Drivers of Social Media Discontinuance: A Systemic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54691/qq52gj21Keywords:
Social media discontinuance, drivers, user-related, information-related, tech-related.Abstract
Social media discontinuance has become an increasingly common behavior as users choose to discontinue using platforms. However, limited syntheses exist that integrate and contextualize the diverse research on this phenomenon and its experiences. This scoping review examines 28 articles published between 2015 and 2024, focusing on the primary drivers of social media discontinuance. Through the synthesis of existing studies across various cultural and geographical settings, the review identifies three key domains that influence users’ decisions to discontinue social media use: user-related factors, information-related factors, and tech-related factors. The findings highlight that motivations for discontinuance are multifaceted, encompassing emotional, psychological, and technological aspects, which vary depending on individual, content, and platform characteristics. This review offers a comprehensive understanding of social media discontinuance drivers, providing valuable insights for future research and platform development.
Downloads
References
[1] Fu, S. and H. Li, Understanding social media discontinuance from social cognitive perspective: Evidence from Facebook users. Journal of Information Science, 2022. 48(4): p. 544-560.
[2] Zheng, H., et al., Understanding the effects of message cues on COVID‐19 information sharing on Twitter. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 2022. 73(6): p. 847-862.
[3] Ekwueme, A. and G.R. Ebiere, Public perception of the influence of social media platforms on indigenous languages in Bayelsa, Nigeria. Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2019. 1(1): p. 85-94.
[4] Michael, O.P., Mobilizing Nigerian youths for active political engagements through social media: Examining the veracity of Facebook and WhatsApp in the 2019 general elections. Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2021. 3(1): p. 16-27.
[5] Xu, X., Z. Yao, and Q. Sun, Social media environments effect on perceived interactivity: An empirical investigation from WeChat moments. Online Information Review, 2019. 43(2): p. 239-255.
[6] Pang, H., Identifying associations between mobile social media users’ perceived values, attitude, satisfaction, and eWOM engagement: The moderating role of affective factors. Telematics and Informatics, 2021. 59: p. 101561.
[7] Malik, A., et al., Correlates of social media fatigue and academic performance decrement: A large cross-sectional study. Information Technology & People, 2020. 34(2): p. 557-580.
[8] Cai, M., et al., Network distribution and sentiment interaction: Information diffusion mechanisms between social bots and human users on social media. Information Processing & Management, 2023. 60(2): p. 103197.
[9] Wang, K., J.C. Tai, and H.-f. Hu, Role of brand engagement and co-creation experience in online brand community continuance: A service-dominant logic perspective. Information Processing & Management, 2023. 60(1): p. 103136.
[10] Ng, Y.M.M., Twitter intermittent and permanent discontinuance: A multi-method approach to study innovation diffusion. Computers in Human Behavior, 2023. 138: p. 107482.
[11] Meta, Meta Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results. 2022.
[12] Statista, Number of X (formerly Twitter) users worldwide from 2019 to 2024. 2023.
[13] Tencent, 2021 Annual Report. 2022.
[14] Statista, Number of monthly active users of Weibo Corporation from 3rd quarter of 2015 to 3rd quarter of 2023. 2023.
[15] Statista, Number of monthly active WeChat users from 3rd quarter 2013 to 3rd quarter 2023. 2023.
[16] Statista, Average daily time spent on social media according to global internet users as of the first quarter of 2023. 2024.
[17] Farooq, A., L. Dahabiyeh, and C. Maier, Social media discontinuation: A systematic literature review on drivers and inhibitors. Telematics and Informatics, 2022: p. 101924.
[18] Lim, M.S. and S.B. Choi, Stress caused by social media network applications and user responses. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 2017. 76: p. 17685-17698.
[19] Gan, C., H. Li, and Y. Liu, Understanding social media discontinuance behavior in China: a perspective of social cognitive theory. Information Technology & People, 2024. 37(3): p. 1185-1207.
[20] Cao, X., et al., Consequences of cyberbullying and social overload while using SNSs: A study of users’ discontinuous usage behavior in SNSs. Information Systems Frontiers, 2020. 22: p. 1343-1356.
[21] Turel, O., Quitting the use of a habituated hedonic information system: a theoretical model and empirical examination of Facebook users. European Journal of Information Systems, 2015. 24(4): p. 431-446.
[22] Wang, J., et al., A two-factor theoretical model of social media discontinuance: role of regret, inertia, and their antecedents. Information technology & people, 2021. 34(1): p. 1-24.
[23] Farooq, A., L. Dahabiyeh, and Y. Javed, When WhatsApp changed its privacy policy: explaining WhatsApp discontinuation using an enablers-inhibitors' perspective. Online Information Review, 2024. 48(1): p. 22-42.
[24] Fu, S., H. Li, and Y. Liu, Why discontinue Facebook usage? An empirical investigation based on a push–pull–mooring framework. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 2021. 121(11): p. 2318-2337.
[25] Luqman, A., et al., Linking excessive SNS use, technological friction, strain, and discontinuance: the moderating role of guilt. Information Systems Management, 2020. 37(2): p. 94-112.
[26] Qaisar, S., et al., Effects of social networking site overloads on discontinuous intentions of users: A moderated mediation analysis. Behaviour & Information Technology, 2022. 41(16): p. 3530-3551.
[27] Zhang, M., et al., Escape or return? Users’ intermittent discontinuance behavior in strong-ties social functions. Information & Management, 2024. 61(1): p. 103902.
[28] Pang, H. and Y. Ruan, Determining influences of information irrelevance, information overload and communication overload on WeChat discontinuance intention: The moderating role of exhaustion. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2023. 72: p. 103289.
[29] Olfat, M., The SOR paradigm in explaining enterprise social network (ESN) discontinuous usage intention. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 2023.
[30] Fu, S., et al., Social media overload, exhaustion, and use discontinuance: Examining the effects of information overload, system feature overload, and social overload. Information Processing & Management, 2020. 57(6): p. 102307.
[31] Zheng, H. and R. Ling, Drivers of social media fatigue: A systematic review. Telematics and Informatics, 2021. 64: p. 101696.
[32] Franks, J., R. Chenhall, and L. Keogh, Conceptual framework for temporal discontinuance experiences of social media users: What factors are responsible? Convergence, 2023. 29(1): p. 225-245.
[33] Hesselberth, P., Connect, Disconnect, Reconnect: Historicizing the Current Gesture towards Disconnectivity, from the Plug-in Drug to the Digital Detox. Connect, Disconnect, Reconnect: Historicizing the Current Gesture towards Disconnectivity, from the Plug-in Drug to the Digital Detox, 2018: p. 109-118.
[34] Maier, C., S. Laumer, and T. Weitzel, The effects of technostress and switching stress on discontinued use of social networking services: a study of Facebook use. Information Systems Journal, 2015. 25(3): p. 275-308.
[35] Furneaux, B. and M.R. Wade, An exploration of organizational level information systems discontinuance intentions. Mis Quarterly, 2011: p. 573-598.
[36] Shen, X.-L., Y.-J. Li, and Y. Sun, Wearable health information systems intermittent discontinuance: A revised expectation-disconfirmation model. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 2018. 118(3): p. 506-523.
[37] Parthasarathy, M. and A. Bhattacherjee, Understanding post-adoption behavior in the context of online services. Information systems research, 1998. 9(4): p. 362-379.
[38] Cao, X. and J. Sun, Exploring the effect of overload on the discontinuous intention of social media users: An SOR perspective. Computers in human behavior, 2018. 81: p. 10-18.
[39] Xie, X.-Z. and N.-C. Tsai, The effects of negative information-related incidents on social media discontinuance intention: Evidence from SEM and fsQCA. Telematics and Informatics, 2021. 56: p. 101503.
[40] Soliman, W. and T. Rinta-Kahila, Toward a refined conceptualization of IS discontinuance: Reflection on the past and a way forward. Information & Management, 2020. 57(2): p. 103167.
[41] Shokouhyar, S., S.H. Siadat, and M.K. Razavi, How social influence and personality affect users’ social network fatigue and discontinuance behavior. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 2018. 70(4): p. 344-366.
[42] Nawaz, M.A., et al., Overload and exhaustion: Classifying SNS discontinuance intentions. Cogent psychology, 2018. 5(1): p. 1515584.
[43] Booth, A., et al., Systematic approaches to a successful literature review. 2021.
[44] Paul, J., et al., Scientific procedures and rationales for systematic literature reviews (SPAR‐4‐SLR). International Journal of Consumer Studies, 2021. 45(4): p. O1-O16.
[45] Tranfield, D., D. Denyer, and P. Smart, Towards a methodology for developing evidence‐informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British journal of management, 2003. 14(3): p. 207-222.
[46] Abbass, K., et al., A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation, and sustainable mitigation measures. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2022. 29(28): p. 42539-42559.
[47] Hanelt, A., et al., A systematic review of the literature on digital transformation: Insights and implications for strategy and organizational change. Journal of management studies, 2021. 58(5): p. 1159-1197.
[48] Ali, O., et al., A systematic literature review of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector: Benefits, challenges, methodologies, and functionalities. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 2023. 8(1): p. 100333.
[49] Calderon-Monge, E. and D. Ribeiro-Soriano, The role of digitalization in business and management: a systematic literature review. Review of managerial science, 2024. 18(2): p. 449-491.
[50] Pang, H., Y. Ruan, and Y. Wang, Unpacking Detrimental Effects of Network Externalities on Privacy Invasion, Communication Overload and Mobile App Discontinued Intentions: A Cognition-Affect-Conation Perspective. Behavioral Sciences, 2023. 13(1): p. 47.
[51] Tan, F., et al., Unpacking the relationship between technological conflicts, dissatisfaction, and social media discontinuance intention: An integrated theoretical perspective. Acta Psychologica, 2023. 238: p. 103965.
[52] Valensia, Information Overload, Fear of Missing Out, and Privacy Concern as Factors Influencing Social Networking Services Fatigue and Discontinuous Intention: Evidence from Indonesian Instagram Users. 2019.
[53] Adhikari, K. and R.K. Panda, Examining the role of social networking fatigue toward discontinuance intention: The multigroup effects of gender and age. Journal of Internet Commerce, 2020. 19(2): p. 125-152.
[54] Masood, A., et al., Smartphone-based social networking sites and intention to quit: self-regulatory perspective. Behaviour & Information Technology, 2021. 40(11): p. 1055-1071.
[55] Zhang, Q. Exploring the Effects of Overload and Stress Factors on WeChat Moments Users’ Discontinuous Usage Intention: an SSO Perspective. in SHS Web of Conferences. 2023. EDP Sciences.
[56] Lin, J., et al., The buffering effect of flow experience on the relationship between overload and social media users’ discontinuance intentions. Telematics and Informatics, 2020. 49: p. 101374.
[57] Wu, C., S.-C. Kao, and H.-Y. Chiu, Determinants of discontinuous intention of attention to mobile instant message services. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2019. 49: p. 219-230.
[58] Zhou, Z., X. Li, and X.-L. Jin, Enablers and inhibitors of discontinuous use in social networking sites: A study on Weibo. 2018.
[59] Zhang, S., et al., Do you get tired of socializing? An empirical explanation of discontinuous usage behaviour in social network services. Information & Management, 2016. 53(7): p. 904-914.
[60] Neves, J., O. Turel, and T. Oliveira, Privacy concerns in social media use: A fear appeal intervention. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 2024. 4(2): p. 100260.
[61] Wang, T., X.T. Mai, and T.D.-H. Thai, Approach or avoid? The dualistic effects of envy on social media users’ behavioral intention. International Journal of Information Management, 2021. 60: p. 102374.
[62] Abdelwahab, S., M.G. Kent, and M. Mayhoub, Users’ window preferences and motivations of shading control: Influence of cultural characteristics. Building and Environment, 2023. 240: p. 110455.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
