Social Media Practices Research Articles

Latino adolescents' experiences of residential risks on social media and mental health implications.

Despite alarms raised that adolescents' social media use can aggravate the harmful impact of residential risks (e.g. local violence) to their mental health, the mechanisms are poorly understood. To better understand potential mechanisms, we interviewed Latino adolescents living in a hypersegregated U.S. city, for whom social media may aggravate existing inequalities in residential risks to their mental health. Through an abductive analysis, we identified two processes suggesting how social media can amplify the deleterious impact of residential risks to their mental health. We refer to the first as additive, whereby social media heightens awareness of residential risks. The second is extension, whereby social media lengthens one's risk awareness, speeds up potential for risk awareness and multiplies who may become aware. We found evidence suggestive of parallel processes yielding diminution, whereby social media can minimise the deleterious effects of residential risks via adding and extending exposure to mental health resources, like collective efficacy. Further, the potential for extension (to both risks and resources) appears limited because social media practices (e.g. reposting, seeking viral attention) can foster indifference. Findings suggest the need to consider how adolescents activate resources via social media to avoid overstating its negative impact on mental health.

Water Drops

This article examines how individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds in Norway participate in anti-racist activism via social media. It investigates the nature of digital activism compared to traditional paradigms, highlighting the varied forms of engagement enabled by digital technology. Drawing on nine months of ethnographic fieldwork among individuals in the arts and cultural sector, it reveals how seemingly minor actions on social media can spark organized activism, unveiling the political activism inherent in daily life and social media practices. The article argues that individuals not identifying as political activists still contribute to political change through everyday social media activities, suggesting that contemporary activism can exist without activists. Introducing the metaphor of ‘water drops’ the article conceptualizes everyday politics as small contributions that may collectively shape meaningful change. Small acts can be merely drops in a vast ocean without major significance. However, if sustained over time, efforts across disparate online spaces can coalesce to challenge and subvert dominant social narratives regarding difference, racism, discrimination, and exclusion. Thus, contemporary activism can thrive with ordinary people who contribute to collective social transformation through digital and mundane interactions.

Exploring the Social Media Practices of Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGO): A Qualitative Approach

This study aims to enhance the understanding of how Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGOs) use social media to engage their audiences in the causes they advocate. By incorporating elements from the Uses and Gratification theory and other sources, the researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with 20 ENGOs. Data were analysed through textual analysis using NVIVO software. The results indicate that ENGOs leverage social media, particularly Facebook, to raise awareness about climate change and biodiversity, with positive impacts on fundraising and lobbying, depending on resource availability. However, limited budgets and corporate governance issues pose challenges to social media use. This study provides managerial recommendations for developing more engaging and effective communication strategies on social media, as well as further exploration of environmental communication trends.

Unpacking social media `engagement': a practice theory approach to science on social media

Social media engagement is typically associated with actions such as sharing, liking, or commenting, and is often measured as such in quantitative analyses. This essay explores what is being captured through these methods by `unpacking' such engagement, arguing for a practice-oriented approach that takes into account the mundane ways in which non-scientists may encounter and use scientific content. We describe practice theory in the context of media production and use, before illustrating the approach with material from comments on Facebook posts produced by science-related sources. In showing the uses of science content in maintaining social bonds or performing particular identities (for instance), we argue that science communication research needs to study the wider contexts of how and why users encounter science online, and that the notion of social media practices can help us to do so.

Participatory Censorship With Illusory Empowerment: Algorithmic Folklore and Interpretive Labor beyond Fandom

This article explores the cultural complexities of participatory censorship among young Chinese netizens, particularly within and beyond fan communities, through a digital ethnographic lens. By examining the interplay between social media practices and state governance, the study introduces the concepts of algorithmic folklore and interpretive labor to elucidate how fans engage in censorship as both a routine task and a form of ideological negotiation. Through immersive participant observations and in-depth interviews with 25 informants involved in fan conflicts, the findings highlight that while fans perceive their participation in reporting as a form of empowerment, this engagement paradoxically reinforces state control and self-censorship. The study argues that the dynamics of fan conflicts are intricately linked to broader political contexts, where fans become both agents and subjects of censorship. Ultimately, this research underscores the cultural complexities of participatory censorship, revealing the ways it can obscure deeper systemic inequalities and exploitation within the framework of cultural governance in China.

BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA STUDIES WITHIN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

The digital transformation in higher education can be observed in numerous ways and practices. Recently, post-pandemic digitalization played a significant role in the increase of the educational use of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, and social media. Among these, social media has dominated daily life long before the rest of the technologies. Hence, examining the current situation of social media studies within educational research aids in envisioning the future vision. This study aims to outline the trends in the use of social media platforms by analyzing them within educational research published between 2017-2023. For this purpose, 473 articles in the Web of Science database were examined regarding the dimensions of publication year, country of publication, author, keyword, article type, the method used, sampling, data collection tools and analysis methods, and social media use. The findings of this study are believed to guide practitioners and researchers in their practice and consideration of social media within educational environments.

How enterprises in the digital age can “break through the cocoon and become new”: a study based on social media strategic capability

PurposeSocial media is booming in the digital age, and its rich availability provides many opportunities for companies to innovate across borders. In reality, how enterprises use social media to achieve cross-border innovation also faces important challenges such as breaking path dependency.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores how social media can facilitate cross-border innovation from the perspective of strategic capability, combined with the path dependency theory and attention-based view. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap method are adopted to test the hypotheses based on survey data provided by 173 firms in China.FindingsThe findings show a positive relationship between social media strategic capability and cross-border innovation, with path dependency playing a mediating role. In addition, two internal and external contextual factors, namely customer embeddedness and competitive pressure, play moderating roles, with customer embeddedness negatively moderating the negative relationship between social media strategic capability and path dependency and competitive pressure negatively moderating the negative relationship between path dependency and cross-border innovation.Originality/valueThese findings provide not only new insights into social media and cross-border innovation but also theoretical guidance on how companies can effectively use social media in practice.

Exploring Twitter as a social learning space for education scholars: An analysis of value‐added contributions to the #TPACK network

AbstractSocial media has been shown to be an efficient way to engage in networked participatory scholarship (NPS), which is defined as the use of online social networks to share and further develop scholarship. As leaders in the field, educational technology scholars should be at the forefront of this practice. We used social network analysis (SNA) to examine the structure and characteristics of the #TPACK Twitter network and to determine whether and how the users were engaging in value‐added NPS. Our findings revealed that the #TPACK Twitter network was loosely organized, and users were not very well connected outside of their clusters. Our findings also revealed that #TPACK tweets largely did not represent value‐added NPS. The majority of posts lacked useful context, were limited to merely sharing links to resources and did not establish meaningful interactions among users. The implications of this study provide a new direction for educational technology researchers and PK‐12 practitioners to approach social media from a value‐added standpoint and to apply value‐added NPS to improve their use of social media to advance research, enhance professional learning and forge closer ties between researchers and practitioners. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Publication in high‐impact academic journals and measuring research impact through citations and journal indexing is still the dominant practice in research dissemination; however, there is growth in the use of alternative methods and the use of altmetrics to measure the impact of these methods. Scholars struggle with using social media in ways that align with networked participatory scholarship (NPS). Social network analysis (SNA) is the study of the structure and characteristics of the relationships that form in social networks, and can be used to fanalyze an online social network. What this paper adds Value‐added social learning theory and NPS can be used in SNA to both evaluate and inform scholars' social media practices. Educational technology scholars and practitioners struggle with using social media for value‐added NPS. Lost opportunities for value‐added NPS that were documented in this study include lack of engagement with the wider network, not sharing the role of spreading ideas and not making value‐added contributions. Implications for practice and policy Education scholars should use SNA as a tool to evaluate the level of value‐added NPS in the social media networks around areas of study they care about so that they can develop both personal and systemic plans for implementing value‐added NPS to create more dynamic learning spaces on these platforms. Institutions should investigate ways they can remove barriers and incentivize value‐added NPS. Innovations in the dissemination of scholarship should involve helping scholars to develop the skills needed for successful value‐added NPS.

Constructing extraordinary experience from everyday life: Zibo barbecue check-in vlogs’ digital narratives

Examining the intersection of check-in tourism and travel vlogs within the context of Zibo, China—a destination popularized on social media platforms for its barbecue culture—this study analyzes 24 check-in vlogs from Bilibili platform. Through the rite of passage theoretical lens, this work investigates how vloggers utilize digital storytelling to shape and construct destination narratives. The research reveals how tourists assert agency over space by integrating place, body, and narrative elements, contributing to an extraordinary tourist experience comprising liminal moments of ordinariness and authenticity, thereby effectively (re)writing Zibo as a welcoming city of barbecue and a slow-life destination. This investigation provides insights into the evolving dynamics of contemporary tourism influenced by social media practices, highlighting the transformative role of digital narratives in shaping tourist perceptions and experiences, as well as meaning-making processes.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Social Media Posts by SWH Sellers: An Empirical Analysis

The purpose of this research is to determine whether or not the social media postings that vendors of solar water heaters (SWH) generate are efficient in advertising their goods and connecting with prospective buyers. In light of the growing dependence on social media for marketing purposes, it is essential to have a solid grasp of the sorts of postings that are most likely to connect with audiences in order to optimise marketing tactics. The purpose of this research is to examine a variety of postings from a number of different vendors, with a particular emphasis on metrics such as engagement rates, reach, and conversion rates. The purpose of this research is to determine which aspects correlate to better levels of engagement and sales by analysing a variety of post forms, content kinds, and promotional techniques. The results will give insights into best practices for social media marketing within the solar water heater business. These insights will assist sellers in refining their tactics to improve their online presence and boost client acquisition.

Analisis Isi Konten Instagram @Prabowo dalam Membangun Citra pada Pemilihan Presiden 2024

This research aims to examine how the Instagram account @prabowo developed a strong character during the presidential era using character theory. A qualitative approach involving content analysis was used to evaluate the textual and visual elements in the analyzed Instagram posts. The findings of this study indicate that the main theme of the content is "strong leadership", which is conveyed through graphic and textual components. Textual elements, such as captions, highlight Prabowo's dedication to important issues such as national development and preventing corruption. The depiction of leadership integrity is achieved through the use of firm words and expressions. Analysis of visual elements shows that the use of beige and dark brown helps convey stability and trust. Prabowo is depicted as a patriotic leader who is close to the people, shown through backgrounds that display interactions with society and national symbols. Her confident and assertive demeanor, as well as her professional yet approachable demeanor, reduces feelings of peer pressure. Effective communication strategies involve emphasizing individuality, engagement with the community, incorporation of national symbols, and the use of striking imagery. This approach succeeds in building a strong and trustworthy image. This study highlights the important role of social media in political campaigns and the need for consistent textual and visual elements to convey key messages effectively. These findings are useful for social media practice, political campaign strategy, and political communication research.

The Transformation of Luxury Brands Marketing Strategies in Social Media

The luxury industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation driven by digitalization. Consumer shopping behaviors are increasingly shifting towards online channels, while social media emerges as a key platform for interaction between luxury brands and consumers. The rise of emerging markets and the growing young consumer demographic are driving the trend of digital consumption. Luxury brands are actively expanding into the digital sphere, employing celebrity endorsements and social media marketing strategies. This paper utilizes a literature review and case analysis methodology. It finds that combining celebrity endorsements with social media marketing effectively enhances brand awareness and sales, creating a unique brand image and attracting more consumers. This trend has become a crucial transformation path for the luxury industry, albeit brands need to carefully consider celebrity selection and risk management. Future research could further explore best practices in celebrity endorsements and social media marketing, as well as their long-term impact on consumer behavior and brand benefits.

Benefits and Practices of Social Media Marketing on Small-Medium Enterprises (SMES) in Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority

In the 21st century, e-commerce technology has garnered significant interest from researchers and management, driven by the internet’s rapid growth. This has enabled customers to personalize websites according to their preferences. This study aimed to identify the benefits that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can gain from using social media to interact with customers, focusing on social media marketing tactics and their advantages. It provided insights into the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in prominent urban areas within the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the managerial requirements for ensuring consumer satisfaction. The study concentrated on six key areas: profiling SMEs based on specific elements, identifying primary social media platforms used by SMEs in Subic Bay, evaluating potential benefits for SMEs, assessing the extent of social media engagement by SMEs, gathering input on ethical standards in social media marketing, and developing “RJM 24-points Proposed Guidelines for Social Media Practices.” Employing a descriptive methodology, data were collected from 51 respondents via structured questionnaires and supplemented by random interviews with proprietors, IT personnel, and managers. Statistical techniques such as percentage, weighted mean, Likert scale, and ranking were used for data analysis. Key findings revealed that increased brand visibility and feedback were the most probable benefits, while accessibility and advertising were the most commonly used social media practices. Ethical practices emphasize maintaining honesty, transparency, and authenticity in marketing efforts. The study provided several recommendations for improving social media marketing approaches for SMEs. These included encouraging financial businesses to diversify their products or focus on niche markets, motivating entrepreneurs to start micro or small firms to leverage low entry barriers and market adaptability, and prioritizing support for early-stage companies to enhance their chances of long-term success and profitability. Keywords: Electronic Shopping, Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s), Social Media Marketing Practices, Special Economic Zones

The uses and gratifications (U&G) model for understanding fake news sharing behavior on social media

BackgroundSocial networking sites (SNSs) have made information sharing easier than ever, this ease has also facilitated the spread of misinformation. ObjectiveTo ascertain and validate the uses and gratifications (U&G) factors associated with fake news-sharing behaviors on SNSs. MethodsA five-factor model based on the U&G theory was measured to estimate fake news-sharing behavior among university students, using the structural equation modeling. FindingsPassing time has a strong positive influence on fake news sharing behavior (β = 0.517, CR = 4.017, p < 0.001). Information seeking has a weak and non-significant positive influence on fake news sharing behavior (β = 0.308, CR = 1.569, p = 0.117). However, socialization (β = −0.164, CR = −1.883, p = 0.377), entertainment (β = −0.070, CR = −0.878, p = 0.380), and information sharing (β = −0.044, CR = −0.295, p = 0.768) gratifications have non-significant negative influences on fake news sharing behavior. The goodness-of-fit indices indicate that the proposed model is acceptable (χ2 = 2.195 df = 237; p < 0.001; GFI = 0.920; IFI = 0.901; CFI = 0.899; SRMR: 0.077; RMSEA = 0.049). ConclusionPassing time is the key predictor of fake news sharing behavior, while information-seeking gratification also contributes positively to this behavior. The study suggests several different approaches to prevent the spread of fake news, including implementing news literacy programs, installing a firewall, supporting fact-checking organizations, and implementing regulations and legislations for responsible social media practices. ImplicationsThe study is significant because it goes beyond the “what” of fake news sharing to understand the “why”. This deeper understanding can lead to more effective solutions for promoting responsible information-sharing behavior and combating the spread of fake news in the post-truth era.

(Dis)connected parenting: Context control and information management in single adoptive parents’ social media practice

Drawing on grounded theory research with parents who brought children into their lives in non-traditional ways, this article considers how three UK-based single adoptive parents navigate a complex set of risks, benefits and limitations as they construct mutually beneficial connections, friendships and support networks online. The discussion draws on media scholarship suggesting that, in response to contemporary norms of constant connection, digital availability and online context ‘collapse’, many internet users appropriate the affordances of online platforms and technologies to maintain personal boundaries and keep social groups apart. I argue that such tight context control can be particularly important for single adoptive parents, whose children are often vulnerable in multiple ways, who continue to face social stigma and misunderstanding, and for whom privacy can be vital to their families’ safety and wellbeing. The article pays particular attention to single adopters’ strategic deployment of three interconnected practices for managing and curating their networks and information sharing: compartmentalisation, selective sharing and disengagement. As well as pointing to similarities between participants’ practices, the article considers how the nuances of their individual circumstances shape and influence their ways of both connecting with, and disconnecting from, a range of individuals, groups and networks.

An Investigation into Social Media Utilisation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and its Effect on Business Performance: A Case Study of Kabwata Township, Lusaka

This study investigated the impact of social media on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Kabwata Township, focusing on the types of social media used, its impact on brand visibility, customer acquisition, and the influence of social media marketing strategies on sales revenue and profitability. A mixed methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive understanding of SMEs' social media practices. The study targeted SMEs actively using social media in Kabwata. 100% response rate was achieved from a sample of 133 SMEs for quantitative data and additional insights from 20 SMEs for qualitative data. The results indicated that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and LinkedIn significantly enhanced brand visibility and customer engagement. However, the choice of platform alone did not predict success; strategic implementation was crucial. Significant correlations and regression coefficients demonstrated the positive impact of social media marketing on SME success, though with a modest effect on sales revenue. Recommendations emphasized aligning social media activities with business objectives to maximize benefits.

Unethical Marketing Practices in Social Media: Impact on Children and Adolescents

Unethical Marketing Practices in Social Media: Impact on Children and Adolescents

Client Case Study Information: Ethical Practices for Publication, Presentation, and Social Media

Client Case Study Information: Ethical Practices for Publication, Presentation, and Social Media

Generation Z media consumption practices in social media

The subject of the work is the media consumption of generation Z in social media. Within the framework of the subject of the study, the author presents a brief theoretical and methodological justification, paying special attention to the aspects of research in the field of media consumption by Russian authors A.V. Sharikov, I.A. Poluekhtova, V.P. Kolomiets, M.M. Nazarova, T.E. Grinberg, and also focuses on how large companies study media consumption of the audience (Analytical Center "Video International", TNS Russia). The focus of the research object is on generation Z. The author examines the boundaries of the generation and outlines the basic values inherent in it, in particular, the value of content consumption in social media, which the author emphasizes, referring to previous research. The study used the in-depth interview method, since it is important to obtain qualitative, rather than quantitative, information to identify the media consumption practices of generation Z in social networks. As a result of the study, the following aspects of media consumption of generation Z were revealed: specific sources of consumption of entertainment, news, educational, humorous content, situations when representatives of generation Z turn to social networks on weekdays and weekends, conditions for abandoning social networks, the problem of choosing content, listing significant bloggers, the need for microinfluencers, openness of new information and boundaries the news feed. The main significant conclusion of the work is that the media consumption of generation Z transforms their usual daily practices: waking up and preparing for bed, cooking and eating, walking and exercise. We can say about the transformation of social networks from platforms for communication into platforms that informatively accompany centenials throughout the day.

The datafication of student information on X (Twitter)

The sharing of personally identifiable information (PII) through social media platforms poses known risks to children's online privacy and safety. While the risks of oversharing PII through a range of digital contexts are becoming better understood, limited research has documented the social media practices of educational institutions that have a fiduciary responsibility to children. This study seeks to understand the role of educational institutions in putting students’ privacy at risk by investigating their social media practices on X (formerly Twitter). This paper extends previous research (Rosenberg et al., 2022a) by exploring how often students' PII (e.g., names, images, and phone numbers) and other social identities (e.g., gender identity, religion, race, and ethnicity) are exposed on X. Additionally, we examine both images and videos of posts shared by educational institutions. Using a data set of approximately 20.6 million posts made by K-12 education institutions in the United States, we explore the extent to which students’ PII is shared with the public on X. Our analyses suggest that approximately 4 % of posts that contain images and videos (approximately 800,000 posts in the overall data set) included an identifiable face of a student or students along with their name(s) and 2.3 % ascribed students’ gender identity. Given the extent of disclosed PII and the potential privacy risks, this study provides additional insight for educational stakeholders to cultivate safer social media practices, seeking to mitigate potential risks to students' privacy and improve students’ digital rights.