An exploratory study of the information‐seeking activities of adolescents in a discussion forum

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand how teenagers use Internet forums to search for information. The activities of asking for and providing information in a forum were explored, and a set of messages extracted from a French forum targeting adolescents was analyzed. Results show that the messages initiating the threads are often requests for information. Teenagers mainly ask for peers' opinions on personal matters and specific verifiable information. The discussions following these requests take the form of an exchange of advice (question/answer) or a coconstruction of the final answer between the participants (with assessments of participants' responses, requests for explanations, etc.). The results suggest that discussion forums present different advantages for adolescents' information‐seeking activities. The first is that this social medium allows finding specialized information on topics specific to this age group. The second is that the collaborative aspect of information seeking in a forum allows these adolescents to overcome difficulties commonly associated with the search process (making a precise request, evaluating a result).

Using social media during job search: The case of 16–24 year olds in Scotland

“…However, the value of social media is not restricted to general acquisition or serendipitous information encounters. Indeed, one study of information seeking behaviour has shown that the young often source tailored content on social media by pooling knowledge from online communities [22].…”

“…As stated at the start of this paper, the digital landscape has evolved to the extent that almost all [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] year olds in the UK now use some form of social media [2].…”

Sharing “Sex Secrets” on Facebook: A Content Analysis of Youth Peer Communication and Advice Exchange on Social Media about Sexual Health and Intimate Relations

“…Greater disclosure of embarrassing personal problems, for example, may be more common in anonymous groups or weak-tie networks (e.g., strangers, acquaintances) than groups based on real identities or strong-tie networks (e.g., family, friends) though supportive exchanges in the latter may result in greater tangible assistance (Suzuki & Calzo, 2004;Vitak, Ellison, & Steinfield, 2011). The intentions and level of cooperation among users, which vary across different online contexts, could also affect the efficacy of supportive communication (Gauducheau, 2015). For instance, exchanges about condom use and HIV in an online forum set up primarily for recreation and social networking may easily lose focus and become unruly, deterring the participation of those in genuine need of advice (Yeo, 2009).…”

Internet forums as spaces for discussions between adolescents on career decision – moving towards creation of counter-experience?

“…Internet est essentiellement utilisé par les adolescent.e.s comme un dispositif d'information, de jeu, de téléchargement ou de communication. Comme le montre Gauducheau (2016), le forum présente de nombreux avantages pour la recherche d'information « quotidienne » des adolescent.e.s (sur les loisirs, la santé, etc.) : accès libre, public et à tout moment, anonymat, organisation par thèmes, audience large.…”