Experts have attributed the difference in Twitter uptake among white and black users to demographic factors that distinguish the African American community, such as age and above-average smartphone use, as well as disparities between social media sites themselves. Twitter, for example, is limited to 140 character updates and is easily accessible on mobile devices.
Yet new research provides fresh insight into the forces driving Twitter adoption among users in the black community and suggests that one of the most powerful catalysts is an interest in celebrity and entertainment news.
During a six month period ending in May, the share of African Americans on Twitter nearly doubled from 13 to 25 percent, while the proportion of whites on Twitter edged up only slightly, from 5 to 9 percent, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. African Americans are also far more active Twitter users: 11 percent visited the social media service daily, compared to 3 percent of whites.
