Identifying Search Directives on Social Media

• DOI: 10.54501/jots.v2i1.133
• Publication Date: 2023-09-22T04:04:50Z
• Authors: Ronald E. Robertson; Amy Dunphy; Shelby Grossman; Renée DiResta; David Thiel
• Keywords: Framing (construction); Online search

This study introduces methods for identifying search directives — content that could prompt an online and explores their presence on social media. Search can be effective tool indirect influence, because instead of guiding people directly to (e.g., a news article), they indirectly guide it through independent intermediary Google Search). By directing viewers "do own research" known, trusted, or seemingly objective intermediary, have advantages in terms both persuasion, by making feel as if discovered the own, evasion, not posting target link(s). Here we present framework media includes automated discovery, classification, query extraction. Data collected from demonstrate widespread use directives, provide construct validity our definition, support framing form influence. Last, report three case studies highlight immediate value researchers, practitioners, journalists focused trust safety.