Instagram users less likely to engage with controversial pics Study
1Instagram users less likely to engage with controversial pics Study.
The majority of Instagram users are drawn to the photo-sharing application for social news and entertainment, and are less likely to engage with political or controversial images, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Missouri in the US identified three user groups that emerged from the study’s sample.
The first group included feature lovers, who mostly engaged with exciting photos that showcase adventure and
travel. The second group included news hounds, who engaged most strongly with photos concerning politics and global culture, and the third group included optimists, who engaged with uplifting, positive and funny images. While the majority of users in the groups preferred feature images to news images, the researchers found that news images can garner strong engagement if they are presented in ways both aesthetically pleasing and empowering.
“The reasons that users avoid political or controversial news photos are multifaceted,” said TJ Thomson, from the
University of Missouri. “Some users said they felt badly about ‘liking’ a photo of a tragedy while others said they turn to other sources when they seek serious news stories,” Thomson said. “Many people view Instagram as an oasis where they can escape from the troubles and concerns of everyday life,” he said.