Altruistically Misinformed: Fighting Misinformation on Social Media with Prominence Reduction Strategies

2021 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Mudambi, Maya; Clark, Jessica; Rhue, Lauren

Abstract: Misinformation often has dire real-world consequences, so user-generated conten ... Expand

Abstract: Misinformation often has dire real-world consequences, so user-generated content (UGC) platforms have adopted misinformation mitigation strategies aimed at protecting their users. We study Reddit's quarantine policy, a prominence reduction strategy that reduces the visibility of misinformation on the platform. We empirically assess the effectiveness, as well as spillover effects, of quarantine. We conceptualize misinformation spreading within problematic communities as being motivated by impure altruistic preferences. We further conceptualize user reactions to quarantine using attachment theory. We find for low-attachment behavior, quarantine diminishes misinformation contribution in the quarantined forum and pushes it to a topically related but ideologically neutral forums. For high-attachment behavior, quarantine does not affect misinformation contribution in the quarantined forum but increases the dispersion of misinformation on the platform. Our research sheds light on the efficacy, as well as potentially unintended consequences, of using prominence reduction strategies to fight misinformation. Collapse

Topics: misinformation Reddit public good user behavior unintended consequence

Methods: forums posting experimental group theory development machine learning logistic regression

Theories: attachment theory economic theory

User Dynamics in Mental Health Forums – A Sentiment Analysis Perspective

2019 | International Conference on Business Informatics | Citations: 0

Authors: Davcheva, Elena; Adam, Martin; Benlian, Alexander

Abstract: Individuals around the world in need of mental healthcare do not find adequate t ... Expand

Abstract: Individuals around the world in need of mental healthcare do not find adequate treatment because of lacking resources. Since the necessary support can often not be provided directly, many turn to the Internet for assistance, whereby mental health forums have evolved into an important medium for millions of users to share experiences. Information Systems research lacks empirical evidence to analyze how health forums influence users’ moods. This paper addresses the research gap by conducting sentiment analysis on a large dataset of user posts from three leading English-language forums. The goal of this study is to shed light on the mood effects of mental health forum participation, as well as to better understand user roles. The results of our exploratory study show that sentiment scores develop either positively or negatively depending on the condition. We additionally investigate and report on user forum roles. Collapse

Topics: personality Twitter personalization usability healthcare analytics

Methods: sentiment analysis natural language processing forums posting machine learning chi squared test

Continuous Participation in Online Weight-Loss Communities: An Empirical Study

2018 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Yan, Lu (Lucy); Tan, Yong

Abstract: Although online healthcare communities are found to be helpful, the effectivenes ... Expand

Abstract: Although online healthcare communities are found to be helpful, the effectiveness of such communities in improving patients’ long-term health management has been overlooked. In this study, we examine users’ continuous participation in an online weight-loss community. Through analyzing users’ activities over a 3-year period, we find that those who continuously participate are more likely to self-monitor their lifestyle, which implies that online healthcare communities are an effective means for patients’ lifelong disease management. Our analysis results also show that, although users are attracted to the massive amounts of information available in online communities, it is the opportunity to participate in behavior change that leads to their continuous participation. Surprisingly, our results indicate that the exchange of social support among users is not effective in ensuring their continuous participation. These findings are useful for both users with chronic conditions and service providers. Collapse

Topics: user behavior online community communication service infrastructure social media systems design

Methods: longitudinal research time series analysis Granger causality robustness check vector autoregression

Effect of Ambient Awareness on the Behavior of Social Media Users

2017 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Yarmohammadi, Zahra; Nemati, Hamid

Abstract: Social media can effectively be considered as a platform where individuals tran ... Expand

Abstract: Social media can effectively be considered as a platform where individuals transmit and receive information by interacting with each other (Chen et al. 2011). Users are also exposed to information that they may not have actively sought. Yet, this kind of information may prove useful to the user. Kaplan and Haenlein (2011) has represented the concept of ambient awareness which implies being updated about the most insignificant matters in other people' lives. Ambient awareness may have different implication on the way users construct useful knowledge that may impact their behavior and can be provide benefits. However, the literature in understanding the dynamics of the process of achieving ambient awareness that causes changes at the behavioral level of users has not been well understood. For instance, Leonardi et al. (2015) only states that each individual can increase awareness by using an enterprise social networking site and asking for the knowledge. This study is an attempt to add to the literature by understanding the process of emerging ambient awareness and its' propagation among users in generating impact on users' behaviors. In addition to the importance of considering positive effect of social media as users' ambient awareness improvements, it is worthy to study how this understanding can impact on users' behavior in a more positive way (e.g., making better decision and etc.). For this study, specifically, we will use information theory, social learning theory and Susceptible, Infected and Recovered (SIR) model to understand "What impact could the mere participation as an observer in social media plays in effectively and ambiently altering users' unconscious awareness by facilitating the information flow?" and "how this ambient awareness affects user behavior?" Fundamentally, this study will use information theory, SIR model and social learning theory as its essential foundation of theory to answer the research questions posed earlier in order to empirically achieve the goal stated. We will utilize Q/A (Question/ Answering), the ideas presented by entropy concept to quantify information content of Q/A. Sequentially, we will use social learning theory and SIR to explain how users can be affected by other opinions and posts. Finally, this study claims infected users may change their behavior as changing in their activation and participation in discussion forum. To reach this objective, this study would benefit mathematical process as well as analyzing the content of each posts by text mining of the discussion forum posts. Then, it will use data of the actual discussion forum to examine the proposed model. Collapse

Topics: user behavior social media

Methods: forums posting natural language processing

Theories: social learning theory information theory

The classification of hackers by knowledge exchange behaviors

2015 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 7

Authors: Zhang, Xiong; Tsang, Alex; Yue, Wei T.; Chau, Michael

Abstract: This paper examines messages posted in a hacker forum and constructs four user p ... Expand

Abstract: This paper examines messages posted in a hacker forum and constructs four user profiles based on the observed behavior patterns. It starts with the development of an automated forum post classification system to understand the knowledge transfer pattern exhibited by each user over time. Two patterns, knowledge acquisition and knowledge provision, are noted to be particularly informative. Based on these two and other user characteristics, user profiles are classified into four types: guru hackers, casual hackers, learning hackers, and novice hackers. Guru hackers are knowledgeable and respectable. They usually share ideas and advice with others. Casual hackers tend to act as observers. They can be skilled hackers who show interest mainly in deriving usable information from the forum. Learning hackers are also expert hackers who utilize the forum basically for learning. They actively seek knowledge and tend to share more of it over time. Novice hackers are new learners who typically join the forum for a short period. Overall, it is found that hacker communities very much represent learning communities where meritocracy is in place. Collapse

Topics: knowledge sharing knowledge acquisition online community website user behavior

Methods: support vector machine natural language processing linear regression analysis computational algorithm optimization model

Harnessing the Power of Self-Organization in an Online Community During Organizational Crisis1

2014 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Ning Nan; Yong Lu

Abstract: The paper presents research on the possibility for the unintentional creation of ... Expand

Abstract: The paper presents research on the possibility for the unintentional creation of an organizational crisis management process by self-organization via an online community. It analyzes organizational crisis management literature and posts from an online community, how crisis management actions were actualized through information technology (IT) platforms, and micro- and macro-level order-seeking behaviors. It concludes that the evidence suggests that self-organization may be a complementary new source of organizational order to a traditional centralized management approach. Collapse

Topics: emergency management earthquake online community affordance usability

Methods: Chow test time series analysis qualitative coding F-test longitudinal research

Theories: theory of affordance complex adaptive system management theory

Building Member Attachment in Online Communities: Applying Theories of Group Identity and Interpersonal Bonds

2012 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Yuqing Ren; Harper, F. Maxwell; Drenner, Sara; Terveen, Loren; Kiesler, Sara; Riedl, John; Kraut, Robert E.

Abstract: Online communities are increasingly important to organizations and the general p ... Expand

Abstract: Online communities are increasingly important to organizations and the general public, but there is little theoretically based research on what makes some online communities more successful than others. In this article, we apply theory from the field of social psychology to understand how online communities develop member attachment, an important dimension of community success. We implemented and empirically tested two sets of community features for building member attachment by strengthening either group identity or interpersonal bonds. To increase identity-based attachment, we gave members information about group activities and intergroup competition, and tools for group-level communication. To increase bond-based attachment, we gave members information about the activities of individual members and interpersonal similarity, and tools for interpersonal communication. Results from a six-month field experiment show that participants' visit frequency and self-reported attachment increased in both conditions. Community features intended to foster identity-based attachment had stronger effects than features intended to foster bond-based attachment. Participants in the identity condition with access to group profiles and repeated exposure to their group's activities visited their community twice as frequently as participants in other conditions. The new features also had stronger effects on newcomers than on old-timers. This research illustrates how theory from the social science literature can be applied to gain a more systematic understanding of online communities and how theory-inspired features can improve their success. Collapse

Topics: online community website social network user behavior electronic mail

Methods: experiment field experiment survey forums posting computational algorithm

Theories: social sciences theory psychological theory