MANIPULATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN "NEW MEDIA": MONITORING AND ANALYSIS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF "PMC "RYODAN")

Abstract

Aim. To substantiate the authors’ method of identifying and analyzing the use of manipulative technologies to promote separate events which attract public attention in social networks.Methodology. The authors’ PROSIS-analysis method is based on empirical data collection, carried by IQbuzz and WordStat online services, the analysis of main indicators of user network activity (posters, reposts, coverage, requests, sources, messages) and a number of additional parameters, expert interpretation of results. Application of the above-mentioned method is demonstrated on the example of the public discussion in the Russian-language Internet sources concerning the destructive youth subculture PMC “Ryodan” in February-March 2023.Results. As a result of empirical data collection and analysis, the authors identified four main quantitative indicators pointing to information manipulation. They include high average user involvement, large audience coverage with relatively small number of user messages, the search queries dynamics and the ratio of user messages to this dynamics.Research implications. The practical significance lies in the possibility of using the unique methodology to identify manipulative technologies in social networks, to analyse the nature of information flows and to monitor information space. In addition, PROZIS-analysis opens up opportunities for developing new methods of public opinion forming and counteracting destructive information influences in social networks.

Keywords

• web analytics
• Internet communication
• information policy
• mass communication
• social networks
• Internet sociology