@rra@post.lurk.org and I have a new, #OpenAccess article out: “Shifting your research from X to Mastodon? Here’s what you need to know”

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-3899(23)00323-9

This article is an opinion piece in which we argue that social scientists cannot simply port their work from X to #Mastodon or the rest of the #fediverse. There are key differences in culture, expectations of privacy, and of course topology to consider.

  • soaproot@sfba.social
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    8 months ago

    @rwg@aoir.social @rra@post.lurk.org @commodon@sciences.social @academicchatter@a.gup.pe Oh oh, this is about people who study social networks, not merely those who use social networks to do/publicize research on other topics. Interesting stuff and definitely makes me think that the moment when Twitter was especially easy to study was an unusual time, without super close analogues before or since.

    • Robert W. Gehl@aoir.socialOP
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      8 months ago

      @soaproot@sfba.social @rra@post.lurk.org @commodon@sciences.social @academicchatter@a.gup.pe

      Yeah, I agree. The issue I see is that the easy period lasted long enough, and fueled enough careers, that folks will see the fedi and say, “we can do that there, as well”, without reflecting on the differences.