Key research themes
1. How do user characteristics and behaviors influence engagement and platform preference on social networking sites?
This research theme focuses on understanding how demographic factors, personality traits, motivations, and behavioral characteristics affect the use and engagement patterns across different social networking platforms. Insights in this area are crucial for tailoring platform features, improving user experience, and guiding marketing strategies.
2. What organizational and infrastructural factors define the emergence, legitimacy, and architecture of social networking platforms?
This theme explores social networking sites (SNS) beyond user interaction, framing them as emergent organizational forms with unique infrastructures. Understanding their legitimation processes, business models, and technical architectures is critical for grasping their sustainability, scalability, and influence on digital ecosystems.
3. How do social networking platforms mediate content regulation, privacy, and security challenges in modern online interactions?
This research theme investigates the challenges social networking platforms face in managing privacy, content moderation—especially hate speech—and security vulnerabilities. Understanding these issues is vital for maintaining user trust, safety, and compliance with human rights standards in an increasingly digital social environment.