The Enchanted North

While hospitals’ health promotion via social media has the potential to be a critical source of health information, research shows racial and ethnic disparities exist in health-related knowledge that may be, in part, related to media representation. The purpose of this study is to examine the racial and ethnic representation of people featured in Washington, D.C. hospitals’ social media platforms to understand how hospitals embed cultural competency into their health communication. By comparing the diversity of images on hospitals’ social media platforms with the demographics of hospitals’ neighboring communities, the researchers intend to highlight opportunities to improve targeted health messaging to underserved communities, particularly Black and Hispanic communities. By analyzing the images and videos posted on the three most popular social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube – for a one-month period, the researchers found that Whites and Asians were over-represented while Hispanics were severely under-represented in hospitals’ social media representation as compared to the community demographics. Increasing the diversity of minority representation on hospitals’ social media-based health promotion may contribute to addressing the social disparities in healthcare.

The development of social media has transformed the way Islamic teachings are disseminated and represented, presenting both opportunities and challenges for Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teaching. Diverse representations of Islam in the digital space have the potential to strengthen moderate understanding, but also give rise to radical content that can lead to misconceptions among students. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of Islamic representation in social media and its implications for developing an PAI curriculum responsive to the digital era. The research was conducted using qualitative methods through a literature review and content analysis of various literature, social media content, and relevant documents. The results indicate that social media has a significant influence in shaping students' religious perceptions and opening up opportunities for creative da'wah (Islamic outreach), but it has also become a medium for the spread of intolerance and radicalism. Therefore, strengthening digital literacy, critical thinking skills, and the value of religious moderation is essential through an updated PAI curriculum. The integration of social media literacy materials into PAI can equip students to be more selective, tolerant, and adaptive in dealing with the flow of religious information in the digital era. This study emphasizes the strategic role of religious education in shaping a generation of Muslims who are both religious and and digitally literate.

Herpes zoster (HZ), a common disease in older adults, affects their quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the blog posts of HZ-related information on social media platforms to analyze the attitudes and behaviors of residents toward the dissemination of health information. This research used content analysis to focus on Weibo, a representative social media in China, to analyze the content of 1866 blog posts related to herpes zoster (HZ) and herpes zoster vaccine (HZV). According to the consistency test by Cohen's Kappa, four themes were identified: (a) sources, (b) tones, (c) epidemiological information, and (d) extended parallel process model elements. The findings showed that most information on Weibo came from non-professionals, with a neutral tone, and showed the invisible pain of HZ and the effectiveness of HZV through the two largest aspects of prevention and aged protection in epidemiological information. However, current blog posts treat the older adult as invisible individuals, failing to acknowledge them as recipients of the information. Additionally, the cost of the vaccine acts as an invisible economic barrier, contributing to the dissemination of incorrect information about folk remedies. This impacts the older adult's acceptance of health information related to HZV. Thus, the way to share health information with the older adult needs to be improved in the future, and attention should be paid to the transmission of incorrect information to improve their vaccination rates and awareness of health management.

Social media use by plastic surgeons may contribute to the overall increase in breast reconstruction in the United States. However, recent data show a concerning decrease in breast reconstruction in African American women. The purpose of this study was to analyze the inclusion of African American women in social media posts for breast reconstruction, with the premise that this may be a possible contributing factor to decreasing rates of breast reconstruction in this population. Data from several social media platforms were obtained manually on December 1, 2019. Each image was analyzed using the Fitzpatrick scale as a guide. A total of 2580 photographs were included that met the authors' criteria. Only 172 photographs (6.7 percent) were nonwhite. This study surveyed 543 surgeons, 5 percent of whom were nonwhite. The analysis of the results from the random sample of the top plastic surgery social media influencers showed that only 22 (5 percent) of the photographs uploaded were nonwhite patients. Furthermore, 30 percent of surgeons did not have any photographs of nonwhite patients uploaded. Numerous factors can contribute to the disparity between the growing trend of white patients seeking reconstructive surgery compared to the decreasing trend of African American patients, one of which may be the disparity in their representation in social media, particularly among common platforms and social media influencers. This study highlights the evolving factors that may impair African American breast cancer patients' access to safe, effective breast reconstruction, which must be identified and resolved.

This paper presents the results of a study of the content strategies related to visualisation of Moscow's top-rated radio stations in social media. The objectives were to determine the activity of Moscow radio stations and audience response in social media during the turbulent late 2022. First, the official accounts of forty three Moscow radio stations on the platforms VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, in the messenger Telegram* and on the video hosting YouTube, as well as Yandex Zen, Twitter*, TikTok*, Yappy, RuTube and so on were analyzed. For a more detailed analysis of content strategies, ten radio stations leading the Mediascope ranking were selected. The analysis was carried out according to the following criteria: the presence of official representation in social media, the number of subscribers, forms, formats and genres of activity of the radio station, the audience response to the content of the radio station in social networks and messengers. Particular attention in the study was paid to the ways in which the selected radio stations were visualized. The results of the analysis show that VKontakte remains the most popular platform for radio stations during the turbulence, followed by YouTube, Odnoklassniki, Telegram* and Zen. Social media pages are used by stations as a specific method of expansion or as a means of strategic interaction with the audience. The predominance of video content is observed on two platforms — Vkontakte and YouTube; music stations are the most active in posting it. Radio stations are not particularly active in publishing video content on the site, and almost all of them post videos from their YouTube channels. A number of radio stations do not publish video content at all. The most popular are short vertical videos and 'long' horizontal recordings created from both on-air and unique off-air content. There are practically no broadcasts (except for the news content of "Moscow Talks"). The channels' audience is rather passive. With regular video broadcasts and publication of content, radio stations achieve high audience engagement.

Criminal justice agencies increasingly recruit new personnel online using social media. This paper analyzes correctional officer recruitment videos appearing on YouTube. Engaging with literature on social media representations and authenticity, we examine the content and the themes appearing in these videos. We use a grounded theory approach to data analysis accompanied by a semiotic reading of these video texts. We argue that these video representations convey a sense of fantastical authenticity, meaning there is a mythical or embellished dimension to these depictions and accounts. We also find that these videos communicate establishment narratives about prisons and prison work. We also situate our analysis in broader literature on social media use and communications by criminal justice agencies. We conclude with reflections on what this means for understanding representations of criminal justice as well as social media use by prison authorities in North America.

While traditional relationships were defined by conventional gender roles, contemporary Australian society has witnessed significant shifts in relationship patterns, particularly in how young women approach and experience singlehood. Despite increasing acceptance of diverse relationship choices, defining singlehood remains complex and multifaceted, especially within the Australian context where changing social norms and digital technology create new forms of relationship ambiguity. Our research explores how young women in contemporary Australian society experience singlehood, exploring whether their experiences align with traditional, contemporary, or nuanced definitions of singlehood. Utilising an exploratory qualitative design, informed by social constructivist and feminist frameworks, the study involved semi-structured interviews with 10 participants ages 18–35 who identify as women and currently reside in Australia. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowballing sampling via social media, flyers, and professional networks. Each interview lasted approximately 60 minutes and was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and cross-checked for accuracy. Data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, revealing three themes: complexities in defining singlehood in an increasingly fluid landscape, the contradictory influences of traditional and social media representations, and the tension between experiencing singlehood as personal growth while viewing it as a transitional phase. The findings highlight how young women actively negotiate their single status within competing narratives, demonstrating both the persistent influence of traditional expectations and emerging forms of resistance through social media and changing social norms. However, our analysis reveals that singlehood operates as a sophisticated form of social regulation, where definitional ambiguity, contradictory media messages, and psychological pressure maintain traditional relationship hierarchies while appearing to support individual choice. Our research contributes to understanding how young Australian women construct and experience singlehood while navigating societal pressures and personal aspirations. Future research should focus on examining diverse cultural experiences of singlehood and investigating how digital technologies continue to reshape relationship experiences.

The media portrayals of sportswomen especially Black and Muslim women tend to be monolithic, focusing only on oppression of the body and the barriers they face for entry into sport. Using the fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad as a case study, with an eye toward transnational feminism, this multimodal discourse analysis study found her social media representation provides complex insight into what it means to Black, Muslim, and a woman in a traditionally white and elitist sport. Muhammad seems to typify the many contradictory images one associates with white, Western sportswomen on social media; combining empowerment and commodification while leaving out one of the main visages often epitomized with it, the sexualization of the sportswomen form. As more scholars study sportswomen’s presence on social media and their activism, how athletes use these digital spaces to construct their identity is sure to have implications for how researchers also study collegiate athletes’ use of marketing and branding in the new era of name, image, and likeness. As Muhammad shows, sportswomen who historically have been exploited by the big business of sport because they are Black or Muslim, can now be assured a space for economic empowerment.

This paper examines the representation of child trafficking discourse in online interactions. Data for the study were part of a larger project corpus of 83,815 posts with 1,044,209 tokens collected between July 2023 and May 2024 using the Apify Twitter Scraper. The study adopted a mixed method of corpus-based methodologies and qualitative discourse analysis (QDA). SketchEngine was deployed to quantitatively analyse and track the occurrences of words around child trafficking, while insights drawn from Reisigl and Wodak’s (2009. “The Discourse-Historical Approach.” In Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. 2nd ed., edited by Ruth Wodak, and Michael Meyer, 87–121. London: Sage) discursive strategies foreground the QDA. Findings reveal that child trafficking discourse manifests two discursive patterns: representation and construction. The former, which captures explicit and implicit depictions through predication and perspectivation strategies, reveals how child trafficking is negatively evaluated as a crisis, crime and evil, and the implicit portrayal of the act as a war. The construction of child trafficking as being downplayed, through intensification and predication strategies, relates to social protest and harsh criticism of the media and political officeholders, and as advocacy along the lines of social movements (e-activism) through hashtags. Thus, the study complements existing knowledge on children’s representation in social media, as online participants’ discourses reinforce awareness-raising, agitation and calls for action.

Editorial

This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable product categorization and representation in social media. Companies and consumers are increasingly favoring eco-friendly, green, or sustainable products due to their environmentally friendly lifecycle. This study examines a dataset of more than 30,000 tweets labeled with hashtags such as #sustainableproducts, #ecoproducts, #ecofriendlyproducts, and #greenproducts. The dataset covers ten years and includes Twitter data from around the world. The study employs content and sentiment analysis to reveal that conversations around sustainable and green products often emphasize environmental impact and responsible consumption, reflecting consumer preferences and business strategies. Discussions on eco-friendly and eco-products center on sustainable materials and waste reduction, highlighting consumer choices and the need for eco-conscious product design. The general sentiment expressed in these tweets is primarily positive or neutral, although negative sentiments are frequently associated with environmental concerns such as plastic pollution. The study not only highlights the significance of digital platforms in influencing public discussions on sustainability but also emphasizes the informative power of social media in shaping sustainable narratives. It suggests the need for a comprehensive strategy encompassing transparent and balanced communication, active consumer and business engagement, and collaborative efforts among stakeholders to promote sustainable consumption on digital platforms, thereby contributing to the achievement of climate neutrality. By shedding light on the complexities and nuances of online discourse, it provides a foundation for future scholarly inquiries and informs practical efforts to promote sustainable consumption and production in the digital age.

This article focused the analysis on social media representations of Sápmi using the hashtags #visitsápmi and #visitsapmi, which nuance official, top-down versions of the place communicated in other contexts, but simultaneously are more focused on visitors and their experiences. The results show that the making of the Sápmi region as a place and a tourism destination through social media content is an ongoing process of interpretation and reinterpretation of what indigenous Sámi culture is and how it connects to specific localities. Future research should look at the broader understanding of places that can be accessed through social media analysis. The main argument is that visual communication is a very important tool when constructing the brand of a destination. Considering the growing role of social media, the process of place-making through visual communication is explored in the case of the destination VisitSápmi, as it is coconstructed in online user generated content (UGC). From a theoretical viewpoint, we discuss the social construction of places and destinations as well as the production of meaning through coconstruction of images and brands in tourism contexts. The focus is on how places are created, branded, and made meaningful by visualizing the place in a framework of tourism experiences, in this case specifically examined through indigenous tourism. We use a content analysis of texts, photographs, and narratives communicated on social media platforms. Regardless of negotiated brand management's efforts at official marketing, branding, and tourism planning, the evolution of Sápmi as a place to visit in social media has its own logic, full of contradictions and plausible interpretations, related to the uncontrollable and bottom-up processes of UGC.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of social media (SM) on the creation of digital entrepreneurship by female (irrespective of age) and youth male (aged 18–29 years) entrepreneurs, investigate if SM empowers those entrepreneurs and compare the empowerment characteristics between female and youth male entrepreneurs before and after starting their businesses.Design/methodology/approachSelf-assessment questionnaires were collected from a sample of 408 Egyptian female and youth male digital entrepreneurs from Greater Cairo, whose businesses had been operating for more than one year.FindingsThe research showed the following four results: Of the surveyed entrepreneurs, 95% asserted that without SM, they would not have started their businesses. Female and youth male entrepreneurs are empowered both on personal and relational levels, and women’s empowerment is more evident in the latter. Before digital entrepreneurship, youth males have significantly higher averages than female entrepreneurs in almost all empowerment characteristics, whereas after digital entrepreneurship, female entrepreneurs have significantly higher averages in making decisions related to investment, personal education and personal health, as well as those of other household members. Female entrepreneurs are relatively more empowered than youth males after digital entrepreneurship when each group is compared with its initial status.Originality/valueThis study’s originality stems from using a large sample of entrepreneurs, including youth males, not just females; employing a more structured, comprehensive measure of empowerment than found in the literature because it included the rarely used psychological dimension; considering more than one SM tool and comparing empowerment of females to that of youth males.

Digital entrepreneurship has recently become a trend in cyberspace and it is often associated with the millennials who were previously said to be the least entrepreneurial generation. The millennials are digital natives who tend to follow a trend because of globalization which opens up unlimited public spaces. This article aims to examine the motives of the Indonesian millennial generation in doing digital entrepreneurship through qualitative research methods and Jean Baudrillard's post-modern theory approach. The required data were collected through interview and observation methods. This article argues that the main motive of Indonesian millennials in digital entrepreneurship is not profit-seeking, but rather prestige-seeking by following trends on social media so that digital entrepreneurship develops among millennials. The results of the study show that the tendency of being social media trend followers has encouraged Indonesian millennials to run digital entrepreneurship. The millennials tried to follow the trend of digital entrepreneurship to express their identities in the public sphere to create a good image of themselves. By doing so, they expected to be considered prestigious members of digital society with higher social status.

Navigating Social Media in #Ophthalmology