Voluntary Disclosures via Social Media and the Role of Comments

ABSTRACT The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently expanded the communication channels available for management when it determined that personal social media pages are recognized channels for financial disclosures, provided Reg FD and the 2008 Guidance are correctly applied. However, social media channels are more widely available to investors, both nonprofessional and sophisticated, and allow for interaction between users via postings and comments. The opinions of others, as expressed in their comments on social media, may influence investors' perception of the news in a manner that is beyond that of the traditional disclosures envisioned by the SEC. This research explores this issue by examining the influence of disclosures and attached comments via social media on nonprofessional investors' perceptions of the news, valuation judgments, and perceptions of management's credibility. Grounded in the herding and majority influence theories, the research hypotheses are tested using a between-subjects experimental design. Results indicate that the attached comments shared via social media influence the participants' perceptions and reactions to the news.