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The Impact of Question Type and Topic on Misinformation and Trolling on Yahoo! Answers

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Diversity, Divergence, Dialogue (iConference 2021)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 12646))

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Abstract

Trolling and misinformation are ubiquitous on social media platforms, such as Yahoo! Answers. Yet, little is known about the impact of question type and topic on the extent of trolling and misinformation in answers on these platforms. We address this gap by analyzing 120 transactions with 2000 answers from two Yahoo! Answers categories: Politics & Government and Society & Culture. We found that trolling and misinformation are widespread on Yahoo! Answers. In most cases, trolling in questions was echoed by more trolling in answers, and misinformation in questions with more misinformation in answers. We also found that 1) more misinformation and more trolling were found in answers to conversational questions than to informational questions; 2) more misinformation occurred in answers to questions in politics than answers to questions in culture; and 3) trolling significantly differed between politics and culture.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    A transaction includes a question and all of its corresponding answers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Pnina Fichman & Rachel Brill

Authors
  1. Pnina Fichman
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  2. Rachel Brill
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pnina Fichman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Katharina Toeppe

  2. Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

    Hui Yan

  3. The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Samuel Kai Wah Chu

Appendix - Coding Scheme

Appendix - Coding Scheme

Code

Description

Example

Trolling/Swearing

Using vulgar language, usually to elicit a reaction

This is because CATHOLICS ARE PEDOPHILLIE CULT that rapes innocent children. F*uck catholicism!!!

Trolling/Insulting

Making intentional statement to insult an individual or group of people

Because atheists have integrity and self respect. Christians are sinners anyway, so raping and killing are OK so long as they ask for forgiveness

Trolling/Sarcasm

Using humor, hyperbole, and other rhetorical devices to convey a nuanced public opinion

Sure, she will put that at the top of her list. Forget trade agreements, national debt, war in middle east, and national health insurance. Lets get right to the important issues: hamburgers

Trolling/Provocation

Making intentional claims to elicit a specific reaction

Gods are imaginary creatures, and they don’t exist. But if one did exist, and it chose a piece of siht like Trump, then everything I've ever thought about the BuyBull god is accurate…

Trolling/Derailment

Purposely leading a conversation off course

Never mind triune, first you have to prove that gods exist…but you can’t so why be concerned with interpretation of mythical stories?

Trolling/Emotional display

Emotional displays in reference to a subject/their behaviors (e.g., all caps writing, multiple exclamation points). This deals with the message’s form

BYE BYE LIBTARDS! GET OUT!

Inaccurate information/Deception

Intentionally making someone believe something that is not true

The idea is to be far away on Dec 17th when Russia uses conventional weapons to bomb that missile base in Romania that violates the INF treaty

Inaccurate information/Misinformation

Making an untrue or inaccurate statement unintentionally

There are many good muslins, so hating all of them is not right, but the muslins have to realize that 95% of all terrorist activity is related to people of the muslin faith. so all muslins unfortunately have to bear that burden

Inaccurate information/Disinformation

Intentionally making an inaccurate (fabricated, manipulated, or simply false) statement

He [Obama] can return to Kenya where he was born and run there

Question/Informational

Informational questions are asked with the intent of getting information that the asker hopes to learn or use via fact- or advice-oriented answers

Which ‘specific’ denomination of Christianity did Jesus Himself start? Does that ‘specific’ denomination still exist today?

Question/Conversational

Conversational questions are asked with the intent of stimulating discussion. They may be aimed at getting opinions, or they may be acts of self-expression

Are you hopeful about the future of the United States given the outcome of this election?

Quality/Accuracy

Accuracy of an answer refers to a correct response

Nope. Unless the 22nd ammendent is repealed he is term limited

Quality/Completeness

Completeness of an answer refers to an answer that is thorough, provides enough information, and answers all parts of a multi-part question

(In response to a question asking what people think Trump will do as president) Repeal and replace Obamacare. Enforce immigration laws. Reverse Obama orders and rules that are stifling the economy. End wasteful spending. Strengthen the military. Restore US image as world leader. Defeat ISIS. And that’s just in the first year

Quality/Relevance

Answer is relevant to the question

(In response to a question asking how the Holy Trinity is composed) God is revealed in three persons--God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

Quality/Verifiability

Verifiability of an answer refers to an answer that provides a link or a reference to another source where the information can be found

The Bible tells us, that the Father is Jehovah, Jesus is his ‘Firstborn’ Son. And the holy spirit, is not a person like God. Rather, it is God’s active force. Psalm 104:30

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Fichman, P., Brill, R. (2021). The Impact of Question Type and Topic on Misinformation and Trolling on Yahoo! Answers. In: Toeppe, K., Yan, H., Chu, S.K.W. (eds) Diversity, Divergence, Dialogue. iConference 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12646. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71305-8_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71305-8_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-71304-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-71305-8

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