ABSTRACT
The Internet has given rise to an explosion of available news and information sources, from online content from traditional mainstream media to fringe conspiracy websites, as well as user-generated news content outside of the domain of media altogether. New Internet-based media such as blogs, political forums and social media have acquired legitimacy in the eyes of their users, incorporating voluntary contributions by broad networks of self-selected participants that report, share, and distribute news. Social media appear to play an important role in perpetrating news-related information overload. The amount of time spent using social media continues to grow around the globe, with 20% of our computing time and 30% of mobile time spent on social media. The Internet and social media, with their limitless possibilities of content integration, co-creation and sharing, have intensified more incidental news exposure, whereby individuals “stumble upon” news as a byproduct of their other online activities.
