{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,27]],"date-time":"2026-04-27T08:46:22Z","timestamp":1777279582586,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"MIS Quarterly","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>User engagement, a key factor in the success of social media platforms, has long been based on permanent content. A recent paradigm shift in platform design has led large social media providers to implement ephemerality features that by default make shared content disappear after a certain amount of time. However, very little is known about how ephemerality features affect user engagement and behavior in social media. Drawing upon the technology affordance perspective, we conducted a qualitative multimethod study involving individual interviews and focus groups. Our findings show that the affordances arising from features with varying degrees of ephemerality (i.e., snaps and stories) differ from those of permanent content features in terms of self-presentation, browsing others\u2019 content, and communication. Adopting a multidimensional conceptualization of user engagement, we show the positive (e.g., more content sharing) and negative (e.g., cognitive burden from context loss) effects for snaps and stories that should be cautiously considered by social media platforms aiming to introduce such features. Finally, we reveal new user behaviors that relate to sharing snapshots of fleeting value as snaps or experiences of transient value as stories.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.25300\/misq\/2023\/17085","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,1,22]],"date-time":"2024-01-22T15:22:10Z","timestamp":1705936930000},"page":"1663-1678","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["How Ephemerality Features Affect User Engagement with Social Media Platforms"],"prefix":"10.25300","volume":"47","author":[{"given":"Christiane","family":"Lehrer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Digitalization, Copenhagen Business School Frederiksberg, Denmark"}]},{"given":"Ioanna","family":"Constantiou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Digitalization, Copenhagen Business School Frederiksberg, Denmark"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Matt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Information Systems, University of Bern Bern, Switzerland"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Hess","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Digital Management and New Media, LMU Munich School of Management Munich, Germany"}]}],"member":"10933","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b1-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305117691544","article-title":"A tale of four platforms: Motivations and uses of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat among college students?","volume":"3","author":"Alhabash","year":"2017","journal-title":"Social Media + Society"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b2-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"A realist theory of science","author":"Bhaskar","year":"2008"},{"issue":"7","key":"2025082212305417900_b3-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"956","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2015.1084349","article-title":"Sharing the small moments: Ephemeral social interaction on Snapchat","volume":"19","author":"Bayer","year":"2016","journal-title":"Information, Communication & Society"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b4-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","first-page":"39","article-title":"Social network sites as networked publics: Affordances, dynamics and implications","volume-title":"A networked self: Identity, community, and culture on social network sites","author":"boyd","year":"2010"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b5-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305120955176","article-title":"Sensitive sharing on social media: Exploring the willingness to disclose PrEP usage among adolescent males who have sex with males","volume":"6","author":"Birnholtz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Social Media + Society"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b6-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2011.07.029","article-title":"Consumer engagement in a virtual brand community: An exploratory analysis","volume":"66","author":"Brodie","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Business Research"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025082212305417900_b7-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"800","DOI":"10.1080\/0960085X.2022.2062468","article-title":"How synchronous participation affects the willingness to subscribe to social live streaming services: The role of co-interactive behavior on Twitch","volume":"32","author":"Br\u00fcndl","year":"2023","journal-title":"European Journal of Information Systems"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b8-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1934","DOI":"10.1145\/2998181.2998266","article-title":"Media, meaning, and context loss in ephemeral communication platforms: A qualitative investigation on Snapchat","author":"Cavalcanti"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b9-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2019.03.007","article-title":"Unlocking the power of ephemeral content: The roles of motivations, gratification, need for closure, and engagement","volume":"97","author":"Chen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b10-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","unstructured":"Constine, J.\n           (2019). You might hate it, but Facebook Stories now has 500M users. TechCrunch. https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2019\/04\/24\/facebook-stories-500-million\/"},{"issue":"10","key":"2025082212305417900_b11-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2213","DOI":"10.1108\/EJM-03-2017-0182","article-title":"Social media engagement behavior: A framework for engaging customers through social media content","volume":"53","author":"Dolan","year":"2019","journal-title":"European Journal of Marketing"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b12-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1120.0463","article-title":"Engineering optimal network effects via social media features and seeding in markets for digital goods and services","volume":"24","author":"Dou","year":"2013","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b13-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1145\/344949.345004","article-title":"Social translucence: An approach to designing systems that support social processes","volume":"7","author":"Erickson","year":"2000","journal-title":"ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b14-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412990028","volume-title":"Advanced focus group research","author":"Fern","year":"2001"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b15-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"798","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2019.03.005","article-title":"Millennials & Snapchat: Self-expression through its use and its influence on purchase motivation","volume":"125","author":"Flecha-Ortiz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Business Research"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b16-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2017.04.032","article-title":"Unpacking the characteristics of Snapchat users: A preliminary investigation and an agenda for future research","volume":"74","author":"Grieve","year":"2017","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"issue":"7","key":"2025082212305417900_b17-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1080\/0965254X.2011.599493","article-title":"Exploring customer brand engagement: Definition and themes","volume":"19","author":"Hollebeek","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of Strategic Marketing"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b18-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1108\/JPBM-06-2013-0332","article-title":"Exploring positively- versus negatively-valenced brand engagement: A conceptual model","volume":"23","author":"Hollebeek","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Product & Brand Management"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025082212305417900_b19-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.intmar.2013.12.002","article-title":"Consumer brand engagement in social media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation","volume":"28","author":"Hollebeek","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Interactive Marketing"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b20-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-016-0494-5","article-title":"SD logic-informed customer engagement: Integrative framework, revised fundamental propositions, and application to CRM","volume":"47","author":"Hollebeek","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b21-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","unstructured":"Johnston, C.\n           (2016, August\u20085). Snapchat, Instagram stories, and the internet of forgetting. The New Yorker. https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/tech\/annals-of-technology\/snapchat-instagram-stories-and-the-internet-of-forgetting"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b22-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.18848\/1833-1882\/CGP\/v04i03\/52870","article-title":"The making of ephemeria: On the shortening life spans of information","volume":"4","author":"Kallinikos","year":"2009","journal-title":"International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b23-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2018\/11492","article-title":"The needs-affordances-features perspective for the use of social media","volume":"42","author":"Karahanna","year":"2018","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025082212305417900_b24-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"560","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2016.11.007","article-title":"Relational affordances of information processing on Facebook","volume":"54","author":"Koroleva","year":"2017","journal-title":"Information & Management"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b25-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/20563051221086235","article-title":"Feeling authentic on social media: Subjective authenticity across Instagram stories and posts","volume":"8","author":"Kreling","year":"2022","journal-title":"Social Media + Society"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b26-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research","author":"Krueger","year":"2014"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025082212305417900_b27-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5105","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.2017.2902","article-title":"Advertising content and consumer engagement on social media: Evidence from Facebook","volume":"64","author":"Lee","year":"2018","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b28-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.14.3.221.16560","article-title":"Generalizing generalizability in information systems research","volume":"14","author":"Lee","year":"2003","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025082212305417900_b29-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsis.2018.03.003","article-title":"An affordance perspective of enterprise social media and organizational socialization","volume":"27","author":"Leidner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Strategic Information Systems"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b30-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2017.10.011","article-title":"Self-ie love: Predictors of image editing intentions on Facebook","volume":"35","author":"Lowe-Calverley","year":"2018","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b31-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1111\/jcc4.12030","article-title":"The contradictory influence of social media affordances on online communal knowledge sharing","volume":"19","author":"Majchrzak","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b32-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook","author":"Miles","year":"1994"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b33-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook","author":"Miles","year":"2014"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b34-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.12.3.240.9709","article-title":"Combining IS research methods: Towards a pluralist methodology","volume":"12","author":"Mingers","year":"2001","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b35-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"795","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2013\/37:3.3","article-title":"Critical realism in information systems research","volume":"37","author":"Mingers","year":"2013","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b36-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412984287","volume-title":"Focus groups as qualitative research","author":"Morgan","year":"1997"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b37-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","article-title":"Gone for better or for worse? Exploring the dual nature of ephemerality on social media platforms","author":"Morlok"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b38-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.4135\/9781036208417","volume-title":"Qualitative research in business & management","author":"Myers","year":"2009"},{"issue":"6","key":"2025082212305417900_b39-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"938","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.20801","article-title":"What is user engagement? A conceptual framework for defining user engagement with technology","volume":"59","author":"O\u2019Brien","year":"2008","journal-title":"Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b40-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ipm.2020.102226","article-title":"An empirical study of interest, task complexity, and search behaviour on user engagement","volume":"57","author":"O\u2019Brien","year":"2020","journal-title":"Information Processing & Management"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b41-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Platform revolution","author":"Parker","year":"2016"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b42-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Qualitative research and evaluation methods","author":"Patton","year":"2002"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b43-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"358","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2015.08.026","article-title":"What do they snapchat about?\u201d Patterns of use in time-limited instant messaging service","volume":"54","author":"Piwek","year":"2016","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b44-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"870","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2017.06.034","article-title":"Investigating the relationships among college students\u2019 satisfaction, addiction, needs, communication apprehension, motives, and uses & gratifications with Snapchat","volume":"75","author":"Punyanunt-Carter","year":"2017","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b45-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"528","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.2014.0525","article-title":"The central role of engagement in online communities","volume":"25","author":"Ray","year":"2014","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b46-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-662-45472-5_5","article-title":"Sex, lies, or kittens? Investigating the use of Snapchat\u2019s self-destructing messages","author":"Roesner"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b47-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","unstructured":"Snapchat Inc\n          . (n.d.). Snapchat Support; When does Snapchat delete snaps and chats?\u2008https:\/\/help.snapchat.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/7012334940948"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b48-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","unstructured":"Statista\n           (2022). Most popular social networks worldwide as of January 2022. https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/272014\/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users\/"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025082212305417900_b49-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.17705\/1jais.00353","article-title":"A theory of organization-EHR affordance actualization","volume":"15","author":"Strong","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of the Association for Information Systems"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b50-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1089\/cyber.2014.0479","article-title":"Snapchat elicits more jealousy than Facebook: A comparison of Snapchat and Facebook use","volume":"18","author":"Utz","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking"},{"issue":"4","key":"2025082212305417900_b51-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1179","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2017\/41.4.08","article-title":"Social media affordances for connective action: An examination of microblogging use during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill","volume":"41","author":"Vaast","year":"2017","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"issue":"10","key":"2025082212305417900_b52-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1060","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929X.2019.1659853","article-title":"Effects on cognition of the burn after reading principle in ephemeral media applications","volume":"38","author":"van Nimwegen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Behaviour & Information Technology"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b53-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"594","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2016.04.029","article-title":"Snapchat is more personal\u2019: An exploratory study on Snapchat behaviors and young adult interpersonal relationships","volume":"62","author":"Vaterlaus","year":"2016","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b54-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"819","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2013\/37.3.07","article-title":"Critical realism and affordances: Theorizing IT-associated organizational change processes","volume":"37","author":"Volkoff","year":"2013","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b55-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315619361-18","article-title":"Affordance theory and how to use it in IS research","volume-title":"The Routledge Companion to Management Information Systems","author":"Volkoff","year":"2017"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025082212305417900_b56-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1080\/00913367.2017.1405754","article-title":"Engagement with social media and social media advertising: The differentiating role of platform type","volume":"47","author":"Voorveld","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Advertising"},{"issue":"3","key":"2025082212305417900_b57-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"933","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2013\/37.3.12","article-title":"Causal explanation in the coordinating process: A critical realist case study of federated IT governance structures","volume":"37","author":"Williams","year":"2013","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025082212305417900_b58-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"536","DOI":"10.17705\/1jais.00543","article-title":"Effects of symbol sets and needs gratifications on audience engagement: Contextualizing police social media communication","volume":"20","author":"Xu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of the Association for Information Systems"},{"key":"2025082212305417900_b59-11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085","volume-title":"Case study research","author":"Yin","year":"2003","edition":"3rd"}],"container-title":["MIS Quarterly"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/misq.umn.edu\/misq\/article-pdf\/47\/4\/1663\/8969\/11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/misq.umn.edu\/misq\/article-pdf\/47\/4\/1663\/8969\/11_rn_10_25300_misq_2023_17085.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,22]],"date-time":"2025-08-22T16:31:02Z","timestamp":1755880262000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/misq.umn.edu\/misq\/article\/47\/4\/1663\/2233\/How-Ephemerality-Features-Affect-User-Engagement"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]},"references-count":59,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.25300\/misq\/2023\/17085","relation":{},"ISSN":["0276-7783","2162-9730"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0276-7783","type":"print"},{"value":"2162-9730","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,1]]}}}