scholarly journals Image-based information: paintings in Wikipedia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trilce Navarrete ◽  
Elena Villaespesa

PurposeThis study aimed at understanding the use of paintings outside of an art-related context, in the English version of Wikipedia.Design/methodology/approachFor this investigation, the authors identified 8,104 paintings used in 10,008 articles of the English Wikipedia edition. The authors manually coded the topic of the article in question, documented the number of monthly average views and identified the originating museum. They analysed the use of images based on frequency of use, frequency of view, associated topics and location. Early in the analysis three distinct perspectives emerged: the readers of the online encyclopaedia, the editors of the articles and the museum organisations providing the painting images (directly or indirectly).FindingsWikipedia is a widely used online information resource where images of paintings serve as visual reference to illustrate articles, notably also beyond an art-related topic and where no alternative image is available – as in the case of historic portraits. Editors used paintings as illustration of the work itself or art-related movement, but also as illustration of past events, as alternative to photographs, as well as to represent a concept or technique. Images have been used to illustrate up to 76 articles, evidencing the polysemic nature of paintings. The authors conclude that images of paintings are highly valuable information sources, also beyond an art-related context. They also find that Wikipedia is an important dissemination channel for museum collections. While art-related articles contain greater number of paintings, these receive less views than non-art-related articles containing fewer paintings. Readers of all topics, predominantly history, science and geographic articles, viewed art pieces outside of an art context. Painting images in Wikipedia receive a much larger online audience than the physical painting does when compared to the number of museum onsite visitors. The authors’ results confirm the presence of a strong long-tail pattern in the frequency of image use (only 3% of painting images are used in a Wikipedia article), image view and museums represented, characteristic of network dynamics of the Internet.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this is the first analysis of the complete collection of paintings in the English Wikipedia, the authors’ results are conservative as many paintings are not identified as such in Wikidata, used for automatic harvesting. Tools to analyse image view specifically are not yet available and user privacy is highly protected, limiting the disaggregation of user data. This study serves to document a lack of diversity in image availability for global online consumption, favouring well-known Western objects. At the same time, the study evidences the need to diversify the use of images to reflect a more global perspective, particularly where paintings are used to represent concepts of techniques.Practical implicationsMuseums wanting to increase visibility can target the reuse of their collections in non-art-related articles, which received 88% of all views in the authors’ sample. Given the few museums collaborating with the Wikimedia Foundation and the apparent inefficiency resulting from leaving the use of paintings as illustration to the crowd, as only 3% of painting images are used, suggests further collaborative efforts to reposition museum content may be beneficial.Social implicationsThis paper highlights the reach of Wikipedia as information source, where museum content can be positioned to reach a greater user group beyond the usual museum visitor, in turn increasing visual and digital literacy.Originality/valueThis is the first study that documents the frequency of use and views, the topical use and the originating institution of “all the paintings” in the English Wikipedia edition.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Simonofski ◽  
Antoine Clarinval ◽  
Benoît Vanderose ◽  
Bruno Dumas ◽  
Monique Snoeck

Purpose Governments around the world engage in digitalization projects to improve their internal functioning and the delivery of information and services to their users, including citizens. There are several ways to implement this digitalization and, therefore, different roles for citizens, who can be considered as customers, as participants and as coproducers in a digital government. The purpose of this study is to identify which factors influence the roles citizens are willing to take in a digital government. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducted an exploratory survey in Belgium. This paper examined which factors among age, gender, occupation, education, digital literacy, government level and frequency of use of other e-services influence citizens’ roles. Findings Through a statistical analysis conducted on data collected from 203 citizens, this paper identifies 25 relationships between the aforementioned factors and expectations mapped to the citizens’ roles. This paper has identified relationships between expectations and government level, gender, age, occupation, use frequency of other e-services and digital literacy. On the other hand, this paper found no influence for the education level and for working in an administration. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the research field by providing insights into what citizens expect from digital government and exploring several relationships to be investigated in further research. Originality/value No previous work has asked directly to citizens which role they would be willing to take and, consequently, what expectations they have towards digital government. This paper contributes a usable survey instrument to achieve this and has demonstrated how it can be used to collect data from citizens. In doing so, this paper contributed valuable findings supporting Belgian policymakers in developing digital government policies that are aligned with citizens' expectations.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raja Ahmed Jamil ◽  
Abdul Qayyum

Purpose This study aims to compare the effects of YouTube information sources (influencer vs word of mouse) on the consumer purchase decision. This paper extends the information adoption model (IAM) to include information language as a central cue and skepticism toward online information as a moderating factor. Design/methodology/approach A between-subjects experiment, 2 (influencer vs word of mouse) × 2 (positive vs negative information), was designed to test hypotheses. A total of 171 consumers participated in the experiment and multigroup structural equations modeling (AMOS 21) was applied. Findings The results indicate that consumers perceive argument quality to be more useful when the information comes from word of mouse (WOMS). While information language was deemed more useful when the information source was a YouTube influencer and the information type was positive. The study also found that skepticism toward online information reduced the overall effects, particularly for influencers and positive information. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the theory by identifying and investigating the existing gaps in knowledge. For practitioners, findings speak to the synergetic power of YouTube influencers and WOMS as an effective marketing strategy. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to compare the effects of YouTube influencers and consumer comments by using the IAM. It also extends IAM with the inclusion of information language as a central cue and skepticism toward online information as a moderating factor.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 94-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edda Tandi Lwoga ◽  
Tumaini Nagu ◽  
Alfred Said Sife

Purpose This paper aims to determine factors that influence people living with HIV (PLHIV) to engage in internet-based HIV information seeking behaviour in selected Tanzanian public regional hospitals. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a questionnaire-based survey to 221 PLHIV in two regional public hospitals in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They assessed the validity and reliability of the measurement model by using exploratory factor analysis and also used hierarchical regressions to examine the research hypotheses by using Statistical Package for Social Science. Findings The study found that there is low usage of internet (24.3 per cent) to search online HIV information. Factors related to attitude and information source accessibility predicted usage intentions of internet, while facilitating conditions, information source accessibility and usage intention of internet determined actual use of internet among PLHIV. Age moderated the effects of information source quality and social influence on usage intention of internet, and the effects of the information source accessibility and social influence on actual use of internet. The findings imply that younger PLHIV were more likely to use internet to access HIV information than the older respondents due to perceived ease of accessing information and quality of the online content. Further, older PLHIV were more influenced by the views of others when making decisions to use internet. Practical implications Health-care providers and libraries need to conduct regular studies on health needs of patients, and promote benefits of accessing online information; website designers need to design user-friendly databases; public libraries need to include a section on health information; hospital and public librarians need to provide catalogues of health information resources on their websites; and health-care providers need to improve technological infrastructure. Originality/value This is a comprehensive study that provides empirical findings to better understand the HIV information seeking behaviour from actual internet users, particularly factors that may influence PLHIV to seek online information in Tanzania.


2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Younghee Noh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to research attempts to educate public librarians in the importance of user privacy issues and assist in reducing privacy violations by providing librarians with an educational program on the subject and measuring its effects. Design/methodology/approach – Research was conducted to examine the influence of education on library user privacy. An education program on the topic was developed and effects of the training were measured with pre- and post-seminar surveys. Findings – Concern for the protection of user privacy increased after the training, and its importance was rated higher as participating librarians became aware of the current likelihood of privacy violations, given the amount of user data libraries collect regularly. The demand for user privacy education also significantly increased after the librarian training course had been completed. Originality/value – This research verified that user privacy awareness can be greatly improved by educating librarians. The awareness change in librarians could greatly contribute to user protection and the basic mission of the library while controversial issues about privacy violation and filter bubbles are seriously discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 550-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mega Subramaniam ◽  
Natalie Greene Taylor ◽  
Beth St. Jean ◽  
Rebecca Follman ◽  
Christie Kodama ◽  
...  

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on disadvantaged tweens’ (ages 11 through 13) strategies for making predictive and evaluative judgments of the credibility of health information online. More specifically, this paper identifies the features of Google search results pages and web sites that signal credibility (or lack thereof) to this population and the reasons behind their perceptions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors employed an ethnographic approach (using various types of data collection methods) targeted to generate in-depth descriptions of tweens making predictive and evaluative judgments of credibility, focussing on the ways in which these tweens naturally assess the credibility of online information. Findings – The research has yielded novel findings concerning the types of factors that influence disadvantaged tweens’ credibility assessment strategies, such as limited English-language vocabularies, lack of familiarity with perhaps otherwise well-known sources, and forced reliance on (and/or general preference for) non-textual modalities, such as audio and video. Practical implications – The findings indicate a need for implementing digital literacy programs in a naturalized setting, building on tweens’ existing heuristics and thereby resulting in strategies that are simultaneously compatible with their natural inclinations within the online environment and likely to consistently lead them to accurate credibility-related judgments. Originality/value – This study provides novel insights into how disadvantaged tweens interact with online health information in a natural context, and offers invaluable information regarding the ways in which credibility assessment processes should be facilitated within formal or informal digital literacy programs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Akinbi ◽  
Ehizojie Ojie

BACKGROUND Technology using digital contact tracing apps has the potential to slow the spread of COVID-19 outbreaks by recording proximity events between individuals and alerting people who have been exposed. However, there are concerns about the abuse of user privacy rights as such apps can be repurposed to collect private user data by service providers and governments who like to gather their citizens’ private data. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to conduct a preliminary analysis of 34 COVID-19 trackers Android apps used in 29 individual countries to track COVID-19 symptoms, cases, and provide public health information. METHODS We identified each app’s AndroidManifest.xml resource file and examined the dangerous permissions requested by each app. RESULTS The results in this study show 70.5% of the apps request access to user location data, 47% request access to phone activities including the phone number, cellular network information, and the status of any ongoing calls. 44% of the apps request access to read from external memory storage and 2.9% request permission to download files without notification. 17.6% of the apps initiate a phone call without giving the user option to confirm the call. CONCLUSIONS The contributions of this study include a description of these dangerous permissions requested by each app and its effects on user privacy. We discuss principles that must be adopted in the development of future tracking and contact tracing apps to preserve the privacy of users and show transparency which in turn will encourage user participation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Ruiz-Mafe ◽  
Enrique Bigné-Alcañiz ◽  
Rafael Currás-Pérez

PurposeThis paper analyses the interrelationships between emotions, the cognitive information cues of online reviews and intention to follow the advice obtained from digital platforms, paying special attention to the moderating effect of the sequencing of review valence.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 830 Spanish Tripadvisor users. In a two-step approach, a measurement model was estimated and a structural model analysed to test the proposed hypotheses. SmartPLS 3.0 software was used. The moderating effect of sequencing of reviews is tested.FindingsThe data analysis showed a bias effect of review sequence on the impact of online information cues and emotions on intention to follow advice obtained from Tripadvisor. When the online reviews of a restaurant begin with positive commentaries, their perceived persuasiveness is a stronger driver of the pleasure and arousal elicited by online reviews than when they begin with negative reviews. On the other hand, the perceived helpfulness of online reviews only triggers arousal when the user reads negative, followed by positive, comments. The impact of pleasure on intention to follow the advice provided in an online travel community is higher with positive-negative than with negative-positive sequences.Originality/valueWhile researchers have demonstrated the benefits of customer reviews on company sales, a largely uninvestigated issue is the interplay between emotions and cognitive information cues in the processing of online reviews. This is one of the first studies to examine the moderating effect of conflicting reviews on the impact of emotions and cognitive information cues on consumer intention to follow the advice obtained from digital services.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 721-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faiz Ahamad

Purpose Job information through word-of-mouth (WOM) has a crucial impact on employer attractiveness. The phenomenal rise of social media offers alternate WOM platforms for sharing job information, which is quite different from traditional face-to-face WOM. The purpose of this paper is to examine the differential impact of traditional word-of-mouth (t-WOM) and social media word-of-mouth (s-WOM) on employer attractiveness along with the difference in the job attributes and relationship strength with the information source. Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 × 2 experiment was conducted to examine the impact of information source (t-WOM and s-WOM), job attributes (tangible and intangible) and relationship strength (strong and weak), on employer attractiveness. Source expertise and source trust were treated as the control variable. Findings The result shows the differential impact of t-WOM and s-WOM on employer attractiveness. Moreover, t-WOM from strong relation source found to have a high impact on employer attractiveness than s-WOM. No significant difference due to job attributes was found. Research limitations/implications Use of only positive WOM and not the negative one, student as the subjects, etc. Practical implications The present study suggests using t-WOM and s-WOM to attract talented job seekers. Originality/value This is the first study to analyze the differential impact of t-WOM and s-WOM on employer attractiveness.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Chuan Chen

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of cancer patients’ information behaviour on their decision-making at the diagnosis and treatment stages of their cancer journey. Patients’ information sources and their decision-making approaches were analyzed. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Findings The cancer patients sought information from various sources in choosing a hospital, physician, treatment method, diet and alternative therapy. Physicians were the primary information source. The patients’ approaches to treatment decision-making were diverse. An informed approach was adopted by nine patients, a paternalistic approach by four and a shared decision-making approach by only two. Practical implications In practice, the findings may assist hospitals and medical professionals in fostering pertinent interactions with patients. Originality/value The findings can enhance researcher understanding regarding the effect of cancer patients’ information behaviour on their decision-making.


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