<p> Facebook is stable and growing in users; however, the social networking site has seen a drop in certain areas of user participation. This study considers the reasons for potential user abandonment of Facebook with a complex analysis into not only the reasons cited by users as to why they abandon Facebook, but also the compilation of those reasons as part of an overall perception formulated about Facebook. Such reasons contribute to the perception of Facebook as user centric or nonuser-centric. The study hypothesizes that through a process of diffusion of innovation, a non-user-centric perception is growing among Facebook&rsquo;s users. Furthermore, the study compounds upon present research on innovation abandonment theory to offer explanation on the correlation between a perception of Facebook as nonuser-centric and Facebook user abandonment. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Facebook, perception, user-centric, nonuser-centric, diffusion of innovation.</p>

<p>This study questions the way sports fans create (a sense of) community through online conversations. Here, &lsquo;community&rsquo; and &lsquo;internet&rsquo; are seen as invitational terms that suggest an authentic social interaction. By examining the language used by fans to sustain a sense of solidarity in the virtual realm, this study questions the ways in which rhetoric frames the situation. Participation in the virtual space relies on practices of identification derived from physical engagements. By using a rhetorical approach, this study illuminates the way individual participants operationalize a rhetoric in virtual conversations that spiritualize the fan&rsquo;s experience at the base of a sporting hierarchy. </p><p> This study centralizes identification as key to participation and the formation of community identity. The same language practices that work to shape the group also reinforce a sports ideology that spiritualizes fan participation. What emerges as a dominant substance is loyalty as key to identification/participation in the virtual community. This value-based substance offers the fan the ability to re-purpose their role as a profit source in the capitalist sporting structure. Therefore, the individuals focus on loyalty is rhetorical due to the internet space as capitalized communication. This study speaks to the way communication fosters virtual organizations, and points to how our cultured understandings conceal the rhetoric in everyday interactions. </p>

<p> Cell phones are an essential piece of communication technology in today&rsquo;s world. Though pocket sized computers provide the ability to have verbal communication between almost anyone in the world, it is often forgotten that these devices also allow non-verbal communication. Short Message Service (SMS), more commonly known as text messaging, enables cell phones to send and receive short messages from others instead of making a phone call. When using texting, there is a lack of verbal and visual non-verbal cues that we normally experience speaking over the phone or face-to-face (FtF). One of the more often mistranslated functions of communication when texting is verbal irony. Verbal irony is difficult to decipher in text due to the lack of cues. This study examines whether verbal irony can accurately be deciphered in texting, and if it is possible to correctly convey verbal irony in SMS. Additional questions include what category of verbal irony provides the clearest interpretation, the effect of emoticons on understanding, and possible gender differences in interpretation and creation of verbal irony. After collection and analysis of data, the research has shown that it is possible to correctly convey verbal irony if certain patterns are followed. There is an overwhelming use of emoticons, particularly the disappointed face, and the use of ellipsis when creating verbal irony within text messages. In both cases, it shows to be beneficial. There are gender differences in the interpretation of verbal irony including the concept that same gendered senders and receivers are more accurate in interpretation.</p>

<p> An increased number of widespread disasters ranging from storm surge flooding to sprawling wildfires, has increased the pressure on emergency communication. Social Media, through mobile technology combined with volunteer geographic information (VGI), has the potential to enable disaster impacted populations to send and receive crucial information thereby reducing the impact and loss associated with widespread disasters. This study examines how social media impacts emergency and disaster communication by analyzing the results of thirty-three case studies where social media had an impact on communication. Thematic synthesis conducted through the identification of themes derived from study findings indicates that while there are many challenges to implementing a social media enhanced emergency communication strategy, when authorities adopt such a strategy, stakeholders affected by the emergency have more actionable information and situational awareness. Additionally, awareness of the emergency by non-affected stakeholders, such as disaster relief agencies and fundraisers increases exponentially when social media is included in the communication strategy. Findings also suggest that challenges such as information overload, and the dissemination of false information can be overcome when authorities cooperate with affected stakeholders to moderate social media posts.</p><p>

<p>This study was conducted to understand how the Cajun Navy 2016?s organization-stakeholder relationship development strategies (i.e. disclosure, information dissemination, and involvement) evolved over the course of a year from the Great Flood of 2016 to Hurricane Harvey. After the Great Flood of 2016, the Cajun Navy increased their online presence through Facebook and used the social networking platform to connect with other people who wanted to provide help during this crisis. The rapid growth of the Cajun Navy and its increased attention in the media shows that by fostering relationships online, a broader audience can be reached and engagement and reciprocity can be achieved via strategic communication. This study builds upon the social mediated crisis communication model (SMCC) to identify emerging trends in crisis communication on Facebook and how they were used by the Cajun Navy 2016 administrators to gain a following and to mobilize resources in times of crisis.

<p> This guide was created to serve as a tool for crisis communications to assist in crafting ethical responses to crises using social media as the primary communications channel. The guide combines Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984)&mdash;a management theory that focuses on the importance of different groups of people, not just shareholders&mdash;with Situational Crisis Communication (Coombs, 2007). The guide also adheres to two of Kant&rsquo;s Categorical Imperatives as the ethical basis and marker. To create the guide, the author relied on archival, or documentary, research to provide the background information and theory to inform the creation of the guide. The guide is broken up into four parts&mdash;an overview of crisis communication, pre-crisis planning, active crisis communication, and post-crisis communication/reputation rebuilding. The guide is meant to be used as a tool, and is not an exhaustive how-to for handling a crisis.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to specifically look into one businesses website and online efforts to engage potential new hires in providing them with valuable company information. The research questions focused on how effective the company's online advertisements were, as well as the interaction and involvement of the online advertisements. The researcher of this study utilized communication theories based on Todd Gitlin's media torrent theory of oversaturation and Joseph Walther's social information processing theory to conduct research. To conduct the research a survey was given to 20 prospective job seekers and five face-to-face interviews were conducted. The participation in the survey was anonymous and no tracking information was kept. The interviewees that participated in the interview were current employees that were only asked about their application process and the role that social media played in their online job search. The study concludes that most of the prospective job seekers and current employees find social media platforms to be an easy way to find open positions because these online advertisements direct the applicant to the company website for further information. However, many employees also preferred to learn about the company face-to-face, rather than online. </p>

<p> This study investigated the relationships between international students' use of social networking sites (SNS), their acculturative stress and social connectedness. A survey was conducted among 63 international students who attended a rural, Midwestern University in the United States. To keep in contact with individuals from their home country and individuals in the U.S., international students reported using both U.S.-based SNS such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as SNS geared towards their home countries, such as Weibo and WeChat. Positive correlations were found between Guilt and Culture Shock, Culture Shock and Homesickness, Guilt and Homesickness, Guilt and Perceived Hatred, Culture Shock and Perceived Hatred, Perceived Discrimination and Perceived Hatred, Perceived Discrimination and Culture Shock, and between Perceived Discrimination and Guilt. Hours spent per day on social networking sites was negatively correlated with Perceived Hatred, Guilt and Social Connectedness, but positively correlated with Relationship Maintenance, Social Surveillance, Socializing, Culture Shock and Perceived Discrimination. Social Connectedness was negatively associated with all five components of Acculturative Stress and Social Surveillance, but positively associated with Relationship Maintenance. The findings suggest that international students' SNS use may be associated with their ability to adjust to life in the foreign country and to continue feeling connected to a network of social support. The small sample size and other limitations are discussed, as are the potential implications.</p>

<p> This study was influenced by the researcher's personal interest in the topic as well as a pilot study he conducted; it produced results that inspired him to do further research. The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission assisted in distributing the Qualtrics survey through their Facebook page and Twitter account. Thus, the researcher utilized a non-probability convenience and volunteer sample of 789 Saudi Arabian students studying in the United States. </p><p> This study was guided by the Uses and Gratification Theory to examine the use of smartphones as a news resource and the potential gratifications students experienced with this type of use. The findings showed reliance upon using smartphones for accessing news with several experienced gratifications. An emergent habit of checking news frequently among respondents was revealed by the data analysis. Additionally, the findings indicated that respondents have feelings of being overwhelmed by the large amount of news as well as feeling isolated without their smartphones. The findings point to a noticeable amount of sharing news via social networking sites while using smartphones. Overall, an argument of a cultural impact of using smartphones exists, contrary to respondents' perceptions.</p>

<p>Human trafficking affects millions every day, yet scarce research exists that evaluates communication efforts of human trafficking awareness organizations (HTAOs). HTAOs often use social media, and providing the right kind of information to audiences is important in moving publics into more active roles. Grunig?s situational theory suggests that high problem recognition, low constraint recognition, and high level of involvement lead to information seeking and active publics. The purpose of this study was to identify frames used in HTAOs? YouTube videos to determine if human trafficking messages help publics become more active. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on the most popular YouTube videos from twelve HTAOs, looking specifically for frames that fit Grunig?s variables. HTAOs? purposes for using YouTube were also analyzed and the results provided plausibility for a revised situational theory model. Discrepancies emerged between the definition and portrayal of human trafficking. Themes developed regarding the causes, consequences, and remedies of human trafficking, in addition to the portrayals of victims, perpetrators, and rescuers. HTAO public relations practitioners can use the data to revamp their human trafficking awareness campaigns, making it a point to include elements that will motivate publics to take more active roles in the organization.