How do we use social media for media analysis? Social media in peace mediation—a practical framework
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- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 8 months ago by
Lena Slachmuijlder.
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While mediation remains a fundamentally human-led endeavor,
the importance of digital technology in peace processes is growing.
Mediators and their teams need to be prepared to use digital tools and
address digital risks. This especially applies to social media, given its
widespread and rapidly increasing use.How do we use social media for media analysis?
Social media is commonly understood as a communication tool, but
it is just as useful as a listening device. For mediators and their teams,
social media can be extremely valuable for accessing knowledge about
events that are under-reported or censored in traditional media. It
can also increase situational awareness and shed light on aspects of
conflicts that conventional political analysis may not fully cover.Created 07/31/2022 at 1:03 pmReply -
One thing I’m really curious to see in the near futures is improved sentiment analysis for social listening. From what I’ve seen, most social listening tools that include sentiment analysis are really focused on brand perception, not social cohesion or signs of potential violence. I think this could be (or already is and I just have missed it!) huge for monitoring increased distrust, dehumanization, etc. I also wonder how good these algorithms are for languages aside from English—but even for different mannerism within English.
Created 08/01/2022 at 4:53 pmReply-
You just pointed out the challenge when it comes to social listening, but I can say some of the social listening tools are beginning to get better. for social media algorithms ,recently for a local language in Nigeria ( Yoruba) it has really sorted out post in that language in relevance to what we are tracking.
Created 08/01/2022 at 5:32 pmReply
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Great questions! And indeed, efforts by peacebuilders to use social media listening tools primarily designed for brand resonance don’t often give us enough insight simply relying on ‘sentiment analysis.’ You can find some great guidance and examples of how peacebuilders and mediators can use social media listening to inform and strengthen their work with this great Toolkit produced by Build Up and the HD Centre: https://rise.articulate.com/share/Sp41QVWIaGBvXvTKEEYY_Tb4FPGpBp92#/
Created 08/05/2022 at 1:16 pmReply
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