research-article

The Neil deGrasse Tyson Problem: Methods for Exploring Base Memes in Web Archives

Authors:

Julia SufrinAuthors Info & Claims

SMSociety'20: International Conference on Social Media and Society

Pages 255 - 264

https://doi.org/10.1145/3400806.3400836

Published: 22 July 2020 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper we introduce the concept of the “base meme” for characterizing unique information artifacts that are used to make derivative, new, and related memes. Base memes are antecedents to many versions of derivative memes that are published all across the web. While they can be created in meme template generator websites, their origins and diffusion can be difficult for researchers to verify. Despite the often ephemeral nature of memes that are shared via platforms, they can be fairly reliably found in web archive collections, such as the Internet Archive and the US Library of Congress’ Web Cultures Web Archive. In this paper, we first present the existing research on memes and discuss the challenges for researchers who study them (such as identification and language detection). We then describe the importance of web archives to social media research and building robust methods of inquiry for internet history. Using archived data from the Library of Congress’ Meme Generator Archive (N=57,652), we use descriptive analysis to calculate, measure, and describe this important public web archive of memes. Our results show that this collection has a variety of “base memes” that can be grouped with their related derivative memes (which we consider to be their related works). We use language detection software to identify a variety of languages present in the archived dataset of memes. We close by describing why approaching these metrics on “base meme” image macros alongside findings for derivative versions and the multiple languages present in web archives of social media allows researchers to study a diversity of voices, including linguistic diversity, distinctions in humor, and the variety of cultural expressions present in memes.

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Cited By

Semotiuk O(2024)Crime and Punishment: Prigoshin’s Mutiny and Putin’s Revenge in Ukrainian and Russian Cartoons and MemesCognitive Studies | Études cognitives10.11649/cs.3097Online publication date: 21-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.11649/cs.3097
Hagen SVenturini T(2023)Memecry: tracing the repetition-with-variation of formulas on 4chan/pol/Information, Communication & Society10.1080/1369118X.2023.2216769(1-32)Online publication date: 26-May-2023
https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2023.2216769
Hai-Jew S(2022)Observed Mass-Scale Call-Response Dynamics Between Public Health Officials and the American Public in the Surging COVID-19 Pandemic Summer 2020Practical Peer-to-Peer Teaching and Learning on the Social Web10.4018/978-1-7998-6496-7.ch001(1-59)Online publication date: 2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-6496-7.ch001

The Neil deGrasse Tyson Problem: Methods for Exploring Base Memes in Web Archives
1. Applied computing
  1. Computers in other domains
2. Information systems
  1. Information systems applications

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cover image ACM Other conferences

SMSociety'20: International Conference on Social Media and Society

July 2020

317 pages

ISBN:9781450376884

DOI:10.1145/3400806

Editors:
Anatoliy Gruzd
Ryerson University in Canada
,
Philip Mai
Ryerson University in Canada
,
Raquel Recuero
Federal University of Pelotas and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil
,
Ángel Hernández-García
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Spain
,
Chei Sian Lee
Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
,
James Cook
University of Maine at Augusta in the United States
,
Jaigris Hodson
Royal Roads University in Canada
,
Bree McEwan
DePaul University in the United States
,
Jill Hopke
DePaul University in the United States

Copyright © 2020 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 22 July 2020

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SMSociety'20

SMSociety'20: International Conference on Social Media and Society

July 22 - 24, 2020

ON, Toronto, Canada

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Cited By

Semotiuk O(2024)Crime and Punishment: Prigoshin’s Mutiny and Putin’s Revenge in Ukrainian and Russian Cartoons and MemesCognitive Studies | Études cognitives10.11649/cs.3097Online publication date: 21-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.11649/cs.3097
Hagen SVenturini T(2023)Memecry: tracing the repetition-with-variation of formulas on 4chan/pol/Information, Communication & Society10.1080/1369118X.2023.2216769(1-32)Online publication date: 26-May-2023
https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2023.2216769
Hai-Jew S(2022)Observed Mass-Scale Call-Response Dynamics Between Public Health Officials and the American Public in the Surging COVID-19 Pandemic Summer 2020Practical Peer-to-Peer Teaching and Learning on the Social Web10.4018/978-1-7998-6496-7.ch001(1-59)Online publication date: 2022
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-6496-7.ch001

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