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Microblogging and nanotweets: Nanotechnology on Twitter
1University of East Anglia, UK.
Public Understanding of Science (Bristol, England)
|July 5, 2013
Summary
Social media, like Twitter, is increasingly important for public understanding of science. Analysis of nanotechnology discussions reveals limited engagement but predominantly positive sentiment, often tinged with uncertainty.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Science Communication
- Social Media Analysis
Background:
- The social web is a growing platform for public discourse, influencing science understanding.
- Previous research has examined nanotechnology's portrayal across various media.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the representation of nanotechnology on Twitter.
- To assess user engagement and sentiment regarding nanotechnology discussions online.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of over 24,000 tweets related to nanotechnology.
- Application of web metrics, latent semantic analysis, and sentiment analysis.
Main Results:
- Active nanotechnology users on Twitter follow a power law distribution.
- Web metrics indicate limited overall conversation volume on the topic.
- Content analysis shows similarities to other media, with predominantly positive sentiment, often expressing uncertainty or fear rather than hostility.
Conclusions:
- Twitter engagement with nanotechnology is limited but leans positive.
- Public perception of nanotechnology on social media mirrors other platforms.
- Sentiment is characterized by curiosity and apprehension rather than outright opposition.
