scholarly journals Misinformation Concerns and Online News Participation among internet Users in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205630512110090
Author(s):  
Taberez Ahmed Neyazi ◽  
Antonis Kalogeropoulos ◽  
Rasmus K. Nielsen

The rise of misinformation often circulated in various social media platforms has not only raised concerns among the policymakers and civil society groups, but also among citizens. Drawing upon a cross-sectional survey ( n = 1,013) among English-language internet users in India, this paper tries to identify factors that affect concerns for online misinformation among citizens and how online news participation is affected by the rise of misinformation. After controlling for gender, age, education and income, we found that WhatsApp use, party identification and trust in news are positively associated with the concern for misinformation. Similarly, partisans are more likely to engage with news online. While Facebook and Twitter use are positively associated with online news sharing, the use of WhatsApp is not significant. The empirical evidence adds new insights to the literature on misinformation and online news engagement from the world’s largest democracy.

Corpora ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Bednarek

The sharing of news through social media platforms is now a significant part of mainstream online media use and is an increasingly important consideration in journalism practice and production. This paper analyses the linguistic characteristics of online news sharing on Facebook, with a focus on evaluation and news values in a corpus of the 100 ‘most shared’ news items from ‘heritage’ English-language news media organisations. Analyses combine corpus linguistic techniques (semantic tagging, frequency analysis, concordancing) with manual, computer-aided annotation. The main focus is on discursive news values analysis (DNVA), which examines how news values are established through semiotic resources, enabling new empirical insights into shared news and adding a specific linguistic focus to the emerging literature on news sharing. Results suggest that all ‘traditional’ news values appear to be construed in the shared news corpus and that there is variety in terms of the items that are widely shared. At the same time, the news values of Eliteness, Superlativeness, Unexpectedness, Negativity and Timeliness seem especially important in the corpus. The findings also indicate that ‘unexpected’ and ‘affective’ news items may be shared more, and that Negativity is a more important news value than Positivity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Y. Tran ◽  
Jennifer A. Lyon

This cross-sectional survey focused on faculty use and knowledge of author identifiers and researcher networking systems, and professional use of social media, at a large state university. Results from 296 completed faculty surveys representing all disciplines (9.3% response rate) show low levels of awareness and variable resource preferences. The most utilized author identifier was ORCID while ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Google Scholar were the top profiling systems. Faculty also reported some professional use of social media platforms. The survey data will be utilized to improve library services and develop intra-institutional collaborations in scholarly communication, research networking, and research impact.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mezna A. AlMarzooqi

Background: Social media became an integral part of the lives of people because it encourages social relations and shares interests, activities, and real-life connections. As quarantine and lockdown orders are prolonged, many people, as well as those physically active individuals, typically responded to this stressful condition by using social media platforms.Objective: This study aimed to examine the level of physical activity of physically active individuals and their attitudes toward social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among physically active individuals in Saudi Arabia between June 2020 and July 2020. An online survey was employed among eligible participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire that covered reasons for physical activity and attitudes toward social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of these 323 participants, 29.1% were in the age group of 18–24 years, 66.6% were women, and 67.8% were single. The proportion of participants whose metabolic equivalent of tasks-min/week from vigorous activity <1,680 was 31.9%, and all of the participants follow people or pages in social media related to sports teams and fitness models. The average number of hours spent on social media per day was 2.95 ± 0.90 h. The majority of the participants showed positive attitudes toward social media used for exercise and physical activity. Of the eight variables, age, level of physical activity, and the average of hours spent on social media emerged as significant predictors of attitudes toward the use of social media (P < 0.05).Conclusions: The present survey results indicate adverse consequences of home quarantine as reflected by a small proportion of participants who had differences in levels of vigorous activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Social media appears to be a key avenue to promote and disseminate health interventions to promote physical activity during this COVID-19 pandemic.


2020 ◽  
pp. 204946372094034
Author(s):  
Anna Hurley-Wallace ◽  
Daniel E Schoth ◽  
Suzanne Lilley ◽  
Glyn Williams ◽  
Christina Liossi

Background: Adolescent chronic pain is prevalent, and interdisciplinary treatment is recommended. Although it is well known that technology is a key part of adolescents’ daily lives, there have not been any online, interdisciplinary interventions developed for adolescents with chronic pain in a UK healthcare context. Little is known about how adolescents currently use online resources to manage chronic pain, or what guidance they seek. Methods: Ninety-five participants from the community answered this mixed-methods, online survey (adolescent n = 54, parent n = 41), which assessed the needs of UK-based adolescents for a new online chronic pain management resource. Results: Findings indicated that, at the time of the survey, adolescents frequently used social media platforms, such as Instagram, for chronic pain management. Desired techniques for a new interdisciplinary resource for adolescents included ‘advice on explaining chronic pain to others’ (86.7% of adolescents) and sleep hygiene (82.2% of adolescents), though access to a range of pain management techniques was desired. Qualitative results indicated endorsement of a new programme by adolescents and parents. Conclusions: Adolescents and parents had a positive outlook towards the development of a UK-specific online resource to help manage chronic pain. Such an intervention should aim to be made accessible via the National Health Service. Adolescent use of social media platforms to seek support for chronic pain requires further exploration in future research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Yasir Arafat ◽  
Araz Ramazan Ahmad ◽  
Hersh Rasool Murad ◽  
Hardawan Mahmoud Kakashekh

Background: Social media has an impact on panic buying by creating fear, disseminating pictures, and videos of people purchasing extra goods in a state of panic during the COVID-19 pandemic.Aim: We aimed to evaluate the perceived impact of social media on panic buying behaviors in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 10 to November 25, 2020. A self-reported instrument was designed in English and then translated to the Kurdish Language to conduct the study. It was disseminated through social media platforms (Facebook, Viber, and WhatsApp) and e-mail, via a link, and 466 responses were collected from social media users. The statistical computations were performed using SPSS version 21.Results: The majority of respondents were male (62.2%), were <25 years old (43.9%), and had completed their bachelor's degree (53.9%), and most of the respondents (86.3%) used Facebook. Among the respondents, 42.1% were involved in panic buying, 32.8% of the respondents thought that social media platforms had an influence on panic buying, 86.1% of the respondents thought that social media should be sensible while reporting it, 88.4% thought that the reporting should be controlled, and 78.5% thought that photos of empty shelves should be avoided. There was a significant positive statistical correlation (r = 0.84) between social media use and panic buying among consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraqi Kurdistan (p = <0.001).Conclusion: This research assessed how social media affects buying behavior, particularly in Iraq. Collective measures, such as sensible use and adequate media literacy, are needed to prevent such behaviors at least during public health emergencies.


IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522199156
Author(s):  
Iqra Bashir ◽  
Amara Malik ◽  
Khalid Mahmood

Social media has evolved over the last decade as a key driver for sharing and acquiring information in various domains of life. The increasing popularity of social media raises a number of questions regarding the extent of its use and the types of information shared. This study is designed to answer these questions by investigating university students’ use of social media in terms of commonly used social media platforms, frequency of use and the types of information shared. It also looks at differences of opinion based on gender, academic discipline and programme of study. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey; a structured questionnaire was developed and data was collected from 400 students at four universities in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The findings indicate that the majority of the students were frequent users of social media and visited platforms daily or several times a day. WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube were the most widely used social media platforms. Male students tended to use social media more frequently than their female counterparts. This study will serve as a guideline for further research as it addresses an untouched area from a local perspective and reports original research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Gabriel Simiyu ◽  
Joyce Komen ◽  
Ronald Bonuke

Purpose- This paper aimed to determine the conditional effect of University reputation on the indirect process of external prestige on the relationship between social media and students’ attitude towards postgraduate enrollment. Design/Methodology- The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design, multistage random sampling in collecting data using a self-administered questionnaire. The sample size was 504 students from four universities in Kenya. Findings- Outcome indicates a partial indirect effect of social media and students’ attitude via external prestige. It further reveals a conditional effect of university reputation on the link between; social media and external prestige, and, external prestige and students' attitude. Finally, a test of the conditional indirect process is also confirmed. Practical Implications- Results of the study might help university managers and policymakers in developing effective strategies, policies, and techniques to attract potential students through social media platforms and also develop and strengthen university prestige and reputation through proper management of resources, social responsibility, and employment of qualified academic staff. Originality/value- The study findings bring new understanding concerning the indirect effect, the conditional process and highlight new insights on identifying mechanisms that exert a conditional effect on the indirect paths of the study variables.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah O. Aluh ◽  
Thelma Chukwuobasi ◽  
Adaobi U. Mosanya

AbstractBackgroundSocial anxiety is one of the most prevalent and disabling anxiety disorders with lifetime prevalence rates ranging from 2 to 16% s in different populations. Considering the rising use of social media among university students, it is necessary to assess their social anxiety as a result of the use of social media platforms since social anxiety can affect social interaction in social mediaMethodsThe current study employed a cross-sectional descriptive approach and was carried out among undergraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) which is a data collection tool to assess levels of social anxiety experienced by university students while using social media platforms was used in the current study. Data were analyzed with IBM Statistical Products and Service Solutions (SPSS) for Windows, Version 20.0.ResultsA total of 228 out of the 380 questionnaires distributed were filled and returned (60% response rate). Social media usage was highest for WhatsApp (4.4±0.902) and Facebook (3.3±1.055). Social media anxiety was higher in females (69.00±12.59) than males (68.42±12.06) although this difference did not reach statistical significance (t = −0.356, p = 0.864). Social media usage was higher in females (35.02±5.04) than males (34.58±6.01) but the difference did not reach statistical significance (t = −0.603, p = 0.314). There was a non-significant negative association between Social media usage and social media anxiety (r = –0.051, p = 0.4450). More than half of the students (55.7%, n = 127) had social media anxiety.ConclusionIn conclusion, there was a negative non-significant correlation between social media usage and social anxiety. Investigations regarding social anxiety in social media are scarce from low and middle income countries and this is the first from an African country.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 717-723
Author(s):  
Mona T. Rajeh ◽  
Khalid T. Aboalshamat ◽  
Afnan A. Nassar ◽  
Shahinaz N. Sembawa ◽  
Seba A. Al Hebshi ◽  
...  

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the insight of utilizing social media as an educational tool among dental faculty members in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was distributed to 380 randomly selected faculty members from three governmental universities in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a validated questionnaire to assess the intent of using social media and their opinion about the benefits and drawbacks of adopting social media as an educational tool. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to analyse the results. Results: Out of 380 faculty members who were invited to participate, 271 responded (71% response rate). Results reveal that WhatsApp, followed by YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter were the mostly used social media platforms. Around 31% of the participants reported using social media for ten hours or more. The main reason reported by the participants for using social media was searching for information (82.17%), followed by professional networking (78.29%) and learning (75.97%). The majority of the participants agreed that social media have advantages like it helps students to communicate and share ideas with instructors, update students with new resources, and improve students’ skills. Social media also has several disadvantages; the respondents believe that it can increase their addictive potential, create more demand for internet access, and raise concerns on direct contact with students. Conclusion: As an educational tool, social media can enrich the teaching experience by using the appropriate strategies. The findings may be useful for educators to adopt social media platforms in dental education.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Wyszynski ◽  
Sonia Hernandez-Diaz ◽  
Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu ◽  
Noemi Ramiro ◽  
Archana Basu ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundPregnant and postpartum women face unique challenges and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus far, no studies have explored the factors associated with increased levels of worry in this population globally. The current study sought to assess the frequency and sources of worry during the COVID-19 pandemic in an international sample of pregnant and postpartum women.MethodsWe conducted an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey in 64 countries between May and June 2020. The survey was available in 12 languages and hosted on the Pregistry platform for COVID-19 studies. Participants were sought mainly on social media platforms and online parenting forums. The survey included questions related to demographics, level of worry, support, stress, COVID-19 exposure, frequency of media usage, and mental health indicators.ResultsThe study included 7,561 participants. Eighty-three percent of all participants indicated that they were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ worried. Women 13-28 weeks pregnant were significantly more likely to indicate that they were ‘very worried’ compared to those who were postpartum or at other stages of pregnancy. When compared with women living in Europe, those in Africa, Asia and Pacific, North America and South/Latin America were more likely to have increased levels of worry, as were those who more frequently interacted with social media. Different forms of support and stress also had an impact upon level of worry, while indicators of stress and anxiety were positively associated with worry level.ConclusionPregnant and postpartum women are vulnerable to the changes in societal norms brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the factors associated with levels of worry within this population will enable society to address potential unmet needs and improve the current and future mental health of parents and children.


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