A new survey from Pew Research Center shows that the most active Twitter users are posting less frequently than they have in the past.
Elon Musk announced his intention to buy Twitter in April 2022, and since then Twitter users have been mentioning him more frequently on the platform. Pew Research Center conducted an analysis of adult Twitter users in the United States to understand their on-site behaviors since Musk acquired the platform.
The study found that on average, adult Twitter users in the US mentioned Musk in a tweet just once between January 1 and April 13, 2022, before he announced his intention to acquire the platform. Since then, however, references to Musk have become much more common on the site. Roughly four-in-ten adult Twitter users in the US have mentioned Musk in a tweet since early 2022, with mentions being especially common among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who use the platform.
The study also found that tweeting activity on Twitter continues to be highly concentrated among a relatively small share of the site’s users, with a minority of adult Twitter users in the US producing the bulk of the content. Since Musk’s acquisition, 20% of US adults on the site have produced 98% of all tweets by this group. As in the past, Democrats and Democratic leaners account for a majority – 61% – of these highly active tweeters.
Overall, the study provides insights into how adult Twitter users in the US are using the platform since Musk acquired it. The increased mention of Musk on the platform suggests that his ownership has had an impact on the site’s content, while the concentration of tweeting activity among a relatively small share of users highlights the importance of understanding the behavior of these highly active tweeters.
