining to topics that are currently trending. There are a few categories covering sports, fun, and entertainment, offering light hearted content to users.
On the other hand, Facebook's primary focus is social news and updates of individuals who users have befriended. However, like Twitter, the news feed presents personalized information that is collected based on user's preferences and viewing habits. On the left of a user's home page, a section titled "Explore" lists several categories that allow users to be informed of Covid-19 news, the latest weather reports, and crisis responses. In addition, users can watch live videos, browse through available jobs, and even buy or sell items. Although, Facebook offers users a range of outlets to perform virtually any activity, they do not emphasize on the transmittance of information to the extent that Twitter does.
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