Social media is associated with the rise of new types of celebrities called influencers, who share their current experiences and ideas and often endorse brands. Developing and keeping a large community of followers is one of the most important goals of influencers. The size of their audiences is one of the elements that make them relevant to the advertising industry. The main objective of the present research is to explore the mechanism that determines users’ online behavior related to influencers, such as following them on social media. Moreover, the study examined the role of the perceived information quality and of the perceived trust of the influencers in shaping audiences’ attitudes toward influencers. The moderating role of the frequency of Instagram and YouTube use on the relationship between perceived information quality and trustworthiness was explored by conducting an online survey (N=1088). The main takeaway from the study is that influencers who want to grow their audiences have to create perceived quality content. This can contribute to both positive attitudes and the development of trust. Also, the frequency of Instagram use has a small moderating role, while the frequency of YouTube use has no effects on the trustworthiness of the influencers.
In the recent years, cyberspace has become an incubator for feminist activism. Cyberfeminism has gained momentum through various online platforms, campaigns, movements, and galvanized women (and – to a certain extent – men) to “move beyond the hashtag” and engage in actions meant to drive socio-political change. The Women’s March on Washington in January 2016, for instance, was triggered by a Facebook post, and turned into an unprecedented women’s activism action, replicating across the globe. A more recent movement, #MeToo, has emerged into cyberspace and raised issues of credibility, as it tapped into a culture of gender inequality and power relations that created and fostered an environment of intimidation and silence. The unprecedented wave of sexual harassment allegations brought to surface countless confessions from regular women and celebrities who have been pivotal in raising awareness on this issue. However, this cyberfeminist movement also intensified the cyberbullying phenomenon, as the mechanisms of storytelling engaged in #MeToo have not only generated a wave of gendered solidarity, but also one of trivializing – even bashing – such stories, and the individuals who reported previous incidents on social media. This paper analyzes the emergence and development of the #MeToo movement in Romania in the fall of 2017, focusing on storytelling mechanisms employed on Facebook and effects on user behavior, an assessment of social media users’ navigation of the phenomenon, in terms of solidarity networks and bullying generated by Romanian women’s tackling of a cultural taboo.
College students' socialization and the level of their socialization will directly influence the process of the student's growth, their living and their development in the future. Students’ clubs affiliation in particular is the focus of our stu dy’s attention. We have tried to identify the profile of the students involved in these clubs, their motivation for involvement, the means by which these clubs are being promoted among students, how they attract new members and what type of activities do t hey organize. We have used a mixed methodology, combining opinion survey and focus groups, to get a better picture of these clubs’ activities and membership.
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