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Social Media: Defining, Developing, and Divining

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Abstract

What is a social medium, and how may one moderate, isolate, and influence communicative processes within? Although scholars assume an inherent understanding of social media based on extant technology, there is no commonly accepted definition of what social media are, both functionally and theoretically, within communication studies. Given this lack of understanding, cogent theorizing regarding the uses and effects of social media has been limited. This work first draws on extant definitions of social media and subcategories (e.g., social network sites) from public relations, information technology, and management scholarship, as well as the popular press, to develop a definition of social media precise enough to embody these technologies yet robust enough to remain applicable in 2035. It then broadly explores emerging developments in the features, uses, and users of social media for which future theories will need to account. Finally, it divines and prioritizes challenges that may not yet be apparent to theorizing communication processes with and in mercurial social media. We address how social media may uniquely isolate and test communicative principles to advance our understanding of human-human and human-computer interaction. In all, this article provides a common framework to ground and facilitate future communication scholarship and beyond.

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... Furthermore, social media have become a vital component of everyday life as they enable users to create and co-create virtual content and information, communicate, interact, collaborate, get informed, and acquire knowledge within a shared information space in real time [34][35][36]. Due to their nature and the diversified user base, social media can be used to gather information regarding the public perspectives on a given topic. ...
... The comprehensive analysis of the quantity of tweets, words, and hashtags most used on a social media platform like Twitter, regarding the topic of the metaverse, plays a crucial role in elucidating the future trends and directions that this subject is taking in the specific virtual environment. These quantitative metrics provide a representative overview of the relevance and dissemination of the metaverse within the Twitter user community [35]. However, a mere examination of quantitative metrics is insufficient and it is equally essential to delve into the perspectives, emotions, attitudes, and sentiments expressed by the public regarding the metaverse. ...
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This study examines and analyzes the public perspectives, attitudes, sentiments, and discourses regarding the metaverse and its general and educational use. The study explores four research questions and involves the analysis of two datasets containing over 8 million tweets from Twitter (currently called X). The analysis involves text mining, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling techniques and to carry it out different tools are used, such as the National Research Council Canada (NRC) Word-Emotion Association Lexicon (EmoLex), Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER), TextBlob, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), etc. Based on the results, the increase in interest of the public in the metaverse is in line with that of the educational and scientific communities. The public expressed mostly positive attitudes and emotions toward the general and educational use of the metaverse while the negative sentiment percentage was really low. The sentiments and emotions were more intense within the tweets of the educational dataset. The versatility and applicability of the metaverse emerged from the topic analysis from which eight topics arose: digital currencies, virtual environments, gaming, education, immersive learning environments, entertainment, online communities, and industry. The increasing interest in the metaverse, its potentials to enrich education, and the positive attitudes of the public toward its use in education were evident. More intense emotions and sentiments were expressed in the educational dataset which indicates that impulsive decisions may occur and should be anticipated in the educational domain and that the educational community is open to new approaches and supports technology-enhanced learning. Social media arose as an effective medium to communicate the integration of new technologies and innovations in education.
... First, the study focuses on defining SM and then conceptualising incivility. There are numerous scholarly arguments on 'What is SM?' yet, there is no commonly accepted definition for SM in both functional and theoretical perspectives (Carr and Hayes, 2015;Weller, 2015;Duong, 2020). However, Carr and Hayes (2015) defines SM as "internet-based channels that allow users to opportunistically interact and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow audiences who derive value from usergenerated content and the perception of interaction with others." ...
... There are numerous scholarly arguments on 'What is SM?' yet, there is no commonly accepted definition for SM in both functional and theoretical perspectives (Carr and Hayes, 2015;Weller, 2015;Duong, 2020). However, Carr and Hayes (2015) defines SM as "internet-based channels that allow users to opportunistically interact and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow audiences who derive value from usergenerated content and the perception of interaction with others." Similarly, the definition of 'incivility' also has been discussed and argued among communication scholars (Anderson et al., 2014) and they explain incivility as a violation of wellestablished face-to-face social norms for the polite expression of opposing views (Mutz and Reeves, 2005) but, some studies define incivility as a manner of offensive interaction that can vary between aggressive commenting, incensed discussion and rude critiques, outrageous claims, hate speech and harassment according to Antoci et al. (2016). ...
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This study examines the impact of social media (SM) usage on information security (IS) and operational integrity (OI) within the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), with a particular focus on social media incivility. The Western Naval Command (WNC) is used as a case study due to its high operational engagement and SM usage among personnel. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to analyse patterns of SM usage and its association with unauthorised information sharing and operational breaches. The findings reveal a significant correlation between SM usage and risks to operational security, exacerbated by online incivility such as aggressive comments, harassment, and dissemination of sensitive information. Additionally, social media incivility mediates the relationship between SM usage and OI, contributing to emotional distress and decreased morale among personnel. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive social media guidelines, enhanced cybersecurity measures, and training programs to foster responsible SM usage and safeguard IS. Recommendations include implementing policy changes, conducting awareness campaigns, and fostering a culture of digital responsibility within the SLN to mitigate the identified risks.
... Alava et al., 2017;boyd, 2014;Dennen et al., 2020;Goodyear & Armour, 2019;Merkelbach, 2022;Richards et al., 2015). Although an accepted term, scholars still discuss social media's correct definition and grammar, with misapplications leading to academic imprecision (Carr & Hayes, 2015). I adhere to Carr's and Hayes' (2015) description of social media as "Internet-based channels that allow users to opportunistically interact and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow audiences who derive value from user-generated content and the perception of interaction with others" (p. ...
... Although an accepted term, scholars still discuss social media's correct definition and grammar, with misapplications leading to academic imprecision (Carr & Hayes, 2015). I adhere to Carr's and Hayes' (2015) description of social media as "Internet-based channels that allow users to opportunistically interact and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow audiences who derive value from user-generated content and the perception of interaction with others" (p. 50). ...
Chapter
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The pervasiveness of social media in the daily routines of young people generates concerns and vivid educational, political, and secular discussions. Taking a step back from ongoing debates, this chapter reflects on social media as a phenomenon, impacting experiences of self, ways of perception and, consequently, learning environments. I argue that the entanglement of social media with physical life can be unravelled into continuous transitions and analysed. I discuss how context collapses can serve as wedges in these changeovers, accommodating self-cultivation for and beyond the subjective self. To conceptualise these processes, I construct online Bildung and support my argument with examples from the field of music. Viewing social media engagement from an online Bildung perspective, I advocate its relevance in the systemic work with teacher students’ digital and relational proficiencies, developing their teacher identity. As a backcloth for my discussion, I place online Bildung within the double mission of schools having to provide both Bildung and formal education, as formulated in the Norwegian curriculum.
... The adolescent mental health crisis has been receiving increasing attention in popular media and news outlets, and many journalists are citing social media-or online platforms that allow for both synchronous and asynchronous social interaction (Carr & Hayes, 2015;Charmaraman et al., 2022a)-as the cause (e.g., Hughes, 2022;McCluskey, 2021). Indeed, as mental health concerns-like suicidal thoughts and behaviors-have been increasing (National Center for Health Statistics, 2021), so has the percentage of teenagers who report being online "almost constantly" (Anderson et al., 2023;Vogels et al., 2022). ...
... To isolate social media apps, three independent coders from the study team researched all phone applications used and rated whether each counted as social media. Following established definitions in the field (Carr & Hayes, 2015), applications were classified as social media if participants could create a profile and interact with others both synchronously and asynchronously for broad social networking purposes (which excludes narrower cases, like dating apps). Following this procedure, 28 applications were coded as social media apps, and data from usage of those apps were aggregated to create "social media" variables in the data set (including time spent on any of these apps in total and number of times any of these apps were checked). ...
Article
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Adolescent social media serves a broad range of functions, which may be helpful for some and harmful for others. During the COVID-19 lockdown, social media evolved considerably, occupying an even more central role in adolescents’ lives. This study leverages a new approach to measuring social media use behaviors—passive smartphone sensing. Specifically, we aimed to test if and how adolescents self-regulate their social media use in response to how they feel during and after use. This study followed 19 adolescents for 1 month. Participants completed baseline measures, assessing demographic and clinical characteristics. We used passive smartphone sensing to measure objective social media use behaviors (“screen time” and checking) for a 1-month period. Adolescents also completed daily diary questions on their mood. Analyses took an idiographic (n = 1) approach. Dynamic structural equation models tested daily and next-day relationships between social media use behaviors and mood for each adolescent. Most adolescents (n = 13 of 19) did not self-regulate their social media use in relation to their mood. Most importantly, they did not use it less when they felt more negative mood during use. That said, some adolescents (n = 6) did alter their social media use behaviors depending on their mood. Each adolescent’s pattern of social media use and mood was also qualitatively interpreted within their context of demographic (e.g., experience of holding a minoritized identity) and clinical characteristics (e.g., history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors). These results highlight the next steps for possible intervention points to help adolescents adjust their use patterns to maximize mental health benefits while minimizing possible harm. Findings also begin to develop a template for applying social media use recommendations, while centering the experiences of individual adolescents.
... The internet used in today's digital communication devices has given rise to some platforms called social media. Social media are internet-based platforms where users present themselves and the content, they produce to both more general and more specialized groups as they wish to express themselves and shape people's perception of value through their interaction with others (Carr & Hayes, 2015). Social media attracts the attention of users due to the shares made on various social networking sites and is present in a large part of daily life. ...
... The results present the most popular social media in the studied group as a source of information (RQ3, RQ4). Carr and Hayes (2015) define social media as Internet-based channels that allow users to opportunistically interact and selectively self-present, either in real-time or asynchronously, with both broad and narrow audiences who derive value from user-generated content and the perception of interaction with others. Based on the secondary data analysis, it indicated the most popular social media in the studied group: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat & TikTok (IAB Polska, 2020; Hootsuite & WeAreSocial, 2020). ...
Chapter
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Contemporary first-time voters are the oldest representatives of the digitized Polish Generation Z, for whom social media is an attractive source of information about the world, including politics. The empirical research aims to analyse the use of social media by Polish first-time voters in two cases, which may be considered as generation defining moments: the COVID-19 pandemic and women’s strikes in Poland in 2020. This study uses a survey of 100 respondents who voted for the first time in the 2019 and 2020 elections, i.e. in the period of increased civic activity in Poland. The results present also the most popular social media in the studied group as a source of information and explore activities undertaken in social media by youth concerning the discussed events.
... The ongoing evolution of social media as an internet-based communication tool has continually redefined its definition and developed its features (Carr & Hayes, 2015). Notably, in the current year, social media users also have been increasing for over half of the global population, accounting for approximately 4.5 billion users (Jose & Victer Paul, 2023). ...
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The study aims to investigate the hashtags used by selected news and media Instagram accounts associated with pro-Palestine and pro-Israel viewpoints amid the ongoing 2023 conflict. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach due to the written format of the data. The study utilized the Flourish website's analysis software to identify prevalent hashtags within a specific timeframe from 1st to 7th November 2023. Through a semantic approach, these hashtags were examined to reveal their nuanced meanings and representations, particularly in relation to support for each side. The present study analyzed 1825 hashtags from 5 pro-Palestine accounts and 1255 hashtags from 5 pro-Israel accounts with distinct hashtag preferences for each group. In the first stage of analysis, after excluding several neutral hashtags, #Gazaunderattack emerged as the most prominent hashtag among pro-Palestine accounts, while pro-Israel accounts predominantly used #HamasisIsis. In the second stage, without excluding any hashtags, #Palestine was the dominant hashtag for pro-Palestine accounts, while pro-Israel accounts prominently used the #Israel hashtag. These hashtags carry distinct connotations depending on their context of usage. By employing a semantic analysis of Instagram hashtags, this study sheds light on the significant role of social media within the linguistic landscape, particularly in expressing and shaping support for conflicting perspectives INTISARI Penelitian ini ditujukan untuk menyelidiki tagar yang digunakan oleh beberapa akun Instagram berita dan media terpilih terkait sudut pandang pro-Palestina dan pro-Israel di tengah konflik yang sedang berlangsung pada tahun 2023. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif karena format data tertulis. perangkat lunak analisis situs web Flourish digunakan untuk mengidentifikasi tagar yang lazim dalam jangka waktu terpilih yakni pada tanggal 1 hingga 7 November 2023. Melalui pendekatan semantik, tagar-tagar ini dikaji untuk mengungkap makna dan representasi yang bernuansa, khususnya yang berkaitan dengan dukungan untuk masing-masing pihak. Studi ini menganalisis 1825 tagar dari 5 akun pro-Palestina dan 1255 tagar dari 5 akun pro-Israel dengan preferensi tagar yang berbeda untuk setiap kelompok. Pada tahap analisis pertama, setelah mengecualikan beberapa tagar netral, #Gazaunderattack muncul sebagai tagar yang paling menonjol di antara akun-akun pro-Palestina, sementara akun-akun pro-Israel sebagian besar menggunakan #HamasisIsis. Pada tahap kedua, tanpa mengecualikan tagar apa pun, #Palestina merupakan tagar dominan untuk akun pro-Palestina, sementara akun pro-Israel secara mencolok menggunakan tagar #Israel. Tagar-tagar ini memiliki konotasi yang berbeda tergantung pada konteks penggunaannya. Dengan menggunakan analisis semantik tagar Instagram, studi ini menyoroti peran penting media sosial dalam lanskap linguistik, khususnya dalam mengekspresikan dan membentuk dukungan untuk perspektif yang saling bertentangan.
... Enforcement of the Cybercrime Law, even after the 2023 amendments, remains a significant challenge, particularly due to jurisdictional conflicts. Many social media platforms operate on a global scale, with servers and data processing facilities located outside of Jordan (Carr& Hayes, 2015). This makes it difficult for Jordanian authorities to monitor and enforce the law when personal data is stored or processed in foreign jurisdictions. ...
Article
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This paper examines public perceptions of the Jordanian Cybercrime Law, focusing on its effectiveness in protecting personal information shared on social media and its alignment with international standards. As social media usage increases, concerns about data security and privacy have become more pronounced. This paper analyzes the Cybercrime Law’s provisions related to social media, evaluating how well they protect users’ data and deter violations. Via comparing the Jordanian legal framework with international norms. The findings expose that while the Jordanian Cybercrime Law has made strides in addressing data protection issues, there are significant gaps in its alignment with international standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR). Public perception indicates a mixed level of confidence in the law’s ability to safeguard personal information, with some concerns about its enforcement and effectiveness. The results suggest that improving legislative alignment with international data protection standards and enhancing public awareness could strengthen the law’s effectiveness in protecting personal information in the digital age.
... Ad disclosures influence subsequently ad performance by educating consumers in recognizing the persuasive character of advertising and helping them to make intelligent choices [3]. Ad disclosure has been the topic of previous research in a variety of the preferences, including product reviews [4], video news releases [5], and advertorials [6], and product placement [7], and native ads [8]. These studies fall into one of two study streams: (a) effects of subtlety in ad disclosure, or the effects of ad disclosure present versus absent. ...
... In today's fast-paced and interconnected digital era, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools that play a significant role in facilitating communication and widespread dissemination of information among individuals [1]. Whether it's breaking news, scientific discoveries, cultural phenomena, or political developments, social media acts as a conduit, ensuring that information reaches a wide audience instantaneously. ...
Article
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The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked renewed attention to the risks of online misinformation, emphasizing its impact on individuals’ quality of life through the spread of health-related myths and misconceptions. In this study, we analyze 6 years (2016–2021) of Italian vaccine debate across diverse social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), encompassing all major news sources–both questionable and reliable. We first use the symbolic transfer entropy analysis of news production time-series to dynamically determine which category of sources, questionable or reliable, causally drives the agenda on vaccines. Then, leveraging deep learning models capable to accurately classify vaccine-related content based on the conveyed stance and discussed topic, respectively, we evaluate the focus on various topics by news sources promoting opposing views and compare the resulting user engagement. Our study uncovers misinformation not as a parasite of the news ecosystem that merely opposes the perspectives offered by mainstream media, but as an autonomous force capable of even overwhelming the production of vaccine-related content from the latter. While the pervasiveness of misinformation is evident in the significantly higher engagement of questionable sources compared to reliable ones (up to 11 times higher in median value), our findings underscore the need for consistent and thorough pro-vax coverage to counter this imbalance. This is especially important for sensitive topics, where the risk of misinformation spreading and potentially exacerbating negative attitudes toward vaccines is higher. While reliable sources have successfully promoted vaccine efficacy, reducing anti-vax impact, gaps in pro-vax coverage on vaccine safety led to the highest engagement with anti-vax content.
... In Carr and Hayes [2015] definition social media are internet-based, disentrained, and persistent channels of masspersonal communication facilitating perceptions of interactions among users, deriving value primarily from user-generated content. 4 In Miller's approach social media is the colonization of the space between traditional broadcast and private dyadic communication, providing people with a scale of group size and degrees of privacy that we have termed ''scalable sociality. ...
Conference Paper
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The coronavirus pandemic, which emerged in early 2020, has brought major changes to the lives of people in every country around the world. Epidemiological measures have led to a decline in the role of some sectors, while others have experienced significant growth. The COVID-19 pandemic has reached almost every part of the world, triggering transformations in the social and economic life of national economies, though, often in different ways. The pandemic has shown that everything in our world is interconnected. Changes in the way people live, work, communicate, etc., and restrictions in everyday life have made some countries more resilient, while others more difficult to manage. In general, the added value of the EU economy fell by 5.8% on average, while in Hungary it decreased by 9.7%. The pandemic only brought positive changes for companies in the communication and financial services sector. The unfortunate outbreak and management of COVID-19 has not only intensified the need for effective communication with clients, depending on administrative responsiveness and resilience, but has made it downright unavoidable. The resources at the disposal of public administrations need to be reinforced, while at the same time being deployed along different priorities. Effective and efficient crisis management also requires the use of new methods, affecting the organisation, procedures, and staff of public administrations. In our study, we will assess the impact and consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on customer communication and customer relations in public administrations by looking at Central Europe over a three-year period. Public administrations in all countries are increasingly using ICT tools as a result of technological progress. In Hungary, over the last decade, the government has increasingly communicated with customers electronically, with the development of one-stop administrative shops, customer identification and, for example, electronic health systems. We will investigate by using statistical analysis how e-government has changed before and after the coronavirus pandemic, how community platforms have been integrated-if they have been integrated at all-,and how their presence is reflected in the interaction between public administration and customers in e-government. In this study, we examine only the Facebook activity of the ministries responsible for health in four countries-Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary-including the development of pandemic communication as compared to 2019. So as to draw country-specific conclusions, we examine the communication of the ministries in each year separately.
... Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and Telegram are all considered forms of social media in this study. Social media are online platforms that enable spontaneous communication between users and make themselves available to both specialised and general audiences who value user-generated content and the appearance of social interaction (Carr and Hayes, 2015). not social media sites like Google (chosen eight times) and Duolingo (mentioned once), where data was taken from answers. ...
Conference Paper
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Social media has become an integral part of life, including in education. This study investigates the effectiveness of using social media as learning media to improve students' English as a Foreign Language (EFL) skills from the learners' perspective. The research covers two fundamental issues: the extent to which social media affect students' language skills and how social media can improve students' English language skills. The research was done at three universities in Indonesia. A questionnaire was distributed to 45 undergraduate students enrolled in the Department of Art Education. Results show that Art Education students believe that social media improves their English language skills positively. They also reported that students use a lot of social media in learning EFL through various activities, for instance, by describing their artwork in English. The findings also reveal what kind of social media which have been frequently used as English learning media. Therefore, social media can be one of the learning media for EFL students to improve their English language skills.
... The ubiquitous access to social media has led to a significant body of research examining the impacts on well-being. Social media encompasses computermediated channels enabling social interaction (active and passive), selfpresentation, and content sharing with diverse audiences (Carr & Hayes, 2015), in real-time or asynchronously (Bayer et al., 2020). Findings from meta-analyses, systematic and narrative reviews, and large-scale cross-sectional studies present mixed evidence (e.g., Appel et al., 2020;Orben, 2020;, Valkenburg, 2022. ...
Article
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The debate about the impact of digital media use on youths’ well-being is polarized. We provide a comprehensive examination of the relationship between digital media use and adolescents’ affective well-being, investigating both within-person and between-person associations. We also examined how age and gender moderate these relationships, considering developmental stages. Using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), we collected 3,087 responses from 343 Austrian students between September and November 2022, covering social media use, gaming, web browsing, video streaming, and audio streaming. Multilevel linear regression analyses revealed nuanced associations: Within-person associations appeared positive for social media use, gaming, and video streaming, whereas social media use was negatively related to affective well-being at the between-person level, suggesting aggregated displacement effects. The positive association of gaming with affective well-being was confined to the within-person level, yet video streaming showed a consistently positive link at both levels. The complex associations further varied by age and gender, indicating developmental variability. This study highlights the importance of considering development in media use and effects research and calls attention to how short-term influences may interplay with individual traits, fostering long-term differences.
... Social media is a platform of enlargement (FAO 2019), and for agricultural producers the major reason for producing such a platform is mass influence (Varner, 2012) It gives farmers direct opportunity to connect with customers (Carr, 2015) and the key values of communication provided by social media as peer-to-peer networking (Stanley, 2013). The fast penetration of ITC thus brings new opportunities for farmers to improve their knowledge and livelihoods (Asongu, 2015) and (Aker & Mibiti 2010). ...
Thesis
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Fourth Industrialization phase is flooded by technologies. Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) has rooted up in every field. Agriculture, considered to be the mainstay of our country has started to deploy ICT’s in every aspects. Agricultural society has moved from industrialized society to information society. Society could be better informed as a result of developments in ICT. The relationship between farmers and extension agents should be strong so that betterment would happen. Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools especially agricultural mobile apps have step forward to reduce the digital divide among the farmers. Tamil Nadu Government has launched “uzhavan” mobile application as a tool to facilitate outreach services to farmers. The present study “Assessment of the utility behavior of uzhavan app among farmers and extension officers in Tamil Nadu” was designed to find out who were all the users of uzhavan app, to determine the usage pattern and changes felt by uzhavan app users (Farmers and Extension officers) in Tamil Nadu, to identify the factors influence the usage of uzhavan app by the farmers, to assess the reasons for non-adoption of uzhavan app by the farmers, to find the farmers and extension officers perception about the uzhavan app, to document the constraints in fourth (76.67%) of the extension officers stated that extension personnel should undergo specialized training on ICT and majority (93.33%) of the extension officers had disseminated the information regarding the availability of uzhavan app by conducting awareness campaign at public places like bus stands, colleges, union office etc. Regarding the profile of non-uzhavan app users (farmers), majority of them were found to be male, belonged to old age group, had undergone up to middle school education, performed agriculture+ labor as their regular activity for generating income, had more than 30 years of experience in agriculture, marginal farmers (< 2.5 acre of land holding), earned annual income of less than Rs.75, 000, medium sized nuclear family, that majority (70.00%) of the non-users did not have any social participation and more than half (56.67%) of the non-users had contacted extension officers rarely by exhibiting low frequency of contact and two-fifth (40.00%) of the non-users had medium level of mass media utilization. Mainstream (43.33%) of the non-users had devoted their time (1-2 hours/day) on their smart phone, more than half (53.33%) of the non-users were aware of the existence of uzhavan app. More than four-fifth (83.33%) of the users (farmers) downloaded the uzhavan application immediately, as soon as they came to know about uzhavan app and its salient features. one-fifth (22.22%) of the users had utilized seven subjects/sections present in the uzhavan app and none of the users had stopped their utilization with one subject. Majority (56.67%) of the users often pursued subsidy scheme section present in the uzhavan application. Overwhelming majority 85.56 per cent of the uzhavan app users felt that they had acquired more knowledge in agriculture after using the uzhavan app and their time for searching the agricultural information has been greatly reduced (78.89%), nearly three-fourth of the users (74.44%) sensed that uzhavan app has created more awareness regarding the availability of agricultural subsidy schemes. Two-fifth (43.33%) of the extension officers, used the uzhavan application for 6-10 minutes per day and 56.67 per cent of the users had the habit of using uzhavan app, at the rate of once per day. Absolutely 100 per cent of the extension officers realized that time has been greatly reduced for disseminating information regarding agricultural schemes with the help of uzhavan app. The research revealed that the more than half (53.34 %) of the uzhavan app users (farmers) had medium level of perception towards the uzhavan application and Majority (40.00%) of the extension officers had perceived uzhavan application at medium level. Operability, accuracy, readability, directness, timeliness, creditability and reliability were the most influencing factors of utilization of uzhavan app by the farmers in Tamil Nadu. Among them ‘operability’ was considered to be the most important influencing factor on utilization of uzhavan app as perceived by the farmers in Tamil Nadu which caused 15.42 per cent variability followed by accuracy with 11.53 per cent variability. The study also exposed the major reasons for non-adoption of uzhavan app, half (50.00%) of the non-users had lack of interest on using the uzhavan application followed by 46.67 per cent of the non-users were not even conscious about the presence of uzhavan application and more than one-third (36.67%) of the non-users do not trust the mobile applications, they had the intent that mobile application will not be valid and reliable. Out of twenty one variables, four variables viz. social participation, session of usage of uzhavan app, type of network, frequency of usage of uzhavan application were statistically significant at 5 per cent level and three variables viz. educational status, extension agent contact and mass media utilization were statistically significant at 1 per cent level. The R2 value was 0.788 which revealed that 78.80 per cent of variation in the utility perception was explained by all the twenty one independent variables selected for the study. The overall influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable was shown by the value of F-statistics (23.404) which was highly significant at 1 per cent level of significance. Absence of autocorrelation was shown by the low value of Durbin-Watson constant (1.952); which means that the regression model was well postulated since important variables were encompassed. Lack of training (92.22%), inadequacy of Agricultural news (84.44%), weather forecast is not at real time (76.67%), uzhavan app is functioning only at online mode (71.11%), deficiency of information about allied activities (64.44%), lack of content updation (52.22%), dearth of ecommerce platform (46.67%), no videos and gallery about agricultural practices (40.00%) and agricultural news were not region specific (25.56%). were the constraints faced by farmers in operating uzhavan application. Regarding the constraints faced by extension officers in operating uzhavan application, lack of training (93.33%), weather forecast is not digitalized (86.67%), absence of offline mode of uzhavan app (70.00%), no special section for value addition of agricultural products (63.33%), lack of IT literacy level of end users (50.00%), lack of warning/notification about seasonal pest (43.33%), some content of the uzhavan app were not regularly updated (36.67%) and no feedback from the users after using uzhavan app (26.67%) were the constraints faced by extension officers in operating uzhavan application. Training on operation of uzhavan app (95.56%), sufficient agricultural information in agricultural news section might be provided (83.33%), weather forecast must be digitalized and it should be on real-time basic/dynamic (71.11%), offline functioning facility for the uzhavan app should be created (67.78%) and advertisement about uzhavan app should be disseminated through social media (65.56%) were the major suggestions provided by the farmers for improving uzhavan application. Some of the major suggestions provided by the extension officers in the study area for improving uzhavan application were need training on operating uzhavan app (86.67%), weather forecast must be digitalized and it should be real-time (76.67%), offline functioning uzhavan app should be created (70.00%), need a special section for value addition of agricultural products (63.33%) and farm calculator could be added (53.33%).
... Social media is now a way to interact, communicate, and disseminate information. Social media, according to Carr & Hayes (2015), is a type of internet media that provides opportunities for users to interact and present themselves directly and openly, thereby encouraging the value of User outside about the inequality they get by using #mencatatpengalamanperempuan, discussing cases related to women's issues, providing a critical, frontal and courageous perspective with a foundation of knowledge and arousing public awareness about the importance of gender equality and understanding of women's rights. Sometimes, Kalis also responds to comments with videos about women's experiences. ...
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The research entitled The Utilization of Instagram Social Media on @kalis.mardiasih accounts as a Means of Campaign Regarding Gender Equality in Women uses campaign theory using the Campaign Component Model. This study aims to find out the use of Instagram @kalismardiasih with several parts, namely campaign actors, campaign messages, campaign media channels, campaign effects, campaign feedback, and campaign disruptions that occur on Instagram accounts @kalismardiasih related to campaigns carried out regarding Gender Equality. Research on gender equality in the modern era is essential because it helps to understand the problems of gender inequality that continue to arise in society and drives social change towards justice and equality for all genders in various aspects of life. The research uses a descriptive qualitative method with data collection techniques using unstructured interviews, observations, and documentation. The results of this study found that in the Instagram account, @kalismardiasih, used as a campaign media related to the issue of feminism, one of which is gender equality, the campaign message on Instagram is packaged attractively and diversely so that it is easier to digest. In contrast, the campaign channel utilizes various Instagram features. The campaign's success raised awareness about the importance of gender equality in women, with feedback that many women said and felt represented by the campaign on the @kalismardiasih account; there was rejection and criticism from those who disagreed with the campaign she was doing.
... With the advent of the social media era, media technologies are quietly reshaping perceptions of time, particularly among Generation Z (Parry, 2014). Whether it is the accelerated digital living under societal pressures or the slow wandering against social norms, these phenomena reveal a tension between time constraints and time liberation in Generation Z's platform use (Carr & Hayes, 2015). Moreover, while this generation strives to gain autonomy over time, issues such as "time deprivation" and "time anxiety" have become more pronounced, warranting urgent attention (Zhu et al., 2023). ...
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The rapid development of information technology and the proliferation of digital media have made social media platforms an integral part of Generation Z's daily lives. In this context, the “distributive use” behavior of social media has emerged or what is referred to as platform swinging, which is the habit of constantly switching between platforms. This behavior causes constant distraction and keeps many young Generation Z individuals stuck in a “time warp”. In this context, the “distributive use” behavior of social media has emerged or what is referred to as platform swinging, which is the habit of constantly switching between platforms. This behavior causes constant distraction and leaves many young Generation Z individuals stuck in a “time warp”. This research aims to understand the characteristics and logic behind Generation Z's platform swinging behavior and its impact on their time management. Using a qualitative approach, this research utilizes in-depth interviews and virtual ethnography to capture the patterns of media interaction that occur in the real world. The results show that platform swinging behavior is driven by various factors, such as the need for social connectedness, boredom, and platform algorithms that encourage constant interaction. However, this behavior also has negative impacts, such as decreased productivity, stress, and poor time management. The discussion leads to the importance of awareness of wise media use and strategies to manage platform swinging so as not to disrupt life balance. It is hoped that this research can help Generation Z find ways to control and negotiate their use of social media so that they can escape the “siege of time” and achieve a better balance in their daily lives.
... Social media, as a product of the information age, has an important impact on young people's lives. Social media, indeed, represent online platforms that empower users to engage in selective interaction and self-presentation, either instantaneously or across various time frames and these platforms are valuable not only for the content generated by user but also for the sense of connection they foster among individuals [1]. The role of social media in communication and interaction with others is becoming more significant in people's daily lives. ...
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As social media has gradually penetrated into the lives of teenagers, its influence on teenagers has gradually become one of the topics discussed in society. It is said that technology changes lives, but the improper use of social media would bring negative outcomes to adolescent. Due to the late emergence of social media, there are not many studies on this, but it can be divided into positive and negative effects on teenagers. Generally speaking, the negative effects outweigh the positive ones. The existing literature rarely has a general overview, and most of it uses a specific aspect as a starting point to discuss. This paper adopts the method of literature review, the author takes social media addiction as the starting point of this paper after consulting the literature and summarizing and integrating the previous viewpoints to discuss the harm of long-term use of social media to adolescents’ physical and mental health. At the end of this paper, some specific measures are given.
... The rapid development of the internet in rural areas helps address this issue effectively. The informational advantages of the internet are sufficient to meet farmers' needs for biopesticide information (Carr and Hayes, 2015;Zhao et al., 2021;Yang et al., 2023). ...
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This study was conducted during the month of January, 2024 to June, 2024 at Junagadh district of Gujarat. The pivotal measure for reducing pollution and facilitating green and sustainable agriculture lies in the application of biopesticides to replace chemical pesticides. The argument still rests on whether the use of the internet can assist farmers in selecting biopesticides or not. Junagadh district of Gujarat was selected for the study due to its prominent agricultural sector and the pressing need to improve biopesticide selection among local farmers. Total 160 farmers was selected for the study purpose. Probit model was applied in this article to probe the influencing factors regarding the use of the Internet on their selection of the biopesticides by farmers, and the TAM-PR model was also adopted to explore its intrinsic mechanisms. According to the research findings, the use of the Internet directly contributed to the application of biopesticides, which can affect farmers’ decisions regarding biopesticides by means of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in an indirect manner. The result regarding perceived risk was not significant. It has a remarkable positive effect on farmers with high academic qualifications compared with those with low academic qualifications. Hence, it is of great significance to continuously facilitate the application of rural Internet usage, encourage environmentally friendly modes of production, and reduce agricultural pollution.
... Research on social media is therefore characterized by either the optimistic (Carrier 2018) or pessimistic (Pettman 2016) attributes of social media because of the way social media has changed how people communicate. To better understand what separates the fields, this division can be perceived as whether researchers see social media as adding to (Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshimi 2012) or replacing (Carr & Hayes 2015) classic face-to-face communication. ...
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In contemporary society, social media plays an ever-increasing role. The frequency and impact of crises, particularly online, are escalating, posing economic and reputational threats to organizations. Although much research on crisis communication and management has emerged, the field still lacks a general theory or paradigm. This research deficiency has reached a point where it is necessary to limit the inclusion of new theoretical elements but instead concretize practical applications of existing theory. Organizations often struggle with inadequate or rhetorically insufficient crisis responses, leading to stakeholder dissatisfaction and subsequently loss of resources. In this article, I have addressed this problem. By examining to what extent, it is possible to create a new theory for selecting an image repair strategy that can be used both during crises and as an analytical tool in retrospect. Thus, proposing a new theory, the Model of Image Repair Selection (MIRS), and proposals for integrating the theory into crisis management efforts, offering practical solutions to the complexity of crises. Thus, this work proposes a new theory, the Model of Image Repair Selection (MIRS), along with recommendations for integrating the theory into crisis management efforts, offering practical solutions to address the complexity of crises. With this, MIRS has the potential to help organizations navigate and lessen the effects of crises. MIRS accommodates both the complex and dynamic dimensions of crises without excluding combinations with other approaches to crisis communication. By integrating the six major rhetorical strategies in crises into a model based on four parameters-risk, transparency, attitude, and communicative resources-MIRS enhances theoretical understanding and provides organizations with a valuable instrument for crisis management.
... These media create their own discourses (Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017), using information and journalistic genres (Jahng & Littau, 2015) that appear with varying frequency (Felt, 2016). Their role in influencing consumers' perception of social reality is also underlined (Carr & Hayes, 2015). This can be interpreted based on the ways it is presented, the genres used, the narrative and the related intertextuality. ...
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This article discusses the nature of discourse about confrontation and rivalry which takes place between women (and men) as portrayed in materials published in 50 selected Facebook profiles for/about women. The women portrayed in those profiles were competing with other women or men, on a number of levels relating to their professional careers, sports and other elements of their lives. The areas in which confrontations were identified included: promotion; management of staff and subordinates; salary increases and success. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis (BuzzSumo and Atlas. ti as a research tools) of the discourse were applied. The answers to questions regarding the tone of the materials in this sector of selected Facebook profiles were obtained.
... In summary, the existing literature highlights the complex relationship between social media and women's well-being, suggesting that while there are opportunities for empowerment, the adverse effects cannot be overlooked. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that involves educators, policymakers, and the platforms themselves [15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. ...
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This study examines the adverse effects of social media on women's mental health, body image, and overall well-being. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, a survey was conducted among 150 students from four faculties at an online university, focusing on their social media usage patterns and perceptions. The purpose of this research is to investigate how engagement with social media influences women’s self-esteem, body image concerns, and experiences of cyberbullying. Data analysis was performed using Excel to derive frequency distributions and percentages, revealing that a significant proportion of respondents reported negative impacts related to social media use. Results indicated that 40% of participants felt their social media usage contributed to negative body image perceptions, while 26.67% experienced cyberbullying or harassment at least sometimes. These findings underscore the complex interplay between social media engagement and women's mental health, suggesting a need for interventions to mitigate these adverse effects. In conclusion, while social media provides avenues for connection, it also poses significant risks that require attention from educators and policymakers. The study highlights the importance of promoting digital literacy and resilience among female users to navigate these challenges effectively.
... A survey of 388 respondents was conducted to understand how work and family dynamics impact job performance, revealing their equally significant influence. Descriptive statistics, measurement models, structural models, and hypothesis testing were employed for data analysis, revealing significant effects of performance expectancy, subjective norms, situational factors, hedonic motivation, and habit on social media behavior intent, with behavioral intention greatly influencing usage behavior [29,32]. The results also found the influence of social media on long-term education and investigated factors affecting students' perceptions. ...
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In recent years, the role of social media has shifted from simple socialization to collaborative engagement, a transformation underscored by the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. This study delves into the factors influencing Filipino students' behavioral intention to use social media and its implications for academic performance across Secondary to tertiary levels. Employing a conceptual model rooted in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), enriched with intrinsic value, the research adopts a purposive sampling method, involving a total of 388 students from secondary and tertiary levels. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in IBM SPSS AMOS version 26, the study assesses and validates the hypothesized model. Results found that social influence emerges as the most significant factor in behavioral intention, followed by intrinsic value, facilitating conditions, and performance expectancy, while effort expectancy lacks significance. These findings deepen our understanding of social media's educational role and its impact on the learning outcomes of Filipino students. These findings deepen understanding of social media's educational role and its implications for the learning outcomes of students.
... This discipline allows students to effectively leverage their abilities in parallel processing, graphical awareness, and random access, transforming their social me- The present study also investigates the effect of social media adoption as a mediator in the relationship between technology-based entrepreneurial behavior and digital entrepreneurship education and attitude toward digital entrepreneurship. Carr and Hayes (2015) highlight the quick evolution of social media and the major changes in its applications over the previous decade. As Guiñez-Cabrera and Aqueveque (2022) mentioned, social media can serve as both a learning instrument and a marketing tool. ...
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Technology and the internet have altered business activities by enabling organizations to reach customers, develop markets, enhance profitability, and raise brand awareness. With 167 million social media users, Indonesia’s internet economy provides numerous entrepreneurial possibilities; however, just 0.43% of entrepreneurs are technology-based. This demonstrates the need for digital entrepreneurship education and effective social media use, particularly among tech-savvy college students. The present study aims to examine the effects of social media utilization, digital entrepreneurship education, and attitude toward digital business on the technology-based entrepreneurial behavior of Indonesian university students, using the frameworks of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the theory of planned behavior. This study employs quantitative research using a non-probability sampling method with a judgmental technique, focusing on 391 university students engaged in entrepreneurial activities using social media. The study employed SmartPLS to analyze the research data. The results indicate that social influence, work and performance expectations, and attitude toward digital entrepreneurship positively influence the use of social media for technology-based entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, the paper unveiled that the provision of digital entrepreneurship education and the utilization of social media for commercial purposes had a beneficial influence on behavior that is predisposed toward technology. The present study demonstrates that the adoption of social media functions as a mediator in the association between digital entrepreneurship education and the adoption of social media, therefore exerting an impact on technology-based entrepreneurial behavior. AcknowledgmentsThe research team would like to thank the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia for providing funding for the research program based on Decree number 0667/E5/AL.04/2024 with university internal decree number: 0038-RD-LPPM-UMN/P-HD/VI/2024, and Universitas Multimedia Nusantara for supporting the implementation of this investigation.
... Sosyal medya, dijitallik, etkileşimsellik ve kullanıcı tarafından oluşturulan içerikleri vurgulayan internet tabanlı kanallardır ve geniş kitlelerle gerçek zamanlı veya eşzamansız etkileşim sağlar. (Carr & Hayes, 2015). Bu özellikler, haberlerin paylaşımını ve takibini kolaylaştırarak "yurttaş gazeteciliği" kavramının doğmasına katkıda bulunmuştur (Kıyan & Törenli, 2018). ...
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A pesar de la aparente neutralidad de las plataformas digitales, estas ejercen una influencia significativa en la mediación de la información, lo que plantea interrogantes sobre su responsabilidad en la garantía del derecho a la información. Este artículo analiza el papel intermediario de las plataformas digitales considerando que su presencia ha transformado el modelo de comunicación pública. Tomando como punto de partida la defensa que hace Desantes (1994) de la información como bien humano y social que engendra un deber para quien la emite, esta investigación sostiene que las plataformas digitales, al igual que los medios de comunicación, deben asumir una responsabilidad estructural con la información. Este artículo explora, a través de una discusión con las ideas de los principales teóricos, cómo las plataformas han alterado la comunicación pública, desafiando los principios tradicionales de los medios y subrayando la necesidad de exigirles una responsabilidad de funcionamiento, como ha hecho la reciente regulación de la UE.
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As social media platforms continue to expand and attract more users, there is growing interest among scholars and policymakers to understand their impact on individuals. Drawing on self‐presentation and social comparison theories, this study explores the complex dynamics of social comparison within the context of social media, aiming to identify key individual and platform characteristics that influence this phenomenon. The methodology uses two waves of qualitative studies with diverse respondent profiles to understand the complexities of social comparison across various demographic groups. Study 1 consists of 39 individual semi‐structured interviews and a thematic analysis while study 2 is made of eight case studies. The findings highlight the complex interplay of factors such as gender, age, self‐esteem, media literacy, and the type of content consumed in shaping user experiences of social comparison. Additionally, an integrative framework of the antecedents and consequences of social comparison is proposed. By providing a nuanced comprehension of these mechanisms, this research contributes to theoretical advancements and managerial implications of navigating the complexities of online social dynamics.
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Introduction With the significant increase in the number of social media users, the degree of cyberbullying has also increased in a directly proportional manner. Cyberbullying manifests itself in the commission of psychological abuses, teenagers being the most vulnerable. Methods The purpose of our paper was to analyze how the phenomenon of cyberbullying manifests in terms of frequency on social media platforms, while taking into account factors such as gender, and elements related to the behavior/reactions of witnesses and victims. We conducted a quantitative research, while having as an instrument a questionnaire. We sent the questionnaire online on the Facebook group of students from Transilvania University of Brasov, the sample of the research comprising 500 students. The quantitative method used was considered appropriate for the analysis of this phenomenon because through the questionnaire we were able to gain some insights and a more wide perspective regarding students’ perception about cyberbullying and its prevalence on social media. Results The results of the research showed that respondents were aware of the existence of the phenomenon of cyberbullying on social media, and that the main forms of online bullying they experienced or witnessed referred to: ridiculing people’s physical or intellectual aspects and features, being verbally abused or threatened, being humiliated by posting sensitive content, being excluded from a group, or having their secrets publicly revealed. There were no differences found in the degree of exposure to online bullying according to gender, but the results revealed that undergraduate students, and younger students were more exposed to cyberbullying than master students and students of older age. Discussion The findings also highlight the fact that witnesses have an important role in the cyberbullying phenomenon. Thus, even though most of the respondents declared that they did not get involved when they witnessed cyberbullying, this results are relevant to prevention policies because they emphasize the need to develop educational campaigns regarding cyberbullying and the need to promote ethical behavior online. The results highlight the need of raising awareness and of educating young people about the phenomenon of cyberbullying, and the need of finding appropriate ways in which this phenomenon could be detected and prevented. From a theoretical point of view, the paper contributes to the literature on the forms of manifestation of cyberbullying on social media platforms, from the perspective of students. In the context of the practical implications of our paper, the results highlight the need of including information about the phenomenon of cyberbullying in the education of young people, the need of conducting awareness and prevention campaigns or programs. The paper also highlights the need of developing and implementing instruments on social media platforms, that could detect the improper behavior of users.
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Social media platforms host a wealth of interactions and content sharing among over 4.7 billion users, offering unparalleled opportunities for communication, intelligence gathering, and sentiment analysis. However, they also present grave threats, such as information warfare and operational security breaches. This article provides a nuanced examination of these platforms as both a strategic asset and a potential liability. It discusses the imperative for monitoring, controlling, and leveraging social media for military advantages while safeguarding against privacy risks, information leaks, misinformation, and cyber espionage. The dualistic role of social media in military operations, with a focus on the Bangladesh Army has also come under scrutiny. Concluding, with strategic recommendations, this paper underscores the critical need for the Bangladesh Army to manage social media use effectively in order to protect national security interests and harness its power for information warfare.
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The purpose of the current dissertation is to shed light on the relationship between self-representation and affective or anxiety disorders from the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic by presenting the author’s research results after a thorough literature review. After this short introduction – which includes the justification of the choice of topic, its social relevance, the methodology of the research, and the personal motivation of the author – an extensive literature review (Chapter 2) discusses the relationship between social media, mental health, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Since so far, very few research results have been published that examined this triple connection, the sources available on the double connections are introduced as well: first, on the connection between social media and mental health (Chapter 2.1), then on the connection between mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic (Chapter 2.2), and finally on the about social media and the pandemic (Chapter 2.3), before turning to examine the results of the triple connection so far (Chapter 2.4). The literature review is followed by the author’s research results (Chapter 3) in three separate yet connected parts, which can be interpreted separately but give a more comprehensive picture together. The first research is about the possible psychosocial impact of modifying face and body photographs in social media (Chapter 3.1); this mixed-method pilot study helps explore the correlations of self-representation with questionnaire data collection and interviews with experts and users.The second research is a real-time cross-sectional analysis of self-representation on social media and depression risk during lockdowns and restrictions of the first five COVID-19 pandemic waves (Chapter 3.2). The unique feature is that the data was not collected retrospectively but took place at the peaks of the waves of the pandemic. The third research, which took place in parallel with the second, is a longitudinal analysis that focuses on the self-representation of users diagnosed with an affective disorder or anxiety disorder (Chapter 3.3). Here, self-representative photos and videos were analyzed on Facebook or Instagram over three years. The analysis covers three groups: the members of the first had an official diagnosis of one of the specified common anxiety or affective disorders; the members of the second group did not have such a diagnosis, but based on their symptoms, they suspected that they might have such mental illnesses; and the members of the third group had neither an official nor a self-suspected diagnosis. In addition to the content analysis, questionnaire data were collected twice to examine the relationship between self-representation on social media and affective or anxiety disorders in the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Advances in text-based and communicative technologies such as social media have provided researchers with a new source of data. To add to the existing literature, this chapter tries to delve more deeply into the issue of using social media content and interaction as sources of qualitative research by examining the most relevant existing approaches and methods of qualitative data in digital social media (including digital ethnography and content analysis) to identify certain principles and ethical considerations that researchers including graduate students need to take into account while conducting research in the virtual world.
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Technology is an indispensable part of the business world with firms using digital platforms to gain/create, maintain and deliver customer experience, especially post-pandemic. Digitization involves the comprehensive integration of digital technology into all facets of a company’s operations, yielding heightened value for customers. This book, Digital Transformation in the Customer Experience, looks at how digital transformation can help both service and manufacturing firms to deliver better customer experience. This book will enhance readers’ understanding of the disruptive technologies that have brought businesses to their current digital state, including social media, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Numerous examples and exhibits are employed to illustrate the book’s comprehensive digital framework. It presents case studies of digital implementation across diverse industries and provides implementation templates for businesses. Designed to support careers in consulting and the execution of digital strategies within companies, the book covers all essential aspects. To offer insights into practical digital transformation in real-world scenarios, the book incorporates case studies and examples spanning various industries. Its organized structure makes it accessible to students, instructors, and junior and mid-level executives. Furthermore, the book seeks to disseminate novel technical concepts and features that can be integrated into daily life for the betterment of society. The book addresses important questions such as the relevance of e-service quality in customer satisfaction and loyalty, impact and effect of adware, malware and spyware on the digital environment, the Internet of Everything in marketing, digital entertainment, digital transformation in healthcare and more. The book also covers the impact of digitalization on education, finance and banking as well as the hospitality industry. Sensitive topics like the influence of Facebook on consumer engagement and the impact of social media marketing communications on teenagers’ attitudes, etc. are also addressed in the book.
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Social interaction with peers is a crucial developmental need in adolescence. Social media have significantly transformed the way many adolescents communicate with one another, lowering barriers for them to connect at any time, from anywhere. Three important modalities of their online communication are direct messaging, video-mediated communication, and social gaming. This chapter discusses how these modalities are used by adolescents, the social mechanisms that underlie their motivation to use them, possible positive and negative implications for their peer relationships, and the critical role online communication can play in the well-being of marginalized youth. Among other things, the chapter shows that, while the ability to disclose information and connect online can support most adolescents’ social needs, digital communication may also enable negative interactions, such as cyberbullying. The chapter concludes that online communication can be an important source of social and emotional support, especially when in-person contact is unavailable. Future research should investigate the ways in which social media can support adolescents’ development of social and emotional competence. Implications for practice include the need for stakeholders to be aware of the opportunities and risks associated with different modalities and to support adolescents’ safe and healthy use.
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It will be discussed whether a theory specific for human-robot and human-agent interaction is needed or whether theories from human-human interactions can be adapted. First, theories from human-human interaction will be presented. Then, empirical evidence from human-robot- and human-agent interaction is presented. Research suggests that, from the perspective of the user, interaction with an artificial entity is similar to interaction with fellow humans. Explanations for this treatment of agents/robots in a social way (such as the ethopoeia approach, Nass& Moon, 2000) assume that due to our social nature humans will use their interaction routines also when confronted with artificial entities. Based on this it will be discussed whether theories from human-human-interaction will be a helpful framework also for human-agent/robot interaction, whether amendments will be beneficial or whether, alternatively, a totally new approach is needed.
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Previous research on the interpersonal effects of computer-mediated communication (CMC) reveals inconsistencies. In some cases CMC has been found to be impersonal, task-oriented, and hostile. Other reports show warm personal relations, and still others show gradual adjustments in interpersonal relations over time. The past research results are also difficult to compare, as their research methods reveal inconsistent approaches. These inconsistencies include the treatment of time limits on group development, the neglect of nonverbal behavior in face-to-face, comparison groups, and other measurement issues. Each of these factors may obscure our understanding of the way CMC partners get to know and come to relate to each other through CMC. The present study attempts to address some of these concerns. This study explored the effects of computer conferencing on the interpersonal messages with which people define their relationships, known as relational communication. Observers rated the relational communication from transcripts of CMC conversations or from videotapes of face-to-face three-person groups who had worked in several sessions. Analyses showed that CMC groups achieved more positive levels on several dimensions of interpersonal communication than did face-to-face groups. On other dimensions, no differences between conditions were found. In no case did CMC groups express less intimacy or more task-orientation than face-to-face groups. Implications are drawn suggesting that under certain conditions, CMC may promote positive relational effects in ways that previous theories have not considered, and in some ways superior to more traditional media.
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Network autocorrelation occurs when individuals receive assistance from others which regulates their own behavior, and it can be used to explain how group members may improve their task performance. This study explored how network autocorrelation, via informal communication within a virtual group, affected an individual's task achievement in the online game World of Warcraft. Informal interactions between guild members during a 4-year period were collected and analyzed to assess how informal interactions with other group members affected an individual's in-game achievement. Findings indicate informal communication from other group members (specifically the experience and helpfulness of the other members) positively predict an individual's task performance, while tenure with the group negatively predict individual achievement. Findings are discussed with respect to network analysis and influence in online groups.
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This research focuses on the social-media-driven convention of advertising, and seeks to analyze the type of communication that occurs between celebrity endorsers and audiences within social media. Kim Kardashian is the most current and successful celebrity endorser. A content analysis including posts and responses from April and May 2011 is used to analyze the type of advertising messages and celebrity/audience interaction. The goal of the study is to establish whether Parasocial Interaction could improve the effectiveness of advertising. Due to findings that yielded a high amount of endorsements embedded into personal stories, as well as female approval for those posts, it can be stated that Parasocial Interaction takes place between the celebrity and audiences. It can also be considered as an advertising vehicle, in terms of positive audience feedback. The results imply that advertisers should utilize Parasocial Interaction to conduct successful advertising.
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Because robots and other electronic agents perform increasingly social functions, people will soon face the possibility of more frequent human–robot interactions. But what kinds of expectations do people bring with them into these potential interactions? Based on the possibility of a human-to-human interaction script, the current research hypothesized that people will be more uncertain about, anticipate less social attraction to, and expect less social presence when they expect to interact with a robot as opposed to another human. An experiment was designed in which people were told they would interact with either a robot or another person, and each of these three expectations was measured. The data were consistent with each of three hypotheses. These findings are discussed, as are avenues for future research.
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Social network sites (SNSs) are becoming an increasingly popular resource for both students and adults, who use them to connect with and maintain relationships with a variety of ties. For many, the primary function of these sites is to consume and distribute personal content about the self. Privacy concerns around sharing information in a public or semi-public space are amplified by SNSs’ structural characteristics, which may obfuscate the true audience of these disclosures due to their technical properties (e.g., persistence, searchability) and dynamics of use (e.g., invisible audiences, context collapse) (boyd 2008b). Early work on the topic focused on the privacy pitfalls of Facebook and other SNSs (e.g., Acquisti and Gross 2006; Barnes 2006; Gross and Acquisti 2005) and argued that individuals were (perhaps inadvertently) disclosing information that might be inappropriate for some audiences, such as future employers, or that might enable identity theft or other negative outcomes.
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This chapter challenges traditional models of deindividuation. These are based on the assumption that such factors as immersion in a group and anonymity lead to a loss of selfhood and hence of control over behaviour. We argue that such models depend upon an individualistic conception of the self, viewed as a unitary construct referring to that which makes individuals unique. This is rejected in favour of the idea that self can be defined at various different levels including the categorical self as well as the personal self. Hence a social identity model of deindividuation (SIDE) is outlined. Evidence is presented to show that deindividuation manipulations gain effect, firstly, through the ways in which they affect the salience of social identity (and hence conformity to categorical norms) and, secondly, through their effects upon strategic considerations relating to the expression of social identities. We conclude that the classic deindividuation paradigm of anonymity within a social group, far from leading to uncontrolled behaviour, maximizes the opportunity of group members to give full voice to their collective identities.
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This study examined social and parasocial interaction from interpersonal attribution perspectives. Parasocial interaction is a perceived interpersonal relationship on the part of a television viewer with a mass media persona. We proposed that attributional confidence associated with parasocial interaction would mirror that resulting from social interaction and that personal construct theory and uncertainty reduction theory might add to knowledge about the nature of attributional confidence. Soap-opera-viewing college students (N = 105) completed questionnaires. Analysis revealed that, similar to social relationships, parasocial relationships with favorite soap opera characters were based, to some extent, on reduction of uncertainty and the ability to predict accurately the feelings and attitudes of the persona. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings for uncertainty reduction theory and personal construct theory.
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Anonymity as a research construct provides an important avenue for addressing fundamental communication issues related to publicness and privateness made salient by the growth in new communication technologies. As communication scholars, though, we have not yet begun to develop the models and theories that are so necessary to describe, explain, and predict anonymous communication. This essay begins by distinguishing anonymity from related notions of confidentiality, privacy and publicness, and pseudonymity, and provides some vocabulary to talk about anonymization and identification efforts by message sources and receivers. Second, the essay highlights some of the limitations of current communication scholarship in this area, and proposes a redefinition and reframing of the anonymity construct to focus on perceptions of the communicators and partial anonymity based along the dimensions of source specificity and source knowledge. Finally, 10 propositions and a communication-based model of anonymous interactions are offered to highlight source decisions to anonymize or identify receiver options to accept or counter those decisions, effectiveness of source and receiver efforts, and feedback to subsequent source decisions.
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The consumer–brand relationship literature indicates that consumers follow certain norms in their relationships with brands, and adherence or violation of those norms affects their brand evaluations. However, whether consumers use similar principles to guide their interactions with brands in computer mediated communication (CMC) environments such as social networking sites remains unknown. To address this question, this study tests how consumers evaluate brands on Twitter depending on their own Twitter usage intensity. Based on social response theory, it is argued that a CMC context (as represented by Twitter) acts as an independent social actor and people follow offline interpersonal relationship rules in their interactions with brands on Twitter. Through a 2 (relationship type: exchange vs. communal) Â 2 (Twitter usage intensity: light vs. heavy) experiment, it is found that light Twitter users follow exchange relationship norms and evaluate a brand with exchange relationship-oriented messages more favorably than communal relationship-oriented messages. Heavy users, however, do not show such differences. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Article
Anonymity as a research construct provides an important avenue for addressing fundamental communication issues related to publicness and privateness made salient by the growth in new communication technologies. As communication scholars, though, we have not yet begun to develop the models and theories that are so necessary to describe, explain, and predict anonymous communication. This essay begins by distinguishing anonymity from related notions of confidentiality privacy and publicness, and pseudonymity, and provides some vocabulary to talk about anonymization and identification efforts by message sources and receivers. Second, the essay highlights some of the limitations of current communication scholarship in this area, and proposes a redefinition and reframing of the anonymity construct to focus on perceptions of the communicators and partial anonymity based along the dimensions of source specificity and source knowledge. Finally, 10 propositions and a communication-based model of anonymous interactions are offered to highlight source decisions to anonymize or identify receiver options to accept or counter those decisions, effectiveness of source and receiver efforts, and feedback to subsequent source decisions.
Chapter
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Public relations practitioners are actively building relationships with bloggers to obtain high-credibility brand mentions and reviews. Practitioners may request bloggers limit comments to maintain control over messages and constrain dissonant perspectives; however, the impact of limiting social features of blogs is unknown. Utilizing source credibility and warranting theory, this article examines the relationship between enabled comments on blogs and brand attitudes, with the moderating variables of credibility and expertise, from both a public relations and consumer behavior perspective. Using an online experiment (N = 527) we found that socialness increases perceptions of blogger expertise, brand attitudes, and purchase intention, but not credibility.
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This study presents a novel examination of changes in attributions about individuals via information obtained from online sources within the context of hiring decisions. An experiment had 127 participants examine dossiers collected about a job applicant, in some conditions containing either positively or negatively valenced information about the applicant, obtained from the Internet. Results indicated online information significantly increases attributional certainty and positively valenced online information led to more favorable impressions of the applicant's perceived fit and employability. Surprisingly, results also violate assumptions of the increased magnitude of attributions due to negative information. Findings are discussed with respect to uncertainty reduction strategies, the negativity effect of online information, and implications for job seekers and employers.
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The growing ubiquity of mobile telephony able to send e-mail raises new questions, and renews old issues, about the effect of the medium on a message. This article reports experimental results testing effects of user- and medium-generated cues on perceptions of message senders. Grounded in warranting theory, we assess the interaction of low- and high-warrant cues on perceptions of the sender's professionalism, hypothesizing senders of grammatically accurate messages are perceived as more credible. However, we also hypothesize an interaction between grammatical accuracy and the system-generated high-warrant cues from the mobile device used to send the message. Responses from 111 students assessing the credibility of an e-mail sender indicate that, although a message's user-generated content (grammatically accurate vs. erred) influences receiver's perceptions, negative attributions are attenuated by cues reflecting the transmission medium (i.e., a message's mobile signature block). Findings offer theoretical implications for warranting theory. Additionally, results suggest practitioners need to craft a message and indicate the transmission medium strategically to mitigate any impacts on attributions of professionalism to message receivers.
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To explore the integration of education processes into social media, we tested an initial model of student learning via interactive web tools and theorized three sources of influence: interpersonal, intrapersonal, and masspersonal. Three-hundred thirty-seven students observed an online lecture and then completed a series of scales. Structural equation modeling supported several individual hypotheses and partially supported the overall model. Findings indicated that instructor credibility has a significant positive effect on content area knowledge, whereas social identification with online colearners has a negative effect on learning outcomes. Findings are discussed with respect to both theoretical and practical implications of the integration of interactive media as a classroom resource.
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A variety and range of imaginary social relationships with celebrities appearing in television commercials were explored using ethnographic interviews and self‐reflective reports of 60 informants. Interpretation of the descriptions suggests that viewers’ responses to celebrity appearances in television commercials go beyond emulation toward pseudo‐social interactions. These interactions can provide great meaning to a viewer involved in an imaginary social relationship with a celebrity appearing in a commercial. This research demonstrates that even when viewers are skeptical of the advertisement, they may reach beyond the intended message where the confluence of information, gossip, and prior exposure to the celebrity converge. This activity becomes part of the individual's social construction of reality.
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Social networking sites have been deployed within global enterprises to encourage informal communication and build social capital between its globally distributed members. Such interactions can potentially contribute to intercultural learning opportunities; however, it is unclear whether cross-geographical social contact consistently occurs. We present initial results from a quantitative analysis of user activity from a global enterprise SNS, observe asymmetries in directionality and reciprocity in connections in various geographic regions as well as a strong tendency towards geographic homophily. Finally, we suggest that language proficiency may play a role in differences in regional adoption of the system.
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The past decade has brought advanced information technologies, which include electronic messaging systems, executive information systems, collaborative systems, group decision support systems, and other technologies that use sophisticated information management to enable multiparty participation in organization activities. Developers and users of these systems hold high hopes for their potential to change organizations for the better, but actual changes often do not occur, or occur inconsistently. We propose adaptive structuration theory (AST) as a viable approach for studying the role of advanced information technologies in organization change. AST examines the change process from two vantage points: (1) the types of structures that are provided by advanced technologies, and (2) the structures that actually emerge in human action as people interact with these technologies. To illustrate the principles of AST, we consider the small group meeting and the use of a group decision support system (GDSS). A GDSS is an interesting technology for study because it can be structured in a myriad of ways, and social interaction unfolds as the GDSS is used. Both the structure of the technology and the emergent structure of social action can be studied. We begin by positioning AST among competing theoretical perspectives of technology and change. Next, we describe the theoretical roots and scope of the theory as it is applied to GDSS use and state the essential assumptions, concepts, and propositions of AST. We outline an analytic strategy for applying AST principles and provide an illustration of how our analytic approach can shed light on the impacts of advanced technologies on organizations. A major strength of AST is that it expounds the nature of social structures within advanced information technologies and the key interaction processes that figure in their use. By capturing these processes and tracing their impacts, we can reveal the complexity of technology-organization relationships. We can attain a better understanding of how to implement technologies, and we may also be able to develop improved designs or educational programs that promote productive adaptations.
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This article presents a theory of groups. The theory takes a more molarperspective on groups than has often been the case in group research. It gives special emphasis to temporal processes in group interaction and task performance. The three main sections of the article present the theory as a series of propositions about the nature of groups, temporal processes in group behavior, and temporal aspects of interaction, respectively. The final section presents brief comments on some implications and potential applications of the theory.
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This introductory essay highlights the key findings, methodological tool kit, and production process of this Special Issue. We argue that communication researchers are uniquely positioned to analyze the relationships between social media and political change in careful and nuanced ways, in terms of both causes and consequences. Finally, we offer a working definition of social media, based on the diverse and considered uses of the term by the contributors to the collection. Social media consists of (a) the information infrastructure and tools used to produce and distribute content that has individual value but reflects shared values; (b) the content that takes the digital form of personal messages, news, ideas, that becomes cultural products; and (c) the people, organizations, and industries that produce and consume both the tools and the content.