Social Networking Applications Research Articles

Main Partner Relationships and the HIV Care Cascade: Examining the Predictive Utility of Sexual Agreements, Partner Concordance, and Drug Use Among Sexual Minority Men Living With HIV in the USA.

The past 15 years have seen increasing attention to relationship factors among sexual minority male (SMM) couples at high risk for HIV infection. Research has largely focused on HIV prevention outcomes. Outcomes relevant to SMM living with HIV have received relatively less attention. This study evaluated associations between relational covariates (relationship status, sexual agreements, and seroconcordance) and HIV care cascade outcomes (having a current antiretroviral therapy [ART] prescription, ART adherence, viral load (VL) testing, and VL detectability) above and beyond cannabis and stimulant drug use. Adult SMM (n = 36,874) living with HIV in the USA were recruited between November 1, 2017 and March 15, 2020 through social networking applications. They completed a cross-sectional survey online. Nonmonogamous SMM with serodiscordant partners were most likely to have an ART prescription. Those with seroconcordant partners (regardless of sexual agreements) were least likely to be adherent. While relational covariates were not associated with VL testing, SMM in nonmonogamous relationships with serodiscordant partners were significantly more likely to have an undetectable VL. Those in monogamous relationships with seroconcordant partners were significantly less likely to have an undetectable VL. SMM with seroconcordant partners and monogamous sexual agreements may experience diminished interpersonal motivation for HIV care engagement. HIV care cascade retention messages that emphasize the prevention of onward transmission may have limited relevance for these SMM. Novel intervention strategies are needed to enhance HIV care outcomes in this population, ideally ones that incorporate attention to drug use.

Guest Editorial: Social-Aware Communication Networks and Systems and Innovative Social Network Applications and Services

Guest Editorial: Social-Aware Communication Networks and Systems and Innovative Social Network Applications and Services

Drug use and condomless sex among sexual minority men in relationships: Whether relationship quality is a risk or protective factor depends upon what they believe their partners do

Sexual minority male (SMM) couples tend toward behavioral similarity around cannabis use, illicit drug use, and sex with casual partners. Similarity in these behaviors may contextualize associations with relationship quality. This study tested the hypotheses that perceptions of partner (cannabis and illicit) drug use and sexual behavior would predict personal drug use and sexual behavior as well as moderate the association between relationship quality and these health outcomes. Recruitment via social networking applications yielded a sample of 5,511 cisgender SMM aged 18-85 (M=38.21, SD=12.16) who were in a relationship with an adult cisgender male main partner. Respondents completed an online survey assessing their own cannabis use, illicit drug use, and condomless anal sex (CAS) with casual partners during the past 30 days as well as their belief about their partner’s engagement in these behaviors. Three subscales of the Perceived Relationship Quality Components scale assessed relationship quality. Across the observed range of PRQC scores participants who reported their partner used cannabis, used other illicit drugs, and had recent CAS with a casual partner were more likely to report engaging in these activities themselves. Among participants who indicated their partner did not engage in these activities, relationship quality was negatively associated with personal cannabis use (OR=0.985, p=<.001), illicit drug use (OR=0.973, p<.001), and CAS with casual partners (OR=0.979, p<.001); meanwhile, among those who reported their partner engaged in these behaviors – relationship functioning was positively associated with the odds of these behaviors (OR=1.018, p<.001; OR=1.015, p<.001; OR=1.019, p=.015 for cannabis, illicit drug use and CAS with casual partners respectively). These findings suggest that perceptions of a partner’s behavior contextualize associations between relationship quality and personal behavioral risk. Results emphasize the importance of integrating components that support relationship quality into behavioral health interventions for SMM couples and SMM in relationships.

Digital coupons and Gen Z: An application of technology acceptance model with coupon proneness as a moderator

This study aimed to comprehend the perceptions and intentions of Generation Z consumers in India regarding the utilization of digital coupons, adopting the framework of the technology acceptance model. Through purposive sampling, 386 participants from Generation Z were selected to offer diverse perspectives, reflecting the significant influence of demographics on contemporary consumer behavior. An online survey was conducted across India, utilizing popular social networking applications, such as WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Facebook, to distribute the online questionnaire as these platforms have widespread usage and accessibility among the target demographic. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships between the constructs. The study revealed that perceived ease of use had no significant impact on the attitudes toward digital coupons (p &amp;amp;gt; 0.05). However, a strong positive relationship was observed between perceived usefulness and ease of use (β = 0.542, p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, perceived usefulness positively influenced attitudes toward digital coupons (β = 0.484, p ≤ 0.05), as did attitudes toward usage intention (β = 0.746, p ≤ 0.05). The relationships between attitude and perceived ease of use (β = –0.093, p ≤ 0.05) and attitude and usage intention (β = –0.124, p ≤ 0.05) were moderated by digital coupon proneness. Insights derived from this study hold substantial relevance for marketers aiming to effectively engage Generation Z through digital couponing strategies. AcknowledgmentThe authors are thankful to their respective universities, heads of departments, and others who have supported and contributed to the effective conduct of this study.

Implementing communication technologies to enhance learning efficiency at a technical vocational education and training college in Cape Town

This paper explores the impact of extending instructional time at technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges using WhatsApp's mobile social network (MSN) application. In South Africa, there is relatively little discussion on extending instructional time within the TVET sector, yet instructional time loss is consistently mentioned as one of the most significant challenges. During the study, the subject of Computer Programming was examined in light of poor learner performance. This study employed mixed-methods research following a pragmatic paradigm to formulate educational policies potentially dealing with TVET instructional time losses in South Africa. Data were collected from two TVET centres (FB1 and FB2) involving two lecturers and 48 students in Cape Town. Despite the study's mixed results, qualitative data reflected the need to extend instructional time and improve the efficiency of applications like WhatsApp. Quantitative data reflected an overall percentage pass rate of 56% and 100% for FB2 and FB1, respectively. The messaging application, however, has challenges, such as disrupting conversations. By participating in learner WhatsApp groups, the paper believes lecturers can reap positive benefits from these initiatives. This study adds voice to mixed-method practices. To maximise pedagogical efficiency, this study recommends that educators provide practical guidance on using MSN applications to increase instruction time.

Some Characterizations of Total Outer-connected Domination in Graphs

This research related to total outer-connected dominance regarding graphs aids in revealing significant insights. Theoretical analysis establishes connections with tree-like structures, emphasizing the relationship with outer planarity. Effective algorithms, integrating the linear-time algorithm for trees and the genetic algorithm for general graphs, show effectiveness in locating minimal total outer-connected dominating sets. Practical implications aid in enlightening applications in wireless sensor networks, social networks, and network design, focusing on the benefits of defect tolerance and information dissemination. This research study aids in contributing towards the increased level of understanding, delivering the practical algorithms, suggesting real- world applications, and providing guidance to future research directions for total outer-connected dominance within the graph.

Decoupling User Relationships Guides Information Diffusion Prediction (Student Abstract)

Information diffusion prediction is a critical task for many social network applications. However, current methods are mainly limited by the following aspects: user relationships behind resharing behaviors are complex and entangled. To address these issues, we propose MHGFormer, a novel multi-channel hypergraph transformer framework, to better decouple complex user relations and obtain fine-grained user representations. First, we employ designed triangular motifs to decouple user relations into three different level hypergraphs. Second, a position-aware hypergraph transformer is used to refine user relation and obtain high-quality user representations. Extensive experiments conducted on two social datasets demonstrate that MHGFormer outperforms state-of-the-art diffusion models across several settings.

Assessing the Impact of E-Learning Adoption on Learning Behavior in Sierra Leonean Higher Education

This study aims to analyze the adoption of e-learning in higher education institutions in Sierra Leone and its impact on learning Behavior using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The research employs a survey design, utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), to analyze the responses of students and lecturers. The study was conducted in Sierra Leone, involving ten universities. The duration of the study is not specified. 728 students and 327 lecturers were surveyed to assess their attitudes towards e-learning. The TAM was used to predict behaviors based on the perceived usefulness and ease of use of e-learning tools, such as mobile devices and social networking applications. The findings indicate that e-learning is more likely to be adopted if the tools are perceived as useful and easy to use. Additionally, prior experience with computers enhances the positive perception of e-learning's attributes and attitudes toward its utilization. The study highlights the potential of e-learning in developing countries like Sierra Leone. It provides insights for stakeholders in the education sector to develop strategies that can promote the adoption of e-learning in regions with similar developmental profiles.

A Novel Influence Analysis-Based University Major Similarity Study

In the field of education, investigating the relationships between different majors in universities is an important topic in current educational research. The application of social networks from informatics provides new opportunities and potentials for the field of education. Due to the complexity of social interactions, the social network connections surrounding individuals exert a significant influence on their daily decision-making processes. This paper aims to introduce the social network and influence analysis theories from informatics into the field of education, regarding major as a variable, and comparing and analyzing the influence relationships between majors. An empirical study was conducted, involving the collection of questionnaire data on graduates’ evaluations of various aspects of their university experiences across different majors. The evolution of this model follows the DeGroot opinion dynamics with the inclusion of stubborn nodes. By defining leader majors and general majors based on the data and modeling the questionnaire data as the outcome of a discrete random process, an influence matrix is ultimately generated through the opinion dynamic model. Through this modeling approach, we revealed the underlying influence relationships between different disciplines (majors). These findings provide schools with insights to adjust the directions of discipline cultivation, and offer new perspectives and methods for the study of majors in higher education.

Blockchain solutions for trustworthy decentralization in social networks

The influence of blockchain on technology, especially in the field of finance, has brought about the age of cryptocurrencies and decentralized control, spreading its impact across various industries to ensure precision. As the trend moves towards decentralized social networks, diverse approaches are explored, becoming crucial tools for defining trust and privacy in individuals’ personal lives during uncertain environments. Blockchain’s transformative role reaches beyond finance, revolutionizing how we establish trust and privacy in our interconnected digital societies. Concurrently, researchers recognize the efficacy of trust models in enhancing the security and reliability of social networks applications. However, a comprehensive review of recent advancements in trust models based on blockchain for social networks is lacking. To address this gap, our survey takes a comprehensive perspective on the theme of trust within decentralized networks. We examine various concepts such as the trust concept itself, trust models, trust prediction methodologies, decentralization in trust-based social networks, and the role of blockchain in fortifying trust and security in social networks. We investigate the intersection of trust and blockchain technology, encompassing concepts, types of blockchain, and their applications in social networks. These models are categorized based on different parameters, and we examine both their advantages and limitations. Finally, we propose prospective paths for researchers interested in exploring this area.

Blockchain-Enhanced Privacy Protection in Social Network Research and Applications

While social networks offer users unprecedented convenience and connectivity, they inadvertently risk exposing sensitive user data. To address the juxtaposition of utility and vulnerability, this paper delves into the potential of blockchain technology as a tool for enhancing privacy protection within social networks. By first critiquing the limitations of current protective measures, it becomes clear where traditional methods fall short in counteracting common avenues of privacy breaches. This paves the way for the integration of blockchain technology into the privacy infrastructure of social networks. The paper elucidates the core cryptographic principles underpinning blockchain and, by drawing from real-world applications such as ShoCard, underscores the advantages that this nascent technology brings to the fore. Despite the evident merits, challenges remain, especially as the technology becomes a potential target for advanced cyber-attacks. The incorporation of elements like smart contracts, digital signatures, and decentralized storage manifests blockchain's promise in building a robust digital fortress, safeguarding user privacy. However, as the technology is still in its evolutionary phase, ongoing research must address vulnerabilities and ensure a holistic defense against potential threats.

JORA: Weakly Supervised User Identity Linkage via Jointly Learning to Represent and Align.

The user identity linkage that establishes correspondence between users across networks is a fundamental issue in various social network applications. Efforts have recently been devoted to introducing network embedding techniques that map the different network users into the common representation space, thereby inferring user correspondence based on the similarities of their representations. However, existing studies that separately train the network embedding and space alignment in two stages may lead to conflict between the objectives of the two stages. Besides, the similarities between unlabeled cross-network user pairs are difficult to define and largely impact the result. Moreover, many previous methods still need plenty of labeled aligned user pairs to ensure performance, which may not be available. To address the above problems, we propose to solve the weakly-supervised user identity linkage problem via JOintly learning to Represent and Align, i.e., the JORA model. The architecture of JORA adopts the inductive graph convolutional network (GCN) that learns representations for each network. The model is jointly optimized by the representation learning component and alignment learning component. The former one aims to preserve the similarities between intranetwork users. The latter one aligns the different spaces by a projection function and aims to preserve the similarities between cross-network users. A specific attention mechanism is proposed to learn self-adaptive similarities for unlabeled user pairs during alignment learning and it reduces the error propagation caused by predefined similarities. The joint optimization helps perceive network characteristics during alignment and reduces the number of labeled users required. Experiments conducted on real social networks show that the proposed model achieves significantly better performance than the state-of-the-art methods.

SOCIAL NETWORKS – A TOOL FOR COOPERATION OF BULGARIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS

Bulgarian agriculture has gone through many transformations in the last two decades. The concentration of production and the difficult access of smaller farms to forms of public support led to their unequal competitive position. Some owners of such small farms began to seek support and advice from other producers, exchange experiences and organize joint actions. Social networks are also used for these new forms of cooperation, as a popular tool for building groups and communication between their members. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the models for the application of social networks as a tool for the cooperation of agricultural producers in Bulgaria. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to assess the need for producers to cooperate; to analyze the implemented traditional forms of cooperation in the country, revealing their deficiencies; to consider specific examples of the application of social networks, as a tool for cooperation of producers from the agriculture sector in Bulgaria. Social networks, or social media platforms have been a focus of analysis since their launch and in later years some meta studies and literature reviews have attempted to organize and structure most of the previously done research on the topic (Ali, et al. 2023; Ibrahim, 2022). In these studies, the five main topics of discussion have been: social media, social collaboration, social marketing, social media and crowdfunding, and social media and crowdsourcing. Social media as a tool for crowdsourcing can be used by different stakeholders to share crucial information (Clark, et al., 2023) and in those cases a cooperation among social actors can be built. The negative effects of social media on traditional network-building have also been explored by some authors, that put forward concerns about the differentiation of goals between social media platforms and their userbase, that can lead to degradation of social cohesion (González‐Bailón, et al., 2023). Although being critical, those researchers can’t deny that social media platforms are granting opportunities that would be absent without them. Furthermore, if academics have access to social media analytics tools a more in-depth analysis of information sharing and social impact can be developed (Horng, et al., 2023). The lack of access to such tools for the current research has led to the selection of included observation for the analysis of the application of social networks as a tool for the cooperation of agricultural producers in Bulgaria. Social media interactions remain an understudied topic in the country and its relevance as a cooperation building tool remains to be proven. Key words: agriculture, competitiveness, cooperatives, Internet JEL: J54, D71, D91

Drug use during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic: observations from repeated cross-sectional surveys of sexual minority men in the US active on social networking applications

ABSTRACT Studies conducted early in the COVID-19 pandemic - before vaccines were widely available - indicated that drug use may have declined among sexual minority men (SMM). This study evaluated drug use trends in the second year of the pandemic. Cross-sectional responses from cisgender SMM living in the US and recruited online (n = 15,897) were grouped for analyses: Time 1: 3/1/2021-5/30/2021; Time 2: 6/1/2021-8/31/2021; Time 3: 9/1/2021-11/30/2021; and Time 4: 12/1 2021-2/28/2022. Results of multivariable models indicated that illicit drug use (excluding cannabis) increased at Times 2 (OR = 1.249, p < .001), 3 (OR = 1.668, p < .001), and 4 (OR = 1.674, p < .001) compared to Time 1. In contrast, cannabis use was relatively stable over time. Rates did not differ significantly among Times 1, 2, and 4. While rates of COVID-19 vaccination increased over time, illicit drug use was negatively associated with the odds of vaccination (OR = 0.361, p < .001). These findings highlight the need for ongoing attention to the risks drug use poses among SMM. Illicit drug use - a long-standing health disparity among SMM - increased significantly across the second year of the pandemic. Because they are less likely to be vaccinated, SMM who use illicit drugs may be at greater risk of COVID-19 infection or complications.

Director Interlocks: Information Transfer in Board Networks

Director interlocks occur when a board member or an executive of a firm sits on the board of directors of another firm. As an essential social network application in the business world, interlocking directorates are documented to be non-trivial from the 1930s and continue to gain popularity thereafter. Corporate information and business practices can be transferred to another firm through an interlocking director sitting on both companies’ boards. Such information dissemination leads to changes in an interlocking firm’s decision-making processes. Existing business research attempts to decipher the underlying reasons why board interlocks become prevalent, how and what information is being transferred through this channel, and the intended or unintended consequences to firm strategic, governance, financing, and accounting practices. We first introduce theoretical research on board interlocks in management and then follow up with empirical evidence in finance and accounting. Since extant studies have not reached a consensus on various consequences of board interlocks, we contribute to the literature by summarizing the findings from multi-business disciplines, discussing their advantages and disadvantages, and calling for more research on the topic.

The Impact of Large-scale Media on Online Marketing

This study aims to explore the relationship between large-scale media (referring to individuals or companies with a large number of followers on social media) and marketing, and to utilize the influence of large-scale media to increase product sales and brand exposure. Specifically, the paper first introduces the concept of centrality, including degree centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality, as well as their applications in social networks. Then, this study regards large-scale media as nodes in the social network and proposes the centrality concept of large-scale media. Next, this study analyzes the influence and propagation effects of large-scale media in the social network, thereby highlighting the importance of large-scale media in marketing activities. Finally, through empirical analysis, the paper verifies the positive impact of the centrality of large-scale media on product sales and brand exposure. The findings of this study suggest that marketing professionals need to pay more attention to the role and value of large-scale media, and strengthen cooperation with large-scale media in marketing strategies. At the same time, this study proposes suggestions for optimizing marketing strategies using centrality methods, such as finding and cooperating with large-scale media with greater influence, and establishing a relationship network with central nodes. These suggestions can help improve product sales and brand exposure, thus bringing better business benefits to enterprises.

A one-step graph clustering method on heterogeneous graphs via variational graph embedding

&lt;abstract&gt;&lt;p&gt;Graph clustering is one of the fundamental tasks in graph data mining, with significant applications in social networks and recommendation systems. Traditional methods for clustering heterogeneous graphs typically involve obtaining node representations as a preliminary step, followed by the application of clustering algorithms to achieve the final clustering results. However, this two-step approach leads to a disconnection between the optimization of node representation and the clustering process, making it challenging to achieve optimal results. In this paper, we propose a graph clustering approach specifically designed for heterogeneous graphs that unifies the optimization of node representation and the clustering process for nodes in a heterogeneous graph. We assume that the relationships between different meta-paths in the heterogeneous graph are mutually independent. By maximizing the joint probability of meta-paths and nodes, we derive the optimization objective through variational methods. Finally, we employ backpropagation and reparameterization techniques to optimize this objective and thereby achieve the desired clustering results. Experiments conducted on multiple real heterogeneous datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is competitive with existing methods.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/abstract&gt;

Progressive Collaborative Method for Protecting Users Privacy in Location-Based Services

The development of new mobile communication and information service technologies has opened up exciting possibilities for location-based services. Users of location-based services (LBS) can access vital data from their service providers by utilizing their location data. Maps and navigation, information services, tourist information services, social networking, and many more popular applications are available. A user's location and other personal details must be submitted to the providers of location-based services in order for them to work. For example, details about one's whereabouts and identity. By "location privacy," we mean the idea that third parties shouldn't be able to track a user's precise whereabouts. It is important that users' sensitive information be hidden from unauthorized individuals when communicating. Most difficult in LBS location-based are concerns about communications and data. Each peer does their duty reciprocally in a collaborative method, which is a completely distributed technique. For the most secure and private location-based services (LBS), it employs cryptographic methods. The number of people using LBS is growing at a rapid pace these days. At this time, there isn't a single method available that has scalability capabilities. Building a realistic and computationally efficient solution that offers high privacy while decreasing processing overhead and improving scalability is a challenging task. The suggested method is cost-effective, supports scaling, is highly resilient against security and privacy assaults, and ensures privacy.

System Usability Scale for Measuring Usability of Social Network Applications from User Perspectives

There are two common methods of the System Usability Scale (SUS) in quantitative usability evaluation, which are the Sauro &amp; Lewis method and the Riihiaho method. The research aims to find the fittest SUS methods for usability evaluation of a social network application from those two methods. Using a comparative study approach, the research compared the number of valid scores of the 10 SUS indicators between those two methods. The valid score of each SUS indicator is obtained if the data of the SUS evaluation and the qualitative usability evaluation support each other. Qualitative data which was collected from five ordinary users for each SUS method by usability testing and interviews had been analyzed using a topdown analysis approach. The research obtained two main findings. Firstly, the Sauro &amp; Lewis method is more relevant than the Riihiaho method from the comparison between the obtained SUS indicator scores and interview results. Secondly, the two methods have the same strength of relevance when the SUS indicator scores are compared with the usability testing result. Based on those findings, the Sauro &amp; Lewis method may be fitter than the Riihiaho method for evaluating the usability of a social network application, from the user perspective.

Wpływ mediów internetowych na dyskurs prawniczy

This article examines the methodological challenges and difficulties created by the emergence of new forms of legal discourse. These are provided by the new channels of communication, collectively found within the “mass media” and concerns online media: portals, blogs, social networking applications, etc. Since analytical theories of legal discourse were developed before the IT revolution, it is important to consider to what extent existing theories of legal discourse are adequate, given the contemporary picture of the phenomenon. The article is scientific but also contains some reflexions in the field of legal methodology due to its subject. There are formulated two research theses. The first concerns the assumption that due to the expansion of mass media, legal discourse is losing its previous hermetic character. The second assumes that the research programme of analytical jurisprudence, within which previous theories of legal discourse have been developed, requires appropriate modifications to capture the new forms in which it is conducted. The paper concludes by formulating possible directions for the development of a methodology for creating theories of legal discourse.