Asta Zelenkauskaite

Extraction, Identification, and Ranking of Network Structures from Data Sets

Networks are widely used to model a variety of complex, often multi-disciplinary, systems in which the relationships between their sub-parts play a significant role. In particular, there is extensive research on the topological properties associated with their structure as this allows the analysis of the overall behaviour of such networks. However, extracting networks from structured and unstructured data sets raises several challenges, including addressing any inconsistency present in the data, as well as the difficulty in investigating their properties especially when the topological structure is not fully determined or not explicitly defined. In this paper, we propose a novel method to address the automated identification, assessment and ranking of the most likely structure associated with networks extracted from a variety of data sets. More specifically, our approach allows to mine data to assess whether their associated networks exhibit properties comparable to well-known structures, namely scale-free, small world and random networks. The main motivation is to provide a toolbox to classify and analyse real-world networks otherwise difficult to fully assess due to their potential lack of structure. This can be used to investigate their dynamical and statistical behaviour which would potentially lead to a better understanding and prediction of the properties of the system (s) they model. Our initial validation shows the potential of our method providing relevant and accurate results.

Remediation, convergence, and big data: Conceptual limits of cross-platform social media

The era of multiplatform media and big data provide new opportunities to reconsider data access by media companies. Outlined here is the discussion surrounding data access from media institutional logic and user-centric perspectives in the contexts of digitalization and big data. The discussion includes technological affordances that can be geared toward users or that merely reinforce media companies’ prominence. However, limitations of information architecture lie in its structure and the inability to facilitate navigation by users across multiple content streams. Media companies concentrate access around their own cross-platform content. Despite technological feasibility, media companies continue to choose cross-platform architecture that is structurally limiting to users. Cross-platform conceptual limits are discussed within the context of the broader socioeconomic landscape of mass media digitalization and big data.

Feminism and Feminist Approaches in Social Computing

Following on the successful CSCW 2014 workshop on Feminism and Social Media, this workshop will bring together a set of CSCW scholars to discuss feminist perspectives in social computing and technology. We will explore theoretical and methodological approaches to the topic and draw on literature and empirical studies to build a set of generative and creative dialogues around the topics of diversity, sexual orientation, cultural attitudes, sociopolitical affiliations, and other emergent themes. Conversations will be directed particularly toward the challenges of using a feminist approach in CSCW scholarship, identifying both productive and problematic research practices. This session promises to open new feminist dialogues about current issues in CSCW from sexuality and identity on social media, labor and technology development, and gender inequality within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math + Arts and Design (STEAM) collaborative efforts, and other emergent areas of interest.

Abbreviate and insert? Message length, addressee and non-standard writing in Italian mobile texting and Facebook

ABSTRACT This study analyses non-standard typography (NST) (abbreviations and insertions) and its relationship to the message length, the addressee in two modes: Facebook and mobile texting SMS in the same context, i.e., messages sent by listeners of an Italian radio station. The analysis of NST showed that, if not accounted for length, there were more abbreviations in SMS messages and more insertions in Facebook messages. Nevertheless, when accounting for length, addressee analysis and non-standard typography comparison between shorter and longer messages has revealed a more nuanced picture. While Facebook messages concurrently included insertions and abbreviations, however, such use of NST has not influenced the message length: no differences were found between actual or hypothetical length neither in Facebook, nor in SMS. Furthermore, addressee analysis has revealed that listenerto-listener messages contained more NST, compared to the ones where listeners addressed their messages to the radio station, indicating a perceived differentiation between interlocutors marked via NST. These findings indicate users’ adaptations to technological length constraints, addressee awareness or an overall sensitivity towards the genre of interactive message exchange via this radio broadcaster. In other words, listeners might have (intuitively) developed a perceived optimal message length for both modes of communication.

User Interaction Profiling on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ across Radio Stations

Given the proliferation of social media in mass media contexts, how do media and their users interact on them? Guided by Para social interaction and multiplexity theory, the interaction between 223 Italian radio stations and their users was analyzed. Social network analysis was performed to identify the interconnectedness across radio stations and three social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Findings revealed that radio stations did utilize multiple platforms, yet, the interactions were limited to content redistribution and repetition. As for the users, contrary to expected favoring of one specific radio, a large proportion of users interacted with multiple radio stations by fulfilling their individual instrumental goals. The results of this study were fore grounded in instrumental social capital framework. Implications of multiple interaction across platforms and radio stations signal the need to reconceptualize the instrumental needs users in light of this cross-platform behavior.