Communication Commons^™

Social Correlation In Latent Spaces For Complex Networks, Freddy Chong Tat Chua

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation addresses the subject of measuring social correlation among users within a complex social network. Social correlation is closely related to the measurement of social influence in social sciences. While social influence focuses on the existence of causal influence among users, we take a computational approach to measure correlation strength among users based on their shared interactions. We call this social correlation. To formally model social correlation, we propose a framework which contains two major parts. The first part is that of representing users behavior in a computationally efficient and accurate manner. For example, social media users perform many …

The Prevalence Of Gender Communication In Social Media, Alicia Eckman, Kelsey Fisher, Talia Stifter

Concordia Journal of Communication Research

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between online self-disclosure and perceived appeal and define characteristics that individuals find appealing and unappealing in online self-disclosure. The findings from this study reveal significant differences in gender communication that distinctly affect the perceptions of online social media profiles. Using Deborah Tannen’s Genderlect theory, these gender differences are explained.

The Struggle Of Digital De-Cluttering, Nathan Holic

UCF Forum

To be a teacher is to shove all housekeeping tasks to those tight windows of time when the grading goes away. All semester long, dirty laundry piles up. The lawn grows unchecked. And then, just after my semester ends in December, or May, or August, I schedule long-overdue oil changes and haircuts and dental appointments.

Empowered And Engaged: Exploring Social Media Best Practices For Nonprofits, Tessa Warner, Alexis Abel, Frauke Hachtmann

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Although nonprofits see value and potential in social media, many have not yet mastered social media and harnessed their full potential. This phenomenological study sought to identify the best social media strategies and tactics for effectively engaging existing and potential donors, volunteers and stakeholders, according to social media nonprofit professionals. Six themes emerged: listening to the audience; engaging instead of fundraising; sharing relevant, valuable and actionable content; being honest, accessible and responsive; using social media as part of a multi-channel strategy; and that measuring is mandatory.

Aaron Swartz’S Fbi Files

United States Department of Justice: Publications

Aaron Hillel Swartz (November 8, 1986 – January 11, 2013) was an American computer programmer, writer, political organizer and Internet Hacktivist.

Swartz was involved in the development of the web feed format RSS, the organization Creative Commons, the website framework web.py and the social news site, Reddit, in which he became a partner after its merger with his company, Infogami. Swartz's later work focused on sociology, civic awareness and activism.

He helped launch the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in 2009 to learn more about effective online activism. In 2010 he became a research fellow at Harvard University's Safra Research Lab …

Aaron Swartz’S Secret Service Files

United States Department of Justice: Publications

These documents concern the indictment in Massachusetts for downloading JSTOR content from MIT library network.

Parts 1 & 2 are included in the main document.

Additional files are linked below, as follows:

Part 3 (3 files) -- 379 pages, 4067 pages (spreadsheet), & 190 pages (photos)

Part 4 -- 1 page

Part 5 -- 1 page

Part 6 -- 1 page

Part 7 -- 7 pages

Part 8 -- 237,397 pages (yes)

Part 9 -- 90 pages

Part 10 -- 259 pages

Part 11 -- 17 pages

Part 12 -- (not released as of 9/29/2014)

Part 13 -- 254 pages …

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Chinese College Students’ Self-Presentation On Social Networking Sites, Qinghua Yang, Zongchao Li

Faculty Publications

Social media have provided new means of self-presentation. Because individuals are able to post notes, pictures, and videos, social media users can construct their personal images on social networking sites (SNSs) and build links with their various communities. This study aims to find out how Chinese college students perceive other users' online self-presentations and how they conduct their own self-presentations through posting pictures on SNSs. Using photo-elicitation as the primary methodology, the authors conducted two.focus groups with male and female participants respectively. With grounded theory as the framework, the qualitative data show gender differences in the attitudes towards extreme self-presentation, …

Cyberbook: An Introduction To Topics In Cyberculture, Western Kentucky Univeristy Department Of Communication

Communication Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Lone Flower: A Collaborative Cybernovel, Western Kentucky University Department Of Communication

Communication Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Public Sphere As Site Of Emancipation And Enlightenment: A Discourse Theoretic Critique Of Digital Communication, David Ingram, Asaf Bar-Tura

Philosophy: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Habermas claims that an inclusive public sphere is the only deliberative forum for generating public opinion that satisfies the epistemic and normative conditions underlying legitimate decision-making. He adds that digital technologies and other mass media need not undermine – but can extend – rational deliberation when properly instituted. This paper draws from social epistemology and technology studies to demonstrate the epistemic and normative limitations of this extension. We argue that current online communication structures fall short of satisfying the required epistemic and normative conditions. Furthermore, the extent to which Internet-based communications contribute to legitimate democratic opinion and will formation depends …

Freedom Of The Press In Cuba From 2002-2013: Voices Of Post-Revolutionary Exiled Cuban Journalists, Writers And Dissidents In The U.S., Karen E. Anaya

Departmental Honors Projects

The role of media in any society is determined by the level of press freedom in that society. Freedom of the press can be best seen in the relationship between the government and mass media institutions. Since the end of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the Cuban regime has been criticized by organizations all over the world for allegedly limiting press freedom in the island. Despite the wide controversy, little is known about the state of freedom of the press in Cuban media in the last few years. This study set out to investigate the level of press freedom enjoyed …

Knowledge Sharing And Social Media: Altruism, Perceived Online Attachment Motivation, And Perceived Online Relationship Commitment, Will W.K. Ma, Albert Chan

Support & Other Units (THEi)

Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become extremely popular. Facebook, for example, has more than a billion registered users and thousands of millions of units of information are shared every day, including short phrases, articles, photos, and audio and video clips. However, only a tiny proportion of these sharing units trigger any type of knowledge exchange that is ultimately beneficial to the users. This study draws on the theory of belonging and the intrinsic motivation of altruism to explore the factors contributing to knowledge sharing behavior. Using a survey of 299 high school students applying for university after …

Viral Marketing, Kevin Y. Wang, Mark A. Rademacher

Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication

Viral marketing refers to the application of traditional word-of-mouth marketing to the online environment. Originally developed by Steve Jurvetson and Tim Draper in 1997, the term is used to describe online techniques designed to generate peer-to-peer conversation and buzz about a company, brand, product, or service. A message that contains something of value or appeal is diffused throughout members of a given social network, and ideally across networks, in an exponential fashion, much like the spread of a virus in medical parlance. The rapid adoption of digital and social media tools by politicians has led to an increased visibility and …

Strong-Tie Social Connections Versus Weak-Tie Social Connections, Mark A. Rademacher, Kevin Y. Wang

Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication

Discussions regarding the strength of social ties relate to social capital theory. As Robert Putnam describes it, social capital theory suggests that social networks have value at the micro (individual), meso (community), and macro (societal) levels. An individual's social network is comprised of multiple, multiplex social ties of varying strengths. Strong ties exist among individuals connected within densely knit, homogenous networks such as those involving kin and close friends. Weak ties exist among individuals connected within sparse, heterogeneous networks such as those involving acquaintances.

Media Versus Individual Frames And Horizontal Knowledge Gaps: A Study Of The 2010 Health Care Reform Debate Online, Kevin Y. Wang, David J. Atkin, Tuen-Yu Lau

Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication

This study explores the relationship between online news coverage, media use, and political knowledge in the contemporary media environment. Using the debate over health care reform legislation in 2010 as the backdrop, content analysis was performed on 1,268 stories from 10 online news outlets over a 1-month period to identify the media frames being perpetuated by more ideologically partisan versus nonpartisan media organizations. A survey was then conducted with 333 participants to investigate media audience news consumption patterns and their individual frames regarding the issue of health care reform. Results suggest that a person’s individual frames held concerning health care …

Get @ Us! Using Social Media To Market Libraries, Assist Patrons And Revitalize Outreach Efforts, Katy Kelly, Gwen Glazer

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

The rise of social media created a whole new world for libraries in terms of public relations, marketing, and outreach-and it has created a new world for library staff members as well. Social media, outreach, and marketing are integral parts of our day-to-day work at university libraries.

Our duties include managing our libraries' social media channel, through platforms that can reach thousands of people in an instant. These platforms provide jumping-off points for opportunities and challenges: keeping up with social media's charge to be instantaneous, fresh, and innovative while maintaining libraries' core values of helping users and facilitating knowledge.

We …

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us: Defining The Line Between Personal And Professional Context On Social Media, 35 Pace L. Rev. 398 (2014), Raizel Liebler, Keidra Chaney

UIC Law Open Access Faculty Scholarship

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow individuals and companies to connect directly and regularly with an audience of peers or with the public at large. These websites combine the audience-building platforms of mass media with the personal data and relationships of in-person social networks. Due to a combination of evolving user activity and frequent updates to functionality and user features, social media tools blur the line of whether a speaker is perceived as speaking to a specific and presumed private audience, a public expression of one’s own personal views, or a representative viewpoint of an entire …

Like And Share: The Effectiveness Of Social Media On University Student Response Behavior During Emergency Events, Ashley Brooke Collett

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify how effective the use of social media is when used by university students during emergency events. The literature review included in this thesis studies the cases made by other researchers, who were equally as curious about social media's communication effectiveness, and in some incidents evaluated how it was used, the results produced, and what contribution it made during the timeline of that emergency.

The methodology inquired about, and examined, the types of events which students most commonly use social media, the frequency of such use, and their interest in seeing this type …

Who Are Fans Of Facebook Fan Pages? An Electronic Word-Of-Mouth Communication Perspective, Xiao Hu, Louisa Ha, Simeng Mo, Ying Xu

School of Media and Communication Faculty Publications

Given its great business value and popularity, Facebook fan pages have attracted more and more attention in both industry and academia. Fans of Facebook fan pages play an important role in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication. This study focused on the population of fans on Facebook fan pages and examined the differences between fans and non-fans in terms of demographics, social network sites (SNS) use, Internet use, and online shopping behaviors. The results indicated that fans used SNS more frequently than non-fans. Additionally, from the eWOM perspective, the researchers moderated product types in the model of people’s word-of-mouth (WOM) preferences and …

Employee Internet Privacy: A Proposed Act That Balances Legitimate Employer Rights And Employee Privacy, Susan Park

Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

When Justin Basset interviewed for a job in New York City in 2012, he expected to respond to questions one is typically asked in a job interview. However, his interview took a modern technological twist when the interviewer opened her computer and attempted to look at Mr. Basset’s Facebook profile on her computer. Unable to see the details of his profile because he had taken advantage of Facebook’s privacy options to limit public viewing, she asked for his login information to access his account. He declined and withdrew his application.¹ In 2010, Robert Collins, a Maryland Department of Public …

Veronica Mars Kickstarter And Crowd Funding, Bertha Chin, Bethan Jones, Myles Mcnutt, Luke Pebler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

This conversation among Bertha Chin, Bethan Jones, Myles McNutt, and Luke Pebler about the Veronica Mars (2004–7) Kickstarter campaign to fund a film assesses the implications of crowd sourcing and fan labor.

Romantic Relationship Stages And Social Networking Sites: Uncertainty Reduction Strategies And Perceived Relational Norms On Facebook, Jesse Fox, Courtney Anderegg

Faculty Publications - Department of Communication and Cinematic Arts

Due to their pervasiveness and unique affordances, social media play a distinct role in the development of modern romantic relationships. This study examines how a social networking site is used for information seeking about a potential or current romantic partner. In a survey, Facebook users (N= 517) were presented with Facebook behaviors categorized as passive (e.g., reading a partner’s profile), active (e.g., ‘‘friending’’ a common third party), or interactive (e.g., commenting on the partner’s wall) uncertainty reduction strategies. Participants reported how normative they perceived these behaviors to be during four possible stages of relationship development (before meeting face-to-face, after meeting …

Shots, Everybody? : British Anti-Smallpox Vaccination And The Development Of Multifaceted Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric On Internet Parenting Forums, Marta B. Bean

Scripps Senior Theses

Vaccination is an important public health measure that can help reduce disease at the population level. Substantial evidence exists that vaccines are safe and effective at reducing the incidence of diseases like pertussis, measles and cervical cancer. However, on Internet parenting forums, parents discuss whether or not vaccination is the right choice for their children. In this thesis, I highlight the historical context of the anti-vaccine movement in mid 19^th century to early 20^th century Victorian Britain in the era of compulsory smallpox vaccination. Vaccination in this time was a very different and more overtly dangerous process, and …

Let’S Play: Understanding The Role And Significance Of Digital Gaming In Old Age, Julie A. Skalsky Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Despite a marked increase in the use of digital games among older persons, there is insufficient research that provides insight into the gaming experiences of this population. A major demographic shift within the senior gaming market has ushered in a new perspective on the use of digital games as a tool for physical and cognitive health, and improved socialization. It is proposed that individual notions of play, which are developed over the life course, influence digital game play engagement and interaction preferences, and contribute to well-being. This study explored how self-perceptions of play over the course of the senior gamer’s …

From Social Media To Social Movement: Developing A Secondary Stakeholder Model For The Information Age – The Case Of Deepwater Horizon, Michele A. Jurgens

2014

Secondary stakeholders are thought to differ from primary stakeholders in that they interact with the firm mainly for the purpose of changing its ethical, societal, and environmental policies and practices. Research on secondary stakeholders has shown that they are successful in influencing their corporate targets despite the relative lack of power, legitimacy, and urgency of their requests. One explanation for the success of secondary stakeholders can be found in the `political process model' from the social movement literature. The political process model describes and predicts how social movements are formed and the conditions that are necessary for them being sustained …

Predicting Events Surrounding The Egyptian Revolution Of 2011 Using Learning Algorithms On Micro Blog Data, Benedikt Boecking, Margeret A. Hall, Jeff Schneider

Interdisciplinary Informatics Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

We aim to predict activities of political nature in Egypt which influence or reflect societal-scale behavior and beliefs by using learning algorithms on Twitter data. We focus on capturing domestic events in Egypt from November 2009 to November 2013. To this extent we study underlying communication patterns by evaluating content-based and meta-data information in classification tasks without targeting specific keywords or users. Classification is done using Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Support Distribution Machines (SDM). Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is used to create content-based input patterns for the classifiers while bags of Twitter meta-information are used with the SDM to …

Developing A Method For Measuring "Working Out Loud", Dennis E. Pearce

Theses and Dissertations--Finance and Quantitative Methods

Enterprise social network software platforms (ESNs) are increasingly being deployed in firms across almost every industry as a means of fostering employee collaboration. Although benefits in increased productivity, innovation, and employee engagement are highly touted, there is a high failure rate of these deployments. This often occurs because (1) there is a misapplied focus on technology adoption rather than adoption of the employee behaviors that are ultimately required to obtain those benefits, and (2) it is unclear what those behaviors are and how to measure them.

“Working Out Loud” is one possible framework for understanding and measuring the behaviors necessary …

The Internet: Friend, Foe Or Target?, Jonathan D. James

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this concluding chapter, I give an overview of how the Internet, a byproduct of our times, is shaping our culture and society in profound ways. I note some of the major concerns and perils of the Internet age and I conclude by pointing out how and why certain countries are targeting the Internet in terms of increased regulation and surveillance.

The Internet And The Google Age: Introduction, Jonathan D. James

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract provided.

Visuality And The Difficult Differences In Networked Knowledge Communities, Anita August

English Faculty Publications

This chapter argues that as Networked Knowledge Communities (NKCs) become increasingly the way knowledge is constructed, represented, and circulated, visuality in information-based societies is also being shaped, and shaped by, the interactive and collective ideologies of digital technology environments. Like the written text, which constructs and imposes hegemonic ideals of identity through discursive practices, visual representations of identities also serve as powerful discursive reservoirs of subordinating representations. By focusing on NKCs as an epistemic space that reflects, recirculates, and reacts to bodies of knowledge produced by the institutions of power in the larger social culture, this chapter examines the vulnerability …