Facebook use by people with learning disabilities: The case for facilitated, guided autonomy

Facebook is a worldwide phenomenon. However, for people with learning disabilities, the platform presents many challenges. These relate to social skills, self-expression and avoiding exploitation or other hurtful experiences. This study explores factors relating to Facebook use or abstinence by this cohort; how these may be influenced by their learning disabilities, and how supporters can help mitigate any difficulties or barriers. In-depth interviews (n = 115) and observations of usage were conducted. The findings revealed that themes elicited centred around passive consumption of content, supporter controls, virtual connectivity, vicarious enjoyment and aspects concerning the projection of self. Factors related to non-use included a lack of knowledge or access to the platform. A case is made for supporters practicing ‘facilitated, guided autonomy’ by working with those whom they support to help evaluate ‘friend’ requests, compose posts and generally, emphasising their subservience to those whom they support, act as ‘Facebook assistants’

The right to be forgotten on the Internet for children and teenagers. A survey in Spain

The right to be forgotten is one of the hallmarks of privacy regulation on the Internet. The article explores the arguments advocating for a right to be forgotten specifically in cases regarding children, and examines whether minors see the need for such a right. In doing so, it addresses criticism that children’s rights studies often fail to consider the views of minors. The methodology adopted consists firstly of a literary review on children’s right to be forgotten. This work was complemented by a survey of 652 children and teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, from all Spanish regions, which offered evidence of their views on the right to be forgotten.El derecho al olvido es uno de los aspectos distintivos de la regulación de la privacidad en Internet. El artículo revisa los argumentos que apoyan la existencia de un derecho al olvido específico de los menores de edad, y estudia si los menores perciben la necesidad de este derecho. De esta forma se responde a la crítica, habitual en este tipo de trabajos propositivos, de no haber atendido a la opinión de los sujetos implicados. La metodología seguida tiene dos elementos esenciales. En primer lugar, se procede a una revisión de la literatura que ha tratado el tema del derecho al olvido de los menores en Internet. Se completa la investigación con una encuesta dirigida a niños y adolescentes entre 13 y 18 años, de todas las Comunidades Autónomicas de España, que ofrece evidencias sobre sus percepciones acerca del derecho al olvido en su uso de las redes sociales

Categorizing Young Facebook Users Based On Their Differential Preference of Social Media Heuristics: A Q-Methodology Approach

Background: Social media have become an integral part of our modern society by providing platforms for users to create and exchange news, ideas, and information. The increasing use of social media has raised concerns about the reliability of the shared information, particularly information that is generated from anonymous users. Though prior studies have confirmed the important roles of heuristics and cues in the users’ evaluation of trustworthy information, there has been no research–to our knowledge–that categorized Facebook users based on their approaches to evaluating information credibility. Method: We employed Q-methodology to extract insights from 55 young Vietnamese users and to categorize them into different groups based on the distinct sets of heuristics that they used to evaluate the trustworthiness of online information on Facebook. Results: We identified four distinct types of young Facebook user groups that emerged based on their evaluation of online information trustworthiness. When evaluating online information trustworthiness on Facebook, these user groups assigned priorities differently to the characteristics of the online content, its original source, and the sharers or aggregators. We named these groups: (1) the balanced analyst, (2) the critical analyst, (3) the source analyst, and (4) the social network analyst. Conclusion: The findings offer insights that contribute to information processing literature. Moreover, marketing practitioners who aim to disseminate information effectively on social networks should take these user groups’ perspectives into consideration

A study of social media users??? perceptional typologies and relationships to self-identity and personality

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe different viewpoints on the use of social networking sites (SNSs). It analyzes perceptional typologies of SNS users and the characteristics of each type, which has similarities and differences. It also examined possible relationships among different perceptional types, users??? self-identities, and their personality. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilized Q-methodology in order to identify diverse explanations of SNS users??? perspectives. Q-methodology requires participants (referred to as P sample) to sort a series of items (Q-statements). After completing a questionnaire including demographics, self-identity, etc., each respondent performed the Q-sorting work. This task involves sorting well-composed statements about SNSs (Q-sample). In all, 46 SNS users from a university in Korea were chosen as participants. Once the P sample had finished Q-sorting, participants had in-depth interviews. When all interviews were finalized, analysis of the Q-sorts was done with the help of QUNAL program. Findings: Consequently, four types of SNS users were identified and given the following descriptive labels: Impression Management Type, Lurker Type, SNS Enjoyer and Relationship Focus Type, and Social Value Orientation Type. Further, there was a significant difference in ???Relational Identity??? among user types. Regarding personality, the extraversion of Type III appeared to be the highest, and the extraversion of Type II appeared to be the lowest. Originality/value: Combining aspects of both qualitative and quantitative research to study the subjectivity, the findings of this study provide insight for further research regarding an audience study or an examination of the media behaviors of SNSs. It also suggests theoretical and practical implications

The development of IT identity due to social media use : antecedents and impact on computer-based office work during COVID-19 pandemic

IT identity is a relatively new concept in the area of Management Information Systems (MIS). Its importance has become increasingly pronounced as identity is one of the predictors of human behavior. At the same time, understanding the behavior of individuals when using information technology (IT) in the workplace represents the link between technology investments and increased performance through IT. In this respect, one of the most used communication technologies recently, social media, allows individuals to extensively experience different facets of their identities. The overall objective of this thesis is to understand the development of IT identity due to social media use and assess its impact on computer-based office work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three specific objectives were defined for this purpose. Thus, the thesis is structured in three papers that sought to respond to each of the specific objectives, which are: (i) identify the possible antecedents of the development of IT identity due to social media use, (ii) the connection between them and the three reflective dimensions that constitute the identity of IT and, finally, (iii) the impact of IT identity due to the use of social media in the organizational scope. The first paper is a theoretical study and proposes the adaptation and expansion of Carter's original theoretical model (2012) from the theoretical instances related to this technology and that can influence the development of IT identity due to social media use. As a result, a conceptual model was developed. Ten propositions related to the concepts derived from the literature and inserted in three main instances of IT identity development were presented due to the use of social media. The empirical investigation of the relationship between the antecedents of the model proposed in the first paper and the three dimensions of IT identity began in the second article of the thesis. For this purpose, a netnography was proposed and executed between 2019 and 2021. One of the paper's findings indicated that the frequency of use of WhatsApp can lead to precipitation of the most strongly polarized behavior and that one of the reflective dimensions of IT identity, relatedness with WhatsApp, can play a preponderant role in the precipitation of such behavior. From this result, in paper 3, a quantitative and exploratory study, based on duality theory, sought to develop and test hypotheses about how IT identity concerning social media can benefit, but at the same time bring negative consequences for computer-based office workers in the current period of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this, a model was proposed showing the relationship between the dimensions of IT identity and four facets of the so-called New Ways of Working. Among the study's findings, it was verified that IT identity in relation to social media platforms could be a positive factor in preserving the cohesion of employees professional identity since feelings of affinity and emotional energy in relation to these technologies favored access to organizational knowledge and colleagues when working remotely. This thesis can contribute to expanding Carter's (2012) model to contemplate a class of IT as social media is constituted (paper 1). In turn, the expansion of the original model can potentially contribute to broadening the understanding of this technology's role in fostering polarized behavior in the use of WhatsApp, one of the most used social media these times(paper 2). Finally, in the third paper, the indication that the frequency of WhatsApp use may be associated with a strong IT identity about this technology (verified in paper 2) led to the proposition of a model to empirically test how the three dimensions of IT Identity in relation to the use of social media, directly and indirectly, influence the aspects of new ways of working for workers using computer devices to perform their duties. Emotional energy in relation to social media (i.e., prolonged feelings of confidence, enthusiasm, and energy toward social media) is positively related to superior performance when individuals direct it to their work use, allowing them to better handle the work-life conflict. The thesis presents limitations regarding its ability to inferences that were addressed in each of the papers. Similarly, suggestions for future research were presented in each paper. Finally, the conclusion chapter presents the integration of the thesis papers to form the complete study, the overview of research objectives, the main results, contributions to academia and practice, its limitations, and suggestions for future research.A identidade de TI é um conceito relativamente novo na área de Gestão de Sistemas de Informação (GSI). A sua importância tem se tornado cada vez mais acentuada na medida que a identidade é um dos preditores do comportamento humano. Paralelamente, a compreensão do comportamento dos indivíduos ao utilizar a tecnologia da informação (TI) no ambiente de trabalho representa o elo entre os investimentos em tecnologia e o aumento do desempenho por meio da TI. Sob esse aspecto, uma das tecnologias de comunicação mais usadas em tempos atuais, as mídias sociais, permitem de forma extensiva que os indivíduos experimentem diferentes facetas das suas identidades. O objetivo geral dessa tese é compreender o desenvolvimento da identidade de TI devido ao uso de mídias sociais e avaliar o seu impacto para os trabalhadores de escritório que utilizam dispositivos computacionais para executar suas funções de trabalho durante o período da pandemia de COVID-19. Para isso foram definidos três objetivos específicos. Sendo assim, a tese está estruturada em três artigos que buscam responder a cada um dos objetivos específicos, quais são: (i) identificar os possíveis antecedentes do desenvolvimento da identidade de TI devido ao uso de mídias sociais, (ii) a conexão entre eles e as três dimensões reflexivas que constituem a identidade de TI e, por fim, (iii) o impacto da identidade de TI devido ao uso de mídias sociais no âmbito organizacional. O primeiro artigo, de natureza teórica, propõe a adaptação e expansão do modelo teórico original de Carter (2012) a partir das instâncias teóricas aderentes ao uso e que influenciam o desenvolvimento da identidade de TI pelo uso de mídias sociais. Como resultado, foi desenvolvido um modelo conceitual em que foram apresentadas dez proposições interrelacionando os conceitos derivados da literatura e inseridos em três instâncias principais de desenvolvimento da identidade de TI devido ao uso de mídias sociais. A investigação empírica da relação entre os antecedentes do modelo proposto no artigo 1 e as três dimensões da identidade de TI iniciou-se na sequência no segundo artigo da tese. Para isso foi proposta uma netnografia que foi executada entre 2019 e 2021. Um dos achados do artigo indicou que a frequência de uso do WhatsApp pode levar a precipitação do comportamento mais fortemente polarizado e que uma das dimensões reflexivas da identidade de TI, a afinidade com o WhatsApp, pode desempenhar um papel preponderante na precipitação de tal comportamento. A partir desse resultado, no artigo 3, de natureza quantitativa e exploratória, tendo como base a teoria da dualidade, buscou-se desenvolver e testar hipóteses sobre como a identidade de TI em relação às mídias sociais pode beneficiar, mas ao mesmo tempo trazer consequências negativas para os trabalhadores de escritório que usam principalmente dispositivos computacionais para cumprir suas tarefas no atual período da pandemia de COVID-19. Para isso, foi proposto um modelo apresentando a relação entre as dimensões da identidade de TI e quatro facetas das chamadas Novas Formas de Trabalho. Entre os achados deste estudo, foi verificado que a identidade de TI em relação às plataformas de mídias sociais pode ser um fator positivo na preservação da coesão da identidade profissional dos colaboradores, uma vez que sentimentos de afinidade e energia emocional em relação a essas tecnologias favoreceram o acesso ao conhecimento organizacional e aos colegas ao trabalhar remotamente. Destacam-se como contribuições dessa tese a expansão do modelo de Carter (2012) para contemplar uma classe de TIs como são constituídas as mídias sociais (artigo 1). Por sua vez, a expansão do modelo original contribuiu para ampliar a compreensão do papel dessa tecnologia em fomentar o comportamento polarizado no uso do WhatsApp, uma das mídias sociais mais utilizadas em tempos atuais (artigo 2). Finalmente, no terceiro artigo a indicação de que a frequência de uso no WhatsApp pode estar associada a uma forte identidade de TI em relação a essa tecnologia (verificada no artigo 2), levou a proposição de um modelo para testar empiricamente de que forma as três dimensões da IT Identity em relação ao uso de mídias sociais influenciam direta e indiretamente os aspectos das novas formas de trabalho para os trabalhadores que utilizam dispositivos computacionais para desempenhar suas funções. A energia emocional em relação às mídias sociais (ou seja, sentimentos prolongados de confiança, entusiasmo e energia em relação às mídias sociais) está positivamente relacionada a um desempenho superior quando os indivíduos a direcionam para o seu uso do trabalho, permitindo-lhes também lidar melhor com os conflitos entre a vida profissional e a vida profissional. A tese apresenta limitações quanto a sua capacidade de inferências que foram endereçadas em cada um dos artigos. Da mesma forma, sugestões de pesquisas futuras foram apresentadas em cada artigo. Por fim, o capítulo de conclusão apresenta a integração dos artigos da tese para a formação do estudo completa, a retomada dos objetivos de pesquisa, os principais resultados, contribuições para a academia e para a prática, suas limitações e sugestões para pesquisas futuras

보정어플을 통한 SNS 사용자들의 자기 표현

학위논문(석사) -- 서울대학교대학원 : 생활과학대학 의류학과, 2023. 2. 하지수.오늘날의 사회에서 기술의 발전은 문화와 생활 방식에 대한 접근 방식을 변화시켰고, 결과적으로 새로운 자기 표현 방식을 탄생시켰다. 이러한 변화의 중심에 소셜 네트워킹 플랫폼이 있는데 사람들이 오프라인보다 온라인에서 더 많은 활동을 하고 시간을 투자함으로써 전통적인 사회 구조와 상호 작용 방식이 달라졌다는 것을 쉽게 볼 수가 있다. 이러한 새롭게 변화된 온라인 환경에서, 보정과정을 거친 개인의 셀카는 다른 사람들과의 시각적 의사소통과 참여의 주요 매개체이다. 따라서 본 연구의 목적은 소셜 미디어에서 자신의 프레젠테이션을 지원하는 도구인 셀카와 사진 보정 앱 내의 표현 특성을 조사하는 데 있다. 연구는 총 세개의 연구문제로 이루어져 있으며 첫째, 소셜 미디어의 온라인 특성과 다른 사람과의 상호작용에 미치는 영향에 대한 조사는 온라인 미디어와의 개인적인 자기표현이 어떻게 작동하는지 이해하는 바탕으로, 앱을 사용하여 셀카를 편집하는 소셜 미디어 사용자의 근본적인 동기를 파악한다. 둘째, 소셜 미디어 사용자의 욕구에 특정 방식으로 영향을 미치는 다양한 요소들이 이러한 요소들이 사용자의 자아 이미지 표현에 대한 접근 방식을 어떻게 형성하는지 탐구한다. 마지막으로, 이상적인 '자기'에 대한 묘사에서 서로 다른 소셜 미디어 사용자의 다양한 욕구에 대한 더 깊은 이해를 얻기 위해 자기 개념 및 이미지와 관련된 특정 앱 기능과 자기 표현 방식 간의 상관관계를 조사한다. 방법론적 측면에서 질적 접근법을 선택하였으며, 위에 열거된 목적에 대한 자료를 수집하기 위해 총 20명의 한국 참가자를 대상으로 개별 심층 인터뷰를 실시하였다. 본 연구는 면접참여자 자신의 주관적 경험을 통해 이해하고자 하는 의미현상을 효과적으로 보존하고 있기 때문에 Giorgi의 서술적 현상학적 방법을 자료분석의 틀로 활용하였다. 분석된 자료의 결과는 사진편집 앱 사용동기 내 3개 범주(소셜미디어의 영향, 외모 가꾸기, 온라인 문화의 적응), 자기표현의 영향요인 내 5개 범주(자기결정 자율성 요인, 소셜미디어 매체 성격 요인, 개인적인 관점 요인, 소셜미디어 사용자 요인, 사회적 요인), 소셜 미디어 사용자의 자기 프레젠테이션 및 편집 셀카에 대한 접근 방식에서 공유된 일반 규칙 내의 네 가지 범주(진정성 있는 자기표션, '가짜'로 보일 것을 두려워하여 극단적인 편집을 피하는 행동, 일반적인 편집 관련 보정 규칙, 셀카 편집 도구의 자연스러운 활용방법), 추구하는 온라인 자기 이미지 내의 여섯 가지 범주(자연스러운 이미지, 내가 원하는 대로 삶을 사는 이미지, 다양하고 제한되지 않는 이미지, 호불호가 없어 다양한 사람들에게 호감을 사는 이미지, 상냥하고 다가가기 쉬운 이미지, 도시적이고 세련된 이미지)로 분류 된다. 본 연구의 결과는 전반적으로 사진편집 앱을 통해 매개되는 자신의 자기표현에 대한 시각지향적 소셜미디어 플랫폼의 역동성의 중요성뿐만 아니라 소셜미디어 사용자의 개별적인 자기 이미지 욕구가 어떻게 반영되는지에 대한 철저한 이해를 제공하기 부분에서 연구 의의가 있다.In today's society, advances in technology have transformed approaches to culture and lifestyles, resulting in a different mode of self presentation as well. Traditional social structures and modes of interactions have shifted, as individuals spend more time online than offline, with social networking platforms at the center of this change. Here, the used of edited selfies are the main mediums of visual communication and engagement with others. This studys objectives lie in the investigation of expressive characteristics within selfies and especially photo-editing apps, as tools to assist ones self presentation on social media. First, an inspection of the online nature of social media and its influence on interactions with others is used as a foundation to understand how personal self presentation with online mediums work, and also identify social media users underlying motivations for using apps to edit selfies. Second various factors that influence social media users desires be viewed in a certain way are explored, along with how these factors shape the users approaches to their expression of self-image. Lastly, the correlations between specific app features and ways of self-presentation in relation to self-concept and image are examined to gain a deeper comprehension on the diverse desires of different social media users in their portrayal of the ideal self. A qualitative approach in terms of methodology was chosen, in which individual in-depth interviews of a total of twenty participants from South Korea was conducted to gather data concerning the aims listed above. Giorgis descriptive phenomenological method was used as the frame for data analysis as it effectively preserves the meaning phenomena this study wishes to understand through interview participants own subjective experience. Results of analyzed data revealed three categories within photo-editing app usage motivations (influence of social media, polishing ones appearance, online acculturation), five categories within influencing factors of self presentation (self autonomy factors, nature of social media medium factors, personal perspective factors, social media user factors, socio-cultural factors), four categories within shared general rules of social media users in their approach to self presentation and editing selfies (authentic style of self presentation, avoiding extreme edits in fear of looking 'fake', general rules of edits, natural methods of selfie editing tool), and six categories in desired online self-image (natural image, living life as I want image, diverse and unrestricted image, crowd-pleaser image, amiable and easy-going image, urban and refined image) Overall, the findings of this study are of value as it provides a thorough understanding of not only the significance of the dynamics of a visual-oriented social media platform on ones self presentation mediated through photo-editing apps, but also how the distinct editing processes of social media users reflect of their individual self-image desires.Chapter I. Introduction 1 1. Background 1 2. Research Purpose, Questions, Implications 3 Chapter II. Literature Review 6 1. The Concept of 'Self' and Self Presentation 6 1.1 The 'Self' and Self-Concept 6 1.2 Self Presentation and Impression Management (Goffman) 7 1.3 Self Presentation and Impression Management (Leary and Kowalski) 8 2. Rise of the Social Media 10 2.1 Characteristics and Applications of Social Media 10 2.2 Online Self Presentation and Identity Exploration 11 3. Selfie, Selfie Editing and Beauty Apps 14 3.1 The 'Selfie' 14 3.2 The Normalization of Selfie Editing 15 3.3 Proliferation of Photo-Editing Apps 16 3.4 Influence of Self-Discrepancy on Self Esteem 19 4. Fashion Image and Self Presentation 21 4.1 Fashion Image and Self Concept 21 Chapter III. Methodology 24 1. Phenomenology 24 2. In-depth Interview (IDI) 25 3. Interview Design 25 3.1 Participants Selection and Recruitment 25 3.2 Interview Structure 27 3.3 Interview Question 28 4. Procedures 29 4.1 IRB Approval 29 4.2 Data Collection 29 4.3 Data Analysis 29 Chapter IV. Results (Empirical Study) 32 1. Overview of results 32 2. Photo-Editing App Usage Motivations 32 2.1 Influence of Social Media 32 2.2 Polishing One's Appearance 38 2.3 Online Acculturation 45 3. Influencing Factors of Self Presentation 50 3.1 Self Autonomy Factors 50 3.2 Nature of Social Media Medium Factors 55 3.3 Personal Perspective Factors 58 3.4 Social Media User Factors 60 3.5 Socio-Cultural Factors 63 4. Shared General Rules of Social Media Users 68 4.1 Authentic Style of Self Presentation 68 4.2 Avoiding Extreme Edits in Fear of Looking 'Fake' 75 4.3 General Rules of Edits 83 4.4 Natural Methods of Selfie Editing Tool 86 5. Desired Online 'Self' Image 89 5.1 Natural Image 89 5.2 Living Life as I want, Image 92 5.3 Diverse and Unrestricted Image 95 5.4 Crowd-Pleaser Image 98 5.5 Amiable, Easy-Going Image 103 5.6 Urban and Refined Image 108 Chapter V. Conclusion and Discussion 114 Bibliography 117 Abstract in Korean 125석

Me and my brands: drivers and outcomes of 'brand selfies'

With millions of selfies posted daily, including with brands, the selfie phenomenon has unsurprisingly gained considerable academic and practitioner attention in recent years. Despite a plethora of studies on selfies stemming from several fields of scholarly inquiry, research on brand selfies has in contrast remained scant, and presents several shortcomings. This study aims to address a research gap by establishing what motivates individuals to post brand selfies. Based on the Uses & Gratifications theory, three studies were conducted. Firstly, an exploratory content analysis(study 1)of 2,000 brand selfies was developed to establish their visual and textual characteristics. A conceptual model of drivers and outcomes of brand selfies was subsequently developed using a two-step approach of 20 semi-structured interviews (study 2), and an online survey of n=511 participants recruited from an online panel (study 3).Study 1 revealed that brand selfies’ characteristics are not homogeneous, and helped identify 8 categories of consumer-generated hashtags. Study 2 helped uncover four consumer motives for posting brand selfies,(1) attention seeking, (2) status seeking, (3) social interaction, (4) archiving, and two brand-led drivers, (5) actual and (6) ideal self-congruence. Brand attachment and narcissism were inferred as moderators, while solicited WoM and unsolicited WoM were inferred as outcomes of posting intent. In study 3the conceptual model was tested using SEM, with the results largely supporting the hypotheses. The data show that status seeking, social interaction, archiving, and actual self-congruence positively influence posting intent. Brand attachment and narcissism were found to weaken posting intent when selfies were posted as a result of actual self-congruence, to archive the self, or to seek status. Lastly, the data indicate that solicited WoM and unsolicited WoM are mediated through posting intent. Overall, the thesis contributes to the burgeoning literature on the brand selfie phenomenon and offers additional contributions to the brand UGC, hashtag, psychology, and WoM literature. The findings provide important strategic implications for social media marketers involved in the development of brand selfies campaigns

A mixed methods examination of the antecedents of user self-disclosure on digital health platforms

Digital health platforms (DHPs) present the opportunity for individuals to manage their personal health more effectively through seeking and obtaining health advice. However, little is known about the factors that influence self-disclosure on these platforms and are therefore critical for their success. This research proposes that self-disclosure on a DHP is influenced by trust in health platforms (THP) and health information privacy concerns (HIPC) across different cultures and personalities. Using data from Ireland and the United States, it develops a framework that harnesses social exchange theory (SET) and social penetration theory (SPT) as a lens to understand self-disclosure on DHPs. It examines the factors that generate THP and HIPC. It then determines the influence of THP and HIPC on self-disclosure. Finally, the model offers a unique look at the role of personality traits and the influence they have on likelihood to self-disclose. A two-stage mixed-methods data collection approach was employed to explore these propositions. Quantitative surveys were used to collect data from 300 participants in Ireland and America. 20 qualitative research interviews were then conducted with Irish and American participants. The quantitative and qualitative findings were then integrated and evaluated in the context of the hypothesised relationships. The integrated findings show THP is the critical pathway to self-disclosure. THP is shaped by social influence, perceived reciprocity and privacy risk beliefs. HIPC is shown to reduce THP. Personality traits also influence self-disclosure. This study extends SET and SPT to a digital health platform context. The findings provide actionable insights, which can assist policy makers who wish to protect citizen health data and health technology vendors who seek to develop trustworthy platforms