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2017 #SMSociety Theme: Social Media for Social Good or Evil

Our online behaviour is far from virtual–it extends our offline lives. Much social media research has identified the positive opportunities of using social media; for example, how people use social media to form support groups online, participate in political uprising, raise money for charities, extend teaching and learning outside the classroom, etc. However, mirroring offline experiences, we have also seen social media being used to spread propaganda and misinformation, recruit terrorists, live stream criminal activities, reinforce echo chambers by politicians, and perpetuate hate and oppression (such as racist, sexist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic behaviour).

Sunday, July 30 • 11:01 - 12:30
Retweets For Policy Advocates: Tweet Diffusion In The Policy Discussion Space Of Universal Basic Income [FULL]

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Authors: Jeff Hemsley, Martha A. Garcia-Murillo and Ian P. MacInnes

Abstract: Technological advances have increasingly automated tasks that have hitherto been done by humans. The disruption to the labor market is expected to grow as more and more jobs are lost to automation. Society would benefit from the open discussion of alternative policy approaches, such as Universal Basic Income (UBI), that can alleviate social tensions related to joblessness. In this study, we examine tweets related to the discussion of UBI in an effort to understand the types of messages most likely to spread information about policy innovations, and most likely to bring new voices into the discussion. We find that messages that resonate with users are more likely to reach new audiences and bring new actors into the discussion space. Our work offers prescriptions for policy advocates, and provides insights for social scientists studying Twitter and policy and information diffusion.

Sunday July 30, 2017 11:01 - 12:30 EDT
TRS 1-077- 7th Flr Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University 55 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M5G 2C19