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Building on a feminist critical discourse analysis, this study reveals the mechanism of the continuous reproduction of hegemonic masculinity in a Chinese manosphere, Hupu, the biggest sports fandom platform in China. As an ideological foundation on Hupu, hegemonic masculinity directs misogynistic practices (e.g. sexualization of women and misogynistic lexicon development) and shapes an imagined community of toxic brotherhood. In turn, the misogynistic practices and this community of brotherhood also reproduce hegemonic masculinity, ensuring a cycle of the maintenance of a toxic manosphere. We further consider the socio-political context in contemporary China to criticize how state power, platform affordances, and hegemonic masculinity are intertwined and jeopardize Chinese feminism both online and offline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly emerging human–artificial intelligence (AI) romantic relationships throughout the world, it is important to understand its meaning from the perspective of users who are dating virtual lovers. This study uses relational dialectics theory 2.0 and its corresponding method of contrapuntal analysis to examine the discursive tensions of what it means to have an AI partner. Specifically, this study focused on users of the social chatbot Replika and analyzed posts shared by Replika users in an online community. Findings revealed two discourses: the discourse of idealization (DI) and the discourse of realism (DR) that interplayed through both contractive and expansive practices. This study contributes to the field by introducing the DI and the DR discourse framework, which lays the groundwork for future research on human–AI relationships. Additionally, the pivotal role of communication is highlighted, which serves as the cornerstone for constructing, framing, and negotiating the meaning of human–AI romantic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online communities play an important role in spreading public discontent and could contribute to polarization. This study focuses on anti-vaccination views in the Netherlands, which have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the structure and development of five Dutch anti-vaccination Telegram groups and studied their interactivity and posting behaviour. Using group-based trajectory modelling, we examined the development of users' posting behaviour in these groups. We find four posting trajectories across all five groups. A small group of users contributes the majority of posts. Overall, posting frequency declines over time and our results do not show evidence for a group of users whose posting frequency increases. This is taken to indicate that only a small group of users spread their anti-vaccination views through Telegram groups. While social media can reach a broad audience, most users are not necessarily engaged to also actively contribute to the online anti-vaccination community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent scholarship has suggested the presence of website-delineated social identities within social media platforms, couched within the social identity model of deindividuation effects, and evidenced by distinct commenting patterns between networks. This study experimentally evaluated the possibility that Imgur users self-categorize and identify with an Imgur social identity, testing this hypothesis through the lens of in-group argumentation and attitudinal conformity. Specifically, this study presented persuasive messages to individuals reporting varying levels of Imgur identification and measured resulting attitudes, manipulating message context and the presence of message-reinforcing user comments. Findings support the proposition that users identify with the Imgur community, as high-identifiers exhibited greater message processing and normative attitude change when exposed to a persuasive message from an in-group source (i.e. another Imgur user) than low identifiers. These results further our understanding of contemporary social media use, contributing to a growing body of literature exploring online social identification and persuasive message processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many older adults living with HIV face unique challenges, including comorbidities, loneliness, and isolation. This community-academic partnered study elicited viewpoints from older adults living with HIV about the characteristics of a digital environment (“Virtual Village”) to combat against loneliness and isolation. We utilized Choice-Based Conjoint Analyses to determine preferred attributes of a Virtual Village. We also conducted focus groups and interviews with older adults living with HIV and used an iterative, data-driven approach to systematically identify emergent themes. Participants (N = 82) were aged 50–82 years and racially/ethnically diverse. The majority were men (78%), gay (66%), and lived with HIV for ≥15 years (83%). Cost was the factor that most drove participants’ preference for joining a Virtual Village. Thematic concerns included lack of technological confidence, internet access, potential for harassment in digital environments, privacy, and preference for in-person interactions. Praises centered on convenience and making connections across geographic distances. Participants emphasized the need for purposive strategies to form a cohesive and supportive community for older adults living with HIV. A moderated environment was recommneded to create a safe, structured, and comfortable digital environment for older adults living with HIV. A Virtual Village should be viewed as a bridge to in-person interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incels are men who are members of an online community that experiences an unmet desire for sex and blame women for their struggle. Since 2019 there have been several violent mass murder attacks committed by Incels motivated by Incel ideology creating a threat of future violence. While the vast majority of Incels do not commit violent mass murder attacks, researchers have begun to study Incels to prevent future violence and uncover the true nature of the Incel community. Because the study of Incels is an emergent academic field, knowledge about Incels remains nascent with need for research about Incels as well as interventions to address the struggles of involuntary celibacy. In 2022, Stijelja and Mishara called for a life-course theory analysis of Incels. The author of this paper responds to that call and applies life-course theory to the Incel community placing emphasis on the masculinity strain experienced by Incels attempting to perform hegemonic masculinity as part of the transition to adulthood but falling short because of their lack of sexual activity. The implications of this work include a proposal for the creation and implementation of Incel-specific, online therapeutic interventions and continued research directly with the Incel community to uncover the complexities of the Incel experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misuse of prescription and non-prescription stimulants and related overdose deaths represent a growing public health crisis that warrants immediate intervention. We examined 100 posts and their respective comments from a public, recovery-oriented Reddit community in January 2021 to explore content related to DSM-V stimulant use disorder symptoms, access and barriers to recovery, and peer support. Using inductive and deductive methods, a codebook was developed with the following primary themes: 1) DSM-V Symptoms and Risk Factors, 2) Stigma/Shame, 3) Seeking Advice or Information, 4) Supportive or Unsupportive Comments. In 37% of posts community members reported taking high doses and engaging in prolonged misuse of stimulants. Nearly half of posts in the sample (46%) were seeking advice for recovery, but 42% noted fear of withdrawal symptoms or a loss of productivity (18%) as barriers to abstinence or a reduction in use. Concerns related to stigma, shame, hiding use from others (30%), and comorbid mental health conditions (34%) were also noted. Social media content analysis allows for insight into information about lived experiences of individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Future online interventions should address recovery barriers related to stigma and shame as well as fears associated with the physical and psychological impact of quitting stimulant misuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarship on #MeToo has examined the feminist underpinnings of the movement and affordances of digital platforms to create space for telling stories of sexual harassment and violence. This essay makes a different contribution, in that we seek to understand the impact of the viral version of #MeToo on the established primarily Black community developed by Tarana Burke. In this essay, we use the framework of intersectionality and organizational paradox to examine the differences in the social construction of the two versions of the movement. The framework of intersectionality allows us to examine how the viral version of #MeToo perpetuated by Alyssa Milano reified the social construction of inequalities and interlocking systems of oppression for Black and other women of color. The article examines the effects of Milano's entrance into the "me too" space on the community built through Burke's "me too" movement. We identify an illumination/occlusion paradox that creates the illusion of inclusivity, creates difficulty in community boundary management, and allows for outsider gaze into a previously safe space. We argue for moving beyond the considerations of assigning credit for the movement and instead consider the impacts of the paradox of the original community experiencing erasure through the abrupt and swift increased visibility of the hashtag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to determine how much of an impact The Female Daily Community (FD Talk), a reference group, has on customers' intentions to buy cosmetic items. Online communities are crucial in influencing customer behavior in today's digital environment, especially in the competitive and ever-changing beauty market. This study investigates how much FD Talk influences consumers' attitudes, preferences, and buy intentions in the beauty sector through qualitative interviews. The results highlight the significant influence of FD Talk as an online community, offering insightful information to marketers looking to use online communities for tactical marketing campaigns. Comprehending the interplay between virtual reference groups and customer behavior is crucial for enterprises seeking to effectively interact with their intended market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder (SAD) are increasingly turning to online support communities for self-disclosure and social support. Despite the extensive body of research on online mental health discourses, the cultural nuances within SAD-related discussions remain underexplored. In this study, we examine the cultural differences in online expression of social anxiety by analyzing individuals' self-disclosure and support-seeking behaviors in social media posts. Using two-week data (n = 1,681) from two SAD support communities on the Reddit and Douban groups, we used both qualitative thematic analysis and quantitative semantic analysis to discern prevalent themes and linguistic attributes characterizing these online expressions. Our findings not only uncover common themes such as sharing personal experiences and seeking mutual validations in both communities but also identify their divergences, as Western users primarily sought advice and information in posts, whereas Chinese users were more inclined toward networking. Cultural variations in language use were evident, particularly in individuals' affect and their expression of personal and social concerns. Western users were more likely to convey negative emotions and delve into personal matters related to SAD, whereas Chinese users tended to grapple more with workplace anxieties. This study contributes to the cultural understanding of online mental health discourses and offers insights for crafting culturally sensitive interventions and supports for people with SAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiracial people are a rapidly growing group who may still lack social support from similar others in their offline lives. This study aimed to understand the user experiences in online groups for multiracial individuals. In a cross‐sectional online survey, 300 multiracial emerging adults (79% women; mean age = 23; most common ethnic identity components: 86% White/European, 44% Chinese, 17% Japanese, 16% Southeast Asian, and 13% Filipino) answered open‐ended questions about their experiences in Facebook groups for multiracial people. Participants described aspects of the groups they liked and disliked most, as well as their identity‐related experiences in the groups. We used reflexive thematic analysis to generate four themes within participants responses: (1) online groups as a gateway into connections with other multiracial individuals, (2) deriving a sense of belonging and community, (3) an opportunity for exploration and validation of racial identity, and (4) negative intrusions such as negative content (e.g., trolling, repetitive posting) and racism. For racial and ethnic minorities such as multiracial individuals, Facebook groups provide a space for community‐building and identity‐related experiences. Although online groups can foster a strong sense of community, validation, and belonging, findings also highlight potential challenges and limitations (e.g., how to delineate group boundaries, difficulty forming close relationships). Online group users and researchers should explore novel ways of maximizing these positive experiences while addressing users' concerns and negative experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic online communities have shown potential for aiding weight loss, but few adults use them. We sought to test strategies to encourage adults to select and engage in online communities for weight loss. 4-week single-arm, mixed-methods pilot. Quantitative and qualitative data on selection of online community, engagement with community, and engagement and satisfaction with tasks. On average, participants (n = 25) were female (80.0%) and white (68.0%), 45.2 ± 18.1 years old, with a BMI of 36.2 ± 6.5 kg/m2. Selection of online community varied across participants (13 MyFitnessPal, 5 Facebook, 5 Reddit). In qualitative analyses, reasons for selection included experience with community, privacy considerations, and seeking people similar to them. Most tasks were fully or partially completed by a majority of participants (>80.0%). For most tasks, ∼50% of participants felt the task helped them with weight loss support. Variability in response was observed, especially between tasks that requested reading compared to posting/commenting in the community. Frequent reading of community content throughout the study was reported by >70.0% of participants, though posting/commenting was less frequent. Barriers to further engagement included concerns about privacy, judgement, and misinformation. This study provides insights about strategies for engaging individuals in online health communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how people decide to use psychedelics to self-treat depression and anxiety, though the practice is growing. We explored online community discussions of members' decisions around self-treatment with psychedelics for depression or anxiety. We used constructivist grounded theory to select and analyze 98 members' posts across 95 discussion threads (99, 552 words) and identified a four-stage decision-making model. In stage one, decision-making began after dissatisfaction with standard mental health treatment. In stage two, members considered various psychedelic self-treatment options but explained that information was limited. In stage three, they engaged in trial and error when making decisions, despite uncertainties around safety. In stage four, they continued or discontinued self-treatment. Those who continued adapted their practice to their evolving treatment needs. Firsthand and peers' experiences informed decisions. Available scientific evidence initially validated the psychedelic self-treatment but were not instructive. Many avoided healthcare and official information sources due to stigma and legal concerns. Research and knowledge translation efforts are needed to identify general concerns with self-treatment and provide user-informed decisional support to reduce harm and maximize benefit. Services supporting psychedelic self-treatment decisions can leverage our findings to create resources based on people's lived experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aimed to identify the role of social networking in online communities to improve health literacy. We searched used electronic databases, namely Pubmed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Proquest, and Embase, from January 2012 to January 2022. Identification and screening were independent according to selection criteria. The electronic searches turned to 1.811 articles, nine of which met the inclusion criteria and were selected for study analysis. The findings showed that the roles of social networking in online community programs are Accessible avenues for information and experience sharing, self-managed care, social, emotional, psychosocial, and technical support. This scoping review concludes that social networking in online community programs can improve health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to determine the outcomes of mentorship in an online game system, as well as the characteristics of good mentors. Design/methodology/approach: A combination of anonymized survey measures and in-game behavioral measures were used to power longitudinal analysis over an 11-month period in which protégés and non-mentored new players could be compared for their performance, social connections and retention. Findings: Successful people were more likely to mentor others, and mentors increased protégés' skill. Protégés had significantly better retention, were more active and much more successful as players than non-protégés. Contrary to expectations, younger, less wealthy and educated people were more likely to be mentors and mentors did not transfer their longevity. Many of the qualities of the mentor remain largely irrelevant—what mattered most was the time spent together. Research limitations/implications: This is a study of an online game, which has unknown generalizability to other games and to offline settings. Practical implications: The results show that getting mentors to spend dedicated time with protégés matters more than their characteristics. Social implications: Good mentorship does not require age or resources to provide real benefits. Originality/value: This is the first study of mentorship to use survey and objective outcome measures together, over time, online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent attention to the non-monogamous identity known as the "unicorn" has increased the visibility of a poorly understood sexual minority. Conflicting definitions in popular media, heightened social stigma, and reports of inequitable, and even abusive, relationship dynamics justify attention to unicorns. With very few academic studies to date on unicorn identity, an exploratory study was conducted to address a gap in sexuality research. Discourse analysis of an online polyamorous community offered a definition of unicorns and revealed that those interested in unicorn dynamics are treated as an "out-group" in polyamorous spaces. Further, evidence of community gatekeeping revealed that unicorns threaten polyamorous identity security and trigger identity negotiations that may be impeding queer feminist efforts to undo relational and sexual hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In crowdsourcing communities, individuals play an influential role in areas such as new business ideas, product development, and service improvement. For a company seeking to learn from its customers, establishing communication mechanisms such as online feedback systems becomes important for generating better crowdsourced ideas. This research investigates the effect of feedback source (expert vs. peer) and feedback valence (negative vs. positive) on the motivation of individuals in an online crowdsourced ideation platform to generate better ideas. By collecting and analyzing over 300 observations of experimental data, this study's findings indicate that the mere presence of feedback, compared with no feedback, increases the likelihood of innovation in idea generation. Additionally, feedback from experts, rather than peers, increases the likelihood of innovation in idea generation. Negative feedback from peers has a negative effect on the likelihood of innovation with respect to idea generation, whereas negative feedback coming from experts will motivate individuals to generate better ideas. Positive feedback from peers does not have a significant impact on improving ideas, while positive feedback from experts contributes to improving ideas. Results offer insights for managers to better develop and monitor the feedback process to solicit higher-quality input from individuals external to the organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To nurture a new online community for health behavior change, a fruitful strategy is to recruit "seed users" to create content and encourage participation. Purpose This study evaluated the impact of support from seed users in an online community for smoking cessation among people living with HIV/AIDS and explored the linguistic characteristics of their interactions. Methods These secondary analyses examined data from a randomized trial of a smoking cessation intervention for HIV+ smokers delivered via an online health community (OHC). The analytic sample comprised n = 188 participants randomized to the intervention arm who participated in the community. Independent variables were OHC interactions categorized by participant interlocutor type (study participant, seed user) and interaction type (active, passive). The primary outcome was biochemically verified 7-day abstinence from cigarettes measured 3 months post-randomization; 30-day abstinence was examined for robustness. Results Logistic regression models showed that participants' interactions with seed users were a positive predictor of abstinence but interactions with other study participants were not. Specifically, the odds of abstinence increased as the number of posts received from seed users increased. Exploratory linguistic analyses revealed that seed users wrote longer comments which included more frequent use of "we" and "you" pronouns and that study participants users used more first-person singular pronouns ("I"). Conclusions Seeding a community at its inception and nurturing its growth through seed users may be a scalable way to foster behavior change among OHC members. These findings have implications for the design and management of an OHC capable of promoting smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The goal of this study was to explore the coping strategies of depression sufferers that have worked for them based on the study of an online depression community. Methods: We conducted a thematic narrative analysis of 120 stories posted by the members in the largest online depression community in China. MaxQDA version 18 was used to code the data, and the analytic approach was consistent with the category-centred approach of grounded theory. Results: The study found that the coping strategies mainly include self-reconciliation (e.g., perceiving/accepting feelings, accepting the present self, and holding hope for the future), actions (recreational activities, physical exercise, and engaging in volunteer work), addressing the stressors and symptoms (e.g., staying away from stressors, seeing the doctor), and seeking interpersonal support (e.g., seeking support from family, friends, and peers). Conclusion: The findings revealed the coping strategies that were helpful and examined how they functioned for the affected members, which make up for the lack of attention to the individual experiences of depression sufferers in coping research. The findings also have practical implications for the related education and consultation, providing useful insights for doctors and patients. These ways of coping are based on depression sufferer' anonymous narratives, which can be convincing to clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses how affective stance is used for evaluation and positioning in fan discourse. Adopting a corpus-based approach, the paper focuses on affective stance verbs in an English-speaking popular media fandom on three social media platforms, Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit. Fans use affective stance to construct positions in relation to the popular media franchise, in this case a popular Japanese manga and anime series. By combining quantitative and qualitative linguistic analysis the study shows that stancetaking verbalises fans' investment in the fictional world of the narrative media, in the franchise production, and in the context of fan productivity. The discursively constructed positions reflect common fan practices such as publicising fan affect and emotions, reviewing the franchise critically, and sharing textual fan productivity. The analysis associates platform differences with the social norms of the fans and the technological affordances that enable their interaction. Because hashtag-based interaction on micro-blogs is primarily indirect, the study argues that the interactive functions of stance can be understood in relation to the general fandom affect. • Stancetaking in a narrative media fandom marks investment in fictional world. • Social media platforms vary in frequency and function of stance verb constructions. • Positions taken through stancetaking reflect the practices of the online community. • Stance as an interactive process occurs in relation to the general fandom affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online communities provide ample opportunities for user self-expression but generally lack the means for average users to exercise direct control over community policies. This article sets out to identify a set of strategies and techniques through which the voices of participants might be better heard through defined mechanisms for institutional governance. Drawing on Albert O. Hirschman's distinction between "exit" and "voice" in institutional life, it introduces a further distinction between two kinds of participation: effective voice, as opposed to the far more widespread practices of affective voice. Effective voice is a form of individual or collective speech that brings about a binding effect according to transparent processes. Platform developers and researchers might explore this neglected form of voice by introducing mechanisms for authority and accountability, collective action, and community evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating brand posts that stimulate customer interaction in online communities is both vital and challenging to marketing managers. Using social communication process theoretical framework (i.e. SMCR), the current study examines the impact of brand posts in online brand communities on students’ responses in ways that potentially co-create value for universities and illustrate the moderating role of community types. Results show that source credibility and argument quality of online posts are positively associated with both cognitive and affective response, thus motivating brand co-creation activities, while information quantity has insignificant effect on affective response. Additionally, members of communities managed by different parties (student-created vs university-created communities) exhibit a different tendency to develop community and contribute to brand value. Thus, different digital strategies depending on the type of community host are suggested to capture the highest possible co-creation value from these communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Majority opinions are often observed in online environments. Previous studies have demonstrated that majority opinions are constructed because people with minority opinions have fear of isolation, which forces them to be silent. However, we often observe that online users with different minority opinions fight each other, even though there are only a few. To explain this phenomenon, we developed a new theoretical model and examined it through the analysis of Reddit data. The results show that users in small communities expressed relatively homogeneous and less negative opinions, and constructed majority opinions that were not as strong as those in large communities. Contrarily, users in large communities showed relatively heterogeneous and more negative opinions, and built majority opinions more strongly than those in small communities. This implies that the model can properly explain why and how majority-opinion users are silent and why minority-opinion users are loud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During public health emergencies, online community users can obtain social support and assistance through information interaction in the online community. This study takes the COVID-19 pandemic as the context and aims to analyze the influence of user information interaction in online communities on the acquisition of social support during this public health emergency. Methods: Data collected from help-seeking posts in the "COVID-19 Patients Help-Seeking Dialog" subforum on China's Sina Weibo were used as the research sample. The influence of the frequency of interaction and responsiveness on help seekers' receipt of online social support was analyzed, and the moderating effect of help seekers' identity type and intensity of online community use was explored. Results: The results reveal that the frequency of interaction positively impacts informational support (β = 0.367, p < 0.001) and negatively impacts emotional support (β=-0.240, p < 0.001), and the responsiveness of other users toward help-seeking posts positively impacts emotional support (β = 0.145, p < 0.01). Moreover, help seeker's identity type and intensity of online community use significantly moderate the relationship between the frequency of interaction and the emotional support obtained by the help seeker. Conclusions: The study highlights the impact of user information interaction on obtaining help-seeking information from online communities for social support. The initiative would facilitate the resolution of issues related to users' information help-seeking during public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chinese internet literature (CIL) platforms afford freedom for creative expression and opportunities for direct interactions between writers and fans and among fans. Enabled by these platforms' technological and commercial arrangement, a new form of literary production and consumption has emerged, the most significant of which is the role of fans participation. A social network analysis of the interaction patterns in online fan communities was conducted to investigate fan communication activities at scale. Of particular interest is how the socio-technical system of the site influences its network topology. Design/methodology/approach: Online forums for 10 popular fiction titles in Qidian, the leading CIL platform, were analyzed. Social networks were constructed based on a post–reply–reply threaded discussion structure. Various aspects of fan interactions were analyzed, including number of replies per post, post length and emerging network patterns. Findings: Similarities in network topology shared by CIL fan forums and other online communities, such as small-world and scale properties, were discovered; however, distinct network dynamics were also identified. Consistent with previous findings, writers and moderators, along with a few highly ranked fans, occupied the central positions in the network. This was due to their social roles and the nature of their posts rather than, as the conventional explanation goes, preferential attachment. Originality/value: The findings demonstrate how community-specific circumstances and norms influence interaction patterns and the resultant network structure. It was revealed that in the CIL sites, the users adopted the technologies in unexpected ways. And the resulting network topology can be attributed to the interplay between the sites' official arrangement and users' adaptive tactics. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-11-2021-0596. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite previous attempts to identify types of social support among postpartum mothers, researchers have overlooked how and why postpartum mothers seek and offer social support as well as the dynamics of participation in online communities. Objective and Methods: The objective of the current study was to explore possible answers through grounded theory approach of interviews with 24 mothers who have experienced postpartum depression and psychological distress. Results: The primary motivation to join the community was a desire for connectedness and reassurance. Initially engaged to seek information, users began to share not only informational and tangible support, but also emotional and esteem support as they gained comfort with their membership in these groups. Conclusion: Findings suggest that affirming normalcy while coping with postpartum distress is an integral part of the social support shared among postpartum mothers. Moreover, the findings indicated that to maximize the sustainability as well as the effectiveness of online communities for postpartum mothers, motivating silent users to participate and reciprocate is crucial. Significance: What is already known Many postpartum mothers have joined online communities to exchange information and social support with fellow moms in the group. Previous studies have found various motivations for postpartum moms joining online communities and what types of social support they share. However, what motivates postpartum mothers to get involved, stay in or leave online communities based on level of satisfaction with those communities remains unclear. What this study can add to the literature Two major motivations among postpartum mothers to join online social support groups were a need to communicate to end their sense of isolation and a desire to gather information from experienced people. After gaining a sense of group reliability, they began posting to seek and provide support. Through experiencing and observing the exchange of support within the community, postpartum mothers felt more attached to the group. They also developed the need to reciprocate support through empathy based on their development of in-group identity. In addition, the motivation to reciprocate stemmed from enhanced confidence in their own knowledge of postpartum symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Care Opinion is an online feedback platform supporting patients to author stories about their care. It is not known whether authors would be willing to be involved in improving care through research. The aims of this study were to explore the views and preferences of Care Opinion authors about joining an online research community and to pilot new research community functionality. Methods: Five hundred and nine Care Opinion authors were invited to take part in an online survey in June 2019. Survey items included questions about participants' willingness to take part in research and their preferences for supporting processes. Data were analysed descriptively. Authors were invited to consent to join a research community and were asked to participate in three pilot studies. Results: One hundred and sixty‐three people consented to take part in the survey (32%). Participants indicated they would like to know the time commitment to the project (146, 90%), details about the organization carrying out the research (124, 76%) and safeguarding information (124, 76%). Over half indicated that they did not know how to get involved in healthcare research (87, 53%). Subsequently, 667 authors were invited to join the research community, 183 (27%) accepted, and three studies were matched to their expressed preferences for project attributes or organization type. Conclusion: Many people who leave online feedback about their experiences of healthcare are also willing to join a research community via that platform. They have strong preferences for supporting University and NHS research. Eligibility and acceptance rates to join pilot research studies varied. Further work is needed to grow the research community, increase its diversity, and create relevant and varied opportunities to support research. Patient or Public Contribution: Four members of the Safety In Numbers patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group advised about survey development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the online social support obtained by parents of children with autism. Methods: The social network location and post text features of the members in the online community were selected as model indicators to build a quantitative evaluation model of online social support. Two autism microblog communities were selected for analysis, and two parenting micro-blog communities were used as controls. Totally 408 parents of children with autism and 550 parents of normal children were included. Social network analysis and text analysis methods were used to explore the location of social networks and the characteristics of post texts, and the evaluation model was used to analyze the online social support acquisition of parents of autistic children. Results: The results of social network analysis showed that the closeness centrality of parents of autistic children in online communities was significantly higher than that of parents of normal children (P <0.001). The results of text analysis showed that there were no significant differences in text characteristics among different communities (P>0.05).The model evaluation results showed that the online social support scores of different communities were significantly different (P <0.001),and the online social evaluation scores were higher in parents of children with autism than in parents of normal children (Ps <0.001). Conclusion: Parents of children with autism form tight groups in the community and receive more online social support than parents of normal children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from the group formation approaches led by teachers, learners’ generative learning objectives and the independent choice of collaborative partners are important in the Internet learning environment. This study takes the cMOOC (connectivist massive open online course) 5.0 “Internet + education: dialogue between theory and practice” as a case course. Data on learners’ interactive behaviours, generative texts, and personal attributes were collected through the course platform and questionnaires. Social network analysis and natural language processing were adopted to build a variety of collaborator relationship networks, and the quadratic assignment procedure was used to reveal the impact of the social, topic and attribute relationships of learners before collaboration on the collaborative relationship. The results show that individuals with close social relations, similar topics, similar age and learning experiences before collaboration are more likely to establish collaborative relationships; among them, close social relations and close ages are the key driving factors affecting the choice of partners. In addition, topic similarity can further promote the establishment of collaborative relationships among individuals with close social relations. The findings will help community-based courses optimise partner recommendation strategies and promote collaborative problem-solving and collective knowledge creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Guided by the collective action theory, signaling theory and social identity approach, this study examines backing behavior by individuals who have created projects under CC licenses. Two motivational mechanisms were examined: (1) identification via common interests in the CC space; (2) resource signaling by other users via their diverse project creation experience, funding or commenting activity. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from Kickstarter.com. Exponential random graph modeling was used to examine how the two reviewed mechanisms influence the tie formation probability between Creative Commons (CC) project creators and other creators. The analysis was conducted on two subnetworks: one with ties between CC creators; and one with ties from CC creators to non-CC creators. Findings: The study found that CC creators exhibit distinct backing patterns when considering funding other CC creators compared to non-CC users. When considering funding their peer CC creators, CC identity can help them allocate and support perceived in-group members; when considering funding non-CC creators, shared common interests in competitive project categories potentially triggers a competition mindset and makes them hold back when they see potential rivals. Originality/value: This study makes three contributions. First, it draws from multiple theoretical frameworks to investigate unique motivations when crowdfunders take on dual roles of creators and funders and offered implications on how to manage competition and collaboration simultaneously. Second, with network analysis our study not only identifies multiple motivators at work for collective action, but also demonstrates their differential effects in crowdfunding. Third, the integration of multiple theoretical frameworks allows opportunities for theory building. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-05-2020-0166. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many recognize that people who buy sexual services create a demand for services that can lead to exploitation and harms to individuals and communities involved, but little research in the Canadian context has been published to understand these buyers. The present research sought to understand the attitudes of people who buy sex towards people who provide sex services by analyzing comments posted by Toronto Escort Review Board members between April 1 and October 31, 2021. A set of 15 comments were randomly selected for each of 6 searchable characteristics: "young" (age), "spinner" (body type), "ebony" (race), "trans" (gender), "submissive" (disposition), and "greek" (activity). This research reveals an attitude of consumerism in people who buy sex that leverages online communities 1) to select almost any type of person for a sexual experience and 2) get the support of fellow members to help them pursue a desired sexual experience. However, analyzed comments also suggest that members who buy sex generally ignore, consciously or unconsciously, possible exploitation or the impact on the welfare of the individual in the short and long term. Ongoing collaborations between Canadian law makers, the criminal justice system, and health and education sectors are needed to reduce the demand in sex services. This research shows there is much more work to do to confront the consumeristic views of people who provide sex services held by people who buy sex and combat online cultures that promote the exploitation of others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of the 'alt-right' (alternative right) and their communications on the Internet are not unique to the West. This study follows a mixed-methods approach combining topic modeling, social network analysis, and discourse analysis to analyze the discursive and network structure of an online Chinese alt-right community on Weibo. We summarize the topics Chinese alt-right influencers discuss and examine how these topics are interrelated. We find that the Chinese alt-right discourse can be deemed as both an extension and localization of the global alt-right: they frequently discuss global alt-right issues and also hold alt-right ideologies on domestic issues. Meanwhile, influencers in the community are densely connected, suggesting a high level of coordination and cooperation. We particularly identify two discursive strategies that alt-right influencers employ to reproduce the transnational alt-right discourse, namely invented common crisis of majority culture and transnational metaphor usage. These findings provide insights into the transnational aspect of the rise of global alt-right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the confinement caused by COVID-19, brands sought to adapt their campaigns to the new context and achieve a new interaction with their clients. In this new environment, the virtual spaces of social media became meeting places. The Venezuelan restaurant Goiko Grill, located in Spain, opted for an awareness campaign through Instagram stories, just when the first phase of deconfinement was taking place. The main objective of this research is to analyse the link generated between the brand and millennials based on honesty as a brand value, present in this campaign. The research work has two phases: 1) a literature review in which advertising on social media, influencers and the potential of Instagram Stories are studied. 2) A quantitative study (N= 91) based on a questionnaire sent to students at the Antonio de Nebrija University, with knowledge of marketing in the digital environment and with an international profile (Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico and Spain). Using a mixed methodology, the perceptions that were generated around the campaign were obtained, also analysing the inspiration and use of trends, the relevance in the context and the definition of the brand objectives in an audience limited to university students. After analysing the perceptions of the participants in the analysis of the @Goiko campaign, we can establish that the brand's honesty is one of the most highlighted values, as it is in line with the transparency that millennials expect to find on social media. These virtual meeting spaces are essential to reach the public, but their acceptance does not take place if the community does not detect honesty in the interaction with the brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the feasibility of Salud Latina, a weekly synchronous online chat intervention, aimed at engaging Latinos in diabetes prevention conversations. Participants were Latino English- and Spanish-speaking individuals. Salud Latina comprised of six synchronous weekly online chats moderated by bilingual Latina moderators trained in diabetes and online engagement. Online chats used open-ended questions. We assessed feasibility, acceptability, and satisfaction of the intervention and qualitatively analyzed the chats to identify barriers and facilitators to healthy behaviors and identify types of support exchanged. Participants (N = 20) were mostly female and English/Spanish bilingual and 80% completed at least four chats. Salud Latina was acceptable, feasible and highly satisfactory. Four themes were identified: (1) barriers to engaging in healthy behaviors, (2) facilitators of healthy behaviors, (3) Salud Latina provides a community of support, and (4) the need to build a Latino culture of health. Participants recognized the importance of engaging in healthy behaviors to prevent or delay T2D. Findings provide insight in how a synchronous online chat intervention could be used to build a social media community within a Latino population to support healthy behaviors. Future research could explore combining synchronous online chats with in-person community or family-level interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As new coronavirus variants continue to emerge, in order to better address vaccine-related concerns and promote vaccine uptake in the next few years, the role played by online communities in shaping individuals' vaccine attitudes has become an important lesson for public health practitioners and policymakers to learn. Examining the mechanism that underpins the impact of participating in online communities on the attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines, this study adopted a two-stage hybrid structural equation modeling (SEM)-artificial neural networks (ANN) approach to analyze the survey responses from 1037 Reddit community members. Findings from SEM demonstrated that in leading up to positive COVID-19 vaccine attitudes, sense of online community mediates the positive effects of perceived emotional support and social media usage, and perceived social norm mediates the positive effect of sense of online community as well as the negative effect of political conservatism. Health self-efficacy plays a moderating role between perceived emotional support and perceived social norm of COVID-19 vaccination. Results from the ANN model showed that online community members' perceived social norm of COVID-19 vaccination acts as the most important predictor of positive COVID-19 vaccine attitudes. This study highlights the importance of harnessing online communities in designing COVID-related public health interventions and accelerating normative change in relation to vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online peer-to-peer communities provide environments in which people with similar health concerns can interact and exchange information that can support self-care of long-term conditions. However, current theories have not adequately accounted for how self-care support is enacted in online communities. We conducted an observational netnography to identify and analyze posts in a publicly accessible online community (discussion forum boards) designed for older people. A Straussian grounded theory approach was used to examine 659 posts in health-related message boards. Self-care support involved the construction of three interrelated identities: (1) the support seeking self, in which members described problems and requested information; (2) the empathizing self, in which they described similar experiences and offered support; and (3) the influencing self, in which they provided information or advice. Online communities appear to be an important source of peer support and information and may be a cost-effective approach to supplement standard care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social determinants of public health have gained increasing attention. This paper studied whether social support from online communities related to maternal mental health. We focused on online maternity communities that group users with a similar prenatal status to facilitate their exchange of personal experiences and knowledge about maternal caring during pregnancy. Such online maternity communities are getting increasingly popular and can be found across countries and societies. We invited users—currently pregnant and gave birth within 1 year at the time of the study—from one such community in China to participate in a survey. The survey measured their perceived social support (PSS) exclusively from the peer group in the online community, their mental health and newborns' birth outcomes (N = 500). Users reported high score in PSS from the online peer group which was comparable to the ones from family, significant other and friends in other studies. We used linear regression models to examine the effects of PSS on mental health and birth outcomes. We found that a one‐point increase in the PSS score was associated with a 0.19‐point (p < 0.1) decrease in the prenatal depression and a 0.26‐point (p < 0.01) decrease in the postnatal depression, which was equivalent to 3% and 4.5% of the average respectively. Moreover, a one‐point increase in the PSS score was associated with a 14.49‐gram increase in a newborn's weight (p < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, online community platforms provide firms with an important source of information for conducting dynamic marketing research. High-technology companies, in particular, rely heavily on lead users for the development of very novel products or easily adjustable services. In this paper, we present a three-phase methodology that integrates a machine-learning-based algorithm with a sophisticated clustering technique. The purpose of this methodology is to systematically identify lead users and their needs from a complex online community network. We also aim to identify important features, perceptions, and preferences for different groups of lead users. To validate the effectiveness of our approach, we conduct a real-world case study. • Lead users in online communities are valuable for new product development. • A novel three-phase framework is proposed to identify lead users and their needs. • Lead users' need trends are extracted by a sophisticated clustering technique. • Comparative and industrial studies validate the superiority of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The darknet hosts an increasing number of hidden services dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Given that by contributing CSAM to the forum members subject themselves to criminal prosecution, questions regarding the motivation for members contributing to darknet CSAM forums arise. Building on insights gained from research into clearnet communities, here we examine the extent to which social incentives generated by the online CSAM community may explain members' posting behavior on darknet CSAM forums. We analyze digital forensic artifacts on the online behavior of members of a darknet CSAM forum that was shut down by law enforcement agencies in July 2015. We apply group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM), social network analysis, and mixed-effect survival models. Applying GBTM three posting trajectories can be distinguished. Social network analyses finds the reply network to be more centralized than predicted by chance. Mixed-effect survival models show positive associations between the length of members' first post and the time since members' first registration on the forum and subsequent posting. Contrarily, the number of replies received appears to mitigate subsequent posting. Findings show posting activity on the forum to be concentrated in a minority of forum members who show posting trajectories that are both frequent and persistent. Results further suggest persistence in posting is motivated by social identity and, to a lesser extent, differential association processes. • Only a minority of darknet CSAM forum members participates in public forum communications. • Even among active forum members, a minority of members generates the bulk of public communications. • Forum members' continued contributing is associated with self-presentation and prolonged exposure to the forum environment. • Unexpectedly, peer feedback seems to mitigate continued participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-established that, in the past few years, internet users have rapidly increased. Meanwhile, various types of fake information (such as fake news or rumors) have been flooding social media platforms or online communities. The effective containing or controlling of fake news or rumor has drawn wide attention from areas such as academia to social media platforms. For that reason, numerous studies have focused on this subject from different perspectives, such as employing complex networks and spreading models. However, in the real online community, misinformation usually spreads quickly to thousands of users within minutes. Conventional studies are too theoretical or complicated to be applied to practical applications, and show a lack of fast responsiveness and poor containing effects. Therefore, in this work, a hybrid strategy exploiting the multi-dimensional data of users and content was proposed for the fast containing of fake information in the online community. The strategy is mainly composed of three steps: the fast detection of fake information by continuously updating the content comparison dataset according to the specific hot topic and the fake contents; creating spreading force models and user divisions via historical data, and limiting the propagation of fake information based on the content and user division. Finally, an experiment was set up online with BBS (Bulletin Board System), and the acquired results were analyzed by comparison with other methods in different metrics. From the extracted results, it has been demonstrated that the proposed solution clearly outperforms traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the online forum Virtuous Paedophiles, experiences of being sexually attracted to children are discussed based on the belief that 'adult-child sex' is wrong. Having explored the forum's culture of support, advice, and negotiations, we find that the stigmatised paedophile character limits both the understanding of being a paedophile and the ability to remain virtuous. Additionally, ideas about the paedophile character allow the formation of a counter discourse: the virtuous paedophile character. We argue that the justifications used in the forum differ from those in pro-contact communities and that the forum can help paedophiles be offense-free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutions and cultures usually evolve in response to environmental incentives. However, sometimes institutional change occurs due to stochastic drivers beyond current fitness, including drift, path dependency, blind imitation, and complementary cooperation in fluctuating environments. Disentangling the selective and stochastic components of social system change enables us to identify the key features of long-term organizational development. Evolutionary approaches provide organizational science with abundant theories to demonstrate organizational evolution by tracking beneficial or harmful features. In this study, focusing on 20,000 Minecraft communities, we measure these drivers empirically using two of the most widely applied evolutionary models: the Price equation and the bet-hedging model. As a result, we find strong selection pressure on administrative and information rules, suggesting that their positive correlation with community fitness is the main reason for their frequency change. We also find that stochastic drivers decrease the average frequency of administrative rules. The result makes sense when viewed in the context of evolutionary bet-hedging. We show through the bet-hedging result that institutional diversity contributes to the growth and stability of rules related to information, communication, and economic behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on homonationalism addresses the ideological and electoral combination of LGBTQ+ politics and radical-right populism. However, right-wing LGBTQ+ identities remain seemingly paradoxical, as right-wing Christianity-rooted conservatism is generally hostile to LGBTQ+ empowerment. Grounded in literature on populist radical right and its relationship with religion and sexuality, as well as social identity theory, we argue that right-wing LGBTQ+ people resolve identity tension by creating a positive group image. Analysing over 2,500 posts on a prominent (new/alt/populist) right-wing LGBTQ+ Reddit community, r/RightWingLGBT, we found right-wing LGBTQ+ users maintain a positive self-identity by positioning themselves against 'degenerate, liberal, non-binary queers', thus limiting themselves to narrow iterations of acceptable queerness which are congruent with hetero- and cis-normativity. Islam replaces Christianity as the primary anti-LGBTQ+ outgroup, which, alongside a normalisation and naturalisation of religious-rooted moral selves, helps to reconcile LGBTQ+ identities and right-wing populism and establish homonationalism as a bottom-up phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective activation, and the community engagement it fosters, is the driving mechanism of all fandoms, irrespective of the specific "objects of affection" around which they coalesce. These centralized objects of affection may hail from popular culture, such as in the form of sports teams, television shows, cartoon characters, or musicians. As fan scholars have increasingly recognized, fandoms can also emerge around profit-driven brands, specific politicians, and social movements. Much has been said regarding the dangers of the online conspiracy theory QAnon. However, these warnings have tended to overemphasize the rapidly evolving, amorphous beliefs of its adherents, rather than recognize the affective activation propelling the movement. Through its analysis of affect-driven communities, the field of fan studies can be productively applied to investigate the online discursive activities of QAnon community members. Framing QAnon as a fandom elucidates the functions through which the conspiracy theory radicalizes "normies" by exploiting the types of fan activities already well-established in mainstream fan communities. Underscoring the transferability of fan studies concepts to political movements and communities, this exploration outlines the societal stakes of QAnon's manipulation and normalization of the toxic emotions cohering its adherents into a fan atic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research provides empirical evidence for the benefit of social media in the online farmer community. The benefit that focus on empowerment value. The case study is used to explore the ICT usage in the community of Laying Hens Farmer in East and Central Java implementing the multi-feed and additive supplement. The research develops The Technology-toPerformance Chain (TPC) approach to analysis the strategy of farmer empowerment. The performance that was addressed by empowerment values. The study results that the farmer’s empowerment are influenced significantly by task-technology fit with a path coefficient of 0,704. It means that utilization of social media as the online media of community will encourage empowerment if the information and knowledge sharing activities inside are related to the task or farmer's livelihood. The farmer's characteristics and the facilitating condition affect the empowerment insignificantly. However, the facilitating condition determines the task-technology fit with the path value 0,868. This study discusses 3 important layers in farmer empowerment strategies through online communities. The first is the underlying factors which includes internet access, product innovation and agents of change (facilitators/agricultural extensionists), the second is the adoption process (both internet adoption and product knowledge adoption) while the third is the impact of empowerment which is direct (output) and indirect (outcome). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents are increasingly using online physician rating sites to select a pediatrician. However, no studies have examined the role of social media in influencing parents' choice of a pediatrician. The objective of this study was to qualitatively analyze what factors influence the choice of a pediatrician in an online peer support community. We retrieved retrospective data of all threads made to 4 subreddits on the Reddit social media platform between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019. We performed qualitative analysis using an inductive approach on threads related to choosing a pediatrician. We identified several codes which were grouped into subcategories/categories and finally abstracted into themes. We retrieved a total of 179 threads and included 30 for qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis led to identification of four major themes that influence how parents choose pediatricians on a social media platform—pediatrician-specific factors, office-related factors, parent/patient factors, and social factors. An online peer support community can serve as an important source of information for parents when searching for a pediatrician. Pediatric practices should focus on providing unmet information needs to parents that will ease the burden of the search process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the Dobbs leak introducing uncertainty about access and the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June of 2022 overturning the US constitutional right to abortion, delays in accessing desired abortion care are likely growing longer and more common. Timely research on people's experiences waiting to access abortion care is needed. Using data from an abortion subreddit (r/abortion), we analyzed posts that described waiting after having decided to terminate the pregnancy, either by having an in-clinic appointment or ordering medication(s) online for self-managed abortion. Our analysis explored described 1) wait time length, 2) factors contributing to waiting, and 3) impacts of waiting. We used a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic qualitative coding approach to analyze a month-stratified 10% random sample of posts to the r/abortion community in 2022 surrounding the Dobbs leak and decision (May–December, n = 523 posts). Among posts to r/abortion that described waiting to start an abortion (n = 80), wait times ranged from one day to more than a month. Lack of appointment availability and waiting for mailed medications were commonly described as causing delays in accessing in-clinic abortion care and self-managed abortion, respectively. People shared challenges with pregnancy symptoms and feelings of anxiety, fear, isolation, and uncertainty. Posters also commonly described needing additional support while waiting. Overall, waiting to start an abortion was extremely stressful and isolating., with people often waiting weeks between ordering medication or scheduling an appointment and initiating the abortion process. Experiences of waiting to start an abortion and their impacts are of increasing concern as abortion access is further restricted. Additional targeted information and support are needed to mitigate these challenges. Providing timely access is imperative to quality care and overall abortion experiences. • Since Dobbs , delays in accessing desired abortion care are likely growing longer and more common. • Online communities are health resources that can be leveraged for timely research. • Many people using an abortion subreddit in 2022 described waiting to start abortion. • After initiating care, abortion wait times ranged from 1 week to more than 1 month. • Waiting to start abortion was often a period of anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Launched in 1993, the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV), located in Blacksburg, Virginia and connected to Virginia Tech, was an experiment in community computing. Through its funding models and technologies, the BEV united government, municipal, corporate, and university interests. While it received media attention and scholarly engagement in its prime, the BEV has not yet been reconsidered as part of the larger critical history of virtual communities and platforms. Through primary and secondary accounts of the BEV, I argue that the BEV's trajectory is emblematic of how communities learn to negotiate going online for the first time, balancing the visions of designers and funders with those of users. The BEV was both a prototype and, later, a laboratory for participatory design, connecting an entire town to the World Wide Web. Its online listings of local businesses and e-commerce hub, known as the Village Mall, applications like MOOSburg—a multi-user domain—and an interactive Virtual School wired the town. The BEV was a small, rural, geographically-situated community used by senior citizens and college students alike, but it was not always inclusive. I point to critical scholarship about the BEV and other early electronic communities to situate the BEV within larger theoretical considerations regarding the relationship between electronic communities and local geographies, the different expectations of designers versus users, and the problems of inclusion, moderation, and control, even when access is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]