#WHY ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS OVER REPRESENTED ON TWITTER?

@KenyaMadyun

#Tweeps

“According to Edison Research's annual report on Twitter, black people represent 25% of Twitter users, roughly twice their share of the population (12%) in general (Webster).”

#Background

#DigitalDivide

A “… survey, conducted in April by interviewing 2,253 Americans, found that while accessing the Internet via a mobile phone was increasing, the swell was reflected most sharply among African-Americans (Wotham).

“Twitter users are much more into mobile networking than others (Webster)”

#and

#Hypothesis1.

H1: African Americans who own a smart phone and access the internet through it, are more likely to have a Twitter profile than African Americans who do not.

Mobile Internet Use

 

#CelebrityProminence

“More black than white celebrities are active Twitter users…That's great publicity for Twitter, and could be helping Twitter become more mainstream among black people (Saint).”

@THE_REAL-SHAQ @Oprah_World @50Ccent @iamdiddy

#Hypothesis2

H2: Celebrity conscious African Americans are more likely to have a Twitter profile than African Americans who are not.

Celebrity Consciousness- Being more concerned with pop culture and daily happenings of celebrities than the typical person.

#ResearchMethod

Target Market Recruited from Facebook & Twitter Black, 25-34 yr olds, college

education

Qualitative (2 In-Depth Interviews) Trends & unanticipated answers

Quantitative ( Survey 40 participants) SPSS Analysis (5% error)

#Survey&IDI

Survey IDI

#Significance

Digital Divide & Digital Literacy Minority Online Consumer Behavior Advertising (media placement) The Strength of Weak Ties Social Capital Research

#Considerations

Twitter users don't have to tell the service their age, race, ethnicity, or geographic location when they join.

Size and quality of participants. Convenient sample Recruited from Facebook & Twitter Conflict of Interest

#WorksCited

Horrigan, John. “Wireless Internet Use.” Pew Research Center. N.p., 22 July 2009. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://pewinternet.org/ Reports/ 2009/ 12-Wireless-Internet- Use.aspx>.

Saint, Nick. “ Why Is Twitter More Popular With Black People Than White People? Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ twitter-study-results-2010-4#ixzz16ltcg8G6.” Buisness Insider. N.p., 30 Apr. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.businessinsider.com/ twitter-study-results-2010-4>.

Webster, Tom. “Twitter Usage in America 2010.” Edison Research. N.p., 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.edisonresearch.com/ twitter_usage_2010.php>.

Wortham, Jenna. “Mobile Internet Use Shrinks Digital Divide.” The New York Times. N.p., 22 July 2009. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/ 2009/ 07/ 22/ mobile-internet-use-shrinks-digital-divide/>.