sciencetech-blog

comments

If you missed the latest episode of your favourite TV show, logging into Twitter and Facebook can a minefield of potential spoilers.

Now research has discovered that three quarters of us have had a television series ruined because of friends and feeds posting plot lines.

It also discovered that Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead are the most commonly 'spoilt' programmes via social media.

Researchers polled 2,749 adults about their viewing habits. All participants said they regularly use streaming services and online catch-up services and almost three quarters (74 per cent) said a show had been spoilt on social media. Breaking Bad (pictured) was the show most likely to be ruined

Researchers at VoucherCodesPro conducted a study looking at the differences between streaming, and watching shows live.

The team polled 2,749 adults aged 18 and over as part of their ongoing research into the technological preferences of British viewers.

All participants revealed prior to the study that they regularly use streaming services and online catch-ups such as BBC iPlayer, 4od and ITV Mediaplayer to watch television programmes.

Respondents were initially asked how often a week, on average, they use streaming services to watch television series.

The majority of respondents (77 per cent) stated they spend around 10 to 15 hours a week watching their favourite television shows. 

When asked to estimate the amount of time per week they spend watching scheduled T.V, the average totalled just 5.5 hours.

Game of Thrones was the second show most likely to be ruined on social media. In the poll, 47 per cent of participants admitted they had been guilty of posting spoilers about a television show over social media

Leading on from this, researchers asked respondents if they had ever had a show compromised or ruined as a result of seeing a spoiler on their Facebook or Twitter feeds - with almost three-quarters (74 per cent) saying they had.

Furthermore, 47 per cent of participants admitted they had ruined a show for others by discussing a plot-twist or ending of a show over social media.

When asked to state the shows that were ruined for as a result of social media spoilers, the most common answers were Game of Thrones (21 per cent), Breaking Bad (17per cent), The Walking Dead (14 per cent), Homeland (11 per cent) and Made in Chelsea (10 per cent).

George Charles, spokesperson at http://ift.tt/15W23pV said: 'Inevitably, with shows as popular as Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, there are going to be people in our lives who watch episodes online as soon as they are aired in America, and subsequently share their reactions over Twitter and Facebook before anyone else has had a chance to watch it.

Perhaps for those repeat offenders, a temporary 'un-friending' or 'un-following' may do the trick!'