From digital positivism and administrative big data analytics towards critical digital and social media research!
Abstract
This essay argues for a paradigm shift in the study of the Internet and digital/social media. Big data analytics is the dominant paradigm. It receives large amounts of funding, is administrative and a form of digital positivism. Critical social media research is an alternative approach that combines critical social media theory, critical digital methods and critical-realist social media research ethics. Strengthening the second approach is a material question of power in academia.Date
2017-01-08Type
ArticleIdentifier
oai:westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk:18190http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/18190/1/accepted.pdf
Fuchs, Christian (2017) From digital positivism and administrative big data analytics towards critical digital and social media research! European Journal of Communication, 32. ISSN 0267-3231