Keeping track of all the trends and changes to social media platforms is an exhausting task, but necessary when the accuracy of media and news analysis depends on it. When we heard about a trend where social media users deliberately avoid using keywords or names in their conversations - Voldemorting, we decided to find out more about it so we (and you!) could factor it into our work.
What is it? Voldemorting is essentially when an individual or a group deliberately avoid using certain words or phrases as a tactic to hide or silence a topic. This extends to pseudo-anonymity - the trend of users using false names on social media. Why is this occurring? On social media, we’re aware that our communication is often public and persistent, so we develop strategies to reconcile the different aspects of ourselves, our lives, and our personalities. Hiding behind a digital mask gives many the power to spread false news and stories without immediate retribution. Implication on news/journalism? Keyword and sentiment analysis might be able to tell us about communication patterns in broad strokes, but it’s incredibly difficult to factor in all the nuances of tone, sarcasm, cultural references, in-jokes, and play. Voldemorting, or deliberately avoiding a particular name or keyword, is a tactic that politically hides or silences a topic. With news being on a continuous cycle, it can be hard to plan out news stories and stay ahead of the game. However, there are several events across the year that newsrooms plan ahead for. We've compiled a list of some of these events around Australia:
Politics - NSW State Election - Federal Budget Announcement Sports - Australia Open - State of Origin - City2Surf - Melbourne Cup - Spring Racing Carnival - Formula 1 Grand Prix - AFL & NRL Grand Final Entertainment - Logie Awards - Vivid Sydney - Mardi Gras Festival - Fashion Week Australia - International Comedy Festival - Australian of the Year Charitable & Health Focused Events - Mothers Day Classic - Red Shield Appeal - Jeans for Genes Day - Worlds Greatest Shave Anniversaries - Remembrance Day - Reconciliation Day - ANZAC Day - Australia Day |
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