Research on the analysis of interaction with news on social networks presented at conference in Valencia

Between 15 and 17 May, our researchers Bastián González-Bustamante and Carla Cisternas, in collaboration with Ximena Orchard, presented a paper entitled “Amplification, contestation, and hostile engagement with news in social media” at the conference Medios de Gobernanza en América Latina, España y Portugal, held in Valencia and also online.

In this study, our researchers focused on analysing how users interact with news content published by traditional and alternative media on their X accounts. To achieve this, they characterised and measured news amplification dynamics and contention dynamics. These two metrics were considered complementary indicators of attention and engagement in the news cycle during the studied period, including the innovative use of pre-trained machine learning models to detect toxicity in news comments.

The dataset comprises all messages posted on X related to the 22 media outlets selected for the study over a six-month period (around 21 million messages): three months before and after the Chilean social outburst of 2019. Our researchers found evidence that users not only increased their interactions with news after the outbreak of the protests, but also showed distinct behaviours towards news content produced by traditional and alternative media, subjecting traditional media to greater contention.

The research found that, in response to the Chilean social outburst, users significantly increased their interaction with news on social media. However, there was also an increase in hostility towards news produced by traditional media, suggesting greater criticism and distrust of these media. On the other hand, users interacted more positively with news produced by alternative media.

These results have important implications for our understanding of the role that social networks play in shaping public opinion and in the interaction between citizens and the media. In conclusion, this study shows the importance of analysing the interaction between users and news on social networks in order to understand how public opinion is formed and how the news cycle is affected.

About the Medios de Gobernanza conference

The Medios de Gobernanza conference is an event to discuss and analyse current trends and challenges in the media sector in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. The conference aims to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas among renowned researchers and experts and contribute to improving quality journalism in these regions.

About Training Data Lab

Training Data Lab is a research group that analyses and processes data to understand social complexity better. Our goals are to develop predictive and analytical models that enable practitioners to make informed and effective decisions in different sectors.

In conclusion, the study “Amplification, contestation, and hostile engagement with news in social media” is an important step towards understanding how social networks affect public opinion formation. We hope these findings will interest practitioners and academics in the field and allow us to continue improving our understanding of this highly relevant topic.

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