Can web ecology provide a clearer understanding of people’s information behavior during election campaigns?

Abstract

This article examines the web ecology of the 2010 local elections in South Korea by using social science hyperlink analysis. The online networks of candidates were measured daily during the official campaign period. The results indicate that network dynamics among the candidates for education superintendent changed more rapidly as the campaign progressed than in the case of the mayoral candidates. However, the intensity of online networks for both campaigns was lower than for the country’s last presidential election, in 2007, suggesting that the web ecology of a given election is influenced by the perceived importance of the event and the general popularity of certain candidates. The results also suggest that producing and disseminating information, such as news articles, blog posts and tweets, reflects a more politically conscious action than referring to information via hyperlinks. Furthermore, the article sheds light on the ways in which hyperlink analysis serves as a research method for mining data for web ecology analysis, tracking political events at different points in time and illustrating the general landscape of electoral communication in cyberspace.

Comparing Twitter and YouTube networks in information diffusion: The case of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement

“…Twitter is a public communication and information exchange channel for identified users, whereas YouTube is an anonymous and deindividuated broadcasting medium that delivers politically sensitive content (Halpern and Gibbs, 2013). The results not only demonstrate useful analytical techniques for data mining and analyzing Twitter and YouTube but also have theoretical implications for understanding the web ecology by identifying the distinctive network structure and interaction pattern of users on two relevant social media platforms of Twitter and YouTube (Nam et al, 2013). In this way, the study contributes to the literature on online information diffusion and the role of social media in mobilizing social movements.…”

An analysis of the utilization of Facebook by local Korean governments for tourism development and the network of smart tourism ecosystem

“…Governmental use of social media for local tourism can provide a map of information ecology, which refers to the interrelationships between relevant online sites. The concept of information ecology focuses on interrelationships between people, enterprises, technologies, and the surrounding information environment (Nam, Lee, & Park, 2013). Among these, human beings are situated at the core of the information ecosystem, which is composed of information strategies, information-seeking behaviors, information management, and information architectures (Feather & Sturges, 2003;Nam et al, 2013).…”

“…The concept of information ecology focuses on interrelationships between people, enterprises, technologies, and the surrounding information environment (Nam, Lee, & Park, 2013). Among these, human beings are situated at the core of the information ecosystem, which is composed of information strategies, information-seeking behaviors, information management, and information architectures (Feather & Sturges, 2003;Nam et al, 2013). In a service ecosystem context, all social and economic actors interact through institutions and technology in order to co-produce service offerings, exchange service offerings and resources, and co-create value (Spohrer, Maglio, Bailey, & Gruhl, 2007;Vargo, Maglio, & Akaka, 2008).…”

Networked Creativity on the Censored Web 2.0: Chinese Users' Twitter-based Activities on the Issue of Internet Censorship

“…Twitter reply is interpersonal, thus likely leading to interpersonal relationships (Xu &Feng, 2014). More importantly, these communication features interconnect users through the flow of information, mutual association and joint activities (Nam, Lee & Park, 2013). Study of users' social networks reveals salient participants and their influence.…”