48,421 research outputs found
Minds Online: The Interface between Web Science, Cognitive Science, and the Philosophy of Mind
Alongside existing research into the social, political and economic impacts of the Web, there is a need to study the Web from a cognitive and epistemic perspective. This is particularly so as new and emerging technologies alter the nature of our interactive engagements with the Web, transforming the extent to which our thoughts and actions are shaped by the online environment. Situated and ecological approaches to cognition are relevant to understanding the cognitive significance of the Web because of the emphasis they place on forces and factors that reside at the level of agentâworld interactions. In particular, by adopting a situated or ecological approach to cognition, we are able to assess the significance of the Web from the perspective of research into embodied, extended, embedded, social and collective cognition. The results of this analysis help to reshape the interdisciplinary configuration of Web Science, expanding its theoretical and empirical remit to include the disciplines of both cognitive science and the philosophy of mind
Pathways to Fragmentation:User Flows and Web Distribution Infrastructures
This study analyzes how web audiences flow across online digital features. We
construct a directed network of user flows based on sequential user
clickstreams for all popular websites (n=1761), using traffic data obtained
from a panel of a million web users in the United States. We analyze these data
to identify constellations of websites that are frequently browsed together in
temporal sequences, both by similar user groups in different browsing sessions
as well as by disparate users. Our analyses thus render visible previously
hidden online collectives and generate insight into the varied roles that
curatorial infrastructures may play in shaping audience fragmentation on the
web
Recommended from our members
Social media research: influencing the influencers
One of the central concepts in marketing theory is the idea that some individuals are more
influential than others, and that these influencers play a central role in driving adoption of
new products and services. From a customer service perspective, when these influencers
are dissatisfied, they are able to drive disproportionally large numbers of customers, and
potential customers, away. This report includes two pieces of research to help organisations
engage with, and manage, online influencers.
The first investigates the role of hyperinfluencers in online rate-and-review sites. Whilst
existing research suggests that most individuals who post online are motivated by feelings of
altruism or reciprocity this study found that the hyperinfluencers viewed reviewing products
as a form of entertainment, creating âgameâ elements out of the review process.
The second piece of research examined the role of influence on social media sites,
specifically Facebook, and questions whether it is possible to build effective brand
communities on Facebook. The effectiveness of Facebook as a tool for building relationships
with customers has been questioned, with some arguing that Facebook has only a limited
value for marketers as a platform for promotions and offers. The research indicates that
effective brand communities can be built on Facebook, but many brands are currently
adopting social media community strategies that actually destroy brand value.
For both pieces of research recommendations are provided for best practice in maximising
the beneficial effect of online influencers, and minimising the potential for damaging brands
online
Cultural consequences of computing technology
Computing technology is clearly a technical revolution, but will most probably bring about a cultural revolution\ud
as well. The effects of this technology on human culture will be dramatic and far-reaching. Yet, computers and\ud
electronic networks are but the latest development in a long history of cognitive tools, such as writing and printing.\ud
We will examine this history, which exhibits long-term trends toward an increasing democratization of culture,\ud
before turning to today's technology. Within this framework, we will analyze the probable effects of computing on\ud
culture: dynamical representations, generalized networking, constant modification and reproduction. To address the\ud
problems posed by this new technical environment, we will suggest possible remedies. In particular, the role of\ud
social institutions will be discussed, and we will outline the shape of new electronic institutions able to deal with the\ud
information flow on the internet
Network-based ranking in social systems: three challenges
Ranking algorithms are pervasive in our increasingly digitized societies,
with important real-world applications including recommender systems, search
engines, and influencer marketing practices. From a network science
perspective, network-based ranking algorithms solve fundamental problems
related to the identification of vital nodes for the stability and dynamics of
a complex system. Despite the ubiquitous and successful applications of these
algorithms, we argue that our understanding of their performance and their
applications to real-world problems face three fundamental challenges: (i)
Rankings might be biased by various factors; (2) their effectiveness might be
limited to specific problems; and (3) agents' decisions driven by rankings
might result in potentially vicious feedback mechanisms and unhealthy systemic
consequences. Methods rooted in network science and agent-based modeling can
help us to understand and overcome these challenges.Comment: Perspective article. 9 pages, 3 figure
Measuring Online Social Bubbles
Social media have quickly become a prevalent channel to access information,
spread ideas, and influence opinions. However, it has been suggested that
social and algorithmic filtering may cause exposure to less diverse points of
view, and even foster polarization and misinformation. Here we explore and
validate this hypothesis quantitatively for the first time, at the collective
and individual levels, by mining three massive datasets of web traffic, search
logs, and Twitter posts. Our analysis shows that collectively, people access
information from a significantly narrower spectrum of sources through social
media and email, compared to search. The significance of this finding for
individual exposure is revealed by investigating the relationship between the
diversity of information sources experienced by users at the collective and
individual level. There is a strong correlation between collective and
individual diversity, supporting the notion that when we use social media we
find ourselves inside "social bubbles". Our results could lead to a deeper
understanding of how technology biases our exposure to new information
Measuring internet activity: a (selective) review of methods and metrics
Two Decades after the birth of the World Wide Web, more than two billion people around the world are Internet users. The digital landscape is littered with hints that the affordances of digital communications are being leveraged to transform life in profound and important ways. The reach and influence of digitally mediated activity grow by the day and touch upon all aspects of life, from health, education, and commerce to religion and governance. This trend demands that we seek answers to the biggest questions about how digitally mediated communication changes society and the role of different policies in helping or hindering the beneficial aspects of these changes. Yet despite the profusion of data the digital age has brought upon usâwe now have access to a flood of information about the movements, relationships, purchasing decisions, interests, and intimate thoughts of people around the worldâthe distance between the great questions of the digital age and our understanding of the impact of digital communications on society remains large. A number of ongoing policy questions have emerged that beg for better empirical data and analyses upon which to base wider and more insightful perspectives on the mechanics of social, economic, and political life online. This paper seeks to describe the conceptual and practical impediments to measuring and understanding digital activity and highlights a sample of the many efforts to fill the gap between our incomplete understanding of digital life and the formidable policy questions related to developing a vibrant and healthy Internet that serves the public interest and contributes to human wellbeing. Our primary focus is on efforts to measure Internet activity, as we believe obtaining robust, accurate data is a necessary and valuable first step that will lead us closer to answering the vitally important questions of the digital realm. Even this step is challenging: the Internet is difficult to measure and monitor, and there is no simple aggregate measure of Internet activityâno GDP, no HDI. In the following section we present a framework for assessing efforts to document digital activity. The next three sections offer a summary and description of many of the ongoing projects that document digital activity, with two final sections devoted to discussion and conclusions
- âŠ