Social Meida

"Sound Design and Artificial
Intelligence: A Practical Guide" takes a deep,
hands-on look at how AI is transforming the world
of audio production. It’s not just about tools and
techniques though it offers plenty of those but also
about asking bigger questions: What does it mean
when machines start making music? How do we
stay creative and human in an increasingly
automated industry? By breaking down real-world
workflows using tools like iZotope RX and AIVA,
the book gives sound designers practical strategies
they can use right away. At the same time, it brings
in voices from places like Skywalker Sound and
blends them with research on AI and creativity,
building a thoughtful framework for using these
technologies responsibly. From cleaning up noisy
recordings to generating adaptive scores, the case
studies show where AI shines and where it can’t
replace the subtlety of human listening. In the end,
this isn’t just a guidebook; it’s a call to think
critically about the future of sound and the role we
want to play in shaping it

Communication via a social network function enabled by social media has greatly empowered consumers' secondary crisis communication, as compared to a firm's crisis communication, and has thus changed corporate crisis management. This study aims to uncover consumers' decision process of engaging in secondary crisis communication in a social media context. Drawing on the social control perspective and impression management theory, this study examines the role of perceived morality violations and consumers' susceptibility to social influence in shaping consumers' secondary crisis communication in corporate crises. Moreover, leveraging cognitive dissonance theory, this study further examines the effects of corporate responses on the process of consumers' secondary crisis communication. A survey design with four scenarios was conducted to test a series of hypotheses relating to the decision process of secondary crisis communication. Our empirical results demonstrate that consumers' approach to secondary crisis communication on social media depends largely to the degree to which they perceive moral violations in the firms' crisis response. The findings also show that consumers tend to want to believe they are doing the "right thing" when considering secondary crisis communication and thus are afraid of being disliked by others for their purchasing decisions related to a firm in crisis. Such social conformance can result in a snowballing of negative word of mouth in product-harm crises cases. Findings contribute to the literature on social media crisis management and consumers' communication behavior on social media during product-harm crises.

Whether it’s the adrenaline-pumping action of a basketball game, the strategic brilliance of a chess match, or the unyielding endurance of a marathon runner, Healthy sports hold a unique place in our lives. In this article, we’ll explore the multifaceted world of sports, highlighting their impact on society, individual development, and global unity.
The Universal Appeal of Sports
No matter where you go, you’ll find communities engaged in some form of physical or mental competition. From local cricket matches in small Indian towns to the grandeur of the FIFA World Cup, sports bring people together like few other activities can.
This universal appeal stems from the shared emotions and experiences sports evoke. The triumph of victory, the agony of defeat, and the thrill of competition are feelings that resonate across cultures. For instance, the Olympics, which showcase athletes from nearly every nation, exemplify how sports can unite people from diverse backgrounds under one banner of excellence.
Physical and Mental Health Benefits
Engaging in sports is not just about entertainment; it’s also a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity through sports improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, and enhances flexibility. For children and teenagers, sports play a crucial role in developing motor skills and promoting growt h. 



Moreover, sports have significant mental health benefits. They serve as a powerful stress reliever, help combat anxiety, and improve overall mood. Activities like yoga and swimming are particularly renowned for their calming effects on the mind. Competitive sports also teach valuable lessons in discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, which are essential for personal and professional growth.
The Economic Impact of Sports
The sports industry is a colossal economic powerhouse, contributing billions of dollars to the global economy. Major sporting events like the Super Bowl, Wimbledon, and the Olympics generate significant revenue through ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and sponsorships. Additionally, sports tourism has emerged as a lucrative sector, attracting millions of fans who travel across the globe to support their favorite teams and athletes.
Beyond professional sports, local and regional events also stimulate economic activity. Small businesses, such as sports equipment retailers, fitness centers, and local food vendors, often thrive in communities with a strong sports culture.
Social and Cultural Significance
Sports have the power to influence societal norms and foster cultural exchange. They often serve as a platform for promoting inclusivity and challenging stereotypes. For example, initiatives like the Paralympics Games have been instrumental in changing perceptions about people with disabilities, showcasing their incredible talents and resilience.
In many countries, sports are deeply intertwined with national identity. The All Blacks rugby team from New Zealand, known for their pre-match haka, is a symbol of Maori culture and national pride. Similarly, cricket is more than just a game in India; it’s a unifying force that brings people from all walks of life together.
Technological Advancements in Sports
The integration of technology has revolutionized the sports industry. Wearable devices and fitness apps help athletes monitor their performance and optimize training regimes. Video assistant referees (VAR) and goal-line technology have enhanced fairness in games, reducing controversies and ensuring accurate decisions.
Virtual and augmented reality are also making their mark, offering fans immersive experiences. From virtual stadium tours to augmented reality gaming, technology is transforming how we interact with sports.
Challenges in the World of Sports
Issues like doping, match-fixing, and corruption tarnish the integrity of competitions. Addressing these problems requires robust governance and strict enforcement of ethical standards.
Another pressing issue is the lack of equal opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in sports. While progress has been made, there’s still a long way to go in achieving gender equality and inclusivity.
The Future of Sports
The future of sports looks promising, with emerging trends pointing towards greater innovation and inclusivity. Esports, or competitive video gaming, is rapidly gaining popularity, attracting millions of players and viewers worldwide. Sustainable practices in sports management are also gaining traction, with eco-friendly stadiums and green initiatives becoming the norm.
Furthermore, grassroots programs and community-based initiatives are paving the way for the next generation of athletes. By investing in youth development and accessible sports infrastructure, we can ensure that sports remain a vital part of society for years to come.
Conclusion
Sports are more than just games; they are a celebration of human potential, a bridge between cultures, and a source of inspiration for millions. Whether you’re an athlete, a fan, or someone who enjoys an occasional game, the world of sports has something to offer everyone. By embracing the values and lessons that sports teach us, we can build a healthier, more inclusive, and united world. So, grab a ball, pick up a racket, or simply cheer for your favorite team—because in the realm of sports, everyone is a winner.

Cultism and social vices in Nigeria institutions have shown a flaw in the security system of the country. This has demanding for a system that works in curbing the insecurity in our campuses. Close Circuit Television (CCTV) innovation has been recognized globally as a system that provides visibility to all activities in our environment. This visibility is assumed to caution and to warn people which leads to a disciplined society devoid of crime. This innovation is evidently in use in many higher institutions in Nigeria; yet criminal activities are still thriving. The chief goal of CCTV is now put to question as cultism is still thriving despite the presence of CCTV. This project aims to explore the effectiveness of CCTV as defined by its functions which is identification and deterrence in tackling cultism and other social vices in our campuses. This report also analyzes its penetration rate and to evaluate the current security in Nigeria, identify the existing weaknesses in the current security system in Nigeria Institutions and implement a CCTV system to address such weaknesses.

Video evidence of police aggression and assault on civilians has previously been considered irrefutable evidence of misconduct; its circulation contributes to the creation of "celebrated cases" of police brutality that draw attention because of their high-profile nature. In June 2015, You-Tube, Facebook and Twitter comments on a citizencaptured video of a police officer attempting to apprehend an African-American girl at a pool party in McKinney, Texas, trended as one incident in the #BlackLivesMatter

On April 22, 2019, false rumors regarding the side effects of the polio vaccine quickly spread across various social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), WhatsApp, and YouTube. This rapid spread of misinformation had a detrimental impact on Pakistan's efforts to eradicate polio. This essay sheds lights on two critical aspects related to polio vaccine misinformation on social media in Pakistan. First, it examines the current state of polio vaccine misinformation on social media and finds it a significant threat to public health, resulting in vaccine refusals, erosion of trust in public health institutions, distrust in science, and providing opportunities for anti-vaccination groups and individual advocates to target healthcare workers involved in polio eradication efforts nationwide. Second, it highlights the collaborative initiatives undertaken by relevant government institutions and social media companies, which have proven inadequate in effectively addressing the persistent dissemination of mis/disinformation, particularly on Facebook. Lastly, we suggest Pakistan should adopt a more inclusive approach of engaging all stakeholders, promote independent fact-checking initiatives, and increase health literacy among the target population about the risks and benefits associated with the polio vaccine.

Background: Transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) adults are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes than cisgender individuals. There is a critical gap in research on effective and culturally sensitive approaches to reduce smoking prevalence among TGE adults. Objective: This study aims to qualitatively examine the risk and protective factors of cigarette smoking among TGE adults through real-world exemplars. Methods: We conducted a digital photovoice study among a purposeful sample of 47 TGE adults aged ≥18 years and currently smoking in the United States (March 2019-April 2020). Participants uploaded photos daily that depicted smoking risk and protective factors they experienced over 21 days on either private Facebook or Instagram groups. Next, we conducted separate focus group discussions to explore the experiences of these factors among a subset of participants from each group. We analyzed participants' photos, captions, and focus group transcripts and generated themes associated with smoking risk and protective factors. Results: We identified 6 major themes of risk and protective factors of smoking among TGE individuals: experience of stress, gender affirmation, health consciousness, social influences, routine behaviors, and environmental cues. We describe and illustrate each theme using exemplar photos and quotes. Conclusions: The findings of this study will inform future community-engaged research to develop culturally tailored interventions to reduce smoking prevalence among TGE individuals.

Introduction: The proactive role undertaken by brands in the days of COVID-19 is only the tip of the iceberg of a phenomenon that has been brewing for years. Brands progressively leave their commercial domain to move to the public sphere with an active role as social agents and addressing individuals in all their facets as a person. Methodology: The objective is to study the main advertising strategies developed by brands in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Through content analysis, combined with discourse analysis of the TV advertising strategies of the main brands of a significant sample, we propose the establishment of the analysis variables and the categorization of objectives, strategies and dis-cursive constructions that brands develop in their communication policies. Results: The main brand positioning values during COVID-19 are grouped into four categories: trust, service, commitment and relationship. These values refer to four discourses: return to essentials, companionship from the emotional perspective, the purpose of brands and companionship. Discussion and conclusions: This research has allowed us to detect conclusions that may outline new working hypotheses, such as the role of purpose and commitment in advertising or the centric social vision of brands compared to the consumer centric model.

The purpose of this article is find out about the role that was played by Twitter during the first week of Ferguson Unrests that started on the 9th of August 2014. As a source base for this work the author analyzes the newspapers, magazine journalism and articles upon the death of Michael Brown to show how local journalists and activists used Twitter to communicate and comment on his death. Through the examination of hashtag usage, the author demonstrates how Twitter has become a powerful tool to start nationwide discussion, as well as how hashtag activism can trigger creation of a new social movement.

The global quest to fight terror worldwide cannot be over emphasised as extremists and non-state actors continue to ravage the ungoverned spaces opening up around the globe. Consequently, this work is an evaluation of the use of ICT in counter terrorism efforts in Nigeria as a fledgling democracy. The study reviewed the challenges and prospects of the application of ICT to counter terror in a country where Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other militant groups have continued to challenge the legitimacy and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state. The work used the mixed method-comprising qualitative and quantitative analytical efforts and found out that for the Nigerian State to make sustainable impacts in her counter terrorism efforts ICT should be the pivot. In the same vein, the study advocated adequate training and sustainable Information Technology policy and culture that will encourage the development of substantial capacity to drive an ICT-driven counter terrorism in a world full of rapidly mutating terrorism.

This study analyzes the tweets that emerged following the Waco biker incident of 2015. Findings indicate individuals used Twitter to take a stand on the highly publicized incidents surrounding the shootout. Thousands of tweets emerged with popular hashtags to identify the case such as #wacoshooting, #wacobikers and #wacothugs, #Ferguson, #whitebikers, #blacklivesmatter and #Whiteprivilege. Responses to the Waco shootout were polarizing with individuals weighing in on Twitter to show support or scorn for the bikers, city officials, law enforcement and attorneys. Themes of race surfaced in tweets about the event as it occurred in the midst of the #Blacklivesmatter movement. Twitter users compared bikers to the movement, using tweets and graphics to illustrate various points. The Branch Davidian incident also provided an important backstory to the biker incident. Images of the fiery burning of the Branch Davidian compound, which occurred decades earlier, were still on people's minds as evidenced by tweets that characterized the incident as "just another Waco tragedy."

The aim of this study is to examine the content of use of the official Twitter account of the FIFA U-20 World Cup during the period of the organization. It has been sought answers to the questions "What is the intensity of use of the official Twitter account of the FIFA U-20 World Cup?" and "What are the contents of tweets posted via official Twitter account of the FIFA U-20 World Cup?" for this purpose. The official Twitter account of the FIFA U-20 Football World Cup held in Turkey in 2014 was examined and a total of 4558 Tweet content posted via official Tweet account were determined. The frequency distribution was used for the analysis of the data obtained. It was found that the official Twitter account of the FIFA U-20 Football World Cup followed 213 people and had 7494 followers. It was found that 4558 Tweets were posted via the official Twitter account and seen that "overall organization information" with 1558 tweets was in the first place among the contents and respectively, 829 tweets with the content of "match summary", 672 tweets as "re-tweets", 629 tweets with the content of "photo", 456 tweets with the content of "match review", 279 tweets about "personal descriptions about athletes and coaches", 108 tweets "about the football matches" and 30 tweets about "TV programs" followed it when sorted. Although the number of followers was 7494, the number of those who posted tweets was only 168 and this state shows that those who follows the cup prefer to remain as audience. In conclusion, we saw that the official Twitter account of the U-20 Football World Cup has been subject to a one-way flow, mostly. We can say that a re-planning which will ensure an active participation of followers would be more useful.

Introduction: The proactive role undertaken by brands in the days of COVID-19 is only the tip of the iceberg of a phenomenon that has been brewing for years. Brands progressively leave their commercial domain to move to the public sphere with an active role as social agents and addressing individuals in all their facets as a person. Methodology: The objective is to study the main advertising strategies developed by brands in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Through content analysis, combined with discourse analysis of the TV advertising strategies of the main brands of a significant sample, we propose the establishment of the analysis variables and the categorization of objectives, strategies and dis-cursive constructions that brands develop in their communication policies. Results: The main brand positioning values during COVID-19 are grouped into four categories: trust, service, commitment and relationship. These values refer to four discourses: return to essentials, companionship from the emotional perspective, the purpose of brands and companionship. Discussion and conclusions: This research has allowed us to detect conclusions that may outline new working hypotheses, such as the role of purpose and commitment in advertising or the centric social vision of brands compared to the consumer centric model.

Introduction: The proactive role undertaken by brands in the days of COVID-19 is only the tip of the iceberg of a phenomenon that has been brewing for years. Brands progressively leave their commercial domain to move to the public sphere with an active role as social agents and addressing individuals in all their facets as a person. Methodology: The objective is to study the main advertising strategies developed by brands in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Through content analysis, combined with discourse analysis of the TV advertising strategies of the main brands of a significant sample, we propose the establishment of the analysis variables and the categorization of objectives, strategies and dis-cursive constructions that brands develop in their communication policies. Results: The main brand positioning values during COVID-19 are grouped into four categories: trust, service, commitment and relationship. These values refer to four discourses: return to essentials, companionship from the emotional perspective, the purpose of brands and companionship. Discussion and conclusions: This research has allowed us to detect conclusions that may outline new working hypotheses, such as the role of purpose and commitment in advertising or the centric social vision of brands compared to the consumer centric model.

Mass media messages create, popularize, and reinforce stereotypical narratives of Black people that fuel fear and hatred of the group (Dates & Pease, 1994). Blackface representations overemphasized and ridiculed personality traits, mannerisms, and the vernacular of Black people. Narratives of Black men included images of criminals, dupes, social deviants, and brutes. In the 21st century, U.S. media continued to frame Black men negatively—as drug dealers, pimps, and thugs—to provide a rationale for the high number of them in prison. After the 13th Amendment passed, free Black men in chain gangs provided free labor, and this legacy lives on in for-profit prisons that benefit from the income generated from the sale of everyday necessities, such as toi- letries, telephone calls, and food.

The current article examines social media applications as a tool for positive social change. The number of users on applications from Facebook to Twitter and Instagram continues to increase in all demographics. These tools are being integrated into our daily activities and challenging boundaries, roles, and even possibilities globally. Currently, there exists a gap in developing competent leaders capable

User intervention against incivility is a significant element of democratic norm enforcement on social media, and feeling personally responsible for acting is a vital prerequisite for intervention. However, our insight into how users construe their sense of personal responsibility and expectations of other users remains limited. By theoretically foregrounding user perspective, this study investigates the boundaries and nuances of user responsibility to intervene against incivility. Empirically, it draws on 20 qualitative vignette interviews with young people in Germany. The findings show that as contexts collapse in users’ newsfeeds, the imagined boundaries of personal public spheres and own social relationships with uncivil users serve as heuristics for hierarchizing and delimiting personal responsibility to intervene. Beyond abstract individual responsibility for the public discourse, practical responsibility is distributed among personal public spheres.

The aim of this article is to analyse the discourse-interactive strategies applied by Spanish speakers in YouTube comments addressed to people infected by COVID-19. We are especially interested in the mechanisms that reflect support and solidarity. Our main assumption is that the comments that accompany YouTube videos constitute a special type of communication which, though not fulfilling the prototypical principle of “interactive reciprocity”, demonstrates a considerable level of interpersonal and interactive mutual influence. The strategies analysed (including greetings, expressive vocative forms, verbal empathy and signals of interest, compliments and praise, religious invocations, etc.) seem to indicate that the “pandemic reality” has contributed to the creation of a certain type of virtual community of practice that, in its own way, fulfils the interactive principle of solidarity, whilst simultaneously evaluating the time of the coronavirus epidemic.

Emerging adults are encountering a developmental stage in a polymediated world that brings autonomy, intimacy, and identity to the forefront of their transition from adolescence to adulthood. This study focuses on traditionally-aged college students who are deeply immersed with digital technology and communication as a primary method to communicate and interact with peers, partners, teachers, and family members. To understand the relationship between digital communication and emerging adulthood, researchers facilitated a qualitative study grounded in ethnomethodological and dramaturgical perspective to uncover the unique ways in which college students make sense of their social media during this developmental time period. Data collection occurred through nine focus groups; in all, 44 undergraduate students participated. Findings illustrate four relevant patterns to the development of emerging adults: a key rationale for use among participants that is tied to both ritualized behavior...

The global quest to fight terror worldwide cannot be over emphasised as extremists and non-state actors continue to ravage the ungoverned spaces opening up around the globe. Consequently, this work is an evaluation of the use of ICT in counter terrorism efforts in Nigeria as a fledgling democracy. The study reviewed the challenges and prospects of the application of ICT to counter terror in a country where Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other militant groups have continued to challenge the legitimacy and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state. The work used the mixed method-comprising qualitative and quantitative analytical efforts and found out that for the Nigerian State to make sustainable impacts in her counter terrorism efforts ICT should be the pivot. In the same vein, the study advocated adequate training and sustainable Information Technology policy and culture that will encourage the development of substantial capacity to drive an ICT-driven counter terrorism in a world full of rapidly mutating terrorism.

BACKGROUND Infodemiology is an emerging field of research that utilizes user-generated health-related content, such as that found in social media, to help improve public health. Twitter has become an important venue for studying emerging patterns in health issues such as substance use because it can reflect trends in real-time and display messages generated directly by users, giving a uniquely personal voice to analyses. Over the past year, several states in the United States have passed legislation to legalize adult recreational use of cannabis and the federal government in Canada has done the same. There are few studies that examine the sentiment and content of tweets about cannabis since the recent legislative changes regarding cannabis have occurred in North America. OBJECTIVE To examine differences in the sentiment and content of cannabis-related tweets by state cannabis laws, and to examine differences in sentiment between the United States and Canada between 2017 and 2019. ME...

In the face of global disasters, social media has become a primary source of information. Social media refers to websites and applications that allow people to share content quickly, efficiently, and in real time such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This study examines the role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. On the one hand, social media was a “blessing” during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa by facilitating information dissemination and raising awareness, providing updated and real-time health-related information, giving citizens a platform to give their opinions on the pandemic, perpetuating associational life, bringing positivity during scary times, allowing education to continue through virtual learning, facilitating the performance of work and business functions, and acting as misinformation watchdogs. While social media helped curb the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, it was also a “curse,” on the other hand. The dark side of social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic ranged from social media being a driver of conspiracy theories and the “infodemic” – an over-abundance of information, social media, and the misnomer of the magic bullet effect, increasing mental health and stress, and causing panic response to the pandemic by the public. This chapter recommends that African governments and public media authorities craft policies that promote the sharing of factual and up-to-date information while also addressing the spread of misinformation during global disasters. The public should also play a role by avoiding spreading fake news and always crosschecking social media information.

This study examines the case of basketball superstar LeBron James, who openly identifies as a liberal. Our analysis of LeBron James’ Twitter profile revealed normal distribution between liberals and conservatives following his account. We then compared James’ followers’ distribution to those of the singer Lady Gaga and liberal-tilting sport network ESPN and found that James’ followers’ distribution represented the most diverse distribution of the three accounts. We further found that James was the only liberal source in most of his conservative followers’ profiles. The findings highlight the potency of celebrity athletes to narrow the trend of political polarization.

Pakistan's polio eradication program faces immense challenges, including misinformation on social media that resulted in an increased number of new polio cases in 2019, when viral misleading videos were shared online. In recent years, misinformation has played a critical role in shifting the public's attitude on polio vaccination acceptance in Pakistan. Vaccine misinformation on social media marked a turning point in information consumption habits of Pakistanis and the content moderation policies of social media platforms, as well as the relationship between the government of Pakistan and tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Twitter. This commentary suggests that instead of relying on national-level information, Pakistan's provincial and local health departments should engage with local users on social media to correct vaccine misinformation about polio. Further, vaccine communication must acknowledge the existing information gaps, and take into account readers' and viewers' concerns. To mitigate the amount and spread of visual content related to vaccine misinformation, monitoring visual misinformation more closely, perhaps using the AI capabilities of Google's DeepMind, would be helpful.

The global quest to fight terror worldwide cannot be over emphasised as extremists and non-state actors continue to ravage the ungoverned spaces opening up around the globe. Consequently, this work is an evaluation of the use of ICT in counter terrorism efforts in Nigeria as a fledgling democracy. The study reviewed the challenges and prospects of the application of ICT to counter terror in a country where Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other militant groups have continued to challenge the legitimacy and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state. The work used the mixed method-comprising qualitative and quantitative analytical efforts and found out that for the Nigerian State to make sustainable impacts in her counter terrorism efforts ICT should be the pivot. In the same vein, the study advocated adequate training and sustainable Information Technology policy and culture that will encourage the development of substantial capacity to drive an ICT-driven counter terrorism in a world full of rapidly mutating terrorism.

In recent years, there has been an increased academic interest revolving around the beneficial or pernicious effects of ideological extremity and (uncivil) political discussion over democracy. For instance, citizens' ideological predispositions and higher levels of political discussion have been linked with a more active and vibrant political life. In fact, ideological extremity and uncivil discussion foster institutionalized political engagement. However, less explored in the literature remains whether such polarization and uncivil discussions may be related to unlawful political behavior such as illegal protest. This study contends that one of the main drivers of illegal protest behavior lies in online uncivil political discussion, specifically through the normalization and activation of further incivility. We tested this through a two-wave panel data drawn from a diverse US sample and cross-sectional, lagged, and autoregressive regression models. Mediation analysis was also conducted to test whether uncivil online discussion mediated the relationship between frequency of online political discussion and illegal protest engagement. Overall, we found that illegal protest was particularly associated with online uncivil discussion, while ideological extremity and other forms of online and offline discussions seemed to have no effect on unlawful protest over time.

Telegram, an Industry 4.0 style communication service, is one of the world’s most widespread communication platforms. The availability of channels and bots has opened as a broadcast channel for any media outlet. We asked the following questions: Do media outlets from Spain use Telegram channels? Which media outlets? Are they verified? What is their volume of subscribers? Can this information be used to rank media outlets? We identified many media channels and data were collected from each one. We present the results in a ranking. Forty-two media based in Spain have Telegram channels, 26 of which are ranked in the directory. Less than half of these channels are verified by the platform, and only three are linked to their website. This lack of verification could lead to the proliferation of fake channels. The article ends with a series of recommendations for channel managers to make it easier for the end user to identify and verify each media outlet.

Background. Telegram, an Industry 4.0 style Russian-born communication service, is one of the world’s most widespread communication platforms despite Putin’s censorship. The availability of channels and bots has opened as a broadcast channel for any media outlet. Objetives. We asked the following questions: Do Spanish media outlets use Telegram channels? Which media outlets? Are they verified? What is their volume of subscribers? Can this information be used to rank media outlets? We identified many media channels and numerous variables were collected from each one. Results and conclusions. Forty-two Spanish media outlets have Telegram channels, 26 of which are ranked in the directory. Less than half of these channels are verified by the platform, and only three are linked to their website. This lack of verification could lead to the proliferation of fake channels. We created a ranking, and the top-10 includes two foreign, six national, and two regional media outlets.

This textual analysis examined the framing of Ferguson, Missouri, that emerged following Michael Brown’s death in 2014. The analysis indicates tweets focused on the protests that followed and the racial nature of the incident. The most salient themes characterized Ferguson within the context of “bigger picture” issues, “otherness” narratives and “protest” frames. Many tweets transmitted a racialized tone, characterizing Ferguson as a “less than desirable town with mostly Black residents and low-life thugs.” This study provides support for the use of textual analysis in studies of social media platforms and indicates it is imperative to look at representations of race, power and cultural narratives in popular mass media messages.

The flourishing of contemporary communication technologies within most levels of society has led to the transition of a large part of traditional face to face (FtF) interpersonal communication to the virtual space (Barak, 2007; Mesch & Talmud, 2006). This process has enabled the breaking of traditional patterns of human contacts and the creation of web friendship (Hewitson, 2003). Intensifying and expanding the volume of online relationships outstands especially among adolescents, who are the first generation of the digital world ...

This study examines political opinion expression on four social media platforms in Argentina (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp). Drawing on in-depth interviews (N=158) and a survey (N= 700), it examines divergent dynamics of political conversation across platforms, and finds that respondents use platforms in different ways to talk about current affairs. Political discussion practices vary according to shared understandings regarding the content perceived as appropriate and level of privacy attributed to each platform, but not according to socio demographic characteristics. This comparative cross-platform approach indicates that political talk on social media is shaped by: a) the political context; b) each platform’s uptake; and, c) the overlapping of private and public, non-political and political content in a single space. Combining interviews with a survey allows this research to account for both differences in the level of political talk across platforms and the interpre...

The impact of the social media (SM) has been seen on the one hand as the cause of large exacerbation of negative messages, responsible for massively harmful societal phenomenon against democracies. On the other hand, recent studies have begun to look at how these online channels were able to provide a new impulse in human communication. The novelty of our work resides on analysing several axes of polarizations related to different societal topics. We believe our approach to reflect a more complex society, differing from the recent literature, which has considered a unique left-right dichotomic cleavage. Our methodology consists of extracting topics from the priority themes of the SM debate, using BERT language processing techniques and TF-IDF model. Our results show situation of social media interactions in a multidimensional space does exist. We highlight how social media behaviours, polarization and cross-fertilization differ as upon concrete topics. We argue therefore the 'mega-identity partisanship' which differentiate US online users in two different spaces cannot be extended for the rest of countries taking as first evidence the case of Spain. Further research should extend our conclusions for a possible generalization.

Tom Mould’s study on “Counter Memes and Anti-Legends in Online Welfare Discourse” offers an opportunity to examine the roots of the stereotype of the “welfare queen” (2022). The legend surfaced in the 1970s to embody the belief that Black women are too lazy to work and would rather rely on public assistance subsidized by hardworking, upstanding white citizens (Levin 2013).

Mass media messages create, popularize, and reinforce stereotypical narratives of Black people that fuel fear and hatred of the group (Dates & Pease, 1994). Blackface representations overemphasized and ridiculed personality traits, mannerisms, and the vernacular of Black people. Narratives of Black men included images of criminals, dupes, social deviants, and brutes. In the 21st century, U.S. media continued to frame Black men negatively-as drug dealers, pimps, and thugs-to provide a rationale for the high number of them in prison. After the 13th Amendment passed, free Black men in chain gangs provided free labor, and this legacy lives on in for-profit prisons that benefit from the income generated from the sale of everyday necessities, such as toiletries, telephone calls, and food. Likewise, the media have historically framed Black women as loud, angry, lazy, and promiscuous. While the narrative didn't begin with Ronald Reagan's campaign for president of the United States, the aspiring president's campaign platform highlighted the myth of the "welfare queen." The legend surfaced in the 1970s to embody the myth that Black women are too lazy to work and would rather rely on public assistance subsidized by hard-working, upstanding White citizens. Former president Ronald Reagan introduced Linda Taylor during a campaign stop (Levin, 2013): "There's a woman in Chicago, who used 80 names, 30 addresses, 15 telephone numbers to collect food stamps, Social Security, veterans' benefits for four non-existent deceased veteran husbands, as well as welfare." And she wasn't the only one. Reagan bemoaned a welfare system "infested with fraud, although he kept returning to the woman in Chicago. She wore a fur coat. She drove a Cadillac. She paid for T-bone steaks with food stamps."

The world of cybercrime has transformed significantly over the past ten or twenty years. Early concerns focused on the vulnerability of the financial industry, including the crimes of identity theft and hacking. However, in recent years, cybercrime has evolved to include crimes of harassment, child pornography, rape, “cyberterrorism” and even murder. This work examines an emerging form of violent crime involving the internet: Social Media Victim Targeting Networks (SVTN). The anonymity and limited available law enforcement on social media sites leaves predators with a large pool of vulnerable victims provide predators a new way to display and strengthen their criminological tendencies. The authors will discuss some of the expansion of victim targeting networks to popular Internet social networking sites using case examples that help develop concepts to better understand, prevent, and investigate the behavior. Based upon this, recommendations for future research related to this very ...

With the increased number of documented cases of violence perpetrated by police against protesters of the Black Lives Matter movement, public health officials are starting to list police violence as a health risk or a public health issue for black Americans. Using several timely theoretical explanations, we explore reasons why law enforcement officers routinely inflict violence against black protesters and avoid criminal stigma. Although police use of excessive force and untimely killings of blacks have always been criminal justice issues, the number of negative health consequences that are emerging after violent police confrontations implicates public health concerns. We argue that several strategies can be used to reduce police violence in the future.

BACKGROUND Infodemiology is an emerging field of research that utilizes user-generated health-related content, such as that found in social media, to help improve public health. Twitter has become an important venue for studying emerging patterns in health issues like substance use because it can reflect trends in real-time and display messages generated directly by users, giving a uniquely personal voice to analyses. Over the past year, several states in the United States (U.S.) have passed legislation to legalize adult recreational use of cannabis and the federal government in Canada has done the same. There are few studies that examine the sentiment and content of tweets about cannabis since the recent legislative changes regarding cannabis have occurred in North America. OBJECTIVE To examine differences in the sentiment and content of cannabis-related tweets by state cannabis laws, and to examine differences in sentiment between the U.S and Canada between 2017-2019. METHODS In t...

This thesis aims at unpacking the discourse of "stick to sports," which audiences wield to police social and cultural boundaries and battles involving race, gender, and politics. The melding of sports and politics, primarily through social media platforms, riles up audiences resulting in arguments where larger social issues are deliberated and processed. The stick to sports discourse is used to dictate who can and can't speak and what kinds of discussions are appropriate in relation to sports. The sports network ESPN is a site for understanding how corporations leverage this discourse and use it to claim political neutrality, while disciplining employees for veering too far politically. This research will rely on several sites that will analyze the "stick to sports" discourse through industry practices and articulations of the discourse, utilizing Havens et al.'s (2009) critical media industry studies approach. ESPN will be a main source, while outside sports organizations will also be highlighted. Some of the sites include Dan Le Batard's political rant, the sports debate show "First Take," gender roles, Clay Travis and the NBA, Deadspin are all analyzed.

Emerging adults are encountering a developmental stage in a polymediated world that brings autonomy, intimacy, and identity to the forefront of their transition from adolescence to adulthood. This study focuses on traditionally-aged college students who are deeply immersed with digital technology and communication as a primary method to communicate and interact with peers, partners, teachers, and family members. To understand the relationship between digital communication and emerging adulthood, researchers facilitated a qualitative study grounded in ethnomethodological and dramaturgical perspective to uncover the unique ways in which college students make sense of their social media during this developmental time period. Data collection occurred through nine focus groups; in all, 44 undergraduate students participated. Findings illustrate four relevant patterns to the development of emerging adults: a key rationale for use among participants that is tied to both ritualized behavior...

This study explored how anti-vaccine beliefs and social media use operate as interrelated factors contributing to COVID-19-specific beliefs and actions. Results show that those harboring greater anti-vaccine sentiments rely strongly on social media sources for COVID-19 information. Tests of indirect effects show that COVID-19 information seeking on social media mediates the relationship between anti-vaccine beliefs and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. Furthermore, results support a three-step model linking anti-vaccine beliefs to reduced COVID-19 preventative actions through social media use and conspiracy beliefs. Although anti-vaccine beliefs and information seeking contribute to reduced prevention action, the results also indicate these factors have differing relationships with anti-vaccine intentions. Whereas anti-vaccine beliefs predict more vaccine resistance, COVID-19 information seeking on social media contributes to higher levels of vaccine efficacy and intentions.

Emerging adults are encountering a developmental stage in a polymediated world that brings autonomy, intimacy, and identity to the forefront of their transition from adolescence to adulthood. This study focuses on traditionally-aged college students who are deeply immersed with digital technology and communication as a primary method to communicate and interact with peers, partners, teachers, and family members. To understand the relationship between digital communication and emerging adulthood, researchers facilitated a qualitative study grounded in ethnomethodological and dramaturgical perspective to uncover the unique ways in which college students make sense of their social media during this developmental time period. Data collection occurred through nine focus groups; in all, 44 undergraduate students participated. Findings illustrate four relevant patterns to the development of emerging adults: a key rationale for use among participants that is tied to both ritualized behavior...

Political polarization, seen as a key threat to contemporary democracy, has been tied to the rise of digital social media. However, how this process develops in the context of a social media environment characterized by multiple platforms—with differing norms, contents, and affordances—has not been sufficiently explored. In the present article, we propose a distinction between positional polarization, that is, people’s view on a political issue, and interpretative polarization, that is, how that political issue is contextualized and understood. We use this distinction to examine an issue of political controversy in Israel, examining how polarization develops over time, on three social media platforms—Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. We find that contrasting positions are strongly connected to conflicting interpretations, both of which are clear from the start, with only minor overtime shifts. Moreover, while sharing broad similarities, the three platforms show a few distinctive pola...

Political polarization, seen as a key threat to contemporary democracy, has been tied to the rise of digital social media. However, how this process develops in the context of a social media environment characterized by multiple platforms—with differing norms, contents, and affordances—has not been sufficiently explored. In the present article, we propose a distinction between positional polarization, that is, people’s view on a political issue, and interpretative polarization, that is, how that political issue is contextualized and understood. We use this distinction to examine an issue of political controversy in Israel, examining how polarization develops over time, on three social media platforms—Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. We find that contrasting positions are strongly connected to conflicting interpretations, both of which are clear from the start, with only minor overtime shifts. Moreover, while sharing broad similarities, the three platforms show a few distinctive pola...

Social media is an environment where it enables the user's to create and share content or participate in all social networking activities; it has given rise to information overloading problem and knowledge starvation. Generally, in large conversational dataset like Twitter it is very difficult to identifying public health-related topics. Machine learning is the area which helps us to overcome this situation. By applying probabilistic unsupervised machine learning we have identified latent topics from the text corpora. Topic modeling algorithms are probabilistic generative models which is used to analyze the words of the original texts to identify themes that run through them, how connected to each other by themes, and how the topics change over (Blei in Commun ACM 55(4):77-84, 2012). In this paper we have proposed a framework for recommending health-related topics by applying an enhanced topic model hierarchical latent Dirichlet allocation for identifying public health-related topics and themes in tweets. We have tested our model by exploring tobacco usage across conversational data, as well as tested with the subset of data generated by tobacco related queries. Our test results indicate most of the public health related issues are uncovered in our model. However, this model provides relevant topic across the tobacco subset.

En las últimas décadas, se han multiplicado los estudios sobre la metáfora y la metonimia, entendidas no ya como recursos de estilo, sino como mecanismos conceptuales. El trabajo de Lakoff y Johnson (1980) funcionó como un gatillo que disparó esta novedosa concepción de la metáfora y los avances teóricos consiguientes. Uno de los derroteros que han tomado estas indagaciones es el del análisis de diversas metáforas en corpus de diversos géneros discursivos. En el presente trabajo, se estudian algunas metáforas y metonimias sobre la pandemia de la COVID-19 y la situación de cuarentena presentes en textos tomados de las redes. Se analizan metáforas y metonimias que proyectan sobre la coyuntura los dominios del fútbol, la religión, la guerra, la navegación y la computación, entre otros. Además, se exploran diversos tipos de personificación.In the last decades, studies on metaphor and metonymy have increased. These phenomena have been understood not as style resources, but as conceptual ...