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We all have our routines when surfing the internet and social media, whether it’s getting informed on the latest trends, catching up on friends’ lives or choosing to mess with people’s online work.
A new study has determined that these various behaviors across the internet neatly fit users into one of four distinct categories: the Lurker, the Geek, the Victim and the Internet Celebrity. In the new book “Researching Everyday Childhoods,” researchers studied a group of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15 and their activity on the internet and interactions with others on social media to come up with the groups:
The scientists found that one of the key mindsets behind the users was the worry of falling into the victim category, working hard towards staying safe online and avoiding any negative experiences.
“The young people we spoke to felt a great weight of responsibility for their safety online and were often motivated by the concern of being labelled a victim,” said Dr. Liam Berriman from the University of Sussex, UK.
So, now that you know all about the four categories, which internet category do you fall best into?
h/t IFLScience
Four Types Of Internet User
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1. The Victim
The Victim category tends to be made up of users who have inappropriate or unflattering material of themselves published online by others to attack their character.
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The Lurker
The Lurker category is what most social media users tend to fall under, as they browse for fun and silently follow their favorite celebrities' and friends' online activity while avoiding any form of confrontation.
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The Geek
While most are closer to the Lurker category, many would also come close to what is called the Geek category, as it is made up of users who constantly share posts relating to their loves, be it fan fiction or the work of bands. However, even those users still tend to be similar to Lurkers, as the Geek category has also been associated with very obsessive behavior, with many spending a borderline concerning amount of time on projects.
You could cut the tension with a knife... Photo: Yuri_Arcurs (Getty)
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The Internet Celebrity
Last, but certainly not least, is the Internet Celebrity category, which is the most popular among younger internet users today. With so many users focusing on promoting their self-image through vlogs or selfies across every social media platform, they dream of going viral and acquiring sponsorships to live solely on these posts.
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