Online Communities Research Articles

Digital dissent: How Indonesian and Filipino journalists converge with virtual communities to face state repression

Online protest movements have facilitated researchers to access real-time data of microblogging, user metadata associated with accounts, message content, and enabled insights into complex links between social media use and protest movements. Employing emerging computational techniques and conventional qualitative approaches, this study examines the effectiveness of online protest movements in Indonesia and the Philippines. Simultaneously deployed, these protests were organized by journalist groups against repressive state actions that muzzled the press in these countries. The study compares the strategies of the two movements to illustrate the success factors in social media usage that bolstered the participation of the national and global publics, and marshalled international support.

Research on the Influence of User Relationship Strength on Value Co-Creation Behavior of Online Fitness Community

ABSTRACT Purpose The factors that drive user value co-creation behavior are unique to China due to the country’s unique economic, political and cultural influences. However, few scholars have paid attention to the driving factors of user value co-creation behavior in the Chinese context. In this study, the authors deepen their understanding of the drivers of user value co-creation behavior by exploring the impact of relationship strength, a variable with Chinese characteristics, on value creation behavior. Design/methodology/approach The article takes the relationship strength of online fitness users as the research object from the user’s perspective, uses literature and questionnaires to establish a model of the influence mechanism of online fitness users’ relationship strength on value co-creation behavior, use AMOS to test the model empirically based on the data of 471 senior Chinese online fitness users. Findings The findings confirm that all dimensions of relationship strength, except duration, have a significant positive impact on value experience. Each dimension of relationship strength has a significant positive impact on demand satisfaction. Value experience and demand satisfaction have a significant direct positive impact on value co-creation behavior. Research Implications This study introduced the variable relationship between strength, explore the user relationship strength with Chinese characteristics variables influence on value creating behavior, follow the “stimulus → psychological perception → value co-creation behavior” logic, build the user relationship strength of value creating action mechanism model, and carries on the empirical test, it broadens the research perspective of driving users to produce value co-creation behavior. Practical Implications The results of this study show that managers need to enhance the relationship strength of users in online fitness communities, especially to improve users’ perception of reciprocity, and to focus on users’ needs and experiences to achieve value co-creation. Originality This study makes two main contributions. It examines the impact of online fitness user relationship strength on value co-creation behavior in the Chinese context, enriching the research on the drivers of value co-creation behavior. Additionally, this study reveals the influence mechanisms of online fitness user relationship strength on value co-creation behavior and provides theoretical guidance for online fitness company to drive users to generate value co-creation behavior.

Marketing Strategies in the Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges

Purpose:Transformation and Response to Enterprise Marketing Strategies in the Digital AgeWith the rapid development of information technology, the digital era has come in all its aspects, bringing a new landscape to enterprise marketing strategy. The digital age brings many opportunities. First, there is more accurate market positioning, and enterprises use technologies such as big data, Can in-depth analysis of a variety of consumer data, accurate grasp of their needs and preferences, so as to clearly identify the target market, like millet through the analysis of user data, accurate positioning of young, the pursuit of cost-effective consumer groups, to launch products that meet their needs. Secondly, there is a wider distribution channel. The popularization of the Internet and social media has allowed enterprises to quickly spread their marketing information to all parts of the world, and Bytedance's products have utilized the advantages of their own platforms to achieve widespread information distribution. Moreover, more efficient customer interaction, enterprises can communicate with customers in real time through the online platform, timely access to feedback, improve customer satisfaction, such as Huawei through the online community interaction with users to improve products and services. However, the challenges cannot be ignored. Data security and privacy protection have become critical issues, and once a data breach occurs, it can seriously damage the reputation of a company, as some high-profile companies have been questioned over data security. The difficulty of accurate marketing is that the market changes rapidly, consumer demand is diverse and volatile, and it is difficult for enterprises to accurately grasp it at all times. The complexity of multichannel integration also causes problems for enterprises, and the characteristics and user groups of different channels are different, making integration difficult. Domestic and foreign enterprises have many successful experiences to learn from. For example, Apple pays attention to the user experience and has built a unique brand image and marketing model through the convergence of online and offline channels. In response to the challenge, enterprises should strengthen data security management and establish strict protection mechanisms. Continuous improvement of data analysis capabilities to better adapt to market changes; At the same time, we should focus on coordination between channels to achieve complementarity of strengths. In short, enterprises need to take full advantage of opportunities in the digital age, actively cope with challenges, and formulate effective marketing strategies in order to gain a foothold and develop in the fierce market competition.

Applied Learning in Advanced Asylum Medicine: Piloting Experiential Learning in Forensic Medical Evaluations.

Asylum medicine clinics that train clinicians to conduct forensic medical and mental health evaluations (FME) have proliferated in the United States, but there is still significant unmet need in training. We created a 12-week curriculum to develop the core skills needed to conduct effective, trauma-informed FME. Our course used a "flipped classroom" model; participants reviewed didactics in advance from a national, peer-reviewed training program, the Asylum Medicine Training Initiative, and used in-class time for case-based practice as experiential learning. Participants completed feedback surveys after each session in addition to pre-and post-course assessments. Sixteen clinicians with diverse geographic, professional, and demographic backgrounds participated in the course from January-March 2023. The three key themes that emerged from qualitative feedback were high participant satisfaction with the course model; participant desire for additional opportunities for practice; and participant desire for community-building. Post-course surveys showed that most participants felt only "somewhat comfortable" with the core skills emphasized in the course. Taken together, these findings suggest that curricula in asylum medicine should focus on experiential learning, skills practice, and building longitudinal mentorship. This curriculum is an innovative educational model that differs from the traditional didactic training that has been the mainstay in asylum medicine education. The curriculum is replicable and can be tailored to local environments or broad virtual communities.

How offline meetings affect online activities: the case of Wikipedia

As open-source communities and other peer production projects face the challenge of sustaining themselves over time, the role of offline gatherings in fostering community resilience becomes a vital question. This study centres on the potential of offline social interactions as a means to mitigate declines within such communities, using Wikipedia as a case example. Using a comprehensive dataset spanning informal meetups within the German-language Wikipedia community from 2001 to 2020 and combining it with large scale online activity data, this study investigates the relationship between offline gatherings and online contribution behaviour. Results show that attending meetups has a positive effect on contributing towards Wikipedia both in the short and long term. By shedding light on the significance of offline social interactions in bolstering online communities, this study offers valuable insights into potential strategies for sustaining collaborative online environments amidst broader declines and further shows how offline and online activities intertwine.

Understanding an emerging maker community in India: Socio-demographic traits, motivations, and satisfaction factors

Makerspaces are becoming increasingly popular due to their capacity for hands-on learning, innovation, collaboration, and the democratisation of technology. While numerous studies have explored makerspace users, they have largely focused on contexts within the Global North or China, leaving a significant gap in understanding the demographics and experiences of individuals who frequent these spaces in the Global South. The paper addresses this gap by understanding the factors influencing the motivations and satisfaction levels of an emerging community of makerspace users in India. Employing a cross-sectional survey methodology, data from 51 participants were collected via an online questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression. Key findings indicate that access to specialised tools, expert guidance, and opportunities for personal and professional development are significant motivators for makerspace usage. Users expressed high satisfaction with the learning opportunities and resources provided. The study concludes that makerspaces play a crucial role in supporting innovation and professional growth in the Indian context, suggesting that policymakers and educators should consider these insights to enhance the effectiveness and reach of makerspaces, thus promoting broader innovation ecosystems. Future research should aim to include a more diverse participant pool to validate and expand upon these findings.

Discovery of optimal cell type classification marker genes from single cell RNA sequencing data

BackgroundThe use of single cell/nucleus RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies that quantitively describe cell transcriptional phenotypes is revolutionizing our understanding of cell biology, leading to new insights in cell type identification, disease mechanisms, and drug development. The tremendous growth in scRNA-seq data has posed new challenges in efficiently characterizing data-driven cell types and identifying quantifiable marker genes for cell type classification. The use of machine learning and explainable artificial intelligence has emerged as an effective approach to study large-scale scRNA-seq data.MethodsNS-Forest is a random forest machine learning-based algorithm that aims to provide a scalable data-driven solution to identify minimum combinations of necessary and sufficient marker genes that capture cell type identity with maximum classification accuracy. Here, we describe the latest version, NS-Forest version 4.0 and its companion Python package (https://github.com/JCVenterInstitute/NSForest), with several enhancements to select marker gene combinations that exhibit highly selective expression patterns among closely related cell types and more efficiently perform marker gene selection for large-scale scRNA-seq data atlases with millions of cells.ResultsBy modularizing the final decision tree step, NS-Forest v4.0 can be used to compare the performance of user-defined marker genes with the NS-Forest computationally-derived marker genes based on the decision tree classifiers. To quantify how well the identified markers exhibit the desired pattern of being exclusively expressed at high levels within their target cell types, we introduce the On-Target Fraction metric that ranges from 0 to 1, with a metric of 1 assigned to markers that are only expressed within their target cell types and not in cells of any other cell types. NS-Forest v4.0 outperforms previous versions in simulation studies and on its ability to identify markers with higher On-Target Fraction values for closely related cell types in real data, and outperforms other marker gene selection approaches for cell type classification with significantly higher F-beta scores when applied to datasets from three human organs—brain, kidney, and lung.DiscussionFinally, we discuss potential use cases of the NS-Forest marker genes, including for designing spatial transcriptomics gene panels and semantic representation of cell types in biomedical ontologies, for the broad user community.

Situated learning in the translation class: exploring the effects of engaging college students in an online crowdsourcing translation project

ABSTRACT In the recent decade, project-based learning has gained popularity in translator training, with its foundation rooted in the situated learning theory. Advancements in digital technology have opened up new learning opportunities for both teachers and students in translation classrooms. One such opportunity lies in the realm of online communities comprising non-professional translators who create subtitles for videos, movies, TV shows, and various audiovisual materials. This study focuses on a project that integrates the teaching and learning of English speech subtitling within an online translation programme operating on a crowdsourcing model. In contrast to previous studies, which typically emphasised student-centred approaches with minimal teacher involvement, undergraduate students in this study underwent a comprehensive five-week training in subtitling. This training involved the use of instructor-designed worksheets prior to students’ active participation in online speech subtitling. The results of pre- and post-tests demonstrated significant improvements in the students’ subtitling knowledge and skills. Additionally, feedback from a self-report questionnaire and interviews with selected students highlighted numerous advantages associated with the teacher-guided and collaborative group approach to learning subtitling.

Unveiling Relationships: Enhancing Sustainability of Golpata (Nipa Palm) Through Socio‐Ecological Systems Management in the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest

ABSTRACTThis study explores the social‐ecological dynamics of common pool resource (CPR) management in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh. We focus on golpata (Nypa fruticans), a vital CPR for local communities. A social‐ecological systems (SESs) framework was employed to assess the relationships between social (actors and governance) and ecological (resource system and resource unit) dimensions and their influence on the sustainability of golpata management. Data on 12 variables and 24 indicators were collected within the Chadpai range of the Sundarbans. Results revealed both positive and negative relationships between the SES dimensions. Positive correlations were found between the resource system and resource unit, and between governance and both resource system and unit (albeit weaker). Conversely, negative correlations emerged between actors and both resource systems and units, suggesting a potential disconnect between community user practices and resource sustainability. Based on these findings, the study recommends four distinct management scenarios tailored to specific SES regions within the Sundarbans. These scenarios emphasize strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and implementing targeted ecological interventions to improve the sustainability of golpata resources. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the social‐ecological complexities of golpata management in the Sundarbans. The findings can inform policymakers in developing effective strategies for sustainable resource use and community livelihoods within this critical ecosystem.

Secret sharing in online communities: A comparative analysis of offender and non-offender password creation strategies

Secret sharing in online communities: A comparative analysis of offender and non-offender password creation strategies

Supporting the care to breast cancer patients with unique needs: Evidence from online community members’ responses

Supporting the care to breast cancer patients with unique needs: Evidence from online community members’ responses

Application of artificial intelligence in career development of women in STEM field: Counseling, network construction and recruitment

With the rapid development of science and technology, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is increasingly extensive, which provides a new idea for solving the challenges of women's career development in STEM. This paper deeply discusses the application of AI in counseling, network construction and recruitment of women's STEM career development, aiming at promoting gender equality and women's career growth. In career counseling, AI technology provides customized career advice and development path for women through deep learning and big data analysis. According to personal education background, skill level, hobbies and career goals, the system intelligently recommends suitable career directions, and updates industry trends and job market data in real time to help women make more informed career choices. The AI tutoring system also enhances women's professional self-confidence through functions such as simulated interviews and career planning exercises. In terms of network construction, AI helps women to expand their professional networks more effectively through intelligent recommendation system. Based on user behavior data and preferences, AI accurately recommends industry seminars, technical exchange activities and online communities to promote women to establish contacts with like-minded professionals. AI also assists women in managing and maintaining network relationships, ensures the continuity of network interaction through intelligent reminding functions, and identifies key nodes and influential people to enhance network quality. In the recruitment process, AI technology reduces gender bias and improves the fairness and transparency of recruitment through automatic resume screening, standardized interview process and competency-based evaluation model. AI system can analyze a large amount of data, accurately match the skills and job requirements of female candidates, and improve the employment rate of women in STEM field. At the same time, through transparent algorithm decision-making process and fairness check, the potential gender bias problem in AI algorithm is overcome. The research in this paper provides theoretical support and practical guidance for using AI technology to promote women's career development in STEM field, and helps to build a more equal and inclusive scientific and technological working environment.

Suicide-related internet use of mental health patients: what clinicians know.

Suicide-related internet use (SRIU), defined as internet use related to one's own feelings of suicide, can be both a risk and protective factor, especially for isolated individuals. Despite its influence on suicidality, clinicians face challenges in assessing SRIU because of the private nature of internet usage. Current recommendations on enquiring about SRIU in a clinical setting concern mostly young people. To address the gap in understanding SRIU among patients of all ages, this study aims to explore mental health clinicians' experiences, attitudes and beliefs regarding enquiring about SRIU, as well as the risks and benefits it presents in the assessment and management of patients. Finally, the study aims to establish the role SRIU potentially plays in the assessment and management of patients. Twelve clinicians practising at secondary mental health services in England participated in interviews. Thematic analyses were used for data interpretation. Clinicians who participated in interviews rarely initiate discussions on SRIU with their patients despite considering this an important factor in suicidality. Age of both patients and clinicians has the potential to influence enquiry into SRIU. Clinicians recognise the potential benefits of patients finding supportive online communities but also express concerns about harmful and low-quality online content related to suicide. Integrating SRIU enquiry into standard clinical practice, regardless of the patient's age, is an important step towards comprehensive patient care. Broader training for clinicians on enquiring about online behaviours is essential to mitigate potential risks and harness the benefits of SRIU in mental health patients.

Impact of on-topic and off-topic discussions on member participation and contribution in a common-identity online community

Impact of on-topic and off-topic discussions on member participation and contribution in a common-identity online community

How online social community participation affect product stickiness: a study on green energy technology product

PurposeThis study aims to develop a conceptual model for GET products that participate in brands’ online communities, based on social cognitive theory (SCT), with environmental factors, personal factors and behavioral factors being used to explore whether users of GET products participate in brand online communities as well as to determine whether participation in a community forum causes users to stick with GET products. In addition, expectancy confirmation is also considered in the research model.Design/methodology/approachThis research examines whether environmental and personal factors have a positive effect on the behavioral factors of Gogoro users, and then further effects on green energy technology (GET) product stickiness for users in online communities. A website was used to distribute links to two Facebook club sites: Gogoro Series 2 Fan Club and the Gogoro Fan Club. The respondents’ qualification criteria were restricted to people who had used Gogoro products and participated in a Gogoro online community. A total of 581 valid responses were collected for structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, and expectancy confirmation was found to be moderate from a hierarchical regression.FindingsThe results of SEM show that virtual interactivity has a positive effect on product-related content, and social norms were found to have significant effects on creating product-related content. Brand community identification, perceived relative advantage and brand knowledge self-efficacy are found to be related to both creating and contributing product-related content. Also, creating product-related content and contributing user participation behaviors influence ET product stickiness.Practical implicationsOnline community managers can boost user participation by increasing interaction, and community identification by enhancing users’ perceptions of benefiting from participating in their communities. Companies can also encourage users to create product-related content to increase users’ stickiness to GET products. Further, GET companies can try to enhance users’ intrinsic connection with other community users to increase their brand community identification if they want to increase users’ willingness to participate.Originality/valueThis study adopted SCT to measure the GET product stickiness formation process in an attempt to determine what factors boost user participation based on triadic reciprocality. Also, expectancy confirmation plays an important role in the relationship between community users’ participation behaviors and GET product stickiness. The results indicated that it was appropriate to add virtual interactivity to environmental factors and perceived relative advantage to personal factors to measure users’ participation in an online social community. Actual product users’ online community participation behavior could be a very influential indicator of actual product stickiness formation.

Driving Thailand healthcare communication policy on e-cigarettes through social network analysis

E-cigarettes pose a significant public health concern, particularly for youth and young adults. Policymaking in this area is complicated by changing consumption patterns, diverse user demographics, and dynamic online and offline communities. This study uses social network analytics to examine the social dynamics and communication patterns related to e-cigarette use. We analyzed data from various social media platforms, forums, and online communities, which included both advocacy for e-cigarettes as a safer smoking alternative and opposition due to health risks. Our findings inform targeted healthcare policy interventions, such as educational campaigns tailored to specific network clusters, regulations based on user interaction and influence patterns, and collaborations with key influencers to spread accurate health information.

왜 영화를 트는가? - 동시대 비제도권 시네클럽 연구

This study aims to examine non-institutional cinè-clubs that screen films in the context of the increasingly individualised way of watching movies. Cinè-clubs in Korea, which have existed in various forms, have had a significant impact on the film viewing experience and the formation of cinephilia, which has been shaped by the military dictatorship, democratisation movement, and media changes of video and internet. This study analyses the activities and programming processes of non-institutional cinè-clubs in Seoul through a qualitative research methodology to discover the role and significance of cinè-clubs. Cine club operators born in the mid-90s to early 00s have embraced cinema in a variety of different ways. From this experience, their cinè-clubs represent a cross-section of contemporary cinèphilia, with activities that straddle the boundaries between legal and illegal, and programming that does not follow the canon, in the realm of the non-institutional. The university space and interaction in online communities are important conditions for the operation of these cinè-clubs. In addition, non-institutional cinè-clubs, which were formed as a result of the film movement in the 1990s, contribute to the diversity of film culture and the formation of new communities by discovering and screening films that have been marginalised by the Korean film institutions such as film festivals, film schools, and cinèmathèques. In the current stagnant Korean film culture, non-institutional cinè-clubs become a cultural space to discover lost vitality.

“Who is sexually harassed? A python code haha”: imaginaries of a post-violent AI world

ABSTRACT This study examines the AI imaginaries surrounding Lee Luda 1.0, a female AI companion designed by Scatter Lab, a start-up company based in South Korea. While the company envisioned its AI companion to become everyone’s best friend, Lee Luda became a controversial figure after it was reported that a subset of male users had sexually harassed the chatbot. In response, Scatter Lab evaded questions about Lee Luda’s sexual harassment as a gender problem and many users of online male communities denied the possibility of sexual abuse against a chatbot, thus not considering it as an ethical problem. Moving beyond questions that query whether sexual harassment of AI is real, this study examines how people shape the terms of acceptance surrounding gendered AI abuse and their ethical implications. Through an examination of the discourses surrounding Lee Luda’s sexual harassment, this study argues that Scatter Lab and a subset of users advance technoliberal imaginaries, mainly imaginaries of a post-violent AI world, which perceive violence against AI as unreal and abstracted from misogynistic violence in real life. This study concludes by discussing the consequences of technoliberal imaginaries surrounding gendered AI abuse and how we can challenge them.

Creating online, inclusive spaces for learning: ‘Study Together’ with the personal learning advice service

There is a wealth of scholarship on the benefits of synchronous writing sessions for staff and students in higher education (Kornhaber et al., 2016; Eardley et al., 2021; Morley and Aston, 2023). In the Personal Learning Advice (PLA) Service at the Open University UK (OU), we developed bespoke, online study spaces for students from groups currently underrepresented in higher education – known as ‘Study Together’ sessions. The sessions prioritise students from minoritised ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and students with mental health needs who are at risk of poorer study outcomes. This presentation charted the development of Study Together in response to student feedback and evaluation and sought to show the value of ‘targeted’ invitations to engage students with spaces for learning development. Our presentation began by outlining the rationale for a 2022-23 Study Together pilot and its impact on community and belonging for students with mental health declarations (Lavery et al., 2023). We shared our approach to hosting Study Together and the techniques used to create an inclusive, productive study space; we showed how these approaches allowed us to incorporate timed study bursts and reflective practice, building positive study habits among students. Finally, we presented findings from the evaluation of Study Together in 2023-24 and situated this within the wider literature on the benefits of virtual communities of practice for learning. Our presentation spoke directly to the ALDcon24 theme ‘Building inclusive learning development spaces’ and invited delegates to consider the place of virtual, guided study spaces in their own practice.

Academic literacies as a theoretical underpinning for Learning Development support

Research into academic literacy or literacies, however the term is defined, and how the field relates to disciplinary practice, has been debated in recent decades (Lillis and Scott, 2007; Lillis, 2019). Consideration of academic literacies is also a key component of the Learning Development community as the profession has evolved and developed its own identity. Is the term defined as ‘literacy’ or ‘literacies’? Is it a core component of Learning Development practice, or is it more tied to disciplinary and curriculum-based delivery? By understanding the literature around the definition and the development and application of academic literacies, can we consider how this relates to current perceptions and understanding of the field in a Learning Development context and what impact it may have on student learning? This workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about current research being undertaken by the ALDinHE research virtual Community of Practice (vCoP) to investigate our current understanding of academic literacies, how they are (or it is, if considered a singular literacy) perceived across the Learning Development community, and how we might measure its impact on our practice and student learning. For simplicity within this paper, academic literacies will be referred to as a plural form. Due to the historical creation of Learning Development teams in response to sector changes in higher education, this workshop provided participants with the opportunity to hear about the current research on academic literacies. Participants were also able to discuss their own experiential views to develop a shared understanding of how we may apply this understanding to practice, and what the impact on our work may be. The workshop aimed to help define our understanding of academic literacies—both in terms of the literature and in practice—and take away ideas and examples of practice that we can apply in our own work.