IEEE VIS 2024 Content: Blowing Seeds Across Gardens: Visualizing Implicit Propagation of Cross-Platform Social Media Posts

Blowing Seeds Across Gardens: Visualizing Implicit Propagation of Cross-Platform Social Media Posts

Jianing Yin - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Hanze Jia - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Buwei Zhou - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Tan Tang - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Lu Ying - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Shuainan Ye - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Tai-Quan Peng - Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States

Yingcai Wu - Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Room: Bayshore III

2024-10-17T18:33:00ZGMT-0600Change your timezone on the schedule page
2024-10-17T18:33:00Z
Exemplar figure, described by caption below
Interface Overview of BloomWind (Cluster-level): (a) Cluster-level Propagation View, demonstrating the diffusion process of topics among platforms; (b) Timeline View, for selecting a time frame and controlling the animation process of propagation; (c) Cluster-level Detail View, listing the post and user information by topic and platform.
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Keywords

Propagation analysis, social media visualization, cross-platform propagation, metaphor design

Abstract

Propagation analysis refers to studying how information spreads on social media, a pivotal endeavor for understanding social sentiment and public opinions. Numerous studies contribute to visualizing information spread, but few have considered the implicit and complex diffusion patterns among multiple platforms. To bridge the gap, we summarize cross-platform diffusion patterns with experts and identify significant factors that dissect the mechanisms of cross-platform information spread. Based on that, we propose an information diffusion model that estimates the likelihood of a topic/post spreading among different social media platforms. Moreover, we propose a novel visual metaphor that encapsulates cross-platform propagation in a manner analogous to the spread of seeds across gardens. Specifically, we visualize platforms, posts, implicit cross-platform routes, and salient instances as elements of a virtual ecosystem — gardens, flowers, winds, and seeds, respectively. We further develop a visual analytic system, namely BloomWind, that enables users to quickly identify the cross-platform diffusion patterns and investigate the relevant social media posts. Ultimately, we demonstrate the usage of BloomWind through two case studies and validate its effectiveness using expert interviews.