An empirical analysis of commercial overload on social networks and triggers of advertising literacy

Abstract

Social networks have become an important part of our daily lives and a fundamental tool for brands to communicate with their potential audience. Paid communications coexist with users' own content, creating ambiguity around the purpose of messages. In addition, influencers often fail to make the intention of their publications clear, despite their significant influence on advertising investment. The study aims to determine the presence of commercial content on social networks, how users correctly identify it, and the effect of contextual variables on the classification of advertising versus organic content. An ethnographic study was used, as well as content analysis. The results reveal an overwhelming amount of advertising on social networks, which exceeds the volume of ads in other media and the limits set by legislation. Users have limited ability to distinguish between advertising and organic content. Only one in two pieces of advertising content is detected, particularly in communications from known friends and profiles they follow, in less intrusive formats and in less obvious locations, such as the Reels feed. These results highlight the need for greater regulation of the digital environment, alongside advertising literacy policies that encourage responsible consumption.