Which candidates do the public discuss online in an election campaign?: The use of social media by 2012 presidential candidates and its impact on candidate salience

The effects of new communication technologies on election campaigns, and the effectiveness of media-centered campaign strategies more broadly, remain ongoing subjects for debate in political science. This study provides some of the first empirical evidence about the potential impact of social media on the 2012 U.S. presidential elections, by testing the association between “candidate salience” and the candidates' level of engagement in online social media sphere. We define “candidate salience” as the extent to which candidates are discussed online by the public in an election campaign, and have selected the number of mentions presidential candidates receive on the social media site, Twitter, as means of quantifying their salience. This strategy allows us to examine whether social media, which is widely recognized as disruptive in the broader economic and social domains, has the potential to change the traditional dynamics of U.S. election campaigns. We find that while social media does substantially expand the possible modes and methods of election campaigning, high levels of social media activity on the part of presidential candidates have, as of yet, resulted in minimal effects on the amount of public attention they receive online.     

“You too,Second Screeners?” Second Screeners’ Echo Chambers During the 2016 U.S. Elections Primaries

This article examines second screeners’ conversations during the 2016 U.S. election primaries. Over a 2-week period, we collected Twitter mentions of 3 top cable news shows (N = 49,568) posted while these shows were broadcast. Using social network analysis, we reconstructed the social network of second screeners (N = 27,811) and found that the network exhibits ideological homophily with few cross-camp interactions. Our findings strongly indicate the existence of echo chambers in the second screen realm, with more confined echo chambers identified in networks of Twitter followers in comparison to second screeners. The study provides one of the most comprehensive mappings of the second screening phenomenon during an election campaign to date.     

Assessing social media use in Dutch municipalities: Political,institutional, and socio-economic determinants

Social media enables public sector organizations to connect with citizens. Next to this, it can help organizations provide more detailed and useful information. But to what extent is social media used by local governments for interaction purposes, and what factors influence this? In this article, we study how Dutch local governments use Twitter for interaction, linking this to political, institutional, and socio-economic determinants. We find that politically fragmented municipalities use Twitter more for interaction, suggesting that political multiplicity forms a stimulus for more online engagement. Moreover, municipalities that have a Twitter account for a longer time make more advanced use of its functions, implying that municipalities with longer experience are better acquainted with a platform's strengths and weaknesses. Finally, municipalities with a higher presence of people in the age group 20–65 as well as municipalities with more higher-educated people use their social media more for interaction. The same counts for municipalities with more ICT workers.     

When Social Media Become Hostile Media: An Experimental Examination of News Sharing,Partisanship, and Follower Count

This study examines whether the characteristics of those who share news articles on social media influence the hostile media effect. In an experiment, participants read a news article shared by 1 of 4 Twitter users, 2 (Republican vs. Democrat) × 2 (21 vs. 503,000 followers). Consistent with the hostile media effect, both Republicans and Democrats believed that a news article shared by a Twitter user from an opposing political party was more biased than one shared by a Twitter user from the same political party. As the Twitter account had more followers, however, this effect was more prominent among Republicans and less prominent among Democrats.     

Twitter and Facebook for User Collection Requests

Libraries are offering more services through social media Web sites like Twitter and Facebook, and this presence online is encouraging more conversation between libraries and patrons, including collection development requests. A review of popular Twitter and Facebook library profiles reveals the most successful accounts to be those where the library actively engages its users online. Through these media, libraries can have direct, immediate conversations with patrons that result in patron-initiated material requests.     

A ‘Presidential Look’? An Analysis of Gender Framing in 2016 Persuasive Memes of Hillary Clinton

A persuasive campaign with elements of propaganda was waged on social media against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 U.S. presidential race, partially through a Russian-financed effort to discredit her. This study analyzed doctored images (memes) posted on Twitter about Clinton during the general election campaign. Through qualitative content analysis, researchers sought to identify whether negative memes reflected socially constructed gender stereotypes. Results show gendered frames used in memes against Clinton were based on female biological/physical traits (weak, ill, unattractive), anti-feminine traits (dishonest, untrustworthy), and negative female politician traits (dictatorial, unqualified) that were incongruent with the perceived role of the presidency.     

Visual Propaganda in the Age of Social Media: An Empirical Analysis of Twitter Images During the 2012 Israeli–Hamas Conflict

This study analyzed images posted to Twitter by the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas' Alqassam Brigades during the November 2012 Gaza conflict to understand aspects of visual propaganda in the age of social media and online social networking. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes and frames prominently appearing in a total of 243 Twitter images posted by the two sides during a two-month period. Resistance and unity were the most prominent themes in the images posted by Israel and causalities of civilians and resistance were most prominent in Hamas-posted images. The majority of the Israeli images featured the analytical propaganda frame whereas the emotional propaganda frame was dominant in Hamas images.     

中国式网络团购的现状、问题、趋势

网络团购这一新型的电子商务模式以惊人的速度在我国发展,形成“千团大战”的局面。通过对我国网络团购的特征、商业模式和产业链的现状分析,从横向和纵向两个不同方面深入剖析目前中国式网络团购存在的问题,并从行业成熟度、动态议价空间和诚信联盟体系等方面对其发展趋势进行展望。     

Populist Twitter Posts in News Stories

Research in information processing suggests that the journalistic practice of embedding right-wing populist Twitter posts in news may stimulate political polarization. To test this notion, we conducted an online experiment (N?=?379). We investigated how highlighted right-wing populist statements affected individuals from different ideological stances and whether potential effects were determined by Twitter-specific characteristics (Twitter frame, profile picture). We exposed participants to two articles, each including a statement by a politician of the Austrian Freedom Party. In the first group, the statements were not highlighted (control group). In the second and third group, the statements appeared as conventional block quotes either without (G2) or with (G3) a picture of the politician. In the fourth and fifth group, the statements were highlighted as Twitter posts, again either without (G4) or with (G5) a picture of the politician. Results revealed that all highlighting conditions increased statement recognition among left-wing individuals. However, the full Twitter post condition exerted the strongest effect. Higher recognition then decreased left-wing individuals’ anti-immigrant attitudes and sympathy toward the right-wing populist candidate. Thus, embedding right-wing populists’ Twitter posts may induce disconfirmation bias among left-wing voters and trigger a process in which they strengthen their initial attitudes.     

Food policy in cyberspace: A webometric analysis of national food clusters in South Korea

This study analyzes the Triple Helix (TH) structure of an online national food cluster. Although the university–industry–government (UIG) approach provides useful insights into innovation and its diffusion, few studies have examined how such systems are organized and operate in cyberspace. Foodpolis is an export-oriented national food cluster targeting markets in Northeast Asia, including China and Japan. Foodpolis encompasses national food industry complexes and government-led agricultural and food R&D institutes whose goal is to advance food-processing technologies. This study employs the webometric analysis method to reveal the communication pattern of interactions between participating actors. The study evaluates web mentions and hyperlink networks to investigate links to and from the website of Foodpolis (Foodpolis.kr) by using the NodeXL software package. The results for links to and from Foodpolis do not indicate sufficient interactions between UIG websites and Twitter accounts. Instead, the website and Twitter account of Foodpolis were linked to its own online café, websites of individuals, and government websites. The results suggest that UIG actors should employ online communication channels in a more proactive manner for diffusing innovative initiatives such as Foodpolis.     

Tailoring Library Instruction for Non-Science Majors Taking Hybrid and Online Science Classes: Student Perceptions of Information Literacy in the Virtual Environment

An instruction librarian and a biology professor at a small, urban commuter college campus worked together to provide research instruction to non-science majors in selected hybrid and online biological sciences classes. They collaboratively designed in-class and online learning tools, as well as homework assignments aimed at developing non-science majors’ information literacy skills. Through an array of innovative technologies and pedagogical models (including online screencasts, Twitter conversations, and embedded librarianship), they sought to engage non-science majors in the scientific discourse and to encourage them to access and assess reputable online science materials. This study explores the efficacy of their pedagogical partnership.     

LMFAO! Humor as a Response to Fear: Decomposing Fear Control within the Extended Parallel Process Model

This study seeks to analyze fear control responses to the 2012 Tips from Former Smokers campaign using the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). The goal is to examine the occurrence of ancillary fear control responses, like humor. In order to explore individuals’ responses in an organic setting, we use Twitter data—tweets—collected via the Firehose. Content analysis of relevant fear control tweets (N = 14,281) validated the existence of boomerang responses within the EPPM: denial, defensive avoidance, and reactance. More importantly, results showed that humor tweets were not only a significant occurrence but constituted the majority of fear control responses.     

Online Environmental Engagement Among Youth: Influence of Parents,Attitudes and Demographics

Although young citizens may not always politically engage in the same fashion as their elders, research suggests they are using Facebook, Twitter, and other newer communication systems to mobilize politically both generally and around environmental issues. Given the declining environmental conditions facing young citizens, a national stratified quota sample of 1,096 U.S. parents and their children between the ages of 12 and 17 was conducted to investigate the factors potentially related to their efforts to persuade members of their online social networks to be more environmental. We believe that online peer persuasion is an important concept to investigate because peer persuasion can create subjective norms that ultimately may influence behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, although parents influence youth behavior (Adj. R ² = .11), the greatest variance in behavior was explained by the youth's own environmental self-efficacy, environmental news consumption, political interest, time spent online, gender, and environmental consumerism (ΔR ² = .29). Youth political interest and environmental consumerism were especially important variables in the final model. Structural equation modeling reinforced that parental influence is primarily indirect. This study appears to be among the first to link environmental consumerism with youth online peer persuasion.     

“The internet is not pleased”: twitter and the 2017 Equifax data breach

ABSTRACT

The 2017 Equifax data breach left 144.5 million users digitally vulnerable to identity theft and future hacks. The organization’s failure to provide ongoing communication and information regarding the attack, motivated users to form crisis communities within the Twitter platform. This study examines the discourses present within the platform as users discussed the data breach. Digital crisis communities provide researchers opportunities to study how public users respond and react to a digital threat, particularly one that impacts online security and privacy. Through a qualitative analysis of tweets from the 3 weeks after the breach was announced, three discourses emerged that represented user frustrations and reactions to the security violation. These include breaking news, anger and outrage, and blame attribution. The findings of this study are relevant for those studying crisis communication, the Twitter platform, and online communities.     

Tweet,Retweet, Favorite: The Impact of Twitter Use on Enjoyment and Sports Viewing

Sports fans are increasingly turning to Twitter to experience events and receive commentary. Using the theoretical grounding of disposition theory, this study surveyed sports fans to measure how Twitter potentially influenced their enjoyment of viewing live and mediated sporting events. Respondents primarily used Twitter to augment their consumption of sports, and heavy Twitter users reported higher enjoyment levels when using the social networking site while watching sports. Findings also suggest how the manner in which respondents used Twitter impacted their sports viewing enjoyment.     

An Evaluation of Online Reference Services Through Social Networking Sites in Selected Nigerian University Libraries

The study evaluated online reference services through social networking sites in selected university libraries in Nigeria. A survey approach was adopted to ascertain patrons’ level of awareness, their preferences, and the sources from which they were informed of the existence of the service. Findings revealed that patrons are aware that their university libraries are on social networks but are still not familiar with reference services. Facebook, Twitter, and Ask-a-Librarian were ranked as the most preferred methods for delivering online reference services, and online reference service was indicated as more convenient than traditional desk reference service because communication is available anywhere and anytime with a reference librarian and is easily accessible.     

Mapping online social networks of Korean politicians

Korean politicians, particularly National Assembly members, have embraced the internet as a major means of communication for managing election campaigns and maintaining relationships with (potential) supporters during non-election periods. An increasing number of National Assembly members have become aware of the considerable influence that the internet has on their constituents, and thus, this study determines whether there are significant differences in online networks of National Assembly members and examines the relationship among National Assembly members and that between those members and their constituents to determine whether Twitter is used as a tool for communication as well as deliberation. The data were drawn from homepages, blogs, and Twitter pages of the members of the 18th National Assembly in April 2010. The results indicate that National Assembly members tended to have a more equal relationship in the Twitter network than in the homepage or blog network. More importantly, the members were linked mainly to fellow politicians in the same party, and thus, they used Twitter to communicate more with fellow politicians than with their constituents.     

Engagement with news on Twitter: insights from Australia and Korea

ABSTRACT

This study examines the patterns of news engagement among news consumers with different political affiliation and cultural background. We use computational methods and data from Twitter in a cross-country comparison of engagement with six online news sources in Australia and South Korea. For our analysis, we used a subset of Twitter users who retweeted at least one political story during the period of collection, and for whom we were able to predict political affiliation using correspondence analysis and data on Twitter follower ties to politicians. We find that right-wing Australian retweeters are more intense in their news engagement, compared with their left-wing counterparts, whereas in South Korea it was the opposite. Australian right-wing political retweeters have more diverse information sources, while there was no difference in information diversity between the right and left in South Korea. We discuss how the political situation in South Korea at the time of data collection may have affected our analysis. We emphasise the methodological contributions of our research and its connection to on-going research into the behavioural foundations of ‘filter bubbles’.     

The use of twitter by mayors in Turkey: Tweets for better public services?

This article aims to provide an overall picture of the use of Twitter as a significant social media tool by mayors in Turkey and to investigate, using content analysis and tweet categorization, whether Twitter is used by mayors in Turkey to offer better public services. Thus, this study focuses on the impact of Twitter in Turkey on transparent, participatory and citizen-oriented local public services. Our analysis has revealed that mayors in Turkey use Twitter especially to share information, send personal messages and share their location and activities. The use of Twitter for transparent, participatory and citizen-oriented public service delivery is not common among mayors. Twitter is adopted and used by mayors mostly for the purposes of self-promotion and political marketing in Turkey.     

Still the Same?

This article analyses whether a specific news event is reported differently online compared to print newspapers. The question is hardly new but has increased in importance as more readers pass from print newspapers to online news. The conditions of news selection and production are discussed departing from the theories of market-driven journalism and media logic, and are related to aspects of audience needs and gratifications, as well as professional norms and standards. A content analysis of news reporting during the 2010 Swedish election campaign reveals no significant differences between how major newspapers reported the aspects, issues and actors online compared to in print. Individuals using online news received the same information about the election campaign as those reading the print paper, which indicates a displacing rather than complementary effect of online journalism on print journalism.