Social Media Commons^™

Twitter Content Analysis Of The Australian Bushfires Disaster 2019-2020: Futures Implications, Gregory Willson, Violetta Wilk, Ruth Sibson, Ashlee Morgan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the themes and nature of sentiment of Twitter content that discussed the Australian bushfire disaster 2019–2020 and its associated wildlife devastation, with considerations for the future of Australia’s tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach: A large, qualitative data set consisting of all publicly available Twitter posts during the period of the Australian bushfires from December 2019 to March 2020 that mentioned the bushfires and wildlife are explored. Findings: The devastation of wildlife through the Australian bushfire disaster elicited emotionally charged Twitter content from both Australian and overseas users. Positive sentiment focused on offering support to areas impacted …

Analyzing Tweets On New Norm: Work From Home During Covid-19 Outbreak, Swapna Gottipati, Kyong Jin Shim, Hui Hian Teo, Karthik Nityanand, Shreyansh Shivam

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a large-scale work-from-home trend globally in recent months. In this paper, we study the phenomenon of “work-from-home” (WFH) by performing social listening. We propose an analytics pipeline designed to crawl social media data and perform text mining analyzes on textual data from tweets scrapped based on hashtags related to WFH in COVID-19 situation. We apply text mining and NLP techniques to analyze the tweets for extracting the WFH themes and sentiments (positive and negative). Our Twitter theme analysis adds further value by summarizing the common key topics, allowing employers to gain more insights on areas of …

Mental Health Consequences Of Covid-19 Media Coverage: The Need For Effective Crisis Communication Practices, Zhaohui Su, Dean Mcdonnell, Jun Wen, Metin Kozak, Jaffar Abbas, Sabina Šegalo, Xiaoshan Li, Junaid Ahmad, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Yuyang Cai, Ling Yang, Yu Tao Xiang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2021, The Author(s). During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news …

Lights, Camera, Activity! A Systematic Review Of Research On Learner-Generated Videos, Bridgette Shade Epps, Tian Luo, Pauline S. Muljana

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

The current literature discusses the use and benefits of learner-generated videos (LGVs). However, it rarely addresses any correlation between the types of subjects that are best suited for using these videos or what techniques should accompany the use of LGVs.

Background

This systematic review synthesizes current literature to identify patterns and implications that develop from the use of LGVs so that their future use can be both consistent and effective. This paper also reviews the studies to establish the most consistent educational benefits that emerge from this activity.

Methodology

Employing the Preferred-Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses …

Internet Memes: Leaflet Propaganda Of The Digital Age, Joshua Troy Nieubuurt

English Faculty Publications

Internet memes are one of the latest evolutions of “leaflet” propaganda and an effective tool in the arsenal of digital persuasion. In the past such items were dropped from planes, now they find their way into social media across multiple platforms and their territory is global. Internet memes can be used to target specific groups to help build and solidify tribal bonds. Due to the ease of creation, and their ability to constantly reaffirm axiomatic tribal ideas, they have become an adroit tool allowing for mass influence across international borders. This text explores the link between internet memes and their …

Ranking Influential Nodes Of Fake News Spreading On Mobile Social Networks, Yunfei Xing, Xiwei Wang, Fang-Kwei Wang, Yang Shi, Wu He, Haowu Chang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Online fake news can generate a negative impact on both users and society. Due to the concerns with spread of fake news and misinformation, assessing the network influence of online users has become an important issue. This study quantifies the influence of nodes by proposing an algorithm based on information entropy theory. Dynamic process of influence of nodes is characterized on mobile social networks (MSNs). Weibo (i.e., the Chinese version of microblogging) users are chosen to build the real network and quantified influence of them is analyzed according to the model proposed in this paper. MATLAB is employed to simulate …

2021 International Crisis And Risk Communication Conference Program, Conference Organizers

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Program to the to the 11th Annual International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference sponsored by the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

Free Asynchronous Professional Development By, From, And For Instructional Designers: How Informal Learning Opportunities Shape Our Professional Learning And Design Practices, Pauline S. Muljana, Kristen Austion, Kayla Jutzi, Lora B. Pezzell, Malgorzata (Gosia) Pytel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Instructional designers (IDs) need to maintain an understanding of the current trends and issues within the field. Pursuing professional learning informally supports IDs’ effort to keep up with current trends and issues because it is not restricted by curriculum and time. Professional development (PD) offered by Professional Development for Instructional Designers (PD4IDs) learning group can address issues related to geographical and funding limitations. This application paper presents the coordination of PD based on the conceptual framework (e.g., Community of Practice and Social Network Knowledge Construction) and reflections of several PD4IDs members with various roles. The reflections indicate the benefits of …

Uses And Gratification Theory & How Tiktok Affects The Body Images Of Young Adults, Elizabeth Mackey

Capstone Showcase

This essay explains the Uses and Gratification Theory along with the mental effects TikTok has on young adults in terms of body image. It explores the dynamics of why and how young adults continue to utilize the application despite its harmful effects it has on them. Between hateful comments on ones own videos and comparing oneself to others, there is a lot of opportunity for TikTok to decline a persons perception of their body. However, due to the concepts of the Uses and Gratification Theory, we can see the reasoning behind why these qualities are ignored when choosing what media …

Teaching College Athletes Social Media Appropriateness, Christina Murray

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It may come as no surprise that Twitter is the most popular social media platform where student athletes, particularly men, post inappropriate content. Male student athletes’ inappropriate tweets have become such a problem for universities, athletic departments, and the NCAA that coaches are forced to place a ban on their players’ social media usage or hire third party monitoring systems. Unfortunately, these reactive responses have not alleviated the problem of athletes differentiating what content is appropriate or inappropriate to tweet on their Twitter accounts. Analysis of the data collected from scholarly journal articles, textbooks, and popular press articles revealed that …

Is Care In The Air?: A Crisis Ethics Case Study Of American Airlines’ Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lily V. Hicks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research proposes a qualitative case study of American Airlines’ communication during the first month of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Data from the airline’s press releases along with its tweets and a sample of organizational responses to those tweets are offered for proposed analysis using the lenses of Situational Crisis Communication Theory, the Applied Model of Care Considerations, and the body of crisis literature on audience coping and emotions during crises. This in-depth look at a unique communication phenomenon will be a fundamental step in examining how airline communication exhibits ethics or lack thereof and is related to people’s emotions …

Chronic Customers Or Increased Awareness? The Dynamics Of Social Media Customer Service, Shujing Sun, Yang Gao, Huaxia Rui

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite that social media has become a promising alternative to traditional call centers, managers hesitate to fully harness its power because they worry that active service intervention may encourage excessive use of the channel by disgruntled customers. This paper sheds light on such a concern by examining the dynamics between brand-level customer complaints and service interventions on social media. Using details of customer-brand interactions of 40 airlines on Twitter, we find that more service interventions indeed cause more customer complaints, accounting for the online customer population and service quality. However, the increased complaints are primarily driven by the awareness enhancement …

Entertainment-Education Behind The Scenes: Case Studies For Theory And Practice, Lauren B. Frank, Paul Falzone

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

This Open Access book tracks the latest trends in the theory, research, and practice of entertainment-education, the field of communication that incorporates social change messaging into entertaining media. Sometimes called edutainment, social impact television, narrative persuasion, or cultural strategy, this approach to social and behavior change communication offers new opportunities including transmedia and digital formats. However, making media can be a chaotic process. The realities of working in the field and the rigid structures of scholarly evaluation often act as barriers to honest accounts of entertainment-education practice. In this collection of essays, experienced practitioners offer unique insight into how entertainment-education …

Unveiling The Usage Of Technology In Higher Education Institutions (Heis) In Pakistan: A Study Employing Multi-Group Analysis (Mga), Muhammad Asif Munir Mr., Ghulam Shabir Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Technology has brought changes in the behavioral intentions of students in higher education institutions (HEIs). It also helps them to be creative and innovative during their studies at universities. Literature review reveals that technology acceptance model (TAM) has been widely studied but unfortunately the usage of technology at academia has never been comparatively measured between private and public higher education institutions. This study measures effects of TAM-core variables on academic performance of graduate students of public and private HEIs, additionally, the moderating role of academic self-efficacy between actual usage of social media and academic performance was tested. By using a …

The Dangers Of Free Speech In The Modern World, Katie Yoak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In our modern day individuals often feel safe being able to say whatever they want from behind a computer. The ability to say whatever we want online has both positive and negative effects. This digital form of communication can bring out both the best and worst in us. Many people in our modern age take this technology and use it to engage in aggressive behavior that may not normally occur or be seen by as many people. In this modern day of internet aggression I wish to explore how the ability to speak freely online and through social media services …

Love The Customers: Principles Of Interpersonal Relationships Applied To Social Media, Tracey Kyles

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Social media has changed communication, and its influence is far-reaching. Companies have adapted and tweaked their marketing strategies to more personal approaches to reach their audiences. This is especially evident in recent years. It can be observed, for example, by fast-food Twitter accounts attracting the attention of online users through witty personas and sarcastic tweets. This phenomenon is the motivation of this research looking into relationships between brands and their social media followers. Here, interpersonal relationship theories are referenced to uncover what encourages these kinds of relationships as well as discover which methods deliver the most positive responses, likes, and …

The Role Of The Internet In Intelligence Gathering And Spreading Propaganda, Leila Halawi

Publications

The analysis of American intelligence as an academic discipline exhibits an excellent level of integration regarding subject matter and methods from military history and strategic studies. The knowledge and information revolution steered a different online culture of sharing and oversharing. While the study of intelligence has primarily been associated with historical methods thus far, opportunities for innovation are also afforded by advances in theoretical and conceptual thinking about intelligence. Such revolutions can help intelligence history while concurrently enlightening the disputes on intelligence in the twentyfirst century. The takings from the information age consist of low cost for access to data …

Media Viability In Uganda, Aga Khan University

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Uganda has diverse legacy media with various newspapers and magazines, a growing broadcast media sector, which as of early 2020 was made up of 40 TV and 199 accredited radio stations. The country also has a fast-growing online media driven by rapid technological developments that have seen greater use of smartphones in the country. The News Media Organisations (NMOs) in Uganda have benefitted from liberalization and privatisation policies that the country adopted in the early 1990s, which freed the airwaves and made private investment in the country’s media less complicated.

Media Viability In Kenya, Aga Khan University

Graduate School of Media and Communications

The media in Kenya mirrors the social, political and legal transformation that has taken place in the last half a century. Since independence, the media have been affected by the government’s oscillation between more authoritarian and more liberal regimes. Over the past two decades, however, the arc has been towards enhancements of freedom of expression, access to information, and economic growth that has supported the nation’s technological development and the viability of national and local news media. The media landscape is diverse and, with one news producing company for every 320,500 people, very competitive. Ownership of the nation’s news media …

Truth As A Victim: The Challenge Of Anti-Trafficking Education In The Age Of Q, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

The QAnon conspiracy threatens anti-trafficking education because of its broad dissemination and focus on a range of myths about trafficking. These myths are rooted in historic and ongoing misinformation about abductions, exploitation, and community threats. This article examines the extent of QAnon’s co-optation of human trafficking discourses and evaluates its connection to trafficking myths, particularly related to gender, race, class, and agency. From this perspective, the article considers how anti-trafficking education can respond to these myths and build a pedagogy in the age of Q.