Twitter on the loo: Nielsen study reveals changing toilet habits

SCHWELM, GERMANY - JANUARY 10: Water pours down the toilet on January 10, 2007 in Schwelm, Germany.

So Nielsen's study of social media habits is packed with insights into how we use technology in modern life - but Slate picks up one particularly revealing trend: "32 per cent of young Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 report that they engage in social networking while on the pot."

This is "nothing short of a paradigm shift in how Americans use the bathroom". The days of picking up a magazine or newspaper on the way to the bog may be coming to an end - "another devastating blow for print media in general", says Will Oremus.

The study also revealed that 76 per cent of respondents experience positive feelings after engaging in social media, generally feeling "energized" or "content". Nielsen's study can be found in full here.