Patients’ unmet information needs and gaps of obstetric ultrasound exam: A qualitative content analysis of social media platforms

This study extends current research into social media platforms as counterpublic spaces by examining how the social media narratives produced by the #TakeAKnee controversy negotiate technological affordances and existing discourses surrounding American national identity. Giddens’ Structuration Theory is used to explore the nature of user agency on social media platforms and the extent to which this agency is constrained or enabled by the interplay between the systems and structures that guide social media use. Exploratory qualitative content analysis was used to analyze and compare tweets and Instagram posts using the #TakeAKnee hashtag shared in September 2017. Results showed that narratives are dominated by four themes, freedom, unity, equality and justice, and respect and honor. Users actively employ technological affordances to create highly personalized meanings, affirming that agency operates at the intersection of reflexivity and self-efficacy.

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The battle to end fake news: A qualitative content analysis of Facebook announcements on how it combats disinformation

International Communication Gazette ◽

10.1177/1748048519880729 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 60-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Petros Iosifidis ◽

Nicholas Nicoli

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Culture Media ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Digital Culture ◽

Fake News ◽

Digital Democracy ◽

Descriptive Account ◽

The World ◽

Social Media Platforms

The recent spread of online disinformation has been profound and has played a central role in the growth of populist sentiments around the world. Facilitating its progression has been politically and economically motivated culprits who have ostensibly taken advantage of the digital freedoms available to them. At the heart of these freedoms lie social media organisations that only a few years earlier techno-optimists were identifying as catalysts of an enhanced digital democracy. In order to curtail the erosion of information, policy reform will no doubt be essential. The UK's Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Disinformation and ‘fake news’ Report and Cairncross Review, and the European Commission's Report on Disinformation are three recent examples seeking to investigate how precisely such reform policy might be implemented. Just as important is how social media organisations take on more responsibility and apply self-regulating mechanisms that stifle disinformation across their platforms (something the aforementioned reports identify). Doing so will go a long way in restoring legitimacy in these significant institutions. Facebook (which includes Instagram and Whatsapp), is the largest social media organisation in the world and must primarily bear the burden of this responsibility. The purpose of this article is to offer a descriptive account of Facebook's public announcements regarding how it tackles disinformation and fake news. Based on a qualitative content analysis covering the period November 16th 2016–March 4th 2019, this article will set out some groundwork on how to hold social media platforms more accountable for how they handle disinformation.

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Sosiaalisen median kommenttien analyysi multimodaalisesta näkökulmasta digitaalisen journalismin ja poliittisen viestinnän tutkimuksessa

Informaatiotutkimus ◽

10.23978/inf.111071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Margareta Salonen ◽

Elisa Kannasto ◽

Laura Paatelainen

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Literature Review ◽

Political Communication ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Data Sets ◽

Individual Mode ◽

Digital Journalism ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

The One

Societal discussions flow on social media platforms that are studied by researchers in multiple ways and through various kinds of data sets that are extracted from them. In the studies of these discussions, multimodality unravels the semiotic modes that are communication resources through which meanings are socially and culturally created and expressed. In addition, the viewpoint of affordances can be used for viewing the functions of social media platforms and their discussions. Furthermore, this review was conducted to better understand how social media comments are researched from the perspective of multimodality in the context of digital journalism and political communication. A systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis were used as methods. The review discovered that the studies under review were not that high in multimodality and that text as an individual mode was the most common one. Furthermore, Twitter was the most researched platform and the one where the use of modes was more thoroughly explained.

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Framing the Global Youth Climate Movement: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Greta Thunberg’s Moral, Hopeful, and Motivational Framing on Instagram

The International Journal of Press/Politics ◽

10.1177/19401612211055691 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194016122110556

Author(s):

Amanda L. Molder ◽

Alexandra Lakind ◽

Zoe E. Clemmons ◽

Kaiping Chen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Communication Strategy ◽

Future Generations ◽

First Year ◽

Unique Case ◽

Emotional Appeal ◽

Social Media Platforms

Climate change is a critical global problem that requires immediate action to mitigate its effects. In recent years, youth climate activists have mobilized worldwide protests to demand action, using social media platforms to communicate and broadcast their message. This study examines Greta Thunberg's rise to global prominence through an analysis of her first year and a half of Instagram posts from June 2018 to January 2020, including visual and textual elements. First, we explore how climate change is communicated on social media by youth activists, and then examine these concepts through the unique case of Thunberg’s Instagram. Then, through qualitative content analysis, this study elucidates her communication strategy by applying the concept of framing to unpack how she frames climate change as a moral and ethical issue, uses an emotional appeal of hope, and visually frames motivational collective action to mobilize her audience. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings to explore the complexities of communicating climate change through social media and how Thunberg's activism on Instagram may provide an example for future generations.

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Engagement of Government Social Media on Facebook during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Macao: Content Analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26538 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Patrick Cheong-Iao Pang ◽

Qixin Cai ◽

Wenjing Jiang ◽

Kin Sun Chan

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Recovery Period ◽

Acute Stage ◽

Chronic Stage ◽

The Public ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Entire Duration ◽

Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND Government social media is widely used for providing updates to and engaging with the public in the COVID-19 pandemic, and Facebook is one of the popular social media platforms used by governments. However, there is only a scant of research focusing on these two areas. As the global pandemic has been easing in some places, users also react differently on social media to the messages from governments, which prompts more research in the post-pandemic time. OBJECTIVE This study aims to understand how government social media is used and how its engagement changes in different stages throughout the pandemic. Macao is one of the jurisdictions in the world that has suppressed the transmissions of COVID-19. The case study of Macao can also provide insights for the recovery period after the pandemic. METHODS Posts from the Facebook pages owned by the Macao Government were analyzed. Data were grouped into the prodromal, acute and chronic stages using Fink’s crisis management model, and qualitative content analysis was used to classify data into categories. The average values of the engagement (i.e., the numbers of emotions, comments and shares) were compared. RESULTS 1,664 posts from January 1st, 2020 to October 31st, 2020 were analyzed. The engagement was relatively low at the beginning and then surged in the acute stage, with a decreasing trend in the chronic stage. Information about latest updates, press conferences, community resilience and appreciation could maintain their engagement in the entire duration. Posts for controlling rumors attracted positive engagement and a high number of shares. The focuses of the public changed throughout the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Government social media should be used with different focuses in different stages of the pandemic, for example, increasing vigilance and awareness in the prodromal stage, disseminating updates and seeking feedback in the acute stage, and focusing on mental health support and recovery policies in the chronic stage. Additionally, government social media can be an effective tool for controlling rumors, providing updates and fostering community engagement in massive public health crises.

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Comparing Representation of Depression on Reddit and Twitter Social Media Platforms (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.26363 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ethan Kaji ◽

Maggie Bushman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Relative Frequency ◽

Social Activity ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Dsm Iv ◽

Twitter Users

BACKGROUND Adolescents with depression often turn to social media to express their feelings, for support, and for educational purposes. Little is known about how Reddit, a forum-based platform, compares to Twitter, a newsfeed platform, when it comes to content surrounding depression. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to identify differences between Reddit and Twitter concerning how depression is discussed and represented online. METHODS A content analysis of Reddit posts and Twitter posts, using r/depression and #depression, identified signs of depression using the DSM-IV criteria. Other youth-related topics, including School, Family, and Social Activity, and the presence of medical or promotional content were also coded for. Relative frequency of each code was then compared between platforms as well as the average DSM-IV score for each platform. RESULTS A total of 102 posts were included in this study, with 53 Reddit posts and 49 Twitter posts. Findings suggest that Reddit has more content with signs of depression with 92% than Twitter with 24%. 28.3% of Reddit posts included medical content compared to Twitter with 18.4%. 53.1% of Twitter posts had promotional content while Reddit posts didn’t contain promotional content. CONCLUSIONS Users with depression seem more willing to discuss their mental health on the subreddit r/depression than on Twitter. Twitter users also use #depression with a wider variety of topics, not all of which actually involve a case of depression.

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How Popular Culture Prompts Youth Collective Political Expression and Cross-Cutting Political Talk on Social Media: A Cross-Platform Analysis

Social Media + Society ◽

10.1177/20563051211008821 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 205630512110088

Author(s):

Ioana Literat ◽

Neta Kligler-Vilenchik

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Popular Culture ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Political Expression ◽

Political Views ◽

Political Talk ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Cross Platform ◽

Symbolic Resource ◽

Political Differences

Adopting a comparative cross-platform approach, we examine youth political expression and conversation on social media, as prompted by popular culture. Tracking a common case study—the practice of building Donald Trump’s border wall within the videogame Fortnite—across three social media platforms popular with youth (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram), we ask: How do popular culture artifacts prompt youth political expression, as well as cross-cutting political talk with those holding different political views, across social media platforms? A mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative content analysis of around 6,400 comments posted on relevant artifacts, illuminates youth popular culture as a shared symbolic resource that stimulates communication within and across political differences—although, as our findings show, it is often deployed in a disparaging manner. This cross-platform analysis, grounded in contemporary youth culture and sociopolitical dynamics, enables a deeper understanding of the interplay between popular culture, cross-cutting political talk, and the role that different social media platforms play in shaping these expressive practices.

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The Impact of “Manipulated News” on Student Attitudes and Perceptions and Their Participation in the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong

Social Media + Society ◽

10.1177/20563051211019715 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 205630512110197

Author(s):

Chesca Ka Po Wong ◽

Runping Zhu ◽

Richard Krever ◽

Alfred Siu Choi

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Survey Research ◽

Student Attitudes ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Fake News ◽

Attitudes And Perceptions ◽

The Impact ◽

Potential Use

While the impact of fake news on viewers, particularly marginalized media users, has been a cause of growing concern, there has been little attention paid to the phenomenon of deliberately “manipulated” news published on social media by mainstream news publishers. Using qualitative content analysis and quantitative survey research, this study showed that consciously biased animated news videos released in the midst of the Umbrella Movement protests in Hong Kong impacted on both the attitudes of students and their participation in the protests. The findings raise concerns over potential use of the format by media owners to promote their preferred ideologies.

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A shift from science to politics : a content analysis of COVID-19 Videos on YouTube (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.33948 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Chyun-Fung Shi ◽

Matthew C So ◽

Sophie Stelmach ◽

Arielle Earn ◽

David J D Earn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Large Scale ◽

Control Measures ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Public Attention ◽

Conflicting Information ◽

Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is the first pandemic where social media platforms relayed information on a large scale, enabling an “infodemic” of conflicting information which undermined the global response to the pandemic. Understanding how the information circulated and evolved on social media platforms is essential for planning future public health campaigns. OBJECTIVE This study investigated what types of themes about COVID-19 were most viewed on YouTube during the first 8 months of the pandemic, and how COVID-19 themes progressed over this period. METHODS We analyzed top-viewed YouTube COVID-19 related videos in English from from December 1, 2019 to August 16, 2020 with an open inductive content analysis. We coded 536 videos associated with 1.1 billion views across the study period. East Asian countries were the first to report the virus, while most of the top-viewed videos in English were from the US. Videos from straight news outlets dominated the top-viewed videos throughout the outbreak, and public health authorities contributed the fewest. Although straight news was the dominant COVID-19 video source with various types of themes, its viewership per video was similar to that for entertainment news and YouTubers after March. RESULTS We found, first, that collective public attention to the COVID-19 pandemic on YouTube peaked around March 2020, before the outbreak peaked, and flattened afterwards despite a spike in worldwide cases. Second, more videos focused on prevention early on, but videos with political themes increased through time. Third, regarding prevention and control measures, masking received much less attention than lockdown and social distancing in the study period. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that a transition of focus from science to politics on social media intensified the COVID-19 infodemic and may have weakened mitigation measures during the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is recommended that authorities should consider co-operating with reputable social media influencers to promote health campaigns and improve health literacy. In addition, given high levels of globalization of social platforms and polarization of users, tailoring communication towards different digital communities is likely to be essential.

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COVID-19 and Vitamin D Misinformation on YouTube: A Content Analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32452 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Kathleen Quinn ◽

Shelby Fenton ◽

Chelsea A. Ford-Sahidzada ◽

Andrew Harper ◽

Alessandro R. Marcon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Health Information ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Medical Professionals ◽

Solar Ultraviolet Radiation ◽

Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Solar Uv

BACKGROUND The “infodemic” accompanying the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic has the potential to increase avoidable spread as well as engagement in risky health behaviours. While social media platforms such as YouTube can be an inexpensive and effective method of sharing accurate health information, inaccurate and misleading information shared on YouTube can be dangerous for viewers [1]. OBJECTIVE The confusing nature of data and claims surrounding the benefits of vitamin D, particularly in the prevention or cure of COVID-19, influences both viewers and the general “immune boosting” commercial interest. METHODS YouTube video results for the search terms COVID, coronavirus, and vitamin D were collected and analyzed for content themes and deemed useful or misleading, based on the accuracy or inaccuracy of the content. Qualitative content analysis and simple statistical analysis were used to determine the prevalence and frequency of concerning content, such as confusing correlation with causation regarding vitamin D benefits. RESULTS 77 videos with 10,225,763 views (at the time of data collection) were included in the analysis, with over three quarters of them containing misleading content about COVID-19 and vitamin D. 58% of the videos confused the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19, with 85% of the videos stating that vitamin D had preventative or curative abilities. The major contributor of these videos were medical professionals with YouTube accounts. Vitamin D recommendations that do not align with current literature were frequently suggested, included taking over the recommended safe dosage or seeking intentional solar ultraviolet radiation exposure. CONCLUSIONS The spread of misinformation is particularly alarming when spread by medical professionals and confusion of existing data suggesting vitamin D has “immune boosting” abilities can add to viewer confusion or mistrust in health information. Further, the suggestions made in the videos may increase risks of other poor health outcomes, such as skin cancer from solar UV radiation.

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