Connecting the Bots: Researchers Uncover Invisible Influence on Social Media
University of GeorgiaA trending story on Twitter could mean thousands of people care about an issue—or that some computers are doing their jobs.
A trending story on Twitter could mean thousands of people care about an issue—or that some computers are doing their jobs.
Cedars-Sinai researchers analyzed thousands of social media posts to determine the biggest concerns patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have about their prescribed treatments. The No. 1 patient concern: Risks of side effects from biologic medications even when risks are remote.
“Internet addiction in children and adolescents is a growing problem and part of our culture. The internet is a wonderful servant, but a cruel and crippling master,” Dr. Rosenberg said. “There is some debate in the field about whether internet addiction is real addiction or pathology. We contend it exists, and it can devastate children and their families. But there are differences – as well as similarities – with other addictive behavior, and you can't just stop with a diagnosis of internet addiction, since there are always underlying conditions that must be aggressively diagnosed and treated for the long-term benefit of the internet addiction.”
University of Washington researchers have conducted a new study that explores the attitudes and concerns of both parents and children who play with internet-connected toys. Through a series of in-depth interviews and observations, the researchers found that kids didn’t know their toys were recording their conversations, and parents generally worried about their children’s privacy when they played with the toys.
“Fake news” and “failing nytimes” are the two phrases Donald Trump tweeted most in his first 100 days in office, showing just how much the president used Twitter to target the media at the start of his administration, according to Temple University researchers.
Despite what some politicians argue, fake news and biased search algorithms aren’t swaying public opinion, finds a Michigan State University researcher.
In the 2011-12 elections, Russia’s government leaders underestimated the power of the internet and it impacted the outcome of the elections and spurred massive demonstrations in response to Vladimir Putin’s stage-managing the presidential succession and evidence of widespread fraud. While the effects of internet use on political participation are well understood, the mechanisms of how this happens is unclear. A new study uncovers how social media can drive support for opposition in an autocratic state.
When it comes to sharing new research findings with the world, Twitter has emerged as a key tool for scientists. A new study shows a way for research findings to reach even more people, by boiling them down into a Twitter-friendly graphic called a “visual abstract”. The result: Nearly three times as many clicks to read the full paper.
“If you are obsessed with Instagram, you might get an influx of anxiety chemicals that your body strives to reduce by logging into Instagram. We see this type of obsession with smartphones and social media, and it is rampant.” – Dr. Larry Rosen, CSU Dominguez Hills
Having it your way on political websites and seeing only the content that aligns with your beliefs is not good for democracy, according to Ivan Dylko, an assistant professor in the University at Buffalo’s Department of Communication and an expert in the political effects of communication technology.
People are turning to Instagram as a place where they can log food intake and healthy eating behaviors by posting photos of everything they eat - and being held accountable by followers for sticking to their goals, a new study finds.
New Iowa State research offers compelling evidence that media violence affects aggressive behavior. This first-of-its-kind study, conducted in seven different countries, confirms six decades of research showing the effect is the same, regardless of culture.
Reader preferences for liberal or conservative political books also attract them to different types of science books, according to a new study. The result supports observations that the divisiveness of politics in the United States has spread to scientific communication as well, endangering the role of science as politically neutral ground.
An online calculator predicts people's risk for heart disease and diabetes more accurately than traditional methods, a large study has found. Creators hope it will prompt patients to make lifestyle changes that would spare them the suffering and expense of avoidable illnesses.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland welcomes The Onion creator Scott Dikkers on Friday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics and Recreation Center, 19050 Hill Commons Drive. Dikkers will discuss “The Real Story of Fake News” in what promises to be a hilarious and insightful lecture.
Social media can warn us about extreme weather events before they happen – such as hurricanes, storms and floods – according to new research by the University of Warwick.
Success for employees in the digital workplace of the future will require a suite of new skillsets and an agile, adaptable outlook.
Simply building up followers on Facebook isn't enough to boost a brand’s sales. If companies want to convert social media fans into more active customers, they have to engage them with advertising, according to a new Tulane University study in the Journal of Marketing Research. .
Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. citizens gets food poisoning every year, but very few report it. Twitter communications between the public and the proper government authorities could improve foodborne illness reporting as well as the steps that follow, according to a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.
The internet of things promises to revolutionize the way we live, connecting the objects in our homes to one another and to the vast array of information available online. The possibilities are enormous, and one benefit may be improving our health.
Underage youth are nearly twice as likely to recall seeing alcohol marketing on the internet than adults, with almost one in three saying they saw alcohol-related content in the previous month, according to a new pilot survey led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
A team of scientists have invented an instrument for measuring calories in social media. This "lexicocalorimeter" gathers tens of millions of geo-tagged Twitter posts from across the United States and presents a portrait of each state's calorie balance based on food and activity words. The results correlate closely with traditional measures of well-being and the approach could become a new remote-sensing tool for public health officials. The results were published in PLOS ONE.
The research reveals three categories of selfie takers and dispels the notion that they are inherently narcissistic.
One of the best gifts a person could give their significant other for Valentine's Day is a discussion on boundaries regarding social media, according to a researcher at Kansas State University.
ProMedica, an Ohio-based health system, and Paramount Health Care, a health insurance provider affiliated with ProMedica, are collaborating with American Well, a leading telehealth company, to offer live video medical visits 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Third-party “infomediary” websites that aim to inform the public about products are sometimes, inadvertently, doing a disservice to the people they’re trying to help, according to new research.
Marketing expert Deborah Cohn of NYIT School of Management and conflict resolution expert Joshua Bienstock (also at NYIT) have won two grants to research social media behaviors and work relationships across four countries.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed an online “knowledgebase” intended for the gathering and organization of cancer genomic information so that clinicians have improved chances of identifying important mutations in a patient’s tumor and potentially connecting genetic errors with drugs known to target them. The online resource, called CIViC, is described Jan. 30 in Nature Genetics.
Across the world, social media users leave a trail of clues about themselves each time they Tweet, post to Facebook, write a Yelp review, and apply a filter and hashtags to their latest Instagram photo. Under the leadership of Raina Merchant, MD, MSHP, researchers and physicians at Penn Medicine are mining those clues to find what ails them – and how to fix it.
If you're seeking investments through online marketing or crowd-funding websites, be sure to smile in your profile photo or your post. But maybe not too big.
Tim Weninger, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame, conducted two large-scale experiments on Reddit and the results provide insight into how a single up/down vote can influence what content users see on the site.
Most people are concerned about the prospect of their social media accounts being hacked, but a new study finds that it’s actually people we know who frequently access our accounts without our permission.
Research from Tufts University used anonymous Facebook data from almost 17 million social connections in 55 countries to determine that the role of weak and strong ties in job searches is important around the world, but the value of a single strong tie is even more important for job seekers in countries with pronounced income inequality.
Leaders in digital technology, education, business, and city governance gathered in El Segundo Dec. 14 for Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation’s (LAEDC) Future Forums: Cyber Security to address society’s increasing vulnerability to cyber threats.
The Observatory on Social Media at Indiana University has launched a powerful new tool in the fight against fake news. The tool, called Hoaxy, visualizes how claims in the news -- and fact checks of those claims -- spread online through social networks.
Online platforms that allow users to read and write reviews of businesses and services afford health care providers an opportunity to learn by listening, Penn Medicine physicians say in a new Viewpoint published today in JAMA. The authors point to a growing body of literature supporting the value of unstructured reviews in supplementing ratings from formal sources such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Heathcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). They call on hospital leaders to pay attention to online reviews to show current and prospective patients that they are being heard.
Warning: Surfing the internet in class is now linked to poorer test scores, even among the most intelligent and motivated of students.
The prevalence of online harassment is well documented. That’s why an Iowa State researcher is part of a team working to understand why people engage in online harassment and how best to prevent it from happening.
A new statistical review of 62 studies with over 13,000 individuals found that narcissism has a modest but reliable positive relationship with a range of social media behaviors.
Researchers suggest a better algorithm for digital recommendation systems that suggest songs, movies, or romantic partners for you.
Research is pointing to something called healthy sexting — a vehicle for enhancing the amorous dimensions of loving relationships.
For businesses using social media, posts with high engagement have the greatest impact on customer spending, according to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management.
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