Discussion Forum Questions

How has CMC discussion made us smarter? (Class 12, 1 point)

Web allows more people to contribute more quickly potential for collective analysis that outstrips the abilities of any single individual

Name and define one means that has been used as an attempt to overcome the disparity in coverage on Wikipedia. (1 pt) Wikipedia's gaps in coverage: are Wikiprojects a solution? A study of the Cambodian Wikiproject

Wikiprojects, which are groups of editors who are especially interested in improving particular topics, locations or even tasks. they use a Wikiproject page to develop criteria, maintain various collaborative processes and keep track of work that needs to be done.

What is the Power-Law Distribution? (Class 11) 1 point

a relative change in one quantity results in a proportional relative change in the other quantity. whatever's in the nth position is doing about one-nth of whatever's being measured, relative to the person in the first position. applies to flickr photos.

What is a cybrarian? (Class 12, 1 point)

a type of moderator that provides expert knowledge on particular topics

What are two types of controversial content allowed on Facebook and two types of controversial content banned on Facebook by moderators? (How Facebook Decides if You See Nudity or Art) (1 point)

allowed- holocaust denials child abuse images w out sadism and celebration not allowed- minimizing holocaust victims posts about sexual activity including how when or where

How does a wiki work? (1pt)

anyone can create or change articles others have higher powers of admin that allow them to have power over other users.

Why was Instagram viewed as being "healthier" than Facebook by some? (Class 16)

app is centered around the sharing of personal photos rather than viral, possibly "fake" news.

What do Wikipedia Wars refer to? 1 point. (Class 13)

back and forth edits on certain articles btwn users, with claims of better neutrality or just plain correctness.

What is the startup cost of today's new "news" environment and what are some reasons for this cost? (1 pt)

basically zero if people already have a phone with a data plan

According to Olson's theory, why do large groups of individuals NOT act in the group's best interest? How can groups act collectively? (Class 11, 3 points).

bc individual contributions do not have a noticeable effect on costs and benefits. a bureaucratic structure equipped with a system of selective incentives is necessary for members to contribute to a collective action.

What are the differences between before digital and now? What are the results? (class 16) (3 points)

before: limited # of providers, high startup costs paid for by advertising passive audience now: infinite providers, low startup costs less reliance on advertising, more focus on influence audience now has power over news selection now is less profitable, less professional, but more inclusive and responsive

Name and describe 3 roles of Wikipedia's Bureaucracy. ( 3 points, Class 13 Lecture Slides)

bots- software that patrol and remove vandalism administrators- elected role, has powers such as deleting pages and giving other users roles checkusers- can view the IP addresses used by other users

What are the two types of social capital? (1 point, Ellison 2014)

bridging- occur btwn groups in the same network, involves the sharing of novel information and new perspectives among weaker ties. bonding- involve stronger, iterative interactions between strong ties that lead to a more substantial exchange of social capital

What are the two limits of expanding a personal social network? (1 point, Dunbar 2016)

cognitive constraint (bc the volume of a certain area of the brain has been linked w network size) and a time constraint associated with the costs of servicing relationships

What is a troll and where did the name originate from? (1pt)

comes from "trolling with flame bait," a fishing phrase. means something provocative intended to get a response.

What is the origin of the online term "trolling?" (Lecture, April 27, 1 point)

comes from "trolling with flame bait," a fishing phrase. means something provocative intended to get a response.

What are 3 types of Moderators and their functions? (Class 12)

conflict resolver- mediating conflicts towards collective agreement (or agreeing to disagree) convo stimulator- posing new Qs and topics cybrarian- providing expert knowledge on particular topics

What are the 2 points that users are usually sensitive about on the social network adoption? (class 15) (1 point)

costs and benefits of app costs- financial, time, frustration benefits- related to who you care about and what they do

What makes social media addicting? Give specific examples in relation to the social media you use. You can explain in terms of the slot machine metaphor. (Class 15) - 3 points

craving for validation from likes. there is a delay btwn when you pull up the app and hen your notifications are displayed because that makes the result variable, just like a slot machine. alerts you when someone has read you message wavy dots when someone is replying

What symbol is used on Reddit's "Change My Mind" to indicate that a user has successfully persuaded the poster to think differently? (1 point)

delta

How do Facebook monitors function like a fire alarm system? (Class 13, 1 point)

fire alarms- sit back, wait for ppl to tell u that there is a problem and then u respond to those. fb users have IDed something as problematic and flagged them for moderators. opposed to policing in which u got out and look for trouble

Since Wikipedia doesn't have ads, how does it get funding? 1 Point (Lecture 13).

funded by donations and grants

What two constraints did Olson cite as limiting the number of people in homogenous groups? (Class 12, Slide 4)

geographic and time constraints

What is Twitter's goal and what is their stance on blocking world leaders? 1 point. (Class 15)

goal- serve and advance global conversation. they believe blocking world leaders would hide info from ppl who have a huge impact on society. they also don't thinking blocking controversial ppl would silence them.

In "Which public goods are endangered?: How evolving communication technologies affect The logic of collective action," Lupia and Sin show how evolving technologies call for a deconstruction of Mancur Olson's The Logic of Collective Action in five different ways. Therefore, how does technology affect group size, organizational costs, noticeability, coercion, and selective incentives with respect to Olson's Logic? (3 points)

group size- latent groups no longer incur larger org costs and don't make noticeability more difficult org costs- e-comm makes it less costly to locate and organize group members noticeability- the ability to comm with a large group of people and to track their activity for little to no marginal cost increases noticeability in a large group coercion- the social pressure to contribute used to be limited to face to face but now can occur in large online groups in which individual action is visible selective incentives- if potential contributors can track those offering an incentive it makes the incentive more credible

What are selective incentives, and how has the introduction of CMC made them more accessible? 1 point.

incentives offered to only those who meet the terms of the contract. if potential contributors can track those offering the incentive it makes the incentive more credible. computers can quickly track who's done what

Based on Olson's theory, why is it difficult for bigger groups to to function properly? (3pt)

individual contributions not noticeable org required free riding is easy selective incentive or coercion required

What type of group of individuals is it obvious when people make contributions/their contributions make a difference in the group's dynamic? (Class 11) 1 point.

intermediate group.

*According to Ellison et al, how does Facebook enhance users' social capital? Where does new information usually come from and why? (1 point) CLASS 14 Ellison et al, "Cultivating Social Resources on Social Networking Sites: Facebook Relationship Maintenance Behaviors and Their Role in Social Capital Processes."

may lie in technical features of the site that lower the cost of maintaining and communicating with a larger network of weak ties; can meet friends of friends, etc new info comes from weak ties?

What are some findings about different gender SNS users in Fox and Vendemia (2016)? List three differences. 3 points. (Class 14)

men reported posting pictures of themselves more frequently than women women reported editing pictures more frequently than men women reported feeling better than men did after downward body social comparison

what are the benefits of snapchat? (class 16) (1 point)

not permanent so cost of mistakes are lower ephemeral nature increases sense of togetherness

Against which two theoretical models did Gonzales and Hancock test the effects of exposure to Facebook on self-esteem? Name and describe them. Which model was supported? Describe the findings. [3 points] (Mirror, Mirror on my Facebook Wall: Effects of Exposure to Facebook on Self-esteem)

objective self awareness- idea that ppl experience the self as an object and they self esteem is decreased as they compare themselves to societal standards. hyperpersonal model- ppl can opt for selective self presentation on social media and therefore increases self esteem. the results suggested that Facebook has a positive effect on self-esteem relative to a traditional objective self-awareness stimulus and participants who changed their profile during the study reported higher self-esteem than those who did not change their profile

According to Gonzales and Hancock (2011), what are the two types of predictions about the effect of Facebook on self-esteem and the reasons behind them? 3 points (Class 14)

objective self awareness- idea that ppl experience the self as an object and they self esteem is decreased as they compare themselves to societal standards. predicted fb use would decrease self esteem if ppl looked at others' pages. hyperpersonal model- ppl can opt for selective self presentation on social media and therefore increases self esteem. predicted fb would increase self esteem bc ppl looked at their own profile.

What specifically do Objective Self- Awareness Theory (OSA) and social psychology and the Hyperpersonal Model suggest about how self-presentation in digital media influences impressions of the self? - 3 points - From Mirror, Mirror on my Facebook Wall: Effects of Exposure to Facebook on Self-Esteem - Class 14

osa- viewing one's profile induces self-awareness which may decrease self esteem. (results said fb has pos effect on self esteem compared to traditional self-awareness stimuli). hyperpersonal model- people can optimize self presentation online and therefore their self esteem is increased by viewing their own profile

What was mainstream media's audience like before it went digital and why? (1 pt)

passive bc they had limited access to mass comm tools and bc they didn't have a lot of influences over the big news entities that had control over what they put out and didnt have to listen to audience's wants

Describe what "Social Comparison Theory" is as defined in Fox and Vendemia (2016). (1 point) "Selective Self-Presentation and Social Comparison Through Photographs on Social Networking Sites."

people evaluate themselves by judging similar others and identifying favorable and unfavorable discrepancies.

Define homophily. (Class 15, 1 point)

people tending to seek people who are like themselves or who agree with them. applies in our context as the digital age allows for homophile to occur more easily

Define the Hyperpersonal Model. (Class 14, 1 point)

ppl can opt for selective self presentation on social media and therefore increases self esteem.

Name three characteristics of postwar "mainstream" media (3 pts)

professional there were few main entities bc startup costs were high paid for by advertising

Describe the concept of "Wikiwashing". (1 point) "Paid Editors on Wikipedia - Should You Be Worried?"

professionals whitewashing wikipedia. using a particular Wikipedia entry to further their clients' interests, which is in violation of the site's neutrality policy (among others).

From Zeynep Tufekci's article, describe Sana's initial predicament. What platform did she turn to? What did that lead to? 3 Points. (Tufecki)

she felt trapped by her surrounding friends and family bc they refused to discuss egyptian politics. she went on twitter. she befriended political activists and ended up participating in the uprising in Tahrir

Referring to the signaling theory and the coalition theory, what kinds of collective goods do changing technology provide advantage and what kind do they endanger? 3 points. (Class 12)

signaling theory- if groups have sufficient common interest, new tech will help them. when forms of comm become more accessible to everyone, use of that form of comm is less of a signal of credibility. coalition theory- new tech gives people more bargaining power and makes them less likely to agree to an incumbent collective action new tech can make formerly unattractive partners more attractive (terrorism example)

Mancur Olson's theory of collective action describes three different kinds of groups. Name and describe each type of group, and discuss which one most benefits from CMC and why. 3 points.

small/privileged- private interests that exceed private cost intermediate- not enough private interest but actions are noticeable large/latent- individual contributions not noticeable, org required latent do bc CMC allows computers to take place of bureaucracies and track participation, make incentives more effective

What is Dunbar's number? (Class 14) - 1 point

suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships... in which an individual knows who each person is and how each person relates to every other person.

According to the Dunbar 2015 reading, what is the difference between a support clique and a sympathy group? (Class 14, 1 point).

support clique- friends on whom you would depend for emotional/social support in times of crisis sympathy group- close friends (broader than support clique)

What is Social Capital? - 1 point - Cultivating Social Resources on Social Network Sites - Class 14

the ability of individuals or groups to access resources embedded in their social network

According to Luyt, describe the imbalances of coverage on Wikipedia. (3 points)

the content featured on pages about men and women tend to be different. women have more abt their relationships and such. men and women write about different topics, and there are more male writers so that skews coverage. there are geographical areas that tend to be underrepresented.

In what ways are delays in an app like a slot machine? (1 point, Morgans 2017, Class 15)

the expectation of a reward is what makes slot machines- and therefore apps that give social feedback- so addictive. the result wouldn't feel variable if you instantly knew whether you'd won or lost.

List one way Snapchat fosters habitual use of its platform (Class 15) - 1 point.

the introduction of streaks

Explain and describe Hardin's idea of the Free-Riding issue. Which type of goods does the problem of Free-Riding associate with and Why? (1 point) CLASS 11 Lecture Slides

the issue occurs when many members of a group assume that their individual free-riding doesn't do enough damage to hurt the outcome of the collective action. problem associated with non-excludable goods, like national defense, which you can't stop ppl from enjoying even if they're not contributing.

What is the Online Disinhibition Effect and how does it affect online comments? (1 point) "The Psychology of Online Comments."

the moment you shed your identity the usual constraints on your behavior go, too. anonymity encourages incivility.

What are the Wikipedia editing trends compared at an international scale? (Class 13) 1 point.

the number of English editors has declined from 2007 to 2014 but the number of editors in other languages has remained relatively steady in that time period

What are intermittent variable rewards? Define and explain the concept using the slot machine metaphor. How do such awards heighten their addictive nature? [1 point] (Morgans, "Your Addiction to Social Media is no Accident")

they are rewards tied to a certain irregular action. for example, pulling a lot machine lever is an intermittent action leading to a variable reward (you may win or not win).

What did Wikipedia editors do in response to problems with vandalism on the site? Why has this proved problematic? What measures have been taken to counter this problem? (3 pts) The Decline of Wikipedia

Editors introduced new editing tools and bots could dispatch warning messages to editors who did not follow Wikipedia editing guidelines. This has proved problematic bc newcomers are scared off from editing. The "thank" button was introduced, along with a more user-friendly editing interface.

What are the current Wikipedia edit trends? (1pt)

English article edits are decreasing Increase in international article edits

What was the reason Facebook has been successful compared to Myspace? (Class 15) 1 point.

Facebook started to let third-party developers create apps on the site and myspace did not

How did Facebook help Instagram and how is Instagram helping Facebook? (Class 15/Frier article) 3points

Instagram adopted fb's business model (advertising) fb installed a team to monitor data at ig and help the app grow and become faster IG has a younger audience looks benign in comparison to some of the political things posted on fb and "fake news," and ppl don't know of the affiliation

Give 2 reasons why MySpace failed as a social network site. (1 pt)

It did not outsource the creation of apps to third-party developers. The technology did not adapt and improve fast enough bc it was created by people in the entertainment industry.

Explain the pros and cons of having paid editors on Wikipedia. (Class 13, 3 points)

Paid editors may be more knowledgeable on a subject than non-paid volunteers might be. they might be incentivized to do thorough research might threaten the neutrality of wikipedia bc an editor paid to write on a company's page may not remain objective in its description.

What is trolling? (1 point)

Provocative posting intended to provoke disruptive discussion and demonstrate control over action of others.

What is the name of the page that Facebook content moderators work on, and what three options are these moderators given? (1 point)

Single Review Tool. Escalate, Ignore, Delete.

Explain how the 'change my view' page on reddit works and give two examples of how it can positively affect those who use it. (Our Best Hope For Civil Discourse On...Reddit) (1 point)

Submitters post their view if they are skeptical of it or otherwise dislike holding too fast to it commenters attempt to change the view submitter is required to respond within three hours to brook respectful challenges to their view if you are persuaded to change your view, and only when you decide it's changed, you award a delta those who get deltas get to be right and those who have gained new perspective also 'get to be right' restores faith in civility of humans

What is the pluralist theory? (Class 11) 1point

The idea that politics was the result of different groups coming together and fighting and the outcome reflected the forces behind each group

What is the theory behind an "attention economy," and how to companies maximize profit from it? 1 point.

The supply and demand of a person's attention; increases revenue as attention draws in more advertisers. push notifications, social feedback in form of likes

Define the objective self-awareness theory. (1 point, Gonzales and Hancock 2011)

The theory proposes that people experience the self as both a subject and an object, and when they experience themselves as an object they are prone to self-evaluations based on broader social standards and norms. they might engage in pro-social behavior and feel worse about themselves.

According to Morgans, how does social media push users' engagement to increase profit? (1 point) CLASS 15 Morgans, "Your Addiction to Social Media Is No Accident"

They try to capture your attention which increases advertising revenue; do so with notifications regarding likes, messages, the wavy dots. delay before reward

What was unique about the Washington Star Newspaper building? What does this tell us about traditional news gathering as opposed to today's news gathering (Wikipedia)? 3 Points (Lecture 16)

they have murals representing journalism in the lobby. most resources in the building were not related to actual news gathering; they had areas for printing, advertising, etc, all the other stuff they had to do to get the paper out. in the past you needed a lot of infrastructure to be a mass media outlet, but not anymore today; wikimedia only employs around 200 ppl.

Why was the Kramer et al study controversial? Compare the effects of positive vs negative posts shown in feed. 3 points. (Class 15)

users could not opt out of being monitored for the study or having their emotional state manipulated. with exposure to negative posts, users increased their negative posts and decreased their positive posts with exposure to positive posts, users increased positivity and decreased negativity

According to the Simonite 2017 reading, what are two reasons Wikipedia is declining? (Class 13, 1 point).

wikipedia has harsh guidelines on contributing and is not welcoming to newcomer editors. the "wikitext" markup language is difficult for those unfamiliar with it and was the one option until Visual Editor became an opt-in

What is Objectification theory? - 1 point - Selective Self-Presentation and Social Comparison Through Photographs on Social Networking Sites - Class 14

women are socialized to take an outsider's perspective of themselves and critically evaluate their worth based on societal standards, such as prioritizing one's appearance.

According to the Gardiner et al. 2006 reading, which genres received the most negative comments?

world news, opinion, environment, fashion

What is Twitter's policy on blocking world leaders or removing their tweets? What is their rationale behind this policy and what is the suggested course of action for reported tweets of world leaders? (3 points)

Twitter does not block or remove world leaders' tweets bc doing so would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. They review Tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly.

*Why is having ads on Wikipedia controversial? (Class 13) 1point

Ads might skew the coverage on Wikipedia if advertisers only want their ads on certain pages more?

In "The Role of the Moderator: Problems and Possibilities for Government-Run Online Discussion Forums," Wright presents two methods of moderation through two different discussion forums. Contrast these two discussion forums, detailing the employed methods of moderation, and explain the problems found on each. (3 points)

Downing Street- content moderation that occurs after posts have already entered feed with no feedback to posters or institution. can create conspiratorial atmosphere as msgs are removed without explanation, problem drawing a line btwn abuse and legit govt criticism. E-democracy forum- interactive moderation, frames debates and sets subtopics, some moderation done pre-posting. strict rules yet fewer things censored, ambiguous results regarding widening of e-democracy debate.