scholarly journals Detection of Hidden Communities in Twitter Discussions of Varying Volumes

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Ivan Blekanov ◽  
Svetlana S. Bodrunova ◽  
Askar Akhmetov

The community-based structure of communication on social networking sites has long been a focus of scholarly attention. However, the problem of discovery and description of hidden communities, including defining the proper level of user aggregation, remains an important problem not yet resolved. Studies of online communities have clear social implications, as they allow for assessment of preference-based user grouping and the detection of socially hazardous groups. The aim of this study is to comparatively assess the algorithms that effectively analyze large user networks and extract hidden user communities from them. The results we have obtained show the most suitable algorithms for Twitter datasets of different volumes (dozen thousands, hundred thousands, and millions of tweets). We show that the Infomap and Leiden algorithms provide for the best results overall, and we advise testing a combination of these algorithms for detecting discursive communities based on user traits or views. We also show that the generalized K-means algorithm does not apply to big datasets, while a range of other algorithms tend to prioritize the detection of just one big community instead of many that would mirror the reality better. For isolating overlapping communities, the GANXiS algorithm should be used, while OSLOM is not advised.

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmin Ibrahim

Facebook’s decision to invoke its obscenity clause to bar users from posting pictures of breastfeeding ignited a controversy. Members protested against the ban both offline and online. The controversy raised various issues between our lived offline experiences and the rules of engagement in social networking sites. Image economies on the Internet present new problems and challenges. Although they are crucial in the construction of profiles and identities in social networking sites and may therefore function as a referent of social values and norms, there may be disparities in the ways they are gazed at and interpreted as published content online. This paper examines the salient issues which emerged in the breastfeeding controversy with relevance to the image economy in social networking sites. In particular, it discusses the politicisation of the image, users’ notions and construction of public and private spaces in social networking sites, and the use of the image as symbol of dissent and activism in such online communities.


Author(s):  
Maria Macià ◽  
Iolanda García

<p class="3">Teachers participate in social networking sites to share knowledge and collaborate with other teachers to create education-related content. In this study we selected several communities in order to better understand the networks that these participants establish in Twitter and the role that the social network plays in their activity within the community, especially related with peer production. We analyzed the topology of these networks in two ways: a) the indirect relations by counting <em>followers</em> and <em>followed</em> people; and b) the conversational networks by counting mentions in <em>tweets</em>. We also analyzed the communities’ websites in order to elucidate whether their production was lightweight or heavyweight peer production. Results indicate that teacher networks adopt a community clusters archetype in which some teachers act as bridges between several groups. Although these networks do not form a tight crowd, their degree of tightness is superior to that of the general networks established in Twitter. Our results also indicate that the degree of tightness is important for sustaining heavyweight peer production and strong leadership can play a crucial role in establishing long-term commitment to a collective task. </p>


Author(s):  
David Kreps

Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become a key component of users’ experience of the internet.  Whilst much has been made of the social dynamics of online SNS, the influence of the structures and operations of these sites – and the business models behind them - on users is rarely accounted for.  This paper argues that behind the social behaviours supported by SNS, there is a growing shift towards viewing online communities as commodities, and SNS as an extension of mainstream capitalist ideologies fostered by existing patterns of commercialization and consumption. Using the works of Gramsci, Gill and Hardt & Negri to provide a critical grounding, this paper explores the popular SNS site ‘Facebook’ and suggests that SNS may feel to the users to be free, social, personal, but in fact SNS are business as usual.


Author(s):  
David Kreps

Social Networking Sites (SNS) have become a key component of users’ experience of the internet.  Whilst much has been made of the social dynamics of online SNS, the influence of the structures and operations of these sites – and the business models behind them - on users is rarely accounted for.  This paper argues that behind the social behaviours supported by SNS, there is a growing shift towards viewing online communities as commodities, and SNS as an extension of mainstream capitalist ideologies fostered by existing patterns of commercialization and consumption. Using the works of Gramsci, Gill and Hardt & Negri to provide a critical grounding, this paper explores the popular SNS site ‘Facebook’ and suggests that SNS may feel to the users to be free, social, personal, but in fact SNS are business as usual.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rekha Dahiya ◽  
Dimpy Sachar

PurposeRole of digital channels in car buying has increased manifold and consumers are making significant use of various digital channels throughout the decision-making process. However, there are very less number of studies available if one wishes to understand the specific reason(s) for the use of a particular digital channel of communication. This study deals with the identifications of the reason(s) leading towards the usage of particular digital channel of communication while buying a car.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative methodology was adopted for the study. A total of 10 digital channels namely the websites, social networking sites, YouTube, Smartphones, Online communities, Digital TV, Digital Outdoors, e-mails and others were considered in the study. Data was collected from 603 car buyers from Delhi using digital channels of communication.FindingsThe results of the study revealed that Website and YouTube were used for being compatible. Social networking sites, smartphones, digital outdoors and e-mails were used for being informative. Online communities were used for offering customers and experts' reviews. Digital TV was used for being easy to use.Research limitations/implicationsThe study considers the respondents from Delhi only. A more representative sample covering various parts of the country would offer more relevant results for the marketers as digital divide existing between rural and urban India cannot be simply ignored.Practical implicationsThe study reveals that car buyers are making ample usage of digital channels wherein website is the most used digital channel and smartphones are the most used digital devices used by the car buyers.Social implicationsStudy also reveals that car buyers might use search engines to reach the marketer's website, so effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategies should be adopted. Important keywords used in the search engines should be used in the website as well as in the links.Originality/valueMajority of the available studies use digital as an umbrella term for myriad digital channels. So understanding about the usage of specific channel of communication remains an under-researched area. Such understanding strengths and broadens the existing knowledge about technology mediated consumer behaviour especially in extended problem-solving product category.


Author(s):  
Yasmin Ibrahim

This paper explores the politicization of the image in social media and how image can be attributed different values in the online environment. Facebook’s decision to invoke its obscenity clause to bar users from posting pictures of breastfeeding ignited a controversy. Members protested against the ban both offline and online. The controversy raised various issues between lived offline experiences and the rules of engagement in social networking sites. Image economies on the Internet present new problems and challenges. Whilst they are crucial in the construction of profiles and identities in social networking sites and may therefore function as a referent of social values and norms, there may be disparities in the ways they are gazed at and interpreted as published content online. This paper examines the salient issues which emerged in the breastfeeding controversy with relevance to the image economy in social networking sites. In particular, it discusses the politicisation of the image, users’ notions and construction of public and private spaces in social networking sites, and the use of the image as symbol of dissent and activism in such online communities.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document