Main source of Twitter for the latest news through social media platforms, says survey

Among all platforms of social networks, micro-blogging site Twitter is the main source for users when it comes to breaking news, a new survey of more than 4,700 users of social media has revealed.

Almost nine out of 10 Twitter (86 percent) of users surveyed said they use Twitter for news, and the vast majority of people (74 percent) do every day.

"Approximately the same number of people who reported using Twitter to be alerted of breaking news (40 percent) to keep up with the news in general (39 percent)," said the survey conducted by the Institute of Newspapers of America and Twitter in collaboration with research firm called DB5.

Twitter users tend to be heavier consumers of news to other users of social media.

"News, in fact, is one of the primary activities involved in the network. Twitter users also tend to be younger users of social media in general", the results revealed.

Three quarters of Twitter users follow news journalists, writers and commentators (73 percent) and nearly two thirds are still institutional accounts (62 percent).

Twitter users are also likely to discover new writers and journalists and consequently continue their work, often on other platforms beyond Twitter, the survey said.

Twitter users tend to use the service heavily - several times a day - and their use of the network is increasing the amount of news they consume more.

"Almost all Twitter users are also consumers of other forms of media," a statement read at the American Press Institute.

While Twitter users follow the news in general in the service, and sometimes they do simply as a way to pass the time, act differently when they are following breaking news.

They become more participatory - comment, publish and share at a time when events are moving faster.

"All these signs of an offer to how news publishers can make more effective use of social networks in general and Twitter in particular," the results showed.

Nearly 94 percent of Twitter users get their news news either by shifting their timelines or browse the tweets of people who follow.

Other features are used much less frequently. For example, only 34 percent of Twitter users say they get news news trending topics and 30 percent use search.

About 82 percent of Twitter users accessed the platform in its phones and many Twitter access across multiple devices.

The results come at a time when Twitter is increasing its emphasis on news and adjustments that may affect the strategies of publishers, authors concluded.