Chap1 5 Aug 20 Backup

TONES AND APPROACHES | FLORES, GANGANNA PALLE, GENOVIS
Chapter I
Introduction
Background of the study
The common situation these days among the current generation has its focus on
social media. Trends have been using this media as part of the more globalized form of
communication; one of these sites is the Twitter.
As a developing wonder, web-based life is media for social association. The
pioneers of the development were empowered by universally open correspondence
innovation, participatory innovation, portable innovation and electronic applications.
These pioneers unite social collaboration and innovation for esteem co-creation, one
culmination of which is client produced content which takes a wide assortment of
structures: thoughts, content, recordings, pictures, et cetera. Kaplan and Haenlein (2011)
characterize online networking as an arrangement of web construct applications work
with respect to the mechanical establishments of Web 2.0, and that empower client
produced substance to be made and traded. Web 2.0's participatory advancements
encourage data sharing, support and coordinated effort. In reality, one key component of
Web 2.0 is the social Web, which includes various online stages where individuals are
dynamic members, pool assets and offer their points of view and encounters. This is
empowered by the distinctive structures web-based life can go up against, for example,
long range interpersonal communication destinations, content networks, weblogs, social
sites, miniaturized scale blogging, collective undertakings, and so forth. It is to take note
of that these types of web-based social networking contrast regarding self-exposure and
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media lavishness criteria, which media hypothesis proposes to recognize online
networking composes. Media lavishness is about 'the measure of data a medium can
transmit inside a given time, and self– revelation, which 'is basic in the foundation of
relational trust', indicates 'the craving of individuals to introduce a specific picture of
themselves to others, which is accomplished through the exposure of particular individual
data by Breuer (2011).
Twitter Incorporated introduced a social media platform. More popularly used as
Twitter, it caters to people; providing them with information about news and social
affairs as well as their needs for social interaction. From 2006, when the social media
website was founded, Twitter has become a global icon for social media users which
encompasses the field of communication. Celebrities and politicians these days also use
Twitter and even hire people to manage their accounts to promote certain advocacies, or
at times reveal something about another icon. The common trend is to critique how these
icons handle their Twitter accounts and how these posts affect the mindset of the average
Twitter-users.
Even though Twitter is not the only social media out there that caters to online
exchange, Twitter has been prevalent among the youth. How healthy or unhealthy is the
exchange on Twitter? The research is about having an observable explanation on the
effects that certain posts have, regarding the trends and exchanges towards the Filipino
Twitter-users. The researchers have set out to see if these social media trends raise
positive exchanges or promote negativity within the confines of Twitter and increase
their engagement on issues. The researchers want to prove that in this globalized and
interrelated world, this rising medium of communication should be treated with utmost
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seriousness; the effects of what is happening on Twitter may have an impact not only to
the individuals who are using it, but to the society.
Twitter too has become invested in the exchanges that happen in its boundaries
that they have stepped up their policies to ensure quality exchange in their domain. On
July 2018, they gave a statement that they have updated their policies to contribute to the
health of the conversations in their site. As they defined it: “Healthy conversation is
elevating the dialogue and discussion we’re having together, over behaviors like abuse
and harassment.” by Gacsa (2018).
There have been researches, case studies, and articles of the similar genre that
tackles the question of the outcomes of certain events after becoming a trend in social
media. The researchers want to have an observable explanation of how certain icons and
trends affect exchange in Twitter, with respect to how it affects the level of engagement
of regular and new users of Twitter on issues.
Statement of the Problem
Given the rise of social media, the researchers wanted to explore whether Twitter
will be used regularly as a tool for engaging in online exchange about the state of the
country in social media. The researchers saw that with the rise of social media, its use in
engaging on the scope garnered much potential and weight to the community, especially
among Filipinos.
1.What tones and approaches are repeated in the #PilipinasDebates2016 selected tweets?
2.What actions are being promoted by the #PilipinasDebates2016 tweets?
3.How does Twitter promote online exchange:
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a) Discussion
b) Altercation
4. How significant is Twitter to the online exchange as perceived by selected Atenean
Twitter-users?
Research Objectives
The researchers wanted to set the following objectives to find the answer to
the problems stated within the confines of this research. The rise of social media makes
it very crucial for the research to be the searchers for answers regarding the machinations
of social media and society.
1. To asses the tones and approaches of certain Tweets of selected Filipino Twitter-
users on online exchange.
2. To identify the actions done with regards to the online exchange of Filipino
Twitter-users.
3. To evaluate the discussion and altercation in Twitter on an online exchange.
4. To asses the significance of Twitter to the online exchange.
Scope and Limitation
The study focused on the types of engagement of Filipino Twitter-users in the
platform of discussion and altercation to issues. The study also focused on tones and
approaches of Filipino Twitter-users during online exchange. The method used to gather
data for identifying the exchange is Content Analysis and Focus Group Discussion.
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For the assessment, the researchers hired a programmer in order to access the
available tweet with a high number of replies, retweets and favorites regarding the top
trending issue in the Philippines, #PiliPinasDebates2016. The tweet was tweeted by a
celebrity in the Philippines, Vice Ganda. With 520 replies, only 170 were accessible due
to privacy issues. 169 tweets have undergone content analysis as one tweet was
dismissed because it was not engaging in exchange which is the area of study of the
researchers.
Significance of the study
Twitter is a social media platform that enables its users to post their tweets with a
280 character-limit. In the status quo, a lot of prominent Twitter-users have been gaining
thousands of followers for being vocal about their views on some issues that involve the
country, like political and social issues; later on, these tweets become the trends that
most people follow.
The media dependency theory proves that media is a necessity now for the
general public. This study is significant to the theory development that there is in fact a
machination that correlates mutual connection between society and media and that they
both have a mutual connection as well to the general users of that media platform that in
fact generates effects in this group.
This study will be beneficial to the following:
To the Filipino netizens- This study can shed a light regarding the effects of Twitter on
the level of engagement of its users on exchange. The social media platform can be a tool
for the general public to be able to express their views and opinions on specific trends.
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To future researchers – This study can be used as a foundation by future researchers
who wish to expand their study with regards to the effects of twitter on the level of
engagement of its users on online exchanges.
Twitter- This study can contribute to the improvement of the social media platform as an
instrument for online exchanges.
To twitter-users- This study wants to contribute to the awareness and welfare of users
with regards to the importance of Twitter to online exchanges.
To politicians and celebrities- This study can help politicians and celebrities in
constructing their posts about certain issues and give them more awareness on the
sensitivity of topics in social media.
To the communication discipline- This study can greatly give insights to the rapport of
Twitter-users within the confines of Twitter in terms of tones and approaches with
regards to online exchange.
Definition of Terms
Aggressive- Ready and willing to fight or argue. Causes frustration. (Meriam-Webster
Dictionary)
Allegation – A claim of assertion that someone has done something wrong or illegal,
typically without proof. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)
Altercation- There is a disagreement that branches onto angry expressions regarding a
response to an issue. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)
Calm – Rational, understanding, respectful in responding. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)
Character limit- Refers to the 280-character-limit of tweets.
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Call to Action – a case in which the Filipino Twitter user is moved to act in the real
world caused by the online exchange.
Discussion- The exchange of two coherent information on the promotion of exchanges
on Twitter.
Fake News- false stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other
media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke.
Filipino Twitter-users- Users who are certified Filipino in their nationality be it they are
within the confines of The Republic of the Philippines or abroad.
Hashtag (#)- Is used to mark keywords or topics in a tweet and was implemented to
categorize messages. The rallying point that ignites discussions.
Humorous – possessing, indicating or expressive of an ability to be funny or to be
amused by things that are funny or have a sense of humor.
Informative – providing knowledge or information. Formulating strategies and
propositions.
Microblog- allows users to exchange small elements of content such as short sentences,
individual pages, or video links.
Neutral – a case in which the Filipino Twitter user isn’t moved to act in the real world
with the online exchange in mind.
Online exchange- The engagement of active Filipino users online through Twitter.
Promotional nature of online exchanges – the actions done after engaging in online
exchange (i.e. Call to action and Neutral)
Retweet- To repost a certain tweet or tweets with an option, whether to simply repost or
add personal comment to add on the online exchange.
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Refutative – To deny the main idea being advocated by a statement. (Meriam-Webster
Dictionary)
Satirical – humor showing that one is weak, foolish or bad. (Meriam-Webster
Dictionary)
Sub-Threads- Relevant threads that diverge from the main thread focusing on a different
aspect of a certain issue.
Threads- These are consecutive tweets about a certain issue. Due to the character limit,
the user must make use of a series of tweets to fully express the user’s intended message.
Tones and Approaches – the kinds of responses that Filipino Twitter-users have on
online exchange. (i.e. Humorous and Satirical, Informative and Fake news,
Aggressive and Calm)
Trends- These are the topics that are most talked about on Twitter. The issues of
exchanges will be sourced from this.
Trendsetter- Person/s who started a/the trend/s resulting to a viral post. The focal part of
the online exchange that situated the issue for more discussions for the netizens.
Tweets- Refers to the messages posted on Twitter by the users. The message itself and
how it affects the flow of online exchange.
Twitter - A social media and microblogging platform that enables its users to post
“tweets”, reply to it, retweet or like tweets the medium that contains the exchange in the
online arena.
Types of engagement- the engagement of the Twitter-users on online issue. (i.e.
Discussion and Altercation)
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter presents the literature and studies which are found to have a relation
to the present investigation which is the impact of Twitter on issues specifically
millennials.
Twitter and Social Network
Related Literature
In the article, Twitter’s impact on 2016 presidential election is unmistakable by
Matt Kapko (2016), Barry Burden stated that, the presidential candidates’ rise and
Twitter's importance on the political stage are inseparably connected. Trump’s
aggressive and unconventional use of the platform generated news for many days
throughout the campaign even when his tweets violated standard norms of campaigns by
being uncivil, conspiratorial or offensive.
In the same article, Laurie Rice cited, Twitter's real-time nature and quickness
make it particularly appropriate for lawmakers and consultants who are gifted at creating
soundbites. Twitter is also a useful form of two-way communication between candidates
and campaigns and voters. Candidates and campaigns can gauge reactions to their
messages in real time, voters can easily share their views, and campaigns can track and
respond to voters' evolving views over the course of the campaign.
Vincent Raynauld (2016) stated that Political messaging is now important to
online networking. Experts have swung intensely to Twitter to push their hopefuls’
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motivation. Trump is one example of a Twitter user with a straightforward tones in
tweets. "When you read a tweet by Donald Trump you can almost hear Donald Trump's
voice, whereas if you're reading tweets by Hillary Clinton from her Twitter account you
can obviously see that it's coming from campaign staffers. You have a sense that every
single tweet comes out of Donald Trump's mouth to some extent and this has a very
persuasive value to the public."
Raynauld also emphasized, Twitter makes political talk more available, yet the
140-character confine additionally implies it for all intents and purposes difficult to
partake inside and out strategy proposition on the administration. "This is
oversimplifying the context of campaign exchanges" and makes it difficult for people to
get a greater understanding of the candidates' cornerstone ideas. Future government
officials will probably take signs from both Trump and Clinton on Twitter and apply
lessons figured out how to future battles. I suspect that politicians will go even more
personal when it comes to politics in upcoming election cycles, where they will really let
their personality shine through to show they're not part of a machine, and that it's really
them talking. Twitter's impact on the 2016 presidential decision cycle will have enduring
resonations. However, the organization could potential be bankrupt when Americans
make a beeline for the surveys in 2020. The present decision likewise strengthens the
possibility that Twitter is ending up to a lesser extent an informal organization, and to an
extent, a news-production medium with a social twisted. Twitter's future is questionable,
however the arrangement it presented will lastingly affect governmental issues.
Laura Weir (2016) specified on the same article that Twitter has been especially
essential to youthful grown-ups, a gathering that now speaks to an equivalent offer of the
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electorate as the child of post war America age, as per the Pew Research Center.
"Certainly, they're on Facebook, and people are talking about the election on Facebook,
but Twitter has really taken center stage and kind of pushed Facebook off to the side,
especially with younger voters.
Marcu (2000) The Theory and Practice of Discourse Parsing and Summarization,
discussed probabilistic models for identifying elementary exchanges units at clausal level
and generating responses at the sentence level, using lexical and syntactic information
from exchanges-annotated corpus of RST.
Wellner et al. (2007)’s automatically identifying the arguments of discourse
connectivesconsider the problem of automatically identifying arguments of exchanges
connectives in the Penn Discourse TreeBankPDTB. They model the problem as a
predicate argument identification where the predicates are exchanges connectives and
arguments serve as anchors for exchanges segments.
Locally, the hashtag #PiliPinasDebates2016 turned into the best drifting hashtag
both in the Philippines and worldwide as four presidential applicants depended on
verbally abusing amid the red-hot level-headed discussion.
The verbal confrontation which occurred at University of the Philippines in Cebu
City was gone to by four presidential competitors: Vice President Jejomar Binay,
previous Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar
Roxas, Senator Grace Poe, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Just Senator Miriam
Defensor-Santiago was not able go to the verbal confrontation because of wellbeing
reasons according to ABS-CBN news site.
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How Twitter is obviously open and accessible makes it generously additionally
addressing use for the explanations behind investigate than other relational associations,
for instance, Facebook, which have more highlight on insurance. A tweet is generally
proposed to be scrutinized by a wide gathering of spectators as a component of
individuals when all is said in done record. While tweets contain amazingly little
information their abruptness infers that they are frequently revolved around a lone issue.
Other than the collective of thousands or an expansive number of tweets can
possibly be profitably analyzed to discover points of view around a comparative issue.
The way that political delegates use Twitter close by their constituents allows their lingo
and participation to be considered with an objective to see what they say on Twitter
concerning key issues furthermore, to perceive whether they are out of progress with the
masses free to move around at will. The examination of what individuals when all is said
in done are inspecting on Twitter could moreover be used for recognizing their key
concerns, and possibly moreover inferring their voting points.
Regardless of the way that different papers have been conveyed on using Twitter
data for envisioning choice comes to fruition there is almost nothing work associating
Twitter data with following conclusion reviews separating which key issues maybe
influencing the sentiments of the allinclusive community or the reviews themselves.
Related Studies
According to J. Dorsey (2013), Twitter has been multi-functional in society in
recent years. There is no denying the fact that Twitter has surpassed the boundaries of its
original purpose; from something to inform people of your personal activities, to being
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used in law enforcement, business, legal proceedings, education, and many other
functions that have its ties online.
Since Twitter is a micro-blogging website, the users can post pictures, links, and
polls aside from the 280 characters. With the character allocation of Twitter, the users
need to constantly create threads to convey their full idea as well as segregate them
through the chaotic feed of Twitter through hashtags “#”. Not only is this convenient for
the readers, it’s also convenient for journalists and law enforcement to follow since the
data will be organized.
In an article written by Jacob Amedie entitled The Impact of Social Media on
Society (2015), he stated that there are numerous positive outcomes from the use of
social media. Forming groups of like-minded people discussing their interests is a social
aspect of the use of social media as well as helping them either academically or
professionally. He discussed that social media, “Facebook” for example, helps students
perform better in school through utilizing the platform to connect, collaborate group
projects, and exchange of ideas regarding their school work. In some cases, the more
innovative schools use blogs as tools to complement their teachings and reinforce the
creativity and English skills of their students. Another benefit he stated was that social
media offers excellence in marketing since it expands the market faster through
advertising since it’s the main scheme of social media companies to get revenue and
since there’s interaction in social media websites, the information dissemination is faster
than the traditional outlets. Also, social media helps when it comes to important alerts
because people receive notifications the moment an important event comes up.
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An example of how Twitter helps in the important roles in society is during the
2016 US presidential elections and up to today still tests the electorate of the US. The
power of Twitter in issues to shape and drive the public as well as the media has never
been greater. Even in the Philippines during the election period, #PHVote and #PiliPinas,
dominated the trending section in Twitter as over 35 million users joined in on the online
exchanges that even news agencies and companies were using the social media to
platform as a source for information regarding the flow of the election.
A current survey by the Pew Research Center on 2016 found that online
networking energizes boundless polarization and divided ill will, and the related
arguments turn off larger number of individuals than they draw in. Twitter is a
wellknown outlet for argumentative political discussion, yet it isn't the only one. Political
content is rampant on Facebook where you follow the people you know versus on
Twitter on which you follow the ideology and concept.
According to Lazarsfeld (1944), the core of communicating in media is person to
person communication which tackles a sense of urgency to speak out what needs to be
brought to attention not only in a monologue style but a type of communication with a
feedback mechanism. It speaks out that what we hold dear which is our values is what
mostly drives us to reply to a statement, argument, opinion etc. in media
communications.
Research recommends a few contrasts between web-based social networking and
whatever remains of online media. Online networking requires another group of
onlookers in the relationship structure. A few guidelines appear to rise for situations
formed by such groups of viewers: legitimacy, investment, straightforwardness and
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pertinence. There is, by all accounts, a premium in maintaining a strategic distance from
business intrusions. Interchanging between people that are potentially associated with the
internet, regularly progressing, will be a territory of developing enthusiasm for analysts.
Wolf et al. (2005) presents a set of exchanges structure relations and ways to
code or represent them. The relations were based on Hobbs (1985). They report a
method for annotating exchanges coherent structures and found different kinds of
crossed dependencies. In the work, Contextual Valence Shifters (Polanyi et al.,2004), the
authors investigate the effect of intensifiers, negatives, modals and connectors that
changes the prior polarity or valence of the words and brings out a new meaning or
perspective. They also talk about pre-suppositional items and irony and present a simple
weighting scheme to deal with them.
A 2014 study titled “Social Media can increase youth’s political interest”
discusses how the growth of social media heightens the exposure of people to
information daily. In the article, it was stated that both Facebook and Twitter are the top
contenders in providing massive information regarding political issues; the youth are said
to be the most active in sharing information since they are the most exposed to social
media. The study ultimately demonstrated that social media is a major source of
knowledge regarding political issues and interest for the youth and has the potential to
increase their engagement in political exchanges. The study was conducted in University
of Nottingham aged from 18 to 24 through Focus group discussions and interviews with
their respondents and additional information from the Belgian Political Panel Study. The
data they gathered from past researches demonstrate that influence on a person’s life can
affect their political interest, stand, and attitude through the process called “political
socialization.” The process only affects a certain age group during their impressionable
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years that is said to be 17 to 25 years old. The traditional factors for political
socializations are: Socioeconomic background, Family, Friends, Education, and
Traditional Media.
The researchers found that even though social media is not part of the factors for
political socialization, it is more powerful that the traditional factors. They argue that
social media provides the users with similar exposure to information but outshines the
traditional factors in terms of global reach and speed as well as interaction when it comes
to political exchanges.
Since most youth get their information from social media rather than the
traditional means, the information is more interactive, user centered, easier to
understand, and visually appealing. The trend of sharing, following, tweeting, and
posting about political and social issues yield and increase of interest to the users of
social media platforms as cited by the editor of nottspolitics.org.
Twitter as a platform for Discussion
Related Literature
Twitter is viewed as the impetus for individuals rushing to take part in the
notorious "discussion" that is so indispensable to encouraging lively online networks
amongst peers and furthermore brands and purchasers.
Twitter is quick turning into a genuine stage for talk and exchanges. In excess of
a status application, it is being utilized as a first ready system for the spread of news and
for prompt dialogue encompassing that news. It is the scope of news occasions and the
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proceeded with rise of national news coverage that will push Twitter toward the standard
this year.
It's two-way. Not at all like TV or daily paper, Twitter takes into consideration a
discussion. Like its new media brethren, online journals, Twitter supports talk and
criticism. For columnists that aren't hesitant to take care of business, Twitter is a brilliant
chance to fabricate a compatibility with users and measure popular sentiment. It likewise
influences users to feel more associated with the news when they can take part in a talk
about it as it happens, periodically with the general population revealing it directly
according to Catone (2008).
There are two reasons why faces off regarding work so well on Twitter. The first
is that Twitter people group are worked around individuals with changing sentiments on
any given point. Regardless of whether it's the most recent internet-based life device,
legislative issues or Cheryl Cole's most recent single, anything in the general population
area is grain for a Twitter banter about. The second reason is that Twitter to a great
extent self-oversees itself because of the way that networks don't remain for tormenting
or nonsensical conduct. This is the genuine key to why Twitter is such a successful stage
for informational, clever and advantageous exchanges by Sutton (2010).
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Twitter as a form of Altercation
Related Literature
Twitter occurs in minutes. For the techfixated — the general population who
are on their PCs throughout the day as of now — watching Twitter could without much
of a stretch turn out to be business as usual. Be that as it may, for the standard gathering
of people, Twitter may require better separating instruments previously individuals can
truly fold their heads over it.
One of the qualities of Twitter is that it is a two-way road — your discussion
back to the general population who are conversing with you. Yet, it's not strung, so
answers get rearranged around and frequently, outside of any relevant connection to the
subject at hand, simply end up befuddling. Further, when everybody is having a
discussion on the double, things get uproarious. Twitter frantically needs a channel.
One ongoing endeavor is Tweetmeme, a Twitter memetracker in light of the idea
of Techmeme. It works moderately well at making sense of what individuals are
connecting to on Twitter yet isn't appropriate to making sense of what individuals are
discussing, and isolating out those individual dialogs and in addition, it doesn't channel
for dialect, which can make it somewhat befuddling in case you're not multi-lingual
(Catone 2008).
It's difficult to explore. There is an expectation to absorb information to Twitter.
Discovering individuals isn't as simple as it ought to be (surely not as simple as on
standard interpersonal organizations like MySpace or Facebook, which individuals are
utilized to), and making sense of who to take after to get engaged with the discussions
you need to partake in requires some work too. Twitter hovers allude to these individuals
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as trolls and to their tweets as trolling. Social media bashing may appear as character
deaths, discourteous substance, hostile putdowns, or general madness according to
Catone (2008).
The organization has made a decent attempt to tidy that up as of late. It revamped
its client standards and rules and has begun getting serious about bot accounts. It has
even begun to rebuff surely understood clients by expelling their record confirmation or
restricting them totally (Wagner 2018).
Content Analysis
Related Literature
Content analysis is used by the researchers to get the tones and approaches and
the promotional nature of exchanges from 170 tweets to Vice Ganda’s trending tweet on
Endo. Content analysis is an exploration technique for considering archives and
correspondence antiques, which can be writings of different organizations, pictures,
sound or video. Social researchers utilize content examination to evaluate designs in
correspondence, in a replicable and efficient manner. One of the key preferred
standpoints of this exploration technique is to break down social wonders in a non-
obtrusive manner, as opposed to recreating social encounters or gathering study answers.
The dependability of a substance examination relies upon whether and to what
degree assention can be accomplished among coders, judges, eyewitnesses, or estimating
instruments (Krippendorf, 2004). Between coder unwavering quality suggests, for
instance, that all coders have reliably and more than once coded material a similar path,
paying little respect to which or what writings they inspected. Unwavering quality gives
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an observational establishing to the certainty that the understanding of the information
will mean the same to any individual who investigates it, and that however much
predisposition as could reasonably be expected has been expelled from the translation.
Unwavering quality guarantees that the consequences of an investigation might be
recreated when a similar research method is connected; it guarantees that an estimation is
reliably the same all through an examination. Judges or coders ought to be prepared to be
objective since they are attempting to portray the substance, not give their feelings. All
coders ought to concur as intently as could be expected under the circumstances.
Content analysis is a result of the electronic age. Despite the fact that substance
examination was routinely performed in the 1940s, it turned into a more believable and
every now and again utilized research technique since the mid-1950's, as specialists
began to center around ideas as opposed to just words, and on semantic connections as
opposed to simply nearness (de Sola Pool, 1959).
Conceptual Analysis is content investigation has frequently been idea of reasonable
examination. In a calculated investigation, an idea is decided for examination and the
quantity of its events inside the content is recorded. Since the terms might be verifiable
and additionally unequivocal, it is imperative to plainly characterize understood terms
before the start of the tallying procedure. To restrict the subjectivity in the meanings of
ideas, particular word references are utilized.
Relational Analysis is social investigation expanding on theoretical examination by
looking at the connections among ideas in a content. Also, as with different sorts of
request, starting decisions as to what is being considered and additionally coded for
frequently decide the conceivable outcomes of that specific examination. For social
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investigation, it is essential to first choose which idea type will be investigated in the
examination. Studies have been led with as few as one and upwards of 500 idea
classifications.
The generalizability of one's decisions, at that point, is extremely subject to how one
decides idea classifications, and additionally on how dependable those classifications
are. It is basic that one characterizes classifications that precisely measure the thought as
well as things one is trying to quantify. Much the same as this is the development of
principles. Creating decides that permit one, and others, to classify and code similar
information similarly over some undefined time frame, alluded to as dependability, is
basic to the accomplishment of a calculated examination. As cited by Mike Palmquist,
Department of English at Colorado State University, and Busha and Harter: Research
Methods in Librarianship - Techniques and Interpretation of New York: Academic Press
(1980)
Related Studies
A case of an applied examination is to inspect content and to code it for the presence
of specific words. In taking a gander at this content, the examination question may
include analyzing the quantity of positive words used to portray a contention, instead of
the quantity of negative words used to depict a present status or contradicting contention.
The specialist would be intrigued just in evaluating these words, not in looking at how
they are connected, which is a component of social investigation. In calculated
investigation, the analyst basically needs to look at nearness regarding his/her
examination question regardless of whether there is a more grounded nearness of
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positive or negative words utilized concerning a particular contention or individual
contentions.
There are numerous methods of social investigation accessible and this
adaptability makes for its notoriety. Specialists can devise their own methodology as
indicated by the idea of their task. Once a technique is thoroughly tried, it can be
connected and analyzed crosswise over populaces after some time. The procedure of
social investigation has accomplished a high level of PC robotization yet at the same
time is, as most types of research, tedious. Maybe the most grounded assert that can be
made is that it keeps up a high level of factual meticulousness without losing the
lavishness of detail clear in considerably more subjective techniques.
In a study by Wellman, Watson, and Cross (2001), Truth, despite its absolution in
popular philosophy, is perceived relatively from the psychological point of view. One of
the findings of this study pertains to the social aspect of truth – what individuals consider
truth are often the most popular belief, what individuals perceive as fact is often taught to
them as fact. In this regard, Wellman et al. argue that a common individual may know as
much truth as another individual who has the same education, the same upbringing, or a
similar learning environment. This principle can be seen nowadays as well, with the
gaining popularity of flat earth societies and the prevalence of fake news all over the
internet, all over the world.
Consequently, as Flanagin and Metzger (2000) predicted in their study, the rise of
fake information and the overall risk of deception in transactions done over the internet –
whether commercial, financial, or otherwise – have led to the vigilance of a small but
growing percentage of internet users, and even the paranoia of a few, as Flanagin
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digresses further into his study. Adding upon this are the efforts of security software
manufacturers at educating the masses of the potential risks involved when using the
internet. The fear of malware, fraud, and online scams is progressively and perpetually
encouraging skepticism and safety when it comes to online information.
Media Ecology
Related Literature
For Media ecology it is, at this point, just a bout a typical to comment that the
twentieth century is a period of progress, of progress extraordinary in its extension, its
pace, and its potential for fierce impacts on the texture of development.
For Kenneth Boulding, the progressions which have occurred since 1900 are of
such colossal hugeness that he denotes the twentieth century as the defining moment in
what he calls "the second incredible change ever”, the change from "human
advancement" to "post-development." According to Boulding, the stimulus for that
progress is given by a radical move in what he calls man's "picture" of reality.
Thomas Kuhn alludes to an indistinguishable sort of radical move from an
insurgency in ideal models; Pierre Teilhard de Chardin calls it an adjustment in the
noösphere; Ervin Laszlo, Ludwig von Bertalanffy, and others call it essentially a move in
man's reality see.
One of the outcomes of the change to which Boulding and others allude, or,
better maybe, one of its trademarks, is a development far from the inflexibly
compartmentalized, clumsy specialization in logical request which described the
Newtonian world, and a development toward expanding coordination of both the
23
physical and the sociologies. One of the indications of this pattern is the multiplication,
as of late, of "compound" trains, for example, scientific organic chemistry,
psychobiology, semantic human studies, psycholinguistics, et cetera. Another is the
development of new fields of request so expansive in their degree that "teach,"
recommending as it does some very much limited zone of specialization, barely applies
to them by any stretch of the imagination. Or maybe, they are points of view, moving
maybe toward metadisciplines.
One such point of view, or developing metadiscipline, is media nature—
comprehensively characterized as the investigation of complex correspondence
frameworks as situations. As a point of view, metadiscipline, or even a field of request,
media nature is particularly in its earliest stages.
Media observers and analyst know, for the most part, what it is they are keen on the
associations of correspondences media, innovation, system, and procedures with human
feeling, thought, esteem, and conduct and they know, as well, the sorts of inquiries
regarding those connections they are worried to inquire. Yet, media environmentalists
don't, up 'til now, have a reasonable structure in which to sort out their topic or their
inquiries. Media nature is, to put it plainly, a preparadigmatic science. Christine
Nystrom, Towards a Science of Media Ecology: The Formulation of Integrated
Conceptual Paradigms for the Study of Human Communication Systems, Doctoral
Dissertation, New York University (1973).
24
Media Dependency Theory
Related Literature
Media System Dependency Theory (MSD), or essentially media reliance (see
Figure 1), was produced by Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin Defleur in 1976.The
hypothesis is grounded in established sociological writing placing that media and their
groups of onlookers ought to be contemplated with regards to bigger social frameworks.
MSD entwines the interrelations of wide social frameworks, broad communications, and
the person into an extensive clarification of media impacts. At its center, the essential
reliance speculation expresses that the more a man relies upon media to address issues,
the more critical media will be in a man's life, and along these lines the more impacts
media will have on a man.
For the individual, the media have the capacity to fulfill the gathering of people’s
needs. An individual will turn out to be more reliant on media, if the medium fulfills
his/her needs. Generally, the media reliance will turn out to be less.
For Social Stability, the group of onlookers reexamine their convictions, practice
and practices when solid social change, clashes, mob or race which will power to re-
asses and settle on new choices. Amid this period media reliance is significantly
expanded, in light of the fact that there is a solid requirement for data, support and
counsel.
25
Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin DeFleur proposed the Media Dependency
Theory in 1976. The hypothesis is joined with a few viewpoints like psycho examination
and social framework hypothesis, deliberate and easygoing methodology and base
components from utilizations and delight hypothesis however less spotlight on impacts.
Media Dependency hypothesis is one of the main hypotheses which views gathering of
people as a dynamic part in correspondence process. The reliance hypothesis is extended
from the hypothesis of Uses and Gratification.
For Active Audience, the dynamic gathering of people picks the media reliance
on their individual needs and different factors, for example, monetary conditions, society
and culture. On the off chance that elective source satisfies the gathering of people needs
will diminish the media reliance. As cited from the communicationtheory.org.
26
Theoretical Framework
Fig
27
Conceptual Framework
Fig #2 Applied Media Dependency Theory
Assumptions
1. The tones and approaches are repeated in the #PilipinasDebates2016 selected
tweets.
2. Twitter is a platform for provoking actions in the real world.
3. Twitter promotes a healthy form of online exchange of information.
4. Twitter is significant as a medium in terms of online exchange by selected
Atenean Twitter-users.
28
Chapter III
Methodology
A. Research Design
The researchers used content analysis with the perspective of media ecology to
focus on the medium of online exchange which in this case is Twitter and Media
Dependency Theory for incorporating impact on analysis of the Filipino Twitter-users to
the online topics of exchange. From the qualitative perspective, this investigates
procuring point by point data through the key sources' own particular words, as derived
from archived tweets made. The utilization of Qualitative research analysis configuration
made it helpful to grasp, measure, and ultimately define the use-case scenarios of Twitter
as a platform for online exchange and make use of these user-experiences towards
perusing tweets and determining the effects on the cognitive, the affective and the
behavioural aspects of online exchanges in the form of a Focus Group Discussion to
determine directly from first-hand users how Twitter has an impact to the
aforementioned preconditions of users who engage in talks over the platform. By
analysing tweets and dissecting user perceptions regarding the platform and its use as a
medium for online exchange among Filipino Twitter-users, the study aims to develop an
understanding of Twitter, its users, and its resounding role and significance in online
exchange.
29
B. Research Methodology
The researchers used both the media dependency theory and media ecology in
mind to analyse the content of tweets pertaining to the issues with respect on how it
affected the arena both in society and on Twitter. In order to achieve the research
objectives outlined in the introduction, this study made use of a focus group discussion to
dissect Twitter and its use of a platform for online exchange, as well as in-depth content
analysis of a selected tweet made by selected Twitter-users in the Philippines, in order to
determine the use-case scenarios, specific user experience, environment, and overall
types of engagement that Twitter and its user-base accommodated as a platform for
online exchange.
Specifically, the content analysis aimed to determine the types of Tweets and
engagements on Twitter, measuring tones and approaches, and the promotional nature of
the online exchanges. Tones and approaches were measured according to eight categories
– determined by whether or not it is humorous, satirical, informative, allegation, calm,
aggressive, supportive, or refutative. Additionally, the promotional nature of the online
exchange aimed to measure whether or not a tweet or response thereof is intended as to
further the exchange, or to act as stimulus for real-world action.
Whereas a content analysis of Tweets identified the types and tones of online
exchange and engagement on Twitter, a Focus Group Discussion is a social occasion of
intentionally chosen individuals who partake in an arranged talk that is planned to evoke
buyer discernments about a specific subject or territory of enthusiasm for a domain that
is non-undermining and responsive. The spotlight assemble was grouped intentionally.
Not at all like a meeting, which for the most part happens with an individual, has the
30
concentration assembly strategy enabled individuals from the gathering to communicate
and impact each other amid the exchange and thought of thoughts and viewpoints. For
the purpose of this study, the Focus Group Discussion was oriented towards a point-by-
point discussion on Twitter and its use, role, and significance as a platform for
altercations and discussions, as well as opened the floor to concerns, ideas, and
possibilities potentially overlooked by the proponents.
C. Area Profile
The respondents for Focus group Discussion that was held in a restaurant near
Ateneo De Naga University were students and alumni the same university.
D. Research Instrument
The instruments used in the gathering of data pertaining to the objectives of this
research are two-fold: an analysis of tweets derived directly from the Twitter platform,
and a Focus Group Discussion oriented towards perceptions, responses, and experiences
with Twitter as a platform for online exchange. Specifically, the Focus Group Discussion
will be conducted by the administration of the focus group discussion guide outlined
below to orient discussion towards a exchanges between Filipino Twitter-users regarding
their specific and descriptive insights of replies or their own replies regarding online
exchanges. The researchers will only honour the Tweets, replies, and re-tweets of
Filipino Twitter-users so as to coincide and comply with the nature of the problems that
were stated for this research.
31
Focus Group Discussion Guide
The focus group discussion has been divided into four topics with different points
of interest regarding the user’s use of Twitter.
The first topic that the question guide delved into was the promotion of online
exchange on Twitter. How did users see the use of Twitter in the promotion of online
exchange and how did they respond to other people?
The second topic asks about how Twitter, as a platform, encourages online
exchange. Did Twitter really help in information dissemination and knowledge of its
users? How healthy were these exchanges?
In the third topic interestingly questions the chosen users about their perception
on altercations on Twitter. How did personal attacks and such affect the quality of online
exchanges and what did bashers and trolls contribute to the exchange regarding certain
issues? The researchers also had them talk about their experience regarding altercations.
The last topic asked the main question, what is the significance of Twitter in
online exchange. How did Twitter differ from other social media and what made it a
good medium for online exchange? The users were also asked to describe their
experience in engaging in talks with other users and to asses what were the pros of
engaging with them.
32
Content Analysis Coding Sheet
The coding sheet (see Appendix D) was used to analyse the content of one
hundred seventy (170) selected tweets from Filipino users engaged in online exchanges.
The coding sheet was administered by each of the research proponents, and then
averaged to eliminate personal bias.
33
Chapter IV
Presentation and Analysis of Findings
This chapter presents the findings of the study, as gathered using the
methodologies, procedures, and techniques outlined in the previous chapter. The findings
are presented in the form of tables, charts, and forms of graphical representation.
Subsequently, an analysis of these findings as they pertain to the objectives of this study
is also included in this chapter, as well as inferences regarding the data gathered. The
Respondents (i.e R1,R2,R3,R4, and so on till R11) paired with their respective numbe in
accordance to their anonymity with answering the questions.
A. Tones and Approaches Used in Engagements on Twitter
The major criteria of exchange on Twitter that this study aimed to measure and
analyze were the tones and approaches taken by netizens on the popular social network,
Twitter. The proponents of this research have identified five (5) different types of tones
and approaches that will be used when the content was analyzed. These are:
Humorous/Satirical, Informative/Allegation, Calm/Aggressive, and
Supportive/Refutative. Each of these identified tones and approaches represented a
portion of the netizenry on Twitter and were measured accordingly.
Humorous/Satirical denotes a very light tone/approach – making a joke for
example, or saying something with obvious sarcastic or satirical undertones, intended to
incite laughter or poke fun at the subject. For the purpose of this study, the tone/approach
34
was considered as humorous when used to positive effect, and satirical when used to
negative effect.
The Informative/Allegation tone or approach was represented by the presence or
absence of facts, history, and literature to showcase or emphasize a point or opinion. This
kind of tone and approach can either be very educational, in the case of well researched
and actual facts and documentation, or it can be allegation, when strong opinions were
presented without factual basis.
Calm/Aggressive was represented by proper conduct, or lack thereof, i.e. rants,
highly biased opinions directed at others, that persecute others. Earmarks of the
aggressive tone and approach on social media included excessive exclamation points
following strong language, threats, and violent undertones, whereas the absence of these
usually denotes the former: calm.
The final category of tone and approach was Supportive/Refutative. Supportive
denoted a tone or approach that is in support of a certain point or leaning – in this case,
the point made by a tweet – whereas refutative denoted conflict, contradiction, and
challenge of opinion.
Based on the results of our data gathering methodology, the tone and approach
taken by netizens in online exchanges on Twitter is represented by the following table:
35
Table 1. Tone & Approach.
Out of 170 tweets, 12 (7.06%) were observed to take on a humorous
approach in their tweets and replies linked to online exchanges. Of the tweets analyzed,
these tweets were observed to be humorous in different ways – others were sarcastic and
made use of irrelevant references to pop culture to sanitize the point, others made use
excessive use of emoticons that denote laughter and lightness of mood. However, 9
(5.29%) used humour satirically, as a means of attacking the point. Of the tweets
analyzed, these were observed to make use of humour to dismiss or satirize the point, or
as an attack or insult to other users. Of the eight tones and approaches identified,
humorous/satirical tweets make up a combined 12.35% of tweets, with satirical tweets
being the most infrequent tone or approach used across all findings. In
Informative/Allegation tweets, 19 (11.18%) of netizens were observed to take
educational/explanatory stances regarding the exchange. Of the tweets analyzed, these
tweets were observed to provide readers and fellow Twitter-users access to information
in the form of links to websites, articles, academic papers, or simply references to these
bodies of information. These tweets made use of factual bases to present their points.
Conversely, 18 (10.59%) of tweets were allegations made against ideas, public figures,
36
and even other Twitter-users, without any sort of reference material or factual evidence
in support of their claims. Of the tweets analyzed, several of these were accusations of
bias, bribery, neglect, and stupidity, among others.
Informative/Allegation tweets – tweets that present readers with perceivable
truths – comprise 21.77% of the tweets analyzed in this study. This occupation with fact
and truth could stem from a cultural dysfunction wherein truth is not absolute but
relative, and ultimately, irrelevant. (Wellman et al., 2001) Another possibility founded
on social theory is that there is simply too much misinformation on the internet
(Flannagin & Metzger, 2000) that netizens have become wary and untrusting of
information on the internet, to the point that any source, or any stated source, becomes
irrelevant. In either case, these findings depict facts and truth as low-priority among
Twitter-users engaged in exchange, which begs the question, if truth is not the priority in
online exchanges, what is?
Regarding Calm/Aggressive tone and approach, 12 (7.06%) of tweet content
observed were calm, level-headed responses that showed no signs of aggression or even
passive-aggression. However, 22 (12.94%) of tweets were found to be aggressive,
passive-aggressive, or even angry. Of the eight categories identified, the Aggressive tone
and approach alone is ranked third largest category. Similar to the “keyboard warrioring”
described by Dennis (2014), the aggressive tone taken on by Twitter-users stems from
two possible stimuli – ignorance or lack of empathy, and personal offense. In most cases,
the aggressive tone as seen on internet content is the result of personal offense – response
to an insult, for example, or a slur against race or ethnicity. However, in the case of
online exchanges among Twitter-users, the aggressive tone seems unwarranted, or the
result of a lack of empathy, which leads to the inability to entertain different viewpoints,
37
and the irrational belief of the infallibility of one’s own viewpoints. In any online
exchange, the ability to pursue a foreign train-of-thought is essential to productive and
fruitful discussion. The absence of this ability, therefore, constitutes online social
dysfunction.
Chart 1. Tone & Approach.
120 114
100
Humorous
80 Satirical
Informative
60 Allegation
Calm
40 Aggressive
Supportive
22
19 18
20 Refutative
12 12 10
9
0
Tones and Approach
Based on the findings, the largest body of tweets belonging to a category by
Twitter-users engaged in exchange takes on the supportive/refutative tone and approach.
Out of the one hundred seventy tweets, around sixty seven pont zero six percent
(67.06%) of tweets were found to have the following criteria: a.) does not provide a
personal opinion or viewpoint and b.) Shows support and identification with an opinion
provided by another person. As was the case in Thapen and Ghanem (2013), Twitter-
users, and netizens in general, have an easier time pursuing a exchanges when they are
38
free from the risk of disagreement and rejection. By attaching their opinions to the
opinions of others, they provide themselves with protection – the comfort of knowing
that any single person who disagreed with their opinion, also disagreed with the opinion
of any and all who agreed with them. This social mechanism is especially prevalent in
online discussions, where there is little to no pressure to provide an opinion at an
inopportune moment. Moreover, tweets exhibiting the supportive/bandwagon tone and
approach were more open to opposing opinions from other online exchange participants
that previously had opinions parallel to theirs. Conversely, this form of social attaché
gives rise to online mob mentality (StevensongYang, 2013) wherein strength in numbers
disillusions participants into believing a certain point of view, for no other reason that
there are more people who do. By contrast, the second most infrequent tone and
approach taken by Twitter-users engaged in online exchange is the Refutative tone, in
which, in the few tweets observed, a user openly refutes, contradicts, or challenges an
idea or opinion.
In summary of the findings regarding the tones and approaches exhibited in the
tweets and replies of Twitter-users engaged in exchange: out of one hundred and seventy
tweets, twelve (7.06%) were humorous to positive effect, nine (5.29%) were satirical,
nineteen (11.18%) were informative and fact-based, eighteen (10.59%) were pure
allegation, twelve (7.06%) responded calmly, twenty-two (12.94%) responded
aggressively, one hundred and fourteen (67.06%) were supportive of the opinion
presented to them, and ten (5.88%) were refutative, and challenged the opinion presented
to them.
The implications found are that the online exchange in the extracted tweet was
more inclined to being supportive and welcoming of the general idea of the tweet and
39
that this implies a healthier form of online exchange. This implies that media affects the
user’s reaction in an affective and cognitive essence both in the platform itself and how
the society views them. This proves that Twitter works around individuals with
exchanging sentiments that complements one another in a supportive manner and that it
also oversees itself as the online exchange occurs with the goal of healthy online
coversations as cited by Sutton (2010) thus there is an onslaught of users that jumps into
the conversation and is reflected to what the users tweet.
B. Promotional Nature of the Online Exchange to Action
Another primary measure of the effects of Twitter on online exchange is the
promotional nature of the online exchange. Through this criterion, the proponents of this
study were able to measure the distinction between those who talked about politics for
the sake of discussion, and those who discuss politics with action in mind. For this
measurement, two categories have been identified – call to action, and neutral.
Call to Action consists of any and all tweets that explicitly push, motivate,
stimulate, and encourage the reader to act – to do something, including but not limited to
endorsing a candidate, speaking up against crime and corruption, spreading facts to
discourage or encourage the support for a particular candidate, etc. Whereas Neutral is
comprised of any and all tweets that do not explicitly invite the reader to act – including
explanatory tweets, directionless rants, etc.
40
Table 2. Promotional Nature of the Online Exchange.
Promotional Nature
Call to Action Neutral
Frequency 9 161
Percentage 5.29% 94.71%
Based on these findings, only 9 out of 170 tweets (5.9%) were a call to action,
and a vast majority of 161 out of 170 tweets (94.71%) were neutral. Following the
exchanges by Thapen and Ghanem (2013), this kind of result is to be expected. A call to
action is not only a very strong presentation of one’s own opinions and beliefs, but it is
also an invitation for others to take on those opinions, those beliefs. Only 5.29% of
tweets displayed this willingness towards social risk. Whereas the remaining 94.71%
were not willing to make such a large social risk – sticking instead to either providing
opinions or not at all, without the invitation to have others challenge and refute you and
your understanding of the online exchange.
41
Chart 2. Promotional Nature of Online Exchange
Promotional Nature of Online Exchange

5%
Call to Action
Neutral
95%
Through the results of the content analysis of 170 tweets made by Filipino
Twitter-users, the proponents of this study have found that in terms of engagement,
online exchange on Twitter is diverse, to an extent. Users engaged in talks following the
outlined tones and approaches, but in a manner that is not mutually exclusive. Twitter
exposes users to all manners of tweets – humorous, satirical, informative, allegation,
calm, aggressive, supportive, refutative, calls to action, and neutral. However, in terms of
call to action, it was found that a very small minority of Twitter-users made use of the
platform to invite others to act upon issues – to join rallies, to support candidates, or even
to vote, despite the quantity of users willing to discuss them in an online forum setting.
This implies that Twitter is not a very functional platform in provoking real
world actions and that there is only the notion of cognitive awareness and intellectual
42
gains that can be accommodated by this social media platform. Society then has a mutual
connection to media and the audience thus there is a connection to the cognitive,
affective and behavioral that is presented in the real world setting but it still depends on
the users upbringing if he or she will act on it.
As per the exchanges by Thapen and Ghanem (2013), this kind of result is to be
expected. A call to action is not only a very strong presentation of one’s own opinions
and beliefs, but it is also an invitation for others to take on those opinions, those beliefs.
So inculcating an action might not really be from an online exchange source after all as
the data have presented.
C. Twitter as Platform for Discussion and Altercation Regarding Online Exchange
This section presents and analyses the results of the focus group discussion
organized by the researchers. In total, there were eleven (11) participants in the FGD.
These participants were asked to talk about four (4) different topics, answering a series
of questions for each, three (3) of which endeavour to answer the first objective of this
study.
Table 3. Twitter as a Means to Promote Online Exchange.
Topic Question Domain Statement O T %
Twitter as Perceptions "Twitter is a useful and

a means regarding effective tool in the
Effective 10 11 90.91
to the promotion of online
promote use of exchange."
online Twitter
Tradition "Twitter is easier to use and 4 11 36.36
exchange to promote
-al more accessible compared to
online
Media traditional media."
43
exchange "Twitter is better than other

Other
social media platforms in the
Social 3 11 27.27
promotion of online
Media
exchange."
"The effectiveness of Twitter
in the promotion of online
Variance 2 11 18.18
exchange varies across
generations."
Unrespo "I do not respond to online

1 11 9.09
nsive exchanges on Twitter."
Relevanc "I respond to tweets I

4 11 36.36
e consider relevant."
Responses
to online
Informati "I respond with the intention
exchange 7 11 63.64
on of educating others."
on
Twitter
Informati "I respond to correct/out
6 11 54.55
on misrepresentation of facts."
Defensiv "I respond to attacks against

8 11 72.73
e my beliefs."
For this topic, the participants in the FGD were asked to discuss the viability and
feasibility of popular social media platform Twitter as a means of promoting online
exchange in the Philippines.
When asked about their perceptions regarding the use of Twitter to promote
online exchange, most of the respondents (90.91%) of participants agreed that Twitter is
a useful and effective tool in the promotion of online exchange. R4 says “I see Twitter as
an effective way to advance exchanges…” Few respondents (36.36%) followed up by
saying that Twitter is easier to use and more accessible compared to traditional media
such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. Additionally, a handful (27.27%) agreed
44
that Twitter is better than other social media platforms such as Facebook, Tumblr,
Instagram, etc., in the promotion of online exchange. However, a minority (18.18%) of
FGD participants presented the argument that the effectiveness of Twitter in the
promotion of online exchange varies across generations – Millennials and those who
belong to Generation Z would be more likely to accept Twitter as a legitimate medium
for online exchange than earlier generations.
When asked about how they responded to online exchanges on Twitter,Few
(9.09%) of the participants noted that they do not engage in online exchanges on Twitter
or have not at the time of this research. A third of the respondents (36.36%) responded
only to tweets they consider to be relevant. Many (63.64%) responded with the intention
of providing information to others, thus educating them, R3 says “ang goal talaga is to
educate” approximately half (54.55%) respond to tweets that contain fake news or
misinformation, with the intention of correcting or outing misrepresented facts, R6
says”… madami nagsisilabasan na fake news so we have to be factual.”, Some (72.73%)
responded to personal attacks and attacks against their opinions and beliefs, R2 says
“kung gano siya ka personal or ka extreme sakin like ano I’m still capable of holding
rational discussions with people I don’t agree with.”
The answers provided by the respondents in the first topic regarding their
perceptions on the matter can be categorized into four domains. In the Effective domain,
respondents noted Twitter’s effectiveness as a tool in the promotion of online exchange.
In the domain of Traditional Media, Twitter, as a platform for exchanges, was described
to be easier to use and more accessible. In the domain of Other Social Media, Twitter
was found by respondents to be superior to other forms of social media in the pursuit of
45
online exchanges. Moreover, the answers provided for the question regarding user
responses can also be categorized similarly into four. In the Unresponsive domain
belongs statements that denote passiveness, or non-participation in exchanges on Twitter.
In the Relevance domain, participation and response was dependent on the relevance of
the matter. In the Information domain, responses were either intended to inform –
provide new information – or correct – alter existing knowledge. And in the Defensive
domain, a response was only created when personal beliefs were attacked.
Through the questions asked in Topic 1, the results of the focus group discussion
conducted yielded that Twitter is a popular and effective means to promote online
exchanges, with accommodations for both one on one altercations and open group
discussion, both generally and in comparison to other platforms such as traditional media
and social media, but providing certain considerations towards the variance of its
effectiveness with regards to generation.
The implication is that Twitter will be more heavily used as it is a good platform
of online exchange as most of the respondents that are users say it is a good platform of
sharing information. This implies that Twitter is a body of knowledge that users can gain
as they use it over time. The online exchange of the audience connects the media and
society in a way that reflects the audience’s manner of reaction.
It likewise influences users to feel more associated with the news and can take
part in a talk as it happens, periodically with the general population as presented by
46
Catone (2008). It is appropriately said here that the connection between media and
society is undeniably linked and amplified by the audience.
Table 4. Twitter as a Platform of Discussion Regarding Online exchanges.

Twitter as "Twitter has a host of
a platform features that aid in the
of Features disseminating information 11 11 100
discussion quickly with potentially
regarding massive coverage."
online Twitter as a "Twitter is a means to
exchange medium of Information either be wellinformed or 6 11 54.55
s information misinformed."
exchange
regarding "Twitter-users have the
issues Truth responsibility to fact check 2 11 18.18
and pursue truth."
"Twitter allows users to
stay updated on current
Trending 3 11 27.27
events and trending
issues."
"Knowing that there are
others on Twitter who
share your political
Support 3 11 27.27
leaning encourages
expression and
exchanges."
Twitter "Twitter-users are given
Publicity Power the power to hold public 6 11 54.55
and its figures accountable."
impact on "Twitter feeds give users
discussion some idea regarding the
of Understandi ideology and political
issues 4 11 36.36
ng leaning of those with
whom they engage in
exchanges."
"Twitter makes the
Transparen arguments of any two
6 11 54.55
cy sides transparent and
easily accessible."
Twitter Exposure " exchanges on Twitter 7 11 63.64
Use- exposes users to facts,
47
Cases of news articles, etc. that add

gaining to their knowledge of the
issue."
knowledge "Twitter-users are exposed
regarding Exposure to false knowledge and 3 11 27.27
issues fake news."
"Twitter-users are exposed
Exposure to expert perspectives on 3 11 27.27
certain issues."
"Twitter's 240-character
limit makes knowledge
Features "bite-sized" and more 5 11 45.45
easily absorbed compared
to other media."
"Twitter gives users the
Power power to bring obscure or 2 11 18.18
unknown issues to light."
"I have experienced
healthy
Healthy
exchanges with people of 5 11 45.45
Exchanges
Experiences the same political
of having movement."
healthy "I have experienced
exchanges Healthy healthy exchanges with
1 11 9.09
on Exchanges people whose ideologies
Twitter conflicted with mine."
"I have never experienced
Unhealthy
healthy exchanges on 5 11 45.45
Exchanges
Twitter."
This topic refers to the Twitter platform – its characteristics, features, and traits –
and how it can serve as a platform of discussion regarding online exchanges in the
Philippines.
When asked about how Twitter promoted the exchange of information about
issues, 100% of participants agreed that Twitter, with all of its built-in features, is highly
effective in disseminating information quickly and over a potentially massive coverage.
48
This is characterized by several responses R4 says “sa tingin ko yung yun feature na
useful yung cotweet and retweet”, R5 mentioning “Para sakin siguro yung ano yung
characteristic mismo ng Twitter parang Twitter itself na having 240 characters”, and
R1’s response pointing out “Adding to that yung sa algorithm nga ng Twitter and
features niya like uh showing you the trending topics etc.” Participants mentioned that
tweets have the potential to reach millions of people around the world. While all of the
participants recognized this potential, approximately half (54.55%) of the participants
noted that Twitter is a means to either be well-informed or misinformed, recognizing
Twitter’s capacity to contain false, user-generated information as well, R8’s response:
“the public feature allows you to be loud as you can be regardless of…” The tendency
for this, however, is not the fault of Twitter, as suggested by a few (18.18%) of
participants who stated that the responsibility to fact check and pursue truth falls upon
the user, not the platform. Additionally, a handful (27.27%) agreed that the features
provided by Twitter also have the added benefit of keeping users up-to-date regarding
current events and trending issues.
Regarding the degree of publicity on Twitter and how it impacts exchanges, a
fragment (27.27%) of the respondents participants mentioned the benefit of knowing that
there are others on Twitter who share political views, thus encouraging self-expression.
54.55% noted that the public factor on Twitter gives users the power to hold public
figures accountable by bringing issues to light, R2 says “Yung public feature ng Twitter
its very effective in holding public figures accountable in political issues”. The fact that
almost everything a user puts on Twitter is accessible to everyone, as a hanfdful
(36.36%) of the participants agreed, also provides users with an idea regarding the
ideologies and political leaning of those they engage in discussions with, and
49
approximately half (54.55%) noted that this same publicity makes any issue or argument
completely transparent from either side, R4 says: “[The] pinaka magandang feature ng
Twitter kasi makikita ng mga tao dyan na kung may exchanges talagang nangyari
example sa isang issue na malalman ng tao yung ibang perspective ng tao...”
When asked to provide use-cases of Twitter-users gaining knowledge on issues,
Several (63.64%) said that exchanges on Twitter exposes users to the opinions and
knowledge of potentially every other Twitter user – making Twitter a vast online
resource of news articles and historical anecdotes aimed at providing knowledge, R5
says “there are people na nag tweetweet now with links or history yan nakakatulong siya
sa mgataong mas maintidihan yung certain topic”. Conversely, a few (27.27%) of the
participants pointed out that just as Twitter-users are potentially exposed to facts, they
are equally exposed to false knowledge and fake news. Similarly, a few (27.27%) also
recognized the benefit of threads and tweets containing the thoughts, opinions, and
perspectives of political experts active on Twitter. Additionally, almost half (45.45%) of
the participants noted Twitter’s two hundred forty (240) character limit and how it makes
information bite-sized and more easily absorbed compared to the formats observed in
other media, both social and traditional. Finally, a fraction (18.18%) imagined a Twitter
use-case in which a single tweet from a knowledgeable individual can bring obscure or
unknown issues to light.
When asked about their experiences of having healthy exchanges on Twitter,
almost half (45.45%) claimed to have experienced healthy exchanges only with people of
the same political movement, or those who shared their political stance,a minority
(9.09%) claimed to have the same even when they were engaged in exchanges with
people whose ideologies conflicted with theirs, and almost half (45.45%) claimed that
50
they have not once experienced what can reasonably be referred to as a healthy
exchanges on Twitter.
The answers for Topic 2 of the FGD can also be categorized. With regards to
Twitter as a medium of exchange, four domains exist. In the Features domain, Twitter’s
Features are the focal point of its use as a platform of online exchange. In the
Information domain, the answers provided denote the potential information risks and
rewards of Twitter. In the Truth domain, responses consider the individual’s
responsibility to fact check and ensure the propagation of truth. In the domain of
Trending, the focal point is the capacity of Twitter to allow users to stay on top of current
events. With regards to Twitter publicity and its impact on discussion, the answers can be
categorized into four domains. In the domain of Support, Twitter-users find
encouragement in the participation of others who share their political beliefs. In the
Power domain, participants note the power they acquire through their engagements on
Twitter. In the domain of Understanding, participants note Twitter’s capacity to give
users an idea with regards to the ideologies of users given their history of participation.
In the domain of Transparency, respondents note that Twitter allows for the transparency
of exchange.
Through the discussions conducted for Topic 2, the focus group discussion noted
several different types of user/participant engagement on exchanges over Twitter.
Participants experienced healthy discussions across in general, but witnessed and
experienced altercations at a much higher frequency.
Engagements that lead to education, or the sharing of information, were
considered healthy. Notable also are actual user experiences with regards to the effective
51
use of Twitter not only to gain new knowledge but also share it with others, as is
described in Twitter use-cases provided by the participants in the FGD.
This implies that Twitter is a platform to advocate information based post that
allows users to gain new information. This provides Twitter a valuable source of
information from a social media medium that is more crucial in the modern time. This
gets the mind of the user on how he or she will respond to a tweet that affects him or her
in some way that correlates to the media that trickles down to society.
The data shows that Twitter is a chance to build a rapport with users and measure
of popular sentiments that promotes new knowledge gained as can be achieved with
these tweets from users by Catone (2010). From this, there is a definite domino effect
that if the user reacts positively then it is highly likely that it relects to both society and
the media platform.
Table 5. Twitter as a Platform of Altercation Regarding Online exchanges.

"Personal attacks incite a
fight or flight response - in
Loss 9 11 81.82
Personal either case, the exchanges is
attacks on lost entirely."
Twitter and "Personal attacks means the
Twitter as
its effects Loss offender has lost the 3 11 27.27
a platform
on argument."
of
altercation exchanges "Personal attacks invalidate
regarding Loss the arguments of the 4 11 36.36
online offender."
exchange Perceptions "Bashers and trolls are
s regarding Distinction different and should be 11 11 100
bashers and reacted to differently."
trolls on "Bashers often present valid
exchanges Validity points and hold sway over 4 11 36.36
on the exchanges."
52
Twitter
"We should avoid engaging
Avoidance 2 11 18.18
with bashers entirely."
"We should work on getting

Formation bashers to commit to 5 11 45.45
healthier exchanges."
Role of bias
in
"Political bias is at the core
exchanges Core 11 11 100
of exchanges."
on
Twitter
Experiences "I have never experienced
of having No having an
3 11 27.27
an Altercation altercation over exchanges
altercation on Twitter."
over "I have experienced an
exchanges altercation in which I had to
8 11 72.73
on defend myself from
Twitter personal attacks."
Altercation
"I have experienced an
altercation in which I
2 11 18.18
resorted to engaging in ad
hominem."
This topic points to the negative side of Twitter as platform of online exchanges –
online altercations between users. Regarding the effects of personal attacks on
exchanges, Many (81.82%) of the participants agreed that personal attacks, from one
party or the other, incites a fight or flight response, R11’s response, “Siguro kung ako
ako ma personal attack, for me, its either mag fight back ako or flight.” If the offended
chooses to fight back against the person, the exchange is lost and unresolved. If the
offended chooses flight, to leave the exchanges and ignore the offender, the exchanges
are lost and unresolved. However, a handful (27.27%) views personal attacks against
them as indicators of having won the exchanges, arguing that personal attacks and ad
53
hominem simply meant the offenders’ inability to continue the exchanges with sound
logic.
Conversely, a small group (36.36%) of the participants noted that that personal
attacks invalidate the argument of the offender, as well, noting that even if a valid point
is a made, ad hominem incites a reaction in the offended that invalidates the points made
by the offender.
When asked about their perceptions regarding bashers and trolls on exchanges on
Twitter, all of participants agree that bashers and trolls are different kinds of entities, and
must be reacted to differently, represented best by R1 says “I think there is a difference
ata dun sa mga people na nag eengage in bashing…” All of the participants also agree
that trolls are best left ignored, as their purpose, by definition, is to derail or dismiss the
exchanges entirely. In light of this, a fraction (18.18%) state that it is best to ignore a
basher instead of engaging them in exchanges, while almost half (45.45%) state that it is
best work towards getting bashers to commit to healthier modes of exchanges.
Regarding the role of bias in exchanges, All was unanimous in its expression that
bias is essential to exchanges. R4 says “Political biases are the reason why we have
exchanges to begin with and that's a determinant of what kind of discussion we're gonna
[sic] have.” Without bias there would be no reason to argue, no reason to agree or to
disagree.
When asked about their experiences of having altercations over exchanges on
Twitter, A handful (27.27%) said they have never experienced having an altercation, a
third (72.73%) have experienced altercations in which they were personally attacked and
had to defend themselves, R7 says “So yeah there was this one time where I had a bit of
54
a fight with someone cause he was asking my credentials for saying all those stuffs,” and
18.18% experienced altercations in which they had to resort to ad hominem.
The answers to the first question of Topic 3 of the focus group discussion about
Twitter as a platform for altercation, specifically the effects of personal attacks, all
belong to a single domain: loss. Every response denoted a loss which was classified into
one of three kinds – the loss of the exchanges, the loss of the argument, and the loss of
the validity of an otherwise valid statement. With regards to the perceptions of the
participants regarding bashers and trolls, the answers can be grouped into four domains.
In the domain of Distinction, users note that there is a difference between the
antagonistic online entities known as bashers and trolls, and thusly these entities must be
treated differently. In the domain of Validity, some participants concede that bashers
often present valid arguments. In the domain of Avoidance, others recommend avoiding
engagements with antagonists at all costs. And in the Formation domain, others
encourage the formation and education of these aggressors.
Through the analysis of the findings of Topic 3 of the focus group discussion, it
has been found that altercations over matters were commonplace on the platform.
Personal attacks and the practice of ad hominem have been experienced by most of the
participants, who have similar views regarding “bashers” and “trolls”, which are
generally considered to be the prime movers of altercations over discussion online.
These implies that Twitter is also a hazardous ground fro online exchange as it is
home to bahers and trolls that advocate such negative acts but as time goes on new ways
to combat the altercation will emerge in the form of new discussions that advocate a
healthy online exchange. This gets the mind of the user on how he or she will respond to
55
a tweet that affects him or her in some way that correlates to the media that trickles down
to society.
Twitter hovers allude to these individuals as trolls and to their tweets as trolling.
Social media bashing may appear as character deaths, discourteous substance, hostile
putdowns, or general madness according to Catone (2008). From this, there is a definite
domino effect that if the user reacts positively then it is highly likely that it relects to
both society and the media platform.
D. The Significance of Twitter to Online Exchanges.
This section of the study outlines the significance of Twitter to online exchanges
using the remaining results of the focus group discussion. This section also aims to
achieve the fourth objective of this study, as outlined in previous chapters.
Table 6. The Significance of Twitter to Online Exchanges.

"Twitter exposes you to a
Exposure greater variety of 6 11 54.55
expression."
Difference "Twitter is more
Engageme
between engaging than other 8 11 72.73
nt
Twitter and social media platforms."
The
other social "Twitter makes
Significanc
media Features information easier to 8 11 72.73
e of Twitter
platforms absorb and disseminate."
to online
regarding "Twitter is unique as a
exchanges
engagement microblogging platform,
in Features 2 11 18.18
which is very appropriate
exchanges for exchanges."
Informati "Twitter is more
3 11 27.27
on information-oriented."
56
"Trending topics let you

Trending know about the most 9 11 81.82
relevant current events."
"Content threads allow
Threads users to better understand 3 11 27.27
the flow of discussion."
"Retweet and Quote
Retweet Tweet features that allow
& Quote for faster and more- 6 11 54.55
Tweet widespread information
Elements of exchange."
Twitter that "'See what you missed'
See What
encourage feature lets keep upto-
You 4 11 36.36
exchanges date even after being
Missed
offline."
Mute & "Mute and Block to filter
2 11 18.18
Block out bashers and trolls."
"Character limit keeps

Character
information bite-sized 3 11 27.27
Limit
and easily digested."
"Hashtags lets you see
Hashtags what everyone is saying 1 11 9.09
about a certain issue."
Algorithm "Algorithms that allow

5 11 45.45
s for a diverse feed."
Toxic "It can be toxic." 11 11 100
Healthy
Experience Exchange "It can be healthy." 6 11 54.55
of engaging s
in
Informati
"It can be educational." 8 11 72.73
on
exchanges
on
Twitter Obstacles "It can be challenging." 3 11 27.27
Engageme
"It can engage people." 2 11 18.18
nt
Pros of "Twitter is as close as
Personal 3 11 27.27
engaging in social media gets to face-
57
to-face discussion in real

time."
"Twitter gives you
Freedom freedom to express 5 11 45.45
yourself without fear."
exchanges
"Twitter is like a
on
Massive perpetual public forum 4 11 36.36
Twitter
on a massive scale."
"Twitter is a convenient
Informati
source of relevant 4 11 36.36
on
information."
This topic invited a discussion into the significance of Twitter to online
exchanges – what makes it appropriate for this specific function.
When asked about how Twitter differs from other social media platforms when it
comes to online exchanges, approximately half (54.55%) said that Twitter exposes you
to a greater variety of expression, R1 says “Sa twitter makikita mo kahit hindi akma sa
baiases mo so I think that its important you are confronted with a lot of different
political opinion”. Due in parts to both the brevity of Twitter content and the algorithms
in place, Twitter allows you to see more opinions, ideas, and manifestations of self-
expression than any other medium. With its threads and other content organization
features, as majority (72.73%) of the participants have noted, Twitter is also more
engaging than other platforms R4 says, “Sa Twitter talaga mas maganda kasi kapag
yung socipolitical issue ay relevant na ano, masyadong relevant yung engagement nya
talaga ay makikita mo sa relevance niya.” Several of the participants (72.73%) also state
that Twitter content is easier to absorb and disseminate, R1’s response “brevity in and
pag yung concise bibigay ng political opinions its important lalo na kung maikli yung
attention span mo.” A fraction (18.18%) pointed out that its unique niche as a
58
“microblogging” platform also makes it a better fit for exchanges than other social media
networks and a minority (27.27%) stated that Twitter is more informationoriented, as
opposed to Facebook and Instagram, which are geared towards social networking,
marketing, and visual appeal.
Regarding the specific elements of Twitter that encourage exchanges, almost all
(81.82%) have attributed it to Twitter’s Trending feature, which lets users know about
the most relevant current events R1’s response “Firstly sa trending topics kasi makikita
mo yung pinag usapan ng mga tao”, a small group (27.27%) mentioned content threads,
which allow easier access to discussions, approximately half (54.55%) mentioned
cotweet and retweet features which make information exchange faster and more
widespread, R1’s response “yung Tweet and cotweet kasi yun mas engaging siya and
mas nakaka reach siya ng wider audience.”, a third (36.36%) noted the “see what you
missed” feature, 18.18% mentioned the Mute and Block options, a fraction (27.27%)
noted the brevity provided by its 240-character limit, almost none (9.09) attributed it to
Hashtags, almost half (45.45%) noted the algorithms that managed content feeds.
When it comes to the overall experience of engaging in exchanges on Twitter, All
of the participants admitted that the experience can be toxic – citing instances such as
flaming, bashing, and trolling which are all prevalent across all social media platforms,
not just Twitter, and not just in the Philippines. R3’s response, “experience ko naman
dyan madalas ay ano toxic at kapag nalilihis yung discussion pero challenging din
siya”.Approximately half (54.55%) said that it can be healthy but citing conditions such
as the willingness of users to compromise, R6’s response “Mostly unhealthy pero …”
Many (72.73%) said that the experience can be educational – especially when ideologies
59
conflict, there is an opportunity to see the opposing side better through the exchange of
information and opinions as in a exchanges, R2 says, “I have to agree na yung pinaka
bet ko na exchanges na nakikita ko sa Twitter is academic marami kang natutunan and
its easy to absorb…”. A small group (27.27%) also recognized the challenge in being
able to engage in meaningful exchanges, mentioning also the challenges involved in
getting the positives out of Twitter in the midst of all the negatives. Finally, a fraction
(18.18%) said that the experience of exchanges on Twitter can engage people into
exchanges. Participants have reported that on Twitter, people are more willing to put
their opinions forward, much more so than on any other social media platform.
When asked their final verdict regarding the pros of engaging in exchanges on
Twitter, A few (27.27%) equated the Twitter experience to live face-to-face discussions,
saying that Twitter is as close as social media can get to that experience. Almost half
(45.45%) of the participants added that Twitter is considered a "safe space" where users
can express themselves freely and without fear, in contrast to Facebook and other social
media platforms where opinions are not so freely shared. A third (36.36%) agreed with
the statement that Twitter is similar to a public forum – where ideas are discussed,
opinions are put forward, and perspectives are challenged – except perpetual in duration
and massive in scale. Similarly a third (36.36%) also stated that Twitter is a convenient
source of relevant information that allows users to stay current even when they don't
have time or access to primary sources such as news, television, and radio.
The answers to the question regarding the difference between Twitter and in other
social media platforms in Topic 4 of the FGD can be contained within four domains. In
the domain of Exposure, users find Twitter to be superior because of how it exposes you
to a greater variety of expression. In the domain of Engagement, Twitter is better able to
60
engage users in discussion, respondents found. In the domain of Features, Twitter makes
information easier to absorb and markets itself a unique blogging platform where a user
can share his or her opinions. In the domain of information, users found that Twitter is
more information oriented, as compared to photograph and scenery oriented when it
comes to Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms. With regards to the
Elements of Twitter that encourage exchanges, there are eight domains, each considering
a feature of Twitter: Trending, Threads, Retweeting & Quote Tweeting, See What You
Missed, Mute & Block, Character Limit, Hashtags, and algorithms. For the experience of
online engagement, he domains are Toxic, Healthy, Information, obstacles, and by levels
of engagement.
Topic 4 of the focus group discussion focused on the perceived significance of
Twitter with regards to online exchanges. The findings of the FGD were positive with
regards to Twitter’s significance, describing the platform as superior to both traditional
forms of media as well as social. Participants found that Twitter provided a unique
experience – a unique environment with tools and features that accommodated and
encouraged public engagement on any issue, including matters. While most participants
found that the experience can be potentially negative, it can also be, potentially,
overwhelmingly positive and educational.
Through the analysis of the results of the focus group discussion conducted for
the purpose of this study, it can be determined that the overall use-case experience of
Twitter as a platform for exchanges, from the perspectives of those who participate in
exchanges on the platform, is mixed, leaning slightly towards favourable. Participants in
the focus group discussion noted that Twitter is an excellent platform for exchanges, and
is well equipped in terms of features and elements to accommodate well-informed, up-to-
61
date, real-time discussion of issues. In that regard, the actual altercations and discussions
experienced on Twitter have the potential to be both positive and negative – it has the
potential to be a meaningful discussion or a destructive, meaningless altercation. Unlike
others in its class as a social media platform that focuses on online socializing and
sharing experience, Twitter excels as a platform for opinions and idea wherein the
masses are given the means to engage in exchanges. The participants of the focus group
discussion also noted that on Twitter, the level of engagement, as well as the general
flow of exchanges, is similar to face-to-face interaction.
This level of engagement implies that Twitter is significant in its role as a
platform for engagement. While this study does not discern the moral, legal, social, or
political ramifications of these exchangess, it implies that Twitter is the platform of
choice for online exchanges among the masses.
Twitter has been especially essential to youthful grown-ups in terms of information
flow and exchange. Twitter has really taken center stage in terms of information
dissemination in the social media plaform by Weir (2016). Twitter’s significance as a
media platform accepts the input of reactions from the users that relates to trickle down
to fellow users and society.
Chapter V
Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations
This chapter aimed to summarize the findings of this research and measure the
achievement of the objectives aforementioned. It is directed to draw conclusions from
62
this summary and create recommendations for all sectors to whom this study is
significant.
Summary
The findings of this research describe the social media platform Twitter as an
effective platform for exchanges in the Philippines. Users who engage in exchanges over
this medium portray consistent tones and verbal approaches, distinctly humorous or
satirical, informative or allegation, aggressive or calm, and supportive or refutative, with
a larger portion of the population engaging in exchanges in the supportive capacity.
Exchanges on Twitter also leaned towards non-promotional or neutral content, with only
a small percentage are calling users to action regarding societal and political issues.
Through the primary sources of information utilized in this study, Twitter has
been shown to have a positive impact in the promotion of altercation and discussion of
issues among netizens who are members of the Twitter community. The study had also
found that the hashtag feature available on Twitter is a prime contributor to its success as
a platform for exchanges. In summary, this study found out that Twitter as social media
network, is effective as a means of promoting online exchanges, and it also served as the
most effective platform for said exchanges. The study conceded that despite its pros,
Twitter also is a community that housed bashers and trolls, making it prone to online
altercations among member. In either positive or negative case, Twitter remains as highly
significant and influential in its promotion of exchanges in the Philippines.
As a platform for discussion and altercation, this study established that Twitter is
an effective platform for discussion, and potentially rampant altercation. While it has
several features that accommodate exchanges, as well as a massive community with
63
multitudes willing and able to engage in exchanges, it also holds the possibility and
frequency of altercations.
Regarding the tones and approaches taken by the Filipino Twitter-users in their
engagements, it is apparent that users more frequently are vocal about their support of
certain ideas and beliefs – often rising to defend these claims aggressively, while at the
same time making use of humour to lighten the discussion.
As a platform to promote action, however, this study discovered that Twitter is
excellent for discussion of issues, but shows minimal effectiveness in calling users to
real-world action, and immeasurable effectiveness of those calls to action.
Despite this, Twitter remains as a highly significant platform to the online
exchanges – more effective and better suited at mass engagement than any other
medium, whether traditional or online/social.
64
Conclusion
Twitter as a microblogging site allows its users to have exchanges regarding a
certain issue. During these exchanges, the users of Twitter have an identified set of tones
and approaches namely humorous or satirical, informative or allegation, aggressive or
calm, and supportive or refutative, with a larger portion of the population engaging in
exchanges in the supportive capacity (Chart 1). The greater supportive capacity gives
way allow users to have an easier time of exchanging information when they are free of
disagreement or rejection by Thapen and Ghanem (2013).
Twitter is a good platform to exchange ideas about an issue. However, Twitter
does little on calling the users to concrete actions outside of the virtual world. The social
media platform such as of Twitter does provoke a mental activity of responsing to a
specific tweet as per how the user has the background and learnings to respond but this
does not, in most cases, translate into real life actions (Chart 2).
Twitter has the potential to be an extremely effective tool in the promotion of
exchanges, as well as an extremely effective platform for exchanges thereof. While it is
currently the platform of choice for the masses to voice out their opinions on issues, it
remains constrained by the weight of altercations and the general behavior of its users
(Table 5). As a social media platform, Twitter emulates face-to-face discussion fare more
closely than any other platform, and it does so on a massive scale. However, it is not
without its drawbacks. Twitter is a breeding ground of altercations and personal attacks
(Wagner 2018). Users who engage in exchanges on Twitter experience, on a regular
basis, ad hominem, fake news, circular argumentation, bashers, trolls – all leading up to
the derailment and dismissal of the exchanges. In conclusion, Twitter can serve as an
65
effective promotional tool and platform for exchanges – but its only flaw lies in the
users. For Twitter to become truly effective as a platform for exchanges, users must be
able to compromise and commit to healthy discussions.
Twitter has a whole host of built-in features that make it ideal forexchanges –
giving users the power to stay on top of current events and what’s trending, the ability to
disseminate information instantly over great distances, with the massive, all-
encompassing coverage of the internet, the safety of a collective, political movement and
community, and the ability to echo ideas infinitely around its scope. Twitter has shown
to be effective in the promotion of online exchanges – far more effective than other
social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram (Table 4).The power of
information dissemination that was once restricted to newspapers and radio is now at the
fingertips of the masses (Catone 2008). Information most definitely is power, but Twitter
provides not just information, but the power to spread information to millions of people
within seconds, within milliseconds, in an instant. Public access to Twitter, instead of
exposing its users to vulnerability, instead encourages exchanges and discussion with the
context of “who”. Apart from Hashtags, Twitter has an entire repertoire of sophisticated
use-cases that are effective in the promotion of any exchanges, especially algorithms in
place to diversify expression and intake of information, character limits that keep
knowledge bite-sized and digestible (Solis 2009).
66
Recommendations
In pursuit of an effective means of exchanges on Twitter, the proponents of
this research would like to propose the following recommendations:
1. Twitter-users should exercise compromise and commit to healthy discussion.
Twitter-users who engage in exchanges on Twitter should pursue not only their
education of others, but also self-education from the ideas presented to them on
the platform. The goal has to be mutual growth, instead of the acclaim of having
won an argument.
2. Twitter-users should employ facts and information in their pursuit of healthy
exchanges. Argumentation on issues especially on an online medium such as
Twitter must promote a culture of fact-checking and the pursuit of unadulterated
truth.
3. Twitter as a company can further help utilize the replies in such a way to
acknowledge them and present it to more users even though they are not follow
user that tweeted the tweet and further improve the class of Twitter as a social
media platform on exchanges. Twitter can further have more appropriate
preventative mechanisms in the forms of warnings and disclaimers on potential
false information.
4. The Filipino Netizens must have more intuitive understanding to further express
their views and opinions on specific trends, and must commit not just to
67
engagement but to well-informed engagements that contribute to the exchanges,
not inhibit it. They must also see that there is a direct correlation with how they
interact in social media platforms in real life.
5. The future researchers of Twitter exchanges or similar social media exchangess
can have a more specific look regarding the machinations of what really goes on
with the flow of altercation as well as discussion, as well as endeavour to look
closer into the impact of the algorithms that Twitter has in place and whether or
not it contributes to or inhibits the exchanges of issues. New studies can gain a
similar notion of these types of engagement in online exchanges in other types of
social media.
6. Politicians can reinforce their thoughts and comments regarding exchanges in
such a way that it accommodates the netizens specifically in Twitter. For them to
be more aware and make use of their prominence to reach more people and
address more issues to promote healthy online exchanges as politicians in social
media.
68
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APPENDICES
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Appendix A
Focus Group Discussion Program
Overview of the FGD Process
1. Introduction
a. Welcome
b. Statement of the purpose of the interview.
c. Guidelines to observe during the interview
2. FGD Proper
a. Twitter promoting online exchanges.
b. Twitter as a platform of discussion regarding online exchanges.
c. Twitter as a platform of altercation regarding online exchanges.
d. The significance of Twitter to online exchanges.
3. Wrap-Up
a. Identify and organize the major themes from the participants’ responses.
b. Ensure that any conversational points not completed are acknowledged.
4. Member Check
a. Determine how each member perceives selected issues.
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5. Closing Statements
a. Requests for anonymity of information (if necessary)
b. Answer questions, if any
c. Thank participants
1. Introduction
Good morning/afternoon. We are Joatham Anry T. Genovis, Reham Ganganna
Palle, Ramir Flores, students of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program
in Ateneo De Naga University. I am also a researcher at the Media Studies
Department in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. At present, I am
working on my Dissertation. An important step in my research is to better
understand the platform which is Twitter with regards to online exchanges. In
order to do that, I am conducting group discussions with you, to gain input from
your opinions with regards to this topic.
Welcome. Welcome and thank you for joining this focus group discussion. Each
of you has been selected to participate because your point of view is important to
this study. I am aware that all of you are very busy, and I sincerely appreciate
your taking time to participate in this discussion. This interview is not a test, nor
should it in anyway be viewed as a series of questions with right or wrong
answers. Remember, that your thoughts and opinion on the subject matter are
what actually matter here – what you think and feel about the issues at hand. And
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you need not agree with the opinions and feelings of others. There will be times
when your opinions and feelings of others disagree with those of others, and we
will all respect that. On occasions however when you do agree with another’s
opinion, we would love to hear from you and know it as well.
Purpose. The purpose of this focus group discussion is to look deeper into the
Twitter as a platform for online exchanges and if its discussion or altercation. On
the second part of the FGd is for clarification and queries from the
respondents.
Guidelines. There are few guidelines that I would like to ask you to observe
during the focus group discussion. First, you need not speak in any particular
order. When you have something to say, please feel free to do so. Second, please
do not speak while someone else is talking. I understand that sometimes
discussions like these can get emotional and it can be tempting at times to ‘jump
in’ and interrupt especially if you feel very strongly about something. However
we ask you to refrain from doing so. You may, if you wish to say something,
raise your hand to draw the attention of the moderator, and I will attend to you as
soon as possible. Third, remember that there are a number of people in the group
and that it is very important that we hear from each and every one of you. Your
active participation would be greatly appreciated. Fourth, as mentioned earlier,
you need not agree with what everyone or anyone in the group says, and you may
state your point of opinion. Fifth, because we only have limited time for the
discussion, I may, if necessary, interrupt you and redirect our discussions. Lastly,
as was mentioned when you agreed to come, what you say will be recorded. This
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is to make sure that we don’t miss anything you say, because it is important. Rest
assured that the information you give will be kept confidential, no one other than
us present here will know who said what. Are there any question regarding the
guidelines? If none, let us proceed with the interview.
2. FGD Proper
Introduction General Purpose Statement
The purpose of this focus group discussion is to look deeper into the issues,
problems on and the corresponding suggestions you have for the development
component of the Communication discipline.
The student respondents
1. Let us first introduce ourselves one by one.
Knowledge Check
2. Twitter is one of the prominent forms of social media nowadays. Twitter
has been prominent due to its public forms of information dissemination and the
direct message feature as a secondary use of the social media apparatus. At a
small scale level, Twitter is to be sure critical. The one of a kind, faithful, and
progressive culture and conduct it's prompting may well touch off full scale
resonations that eventually impact how we find, offer, and shopper data. In the
long haul, it will at any rate, impact human cooperation, business
administrations, data dispersal, occasions, and furthermore media all in all.
Twitter is now leaning to more topics and ideologies that have been known wide
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and far and as politicians have their own accounts the content has become more
significant and eye catching. The researchers classified this as online exchanges.
The researchers also sub classified to forms of exchanges under this
classification. First is the Discussion where there is an open form of
communication without leaning towards personal attacks of the user but just
discussing the topic and finding new information with regards to an issue of
significance. It's two-way. Not at all like TV or daily paper, Twitter takes into
consideration a discussion. Like its new media brethren, online journals, Twitter
supports talk and criticism. For columnists that aren't hesitant to take care of
business, Twitter is a brilliant chance to fabricate a compatibility with users and
measure popular sentiment. It likewise influences users to feel more associated
with the news when they can take part in a talk about it as it happens,
periodically with the general population revealing it directly. Second is the
Altercation which is an exact opposite of the latter with it focusing on attacking
not an issue but bashing fellow Filipino Twitter-users and attacking mostly their
personal opinion and maybe the person himself or herself and just glancing on
what the content of what was really said. For quite a long time, Twitter has filled
in as a home for a portion of the nastier web clients — a place where online
provocation and tormenting and struggle flourished, thanks to a limited extent to
Twitter's pledge to free exchanges and its eagerness to permit unknown clients.
I. TOPIC #1 How do you see the use of twitter to promote online exchanges? 1.
How do you see the use of twitter to promote online exchanges?
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2. How do you respond to these online exchangess and given that if you don’t
how will you respond given the chance?
II. TOPIC #2 Twitter as a platform of discussion regarding online exchanges
1. How does Twitter promote exchange of information about issues?
2. How does Twitter promote exchange of information about issues?
3. How do you see tweeting adding to the new knowledge gained regarding
a issue?
4. Describe your experience on having a healthy exchanges about issues in
Twitter.
III. TOPIC #3 Twitter as a platform of Altercation regarding online exchanges.
1. How do personal attacks that are not related to the issue affect the
exchanges in Twitter about issues?
2. How do you perceive bashers and trolls in their role of promoting
altercation in Twitter regarding a issue?
3. How does bias come into play in
exchanges in Twitter?
4. Describe your experience of having an altercation with someone during a
exchanges. about issues in Twitter. (If not, how would you handle it?)
IV. TOPIC #4 The significance of Twitter to online exchanges.
1. How does Twitter differ from other social media platforms when it comes
to engagement in socio political exchanges?
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2. What are the elements of Twitter that you find helpful when you engage
in online socio political exchanges?
3. Describe the experience of engaging in a socio political exchanges in
Twitter.
4. What are the pros of engaging in a socio political exchanges in Twitter?
3. Wrap Up.
We are close to being out of time. Hopefully we have already had enough time to
express your points of view. Before we end this FGD, let me summarize the key
ideas that we’ve gathered thus far from the discussion. (Enumerate, point by
point, each of the major theme and idea gathered from the participant’s
responses. This is likewise to ensure that they agree and confirm with the
findings gathered.)
There were some topics that we touched upon and were not able to completely
discuss during this focus group discussions, namely: (Identify, where applicable,
the conversational points mentioned during the discussion that were not given as
much attention as desired)
4. Member Check (may be combined with the Wrap Up or, where necessary,
conducted
separately)
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Let me identify some key discussion points and then I would like to find out how
each of you feels about them by checking with each one of you. At this point, I’m
not looking for further discussion, just of a general idea of how many of you feels
a particular way. Again, please let me know your opinion.
5. Closing Statements
As we come to a close, I need to remind everyone that the audio will be
transcribed, and the same shall be handled confidentially and exclusively for the
purpose of the study. We ask that you refrain from discussing the comments of
group members made during the discussion, and that you respect the right of each
member to remain anonymous. Is there any question that I can answer for you?
Thank you very much for your kind participation and contribution to this project.
It is greatly appreciated. Have a nice day!
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Appendix B
Input from Respondents
Topic 1 (Twitter Promoting Online exchanges)
Question 1 (How do you see the use of Twitter to promote online exchanges?)
R6: The question is how do you see the use of Twitter to promote online exchanges. So I
see Twitter as a useful tool to promote online exchanges since it is rampant nowadays
and of course it needs to be crucial kasi um… yun it needs to be crucial.
R5: Nakikita ko na effective ang use ng Twitter to promote online exchanges because its
accessible to all so kahit sino pwede ng maka access ng Twitter pwede ng maka gawa ng
account and madali lang gamitin siya. You will just Tweet something and then yun
pwede na siyang mag spread throughout.
R3: Nakikita ko na maganda yung use ng Twitter as a platform para ma forward ang
socio-political exchanges kasi um… yan nga mas madali compared mo sa dati na gamit
ay magazines, gamit ay newspaper mas madali na ngayon na nasa social media na lahat
ng bagay and its good. Kaya madali sa Twitter kasi yun nga may 240 characters lang at
kailangan andun na lahat ng opinion mo so napaka daling basahin ng tao so kumbaga its
challenging and at the same time yun na rin its informative na at least madali nalang
basahin ang mga tao.
R4: I see Twitter as an effective way ano para ma advance ang exchanges kasi mas
madali siyang ngayon na mas madali siyang ma access ngayon ng mga tao and since ang
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mga social media users nag shishift na from facebook to Twitter. Mas magandang I
advance ang exchanges sa Twitter.
R2: I see Twitter as a useful way of um promoting exchanges kasi if you lokk at um
discussions on issues right now it’s mostly polarized and parang nastustuck lang tayo sa
um kung anong narrative na macoconfirm ng environment namin so kapag nasa Twitter
ka you get more chance of knowing the side of other ideologies or other perspectives. So
there’s more chance of breaking that eco-chamber in Twitter nowadays.
R1: How do I see the use of Twitter? It think that its very useful in a sense that um its
very accessible and its also very efficient to use na there is not very hard to navigate
through Twitter tapos um also yung algorithm niya is its easier for people to see the
exchangess happening kasi yung retweets and then yung feed so yun then at the same
time it almost simulates face-to-face discussion kasi sobrang dali lang almost instant
makikita mo mababasa mmo yung response ng other person yung parang mas madali as
opposed to other means of exchanges that is available so yun.
R11: Siguro yung Tiwtter nowadays, talagang meron siyang big role sa society wherein
since marami na ring tao na gumagamit ng Twitter and it would be much easier na pag
disseminate ng information and also pagpromote ng mga issues or mga bagay bagay
about sa pulitika or something.
R10: I see that twitter is very helpful to me, but when it comes to socio-politics, helpful
naman siya, and yun nga sabi kanina is relevant, and minsan lang may mga discussion or
kaya mga criticism na nangyayari.
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R9: Feeling ko important siya, madaling magkalat ang information sa Twitter. For
example mga 100 retweets, graben na ang coverage niya. And can also be a form of
spreading positive information.
R7: Most people who use Twitter are more along the lines of millennials to generation Z,
and most, if not all of the time,yung political opinions nila it’s continuously being
disregarded by later generations because normally, hindi sila sineseryoso. So for me,
Twitter is really important kasi it gives those people who, more often than not, would get
their opinions disregarded, would more or less see their opinions not as invalid by later
generations to give them a more stable or a more consistent medium para makapag
express ng opinions nila without prejudice.
R8: Ako, medyo psych yung perspective ko when it comes to this. Kasi, usually, yung
from before, Twitter was an outlet from people to “hugot” or to be emotional to release
their stress as well. Pero it became also a medium of frustrations on the government. So
it shows us that people have dimensions as well. They can be like “hugot” kings and
queens at the same time, and “woke” when it comes to social issues
Topic 1 question 2 ( How do you respond to these online exchangess and given that you
don’t how will you respond given the chance?)
R1: Um Even na ano, I also already have my.. my political leaning that I do already
have my biases so um how I respond depends on the.. the content of the Tweet so if its
ahhh Its not factualI tend to fact check for example or kung mali yung logic yun yung
pino point out ko. So that’s how I tend to respond but sometimes I also when I see that
there is no umm there is no solution at the end nakikita ko na wala ng papauntahan yung
discussion, I also utilize ad hominems for example kasi I’m petty like that so yun.
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R2: Sakin same paramg depende yung response ko sa nature ng discussion tapos yung
content ng nirerespondan ko taskung gano siya ka personal or ka extreme sakin like ano
I’m still capable of holding rational discussions with people I don’t agree with na parang
educational naman yung ano like very academic yung approach pero at the same time
kung halimbawa yung situation was a little different ang kakaroon na ng altercation I’m
also capable of joining that kind of situation an mag ad hominem rin ako tas yan medyo,
… medyo antagonistic naq yung approach lalo like yung sabi ni Lino like wala ng
resolution na dun nag sisimula yung away yung altercation.
R4: Ako siguro same din kung pano ako mag respond sa exchanges depende sa content
minsan depende din sa ano relevance nung ano ng tweet kung naman masyadong
relevant masyadong ano hindi naman talaga exchanges yung Tweet na yun di naman ako
nag rerespond dun.
R3: Ako yung pag respond ko sa sa exchanges is yun nga naka depende yan sa mood
kung ano yung sinabi nila at the same time ang goal talaga is to educate. Mag bigay ng
magbigay ng datos tungkol sa issue kung sa tingin natin ay contrast ito sa katotohanan
pero king ano pero kung the main purpose talag is to educate pero sometimes lumalabas
yung pagiging antagonistic bilang netizen.
R5: Um sakin naman um ganon din na depende siya sa content ng discussion and then
nung topic and saakin din kung nasa interest ko ba yung topic na yun and depende na din
petty lang ba yung sasabihin mas pipiliin ko nalang na di mag join sa discussion or sa
exchanges ganon.
R6: Similar lang din pero same as yung madami nagsisilabasan na fake news so we have
to be factual naman pag very very important yung issue very heavy so sakin we should
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be um.. vigilant naman and kelangan natin maging actually sa exchanges it is a
manifestation now that hindi ka apathetic kasi you are standing for your belief so
kelangan lang meron nag sususpport dun na facts and its should be true tapos sap ag
respond or di ko pag respond siguro kung di naman masyado relevant yung issue kung
puro lang naman rants so bakit pako mag rerespond dun.
R11: Siguro first thing’s first, ang una kong gagawin is that, syempre alamin muna yung
discussion and then by simply retweeting it or liking it para naman ma-ispread talaga
yung socio-political na yun’. And if may nang babash man or what, I’m not really into
that kind of thing, hindi talaga ako nag babash, I’d rather magkaroon nga ng discussion
na kung saan medyo rational tayo mag isip dapat. So walang bash, walang personalan.
R10: Sakin naman I respond minsan, halimbawa kung necessary, kung halimbawa alam
ko yung pinaguusapan nila. Minsan binabasa ko talaga siya or kaya naman kapag minsan
agree ako dun sa point nung isang tao na nag diexchanges minsan ni-reretweet ko siya.
R9: Ako, usually taga basa lang kaya ako. Ako itong thread na binabasa ko lang, “ahh
okay may point siya, may point man siya” Tas mga arog ka’yan. Usually dai talaga ako
nag rerespond. Though sa isip ko garo tigbabash ko na siya. Ano man daw ang nasa isip
kai’ni.So arog lang ako kaiyan, so the toxicity is within myself nalang. So dai ko nalang
tigeexpress sa iba, may kanya kanya sindang opinion so bahala na kamo diyan.
R7: We can’t deny the fact na there are times na
“Oh my god this guy is really stupid” or “oh my god I want to punch this guy in the face”
may mga ganyan na moments. The most thing that we almost always do is like, “I’m
gonna reply something to this guy, I’m gonna say something just as mean as what he’s
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saying” or if we’re on the more rational side of things, we can correct him, we can either
tell him na what he’s saying is offensive or if they don’t listen, then we know who to
block na diba? Pero the most appropriate thing to do is at least try to engage in
discussion and if they’re really that thick headed, libre naman ang block, libre naman ang
ignore.
R8: Ang response ko actually, the first dun sa how the issue weighs to me, personally.
Tapos the what I usually do is I read back, like them, and I read threads about it as well,
and if I see that some “stupid thing” is not being called out enough, I do respond. Tapos
depende parin yung response kung educational or masyadong bastos; kasi may mga
content na parang it should not be tolerated kasi in Twitter we tap into yung very
personal opinions and sometimes nasa extremes siya. So feeling ko if it’s not being
called out enough, I do respond and I do bash to some degree pag hindi ko kinaya. Pero
depende nga siya sa responses na already there existent.
Topic 2 (Twitter as a platform of discussion regarding online exchanges)
question 1 ( How does Twitter promote exchange of information about issues?)
R4: siguro yung pag gamit sa Twitter is yung cotweet and retweet feature ng Twitter
since kapag nag ano cotweet or retweet makikita nila nung mga followers nung nag
retweet yung opinion niya about ano yung issue. So sa tingin ko yung yun feature na
useful yung cotweet and retweet.
R6: So Twitter basically it’s just an avenue or away to easily get or absorbed the
information and we still consider our responsibility na we have to be factual um we have
to consider what is true yun it is relevant.
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R5: Para sakin siguro yung ano yung characteristic mismo ng Twitter parang Twitter
itself na having 240 characters and um yung parang mag tweetweet ka lang and pag tas
ni retweet siya ng isa magiging ano na siya continuous cycle na siya so ayun pra sakin
yung yun um ganon yung pinopromote ng Twitter ang exchange of information.
R3: Sakin naman maliban sa mga nabanggit um yung highlight feature ng Twiter na
every time na may hot issue lumalabas yan sa mga accounts na yung kung anong mga na
miss mag nonotify pa yan sayo minsan ibig sabihin parang pinopromote ng Twitter na ito
yung usapan ngayon at try to engage or at least be informed of what’s happening.
R2: Ako I agree na yung mga ano yung algorithm na it et’s you in on the current itung
mga hot issues right now sa country so mas madali na siyang ma access kang mga tao
maski dai ka masyado nag fofollow kang mga woke individuals sa Twitter tapos yung
ano rin yung exchange of informationmadali siyang ma follow like itung sa cotweet
kung ano talaga si discussion ninda itung pasunod sunod ta mapiripindot ka lang so
parang mas very centered sa actually ang Twitter itself centered ay oriented na siya sa
exchange of information na very brief lang as in madaling makakua kang information sa
Twitter compared sa Facebook.
R1: Adding to that yung sa algorithm nga ng Twitter and features niya like uh showing
you the trending topics etc. feeling ko yung Twitter itself and how it plans itself as being
accessible um ginagamit ko din and naging open na din ang mga politicians or example
into using them kaya its easier to call out for example Donald Trump it’s easier to call
um to call out senators in the Philippines like Sonny Anggara kasi um yun nga meron
access yung masses at tleast the general mass sa mga public officials nila and then I think
yung fact na its public in a away na there’sno telling kung anong Tweet ang makikita mo
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sa feed mo hindi lang siya back sa one ideology for example or one leaning like a right
wing Tweet can find its way to your ano to your feed kaya feeling ko yung public
feature niya it facilitates or promotes exchange of ideas.
R11: For me siguro yung Twitter bridge siya to fully know or to fully engage in that kind
of socio-political issues. Talagang yung mga taong medyo walang alam, magkakaroon
sila ng alam. Yun na nga pag retweet-retweet or like-like. Yun siguro for me yan yung
big na naitutulong ng Twitter.
R10: Akin din naman almost the same sakanya, kasi yung Twitter sa iba nga parang
diary siya ng ibang tao. Tapos kapag nakikita mo minsan, marami talagang nag reretweet
na tao. Minsan talaga na kakaretweet na, halimbawa yung finafollow mo din and yung
nag fofollow back sayo lahat nakikita mo. And kahit dun sa socio-political, kahit yung
mga niretweet nila nakikita mo kahit yung discussion nila. Very helpful siya for
disseminating information.
R9: Helpful siya, madaling umano ang balita sa Twitter and also I think the right people
must, feel ko, kaipuhan maka baso kaito su tamang tao tas si mga tamang well informed
ang nakaka ano talaga. So iyan may disadvantage man giraray siya ta dai ta aram there
are two sides of the coin, dai ta aram kung nagsasabi siya ng totoo or tama si nasabi niya.
So it’s a double-edged sword na dai mo talaga aram, benefit of the doubt, baka this is
spreading.. there is misleading threads kasi talaga, na mapapaniwala ka man and bahala
na sa tao. More on research man giraray kita
R7: As far as I know, may computerized system sila para diyan. Diba, more or less,
kung may la-like ka mag re-retweet ka ng tweets that you like, Twitter or the algorithm
of Twitter just keeps sending those kinds of Tweets to you. For example “I support
88
Trump, I support Robredo, I support this political figure” for example, more or less yung
mga highlights na ipapakita sayo, ganyan rin. So if you’re engaged politically, more or
less, ang mga ibibigay sayong mga tweets mga political tweets as highlights. If you’re
engaged in memes, if you’re engaged with anything other concerning culture yan ang
ibibgay sayo and I think it’s a good system naman.
R8: On what he said, it’s true yung may algorithm about kung ano ang fina-follow mo.
Pero as for healthy discussion sometimes may disadvantage din yun kasi you will be
boxed dun sa perspective mo or sa stance mo kasi yun lang yung nakikita mon a circle
ng tweets. Hindi ka masyado exposed dun sa like a more conservative twitter for
example, pero I think you can still engage there especially when people who are
knowledgeable about the topic tweet about it as well kasi they have Twitter themselves.
They discuss it there, tapos may research din sila about it, people can check online
anyway. So I think it still promotes healthy discussion in the sense na yung mga tao na
knowledgeable on the topic also Tweet about it and people can check that out.
Topic 2 Question 2 (How does the public feature of twitter help in discussing a certain
issue?)
R1: Um how does the public feature of Twitter help in discussing certain political issues
siguro ano um knowing na other people who have the same political leaning have your
back feeling ko that also gives you the courage to engage in a public platform knowing
na other people can jump into the conversation and help you out and at the same time if
your main intention really is to educate mas magandang public siya kasi other people
might not join the conversation but are viewers or spectators of the ongoing exchanges
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so I think na your goal really is to educate the masses are the general public feature of
Twitter is very helpful in discussing political issues.
R2: Yung public feature ng Twitter its very effective in holding public figures
accountable in political issues kasi it’s now easier to for your voice to be heard for it to
um to retweets exactly na parang may tangible evidence na ah ganito yung politican ko
or ganito yung public figure na ito na ganito yung sentiments niya and for us to call them
out on it tapos mas we can be loud in Twitter and there will be people who support us
and there will be people na parang neutral sa issue na they will see your sentiments so
parang yung exchange of not only um information pati yung mga leanings mo yung mga
biases mo parang na preprocess na siya sa Twitter because of its public feature kasi you
hold public figures accountable so yun.
R3: Actually ganon rin naman yung sagot ko na mas madaling mag call out ng mga tao
given nga na nasa public platform na kung saan everyone can see your opinion and dahil
diyan publicly mo rin siyang ma cacall out and at the same time at malalaman rin ng
public kung ano ng aba talaga ang tama or kung sila na ang mag weweigh kung ano ang
tama o mali so it’s easier to inform everyone na ganito na ganito ang mali ganito ang
tama at the same time mas madali mo ring makilala ang ibang tao given sa mga tweets
nila kasi mababasa mo sa feed nila na parang ay ganito pala ang kanyang ideology or
kung ano pa.
R5: Para sakin same with them na yung nga public officials ma cacall out agad agad pero
during exchanges kasi siguro mas magiging prone na siya sa um ay dapat maging
maigting yung pag fafact check kasi since public feature na siya kahit sino na nag nakaka
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access diyan di natin agad agad masisiguro kung tama yung laman ng exchanges kung
tama ba yung laman ng Tweet.
R6: Siguro idadagdag ko nalang um specifically yung hashtag very ano na siya um for
public feature na parang makikita mona organizedly yung isang topic or hot issueor very
timely kasi yun it’s a public feature na kailangan mo paring I fact check since oo na nga
madaming nakaka access even walang access ng account makikita siya so it’s very
public so I search mo lang siya but then it’s still our responsisbility.
R4: Para sakin naman yung public feature ng Twitter siya yung pinaka ano pinaka
magandang feature ng Twitterkasi makikita ng mga tao dyan na kung may exchanges
talagang nangyari example sa isang issue na malalman ng tao yung ibang perspective ng
tao yung side nito yung side nila parang ma weiweigh in nila kung ano yung
pinaniniwalaan nila.
R11: Yes, talagang helpful siya in terms of issues.
R10: When it comes to public features, nakaka help na hindi din. Kasi minsan may mga
discussion na pag Nakita mo yung ano nila when it comes to public features of Twitter
nakaka… parang hindi ka na momotivate magbasa or kaya naman yung purpose ng
Twitter nababaliwala.
R9: It can be a good platform to spread awareness socially. The first step for bagay
bagay is awareness. Dapat aware ka na mag nangyayari so, maski dai ka sikat, maski
dikit lang lang ang followers mo, at least may awareness na nagaganap.
So, padikit dikit man lang ka-iyan ang nagaganap so one like, one retweet, tas spread the
word.
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R7: Remember the the time na sinabi ni Kanye West, “slavery was a choice?” That was
so, ewan. It was so insulting for some people, but at the same time other people agree
with it. Because of that reason, that really blew up really fast, it got like a million likes,
half a million retweets, just because of one statement; just because of a political opinion.
So ang nangyayari diyan, everyone gets to see that, and everyone can express their
opinions towards it. Like if I’m someone who again supports Trump, I’ll give my
opinion on it, I could say na “no slavery wasn’t a choice but okay you may have a point”
or if I’m against Trump “Oh my god, you’re really stupid aren’t you” mga ganyan
ganyan. Ang the more people retweet it or the more people like it, the more it spreads.
The more it blows up kumbaga, and I guess that actually helps. Since as a newbie in
Twitter you can express your own opinion even though konti lang ang followers mo like
sinabi niya niya, and even if 10,000 or 100,000 followers ka na your opinion is not more
valid kumbaga kesa duman sa may 100 followers. Ang importante is you get to express
your opinion and you get to engage with other people who may agree or disagree with
you.
R8: It’s basically the same thing as they said, the public feature allows you to be loud as
you can be regardless of followers or retweets, kasi dun ka na nakakapag… parang
empowering siya in a sense that you can mention someone you want and call their
attention, kung ma ca-call nga siya. Kasi minsan mga artista dun marami naman nag
tweet sakanila anyway pero it’s a possibility and I think it’s one means of exhausting
from your end the ways to reach other people.
Topic 2 question 3 ( how do you see Tweeting adding to the new knowledge gained
regarding a
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issue?)
R4: Ako kasi I see tweeting adding to the new knowledge gained regarding ang issue na
yung for example nag tweetweet ka ng about ano a certain issue then yung public feature
ng Twitter is magagamit rin para yung ibang users diba nag fafact din sila parang dun sa
tig tweet mo nag bibigay sila ng links ano to news articles para mas ma ano yung
knowledge mo about a certain issue.
R6: Sakin naman ok yung adding to the new knowledge but it has to be consistent to the
fact um sometimes yung mga additional knowledge may be deceiving may be untrue or
unreal so we have still to check and um consider yung different um information na
nanggagaling maybe some of them may be true some of them may be a mixture of um a
personal opinion or ano um yun.
R5: So how do you see tweeting adding to the new knowledge gained um siguro since
Twitter um sa Twitter ginagamit siya ng people to educate to inform and um if there are
people na nag tweetweet now with links or history yan nakakatulong siya sa mgataong
mas maintidihan yung certain topic na meron din kasing nangyayari na ganito yung
pananaw mo at first pero dahil sa exchanges na nababasa mo sa Twitter dahil dun sa
links or history na binibigay ng mga tao um minsan nag babago yung pananaw mo and
mas nagiging mas natutulungan yung mga tao na maging open minded sa lahat ng um
corners ng issue nay un.
R3: Ako naman um actually ang favorite ko ay yung mga thread ng mga ng mga Twitter
mga icons mo na parang point by point nila ine emphasize ang importance isang issue
kung baga tapos very informational siya dahil sa isang parang yung power ng thread
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lahat parang pag may nakalagay dun na thread na political issue lahat mag cliclick dun
tas most likely marami ang magbabasa niyan compared sa isusulat mo siya saisang
article na lesser ang magbabasa niyan so kung baga mas powerful na matuturing ang
Twitter compared sa pag gagawa nung articles.
R2: Ano pati siya mas madali siyang ma absorb yung mga concepts yung mga ideologies
pag dating sa Twitter like yung sa thread na na feature like feeling ko ano na siya parang
skill na siya or its like a culture already ng mga influencers na mga public figures na they
are able to let readers understand their sentiments the concepts that they want to discuss
through uh by less than 240 words so very effective siya kasi yung attention span mostly
ng mga tao hindi kayang magbasa ng isang article para lang sa isang concept na
nadaanan nila sa timeline.
R1: feeling ko kasi yung information na inoofer ni Twitter and the way that it is
packaged very brief and very straight to the point tapos um like yung mga Twitter
threads for example na may mga information not necessarily a political position pero
kahit facts lang siya it already um facilitates your internal exchanges of yourself and
political leanings so I think that Twitter has um contributed greatly sa ano political
consciousness ko kasi yung mga times na for example I’m the spectator sa ongoing na
ano Twitter exchanges I also learn a lot from them so yun na yun.
R11: Since madami ngang tao nag use ng Twitter and they also have different ideas or
sarili nilang opinions or yung may mga alam din, you could actually gain knowledge
from them. Talagang though, its nasa atin nalang kung saan tayo maniniwala diba. And
siguro in that case, mag background check din tayo ng socio-political issues para naman
alam natin kung saan tayo lulugar.
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R10: Yung ano naman din is, yung Twitter… kasi ako lately hindi na talaga ako nag t-tv,
more on talaga digital talaga ako , nasa social media kaya lagging ano… and nafi-fill
lang yung knowledge ko when it comes to the outside world like the socio-political state
because of Twitter. And because of Twitter parang nagkakaroon ako ng knowledge ng
nangyayari na sa pilipinas so feeling ko nakakatulong siya pero syempre parang
maganda parin kasi yung may alam ka before mo Nakita sa social media yung mga
ganung information.
R9: So yun, ako kaya, ang source of information ko naman lang talaga is Twitter,
Facebook. Dai naman talaga kaya ako nag t-tv so ang pig follow ko para more reliable si
mga ANC, CNN. So yan, pag mahiling mo yaon na duman, aware ka, Tweet mo nalang.
R7: In my opinion, Twitter helps in the introduction of topics kasi whenever something
is relevant, people tweet about it and the more people Tweet about it the more likely
you’ll see it because of the mere fact na marami ngang nag tweet about it. Pero it doesn’t
mean na Twitter should be your initial source and only source of information. Of course,
we have to read books, we still have to watch the news for example, kasi what people say
is parang secondary information lang naman yan. It still comes from a primary source
which, may or not be, accurate and that’s up to you to decide. Na trigger talaga kasi ako
this one time, someone posted a picture of parang a sniper reticle on the face of Duterte
tapos sabi “ay mamatay na si Duterte” sabi daw niya, the person who posted that is liable
for treason. What I saw was that, sobra siyang misinformed, kasi first of all, for any
accusation of treason to be valid, you have to be at war. Eh wala naman tayong giyera.
And secondly, namali pa siya dun sa article number na nilagay niya so it just proves na a
lot of people are full of hot air on Twitter. People say stuff, people talk about stuff na
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they don’t even know about and people would just blabber and blabber just to express
their political opinion when in fact the most important thing you can do is go to the
primary source.
R8: Well, that is true up to some degree pero we don’t all have access to primary
sources. So I think Twitter still is very helpful in informing people kasi it’s convenient,
it’s easily accessible tapos trendy siya. So it reaches more people it’s now up to that
individual to check that out but I think Twitter in itself by having avenuesfor different
opinions to come out is helpful in trying to at least spark curiosity about the topic or at
least para macatch ang attention mo at the very least.
Topic 2 question 4 ( Describe your experience on having a healthy exchanges about
issues in Twitter.)
R1: So despite toxic exchangess on twitter and other social media platforms, healthy
discussions come from time to time. So my personal experience of having a healthy
exchanges, is not necessarily a exchanges with someone who's of the extreme polar
opposite of my political leaning, sometimes exchangess happen among your own ranks,
so I t hink that's the most healthy, kasi yung main goal niyo pareho is to grow and to help
each other come up with strategies for example or to correct theories and principles
within your own political movements. So I think those are the most healthy, cause
sometiems when you debate with someone with polar opposite political opinion, you
can't change minds pag ganun. So healthy discussions do happen when it's within the
same political movements.
R2: Ako I have to agree na healthy exchangess don't happen when it's polarized. Kasi
there's already a consensus na yung sense of r ight and wrong mo it's very distorted like
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talagang wala kang magagawa dun, so feeling ko yung healthy exchanges na
naexperience ko, it happens in gray areas or sa communities mismo na willing to
compromise, na yung goal ng dalawang side isn't necessarily to prove that they're right,
it's to look at the perspective of another person and to realize that there are also valid
points being raised.
R6: Sakin naman very rare na naexperience ko yung healthy exchanges kasi usually lahat
atakado pag dating sa social media, lahat antagonistic. pero that's what we're working on
naman, na mas maging informative and education or academic ang discussion. And sa
experience ko naman sa healthy exchanges, nakatulong siya kasi nagkaroon talaga ng
resolution na ganito dapat tayo, and it's not na merong taong nagsasabi kung ano talaga
ang tama o mali, but you're giving your point and the person you're talking to is
tinatanggap willfully yung points mo and that's healthy exchanges.
R5: Ako naman never pa ako nagkaroon ng healthy exchanges sa twitter. Siguro para
sakin magkakaroon ng healthy exchanges if you ahve the art of compromising, pero
since kada tao may image na sila kung ano ba ang tama sakanila at ano ba ang mali, so
siguro dapat talaga mag compromise. And isa pa, hindi naman siya kailangan isipin ng
bawat isa, it's not about who's going to win that exchanges or who is going to lose but
syempre bottomline is parehong may matutunan, parehong may malaman na new
knowledge sa isang pinagtatalunan na issue.
R3: Sakin naman may mga exchanges na it starts healthy pero at the end of the day it
becomes toxicated and it becomes unhealthy kasi para ilabas nila kung ano yung what is
reliable, nilalabas nila yung below the belt or attacking the person personally so dun
nagkakaroon ng unhealthhy dicousre, kasi para sakin, yung healthy exchanges should
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always follow a resolution, so para sakin personally usually nangyayari it ends unhealthy
talaga kasi ayaw magpatalo ng isa tapos nangyayari na yung below the belt na tirahan.
So siguro masasabing healthy yung isang exchanges kapag inoopen mo yung points mo
respectfully, hindi yung attacking person perrsonally and nagiiba na yung direction, so
yun.
R4: Sakin siguro dae ko pa naeexperience si exchanges na mahihiling ko kung healthy
or unhealthy talaga ta never ko pang naexperience to mag tweet na madaming nag
engage sa tweet regarding socio political exchanges, pero if ever man, siguro ang healthy
exchanges mangyayari siya between Twitter-users that have the same stance on a
political issue, kasi dun matututo kayo kung pano macorrect yung points niyo and yan,
exchange of ideas, and of course para mas mabigyan ng conviction ang political
movement.
R9: Wala, ako. Dae ako paratweet diba. Taga-hiling lang ako.
R8: I can’t remember exactly where the issue started but someone locally, dito sa bicol,
tweeted about something na… the tweet said (a girl tweeted this) this is not verbatim but
something along the lines of “para irespeto ka ng boys, and you’re not treated as a toy,
dapat you should be this, you should be that as a woman”. Tapos my point of view is,
you are isolating, you are putting the burden of how to be respected dun sa babae, when
essentially you should respect people in general of how they are. Ganun ang point of
view ko dun parang ang burden was, dapat may standard ka para irespeto ka ng mga
lalake, para siyang up to some degree slut shaming to me. Pag kumakarat karat ka di ka
na respectful ganyan or basura ka na dapat ka ng bastusin ganun ang point. Pero hindi ko
naman siya explicitly na call out na “that’s stupid” or “that’s slut shaming” or anything
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like that but I responded to it in a sense na… Ahh tanda ko na yung issue, may pinost sa
adnu sf na yung blonde na drunk na dinala somewhere tas pinutukan and she was drunk
and the guy just left, and #rape keme. Tapos there was the opinion of the girl that was the
blonde girl ganito yung inakto so if you want to be respected and not to be treated as a
toy you have to be this. Ehh, essentially the guy should not have raped her, that’s victim
blaming, you’re saying na it was her fault that she was raped at that point, tapos there
were exchanges and I think that… Well, actually your friend, we talked about it online
through Twitter. About this how the statement was actually victim blaming, kasi you’re
putting the burden on the girl to always be proper. What about the other girl, there will
always be another girl who is unguarded, so you’re saying na the rapist would not be
liable kasi the girl opened up herself anyway and got drunk bla bla. But I think it was a
healthy discussion in a sense na we did not get personal, we were exchanging our point
of views and it actually ended sa direct message na pinagusapan talaga naming siya in a
less public manner para lang to be safe in the sense na di kami makahurt publicly to each
other. I think it was resolved healthily.
R7: Ano kasi, sa totoo lang hindi pa ako nakakita ng healthy discussion sa Twitter.
Almost all of the time nagmumurahan, almost all of the time nag reresort sa ad
hominem. So, what I imagine na healthy discussion in Twitter would be yung kagaya ng
sinabi ni Dianne kanina where people attack your argument not you.
R10: Feeling ko din mayo pa ako na experience na ganun, like healthy. Kung healthy
parang seldom yung ano and parang hindi siya nacocontinue.
R11: Siguro hindi pa like sa Marcos Burial, more on lgbt. Alam mo yung feeling na may
nag ask sakin sa curious cat na guy, but I don’t know who that guy is, pero sabi niya
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“bakit daw pag nakakakita siya ng lgbt, like lesbian, gay, bisexual, etc, nag iinit raw
ang… naiinis raw siya or what ganun ganun. Tapos for me naman, ang sinagot ko naman
dun, rational naman yung pag respond ko dun sinabi ko, “well I can’t blame you for that”
talagang sabi ko naman what we really need right now is yung tinatawag nating spread
awareness and talagang mag spread ng awareness kasi marami pang tao na hindi pa
oriented about sa LGBT and gender identity. Pero yung conversation he just keeps on
bashing so for me hindi ko nalang sinagot kasi nonsense narin.
Topic 3 (Twitter as a platform of Altercation regarding online exchanges)
question 1 ( How do personal attacks that are not related to the issue affect the exchanges
in Twitter about issues?)
R4: Siguro itong personal attacks sa ano, sa about issues regarding socio-political issues,
it greatly affects the exchanges because pag nagkakapersonal attacks sa ano, regatding
certain issue, nawawala talaga ang exchanges kasi mas nagiging focused siya sa ano sa
personal aspect ng users kesa dun sa opinions nila, and it greatly affects it, the
exchanges.
R6: Sakin naman personal attacks is manifestation that you cannot validate what is your
stand regarding the issue but rather you are attacking the person personally kasi wala ka
nang ibang masabi, kaya the exchanges becomes unhealthy na, so it also switches the
real argument na you are switching the argument to something which is irrelevant so you
are thinking irrationally so it is very unhealthy having the personal attacks regarding the
person.
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R5: Sa akin sobrang nakakaapekto siya sa exchanges sa twitter, lalo na kung emosyon na
ang umiiral sa exchanges. And instead na yung opinions nila ang ilabas, kumbaga
lumalabas na yung ad hominem and nawawala na yung respeto sa isa't isa and nawawala
na din yung dapat manhyari which is dapat maeducate silang dalawa and mainform
silang dalawa, and yun mawawala yung act of compromising.
R3: Um sakin naman, mga personal attacks naliliis niya yung discussion sa kung ano ba
talaga yung dapat pinaguusapan, kumbaga instead na nakafocus tayo sa tunay na nissue,
mas pinagtutuunan nalang. Normal yan nakakikita natin kapag sa mga ka-dds na usually
ang mga attack nila, ang response nila, ay personal attack and at the same time ang mga
nagrereply sakanila ay personal attack din, so nawawala yung discussion dun, mas
nagiging discussion na siya about sa sarili nila na nawawala na talaga yung main point of
exchanges.
R2: Yung sakin naman kapag meron nang personal attacks sa twitter, based on
experience parang nawawalan na ng chance na makita nung other person, yung receiver
ng personal attack, na magkupas dun sa altercation and actually see that points may be
valid from the other person, kasi parang nakafocus na dun sa ad hominem, naka focus na
dun sa peron mismo yung inaatack, so hindi na fruitful yung exchanges in the sense na if
ever man na magkaroon ng resolution, hindi na siya mangyayari kasi nga medyo real na
yung usapan. hindi na siya about dun sa discussion mismo kundi yung away na on
person.
R1: Umm, ano ba? Basically yung mga sinabi nila na hindi na nagiging fruitful yung
discussion, like there is no resolution, kasi naka focus na dun sa personal attacks,
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personal insults, and I'm very guilty of this na pag na threaten na yung ego ko, I also go
through that draught of ad hominem. so yung nga, di siya healthy.
R8: First off when you, when you directly attack someone, you don’t insight a more
rational discussion because it becomes a more personal thing. And the first response will
be put up defenses, and instead of discussing the topic on hand, it will become
mudslinging na. It’s not healthy in the sense na you don’t really engage the person to
agree with you now. You’re just saying, you’re wrong, you’re wrong, and all these
things. But altercations by definition, sometimes, on some context becomes necessary
especially when…. Personal attackaffects kasi hindi na siya nagiging discussion on the
topic itself but it becomes mudslinging or throwing out attacks to each other just to
defend your opinion or what you now see as a part of yourself kasi you put yourself out
there and its being attacked.
R7: I think, yung mga personal attacks, especially here in the Philippines, I think it’s
medyo engraved na kasi sa culture natin yung medyo maging judgemental lalo na yung
mga conservative filipinos diba. If they see an opinion that they on’t agree with, ang una
nilang gagawin ay hindi mag type agad , ang una nilang gagawin pupuntahan yung
profile tsaka “ay arog man lang palan ni kani” diba, that’s the problem, we don’t analyze
the statement, we don’t analyze the validity, but rather we judge the person who said it.
For example I give a political opinion, and nakalagay sa profile ko na nursing student
ako, most people would say that my opinion is invalid because I’m giving a political
opinion when that’s not my field na polsci students should talk about it more. That’s
really unhealthy kasi no matter how stupid, or no matter how good you think a statement
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is or you think an argument is, its still important to analyze its validity. Kung talagang
may sense ba, kung talagang may pinag gagalingan ba siya, mga ganyan.
R9: Personal attacks, pag nakakahiling ako kaiyan, garo… “wala na, finish na” pero
siguro mayo na ning maisip tungkol sa issue kaya nag resort na siya sa personal attacks
kaya finish na.
R10: Feeling ko yung mga personal attacks, ang nagagawa niya sa isang tao is parang na
wre-wreck niya yung argument pati yung person na naaano niya sa personal attacks.
Tapos parang na se-segway lahat ng discussion and imbes na nakafocus sa isang usapin,
na sesegway siya sa iba because of that attack.
R11: Siguro kung ako ako ma personal attack, for me, its either mag fight back ako or
flight. Kasi in terms of fight, kung sobra na, yung dinedegrade ka na then you should
fight back na pero yung… ako yung typical na tao na rational padin yung isasagot ko
sayo pero kung sobra sobra na pwede din ako mag mura pero more on talaga… pero pag
flight naman, siguro kung walang kwenta talaga yung pinagsasabi nung tao wag nalang,
dedma nalang. Siguro nadidivert nga yung, instead na dun kayo dapat sa political issue
nadidivert siya dun sa personal attack.
Topic 3 question 2 ( How do you perceive bashers and trolls in their role of promoting
altercation in Twitter regarding a issue?)
R1: I think um there is a difference ata dun sa mga people na nag eengage in bashing
because ah that’s there way of arguing and there is a difference between trolls because
sometimes these trolls are um hired to actually uh derail conversations for example or
um promote um or add to a cloud of a politician so I think there is a need to delineate
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them in a way na its easy to dismiss trolls because they are paid to do it and its deliberate
the way they derail the conversation pero dun sa legitimate people na nag babash I think
we should still um work on getting them to engage in a healthier exchanges. So yun yung
perception ko of bashers and trolls.
R2: I have to agree with lino na important yung difference, kasi they require different
reactions and usually yung reaction yung nagdedecide kung effective ba yung discussion
sa twitter, yung exchanges na nangyayari, so pagdating sa troll very immaterial talaga
yung influence nila sa pag shape ng discussion that's happening right now, pero when
you look at bashers and you see that yung sinasabi nila, it's a valid point and then people
are really believing it kasi hindi naman siya troll pero hindi rin siya productive pag
dating sa discussion na nangyayari sa twitter. feeling ko dapat yun ang icall out, yung
dapat na istraighten out pagdating sa twitter discussion on socio-political issues.
R3: Sakin naman, ganun din, di naman ako nageexcert ng effort para makipagaway sila.
compared nung election nung uso palang ang pangtotroll, pero ngayon kasi alam na natin
na troll lang siya at bayaran naman so what's the point na makipagdiskurso sa kanila.
pero pagdating naman sa mga bashers or yung mga tulad ni Ferdinand Topacio sa twitter
kung legit ba siyang account, pero parang mga legit siya, so yun yung mga dapat
nirereplyan. So kung sa ad hominen yung attack nila, mas maganda parin na hindi ka
maging ad hominem pero siguro hindi talaga yan maiiwasan at the same time dapat
nandun parin yung exchanges.
R5: I agree with them and siguro it's very alarming kasi there are times na nababagol ng
isang troll ang diskurso. depende ata sa kung gano ka effective ang troll. very alarming
kasi kumbaga naiiba nila yung way ng exchanges na dapat leading siya sa ganito, dapat
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ganito maging result ng exchanges niyo, pero yun nga kung magaling talaga yung troll
nasisira niya yung flow ng exchanges.
R6: Actually oo din, kasi yung mga bashers is just a toxic way of having - parang ad
hominem kasi it is irrelevant naman pero di naman natin maiiwasan yung bashers kasi
they will always be present, nasaatin naman if we will take it personally. Yung mga
trolls naman, they dismiss the essence of the exchanges, it becomes irrelevant. pero yung
nga meron din mga effective trolls na masassabi nating worth replying, or worth being
present in the exchanges.
R4: Siguro magaagree na ako na iba din yung perception ko regarding bashers and trolls,
regarding sa promoting altercations on twitter, kasi yung mga trolls ang intention nila
minsan di naman talaga magkaroon ng exchanges, minsan gusto lang nila i-distort yung
exchanges kasi nabayaran lang naman sila. kasi ang mga trolls wala naman talaga silang
formal knowledge about the issue, nandun lang talaga sila to distort the exchanges. Ang
mga bashers naman, sila talaga yung nagporpromote ng altercations sa twitter kasi ang
ginagawa nila is may halong hate or may halong irrelevant sentiment regarding sa issue
so yun talaga, yung bashers ang nagpoporomote ng altercations sa twitter.
R8: Sometimes I first identify their trolls by checking them out sa profile nila kasi
sometimes yun nga yung may gumagawa nalang ng profile just to bash people. Kung
ganon, hindi ko na siya nae engage, pero naaamze ako na may time. Pero yung bashing
in itself, pag hindi naman siya relevant person sakin or hindi naman ako ako affect
personally I shrug it off as well.
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R10: Same lang, I shrug it off nalang when it comes for halimbawa hindi naman siya
necessarily… I let it be. Pero yun nga kapag na dedegrade ka na you need to defend
youerself in a rational way.
R7: When you see bashers, when you see trolls, when you see people na parang they’re
not in it for the argument but they’re just in it to show you up or to make fun of you, its
best talaga not to engage with them. Pero I honestly perceive them as a bit “asshole-ish”
kasi ass hole siya pero di masyado. Kasi it really shows how low see of themselves kasi
they think their opinion isn’t that valid or they think na they’re not worth their opinion so
they just end up making fun or insulting other people just so we’d listen to them.
R9: Napaka passionate naman ninda and very dedicated pero trash ang pag uugali ninda
minsan eh. Trash talaga ta, mayo naman sense ang sinasabi ninda minsan. Garo “mema”
nalang itong trolls ehh, pero dai ko na tig iintindi sinda.
Topic 3 question 3 (How does bias come into play in exchanges in Twitter?)
R4: Siguro in most cases dae man nawawara itong personal or political bias regarding a
certain issue, kasi parang dun sa bias nagbabase yung knowledge mo about sa certtain
issues. kaya para sakin its normal na magkaroon ng personal or political bias re an issue.
R6: So yun, similar din, we all have or most people naman have biases, either political or
personal. It's just that meron kang certain belief towards a certain person or political. SO
sakin naman we have to validate yung bias mo and you have to consdier the positive and
negative, the pros and cons. Kasi even if may bias tayo we should be open to those
instances na maybe tama sila or maybe mas true or reliable ang sinasabi nila. We should
be open, even if may bias tayo.
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R5: Um lahat naman ng tao may biases, and I admit it. Siguro nagfufuel up siya sa
exchanges sa twitter, kasi minsan sa gusto mong ipaglaban yung bias mo, we resort to
using ad hominem, pero dapat sa mga biases natin we should make sure na it's based on
facts, based on research siya, and that hindi tayo magiging tulad ng trolls na sabi lang ng
sabi ng mga ganyan.
R3: Sakin naman, usually naman talaga polarized naman talaga nagdedebate so
nakakapekto siya.So parang nakakaapekto talaga siya dun sa exchanges between two
parties.Pero kung titingnan natin, nagiging healthy siya kasi nagkakaroon ng exchange of
ideas, ways, or perspectives so maganda na nagkakaroon ng resolution parin sa mga
exchangess kasi pag nangyari yun, kahit ibig sabihin nun napapatunayan ang political
leaning, meron parin tayong nagkakaisahan na resolution.
R2: Political biases are the reason why we have exchanges to begin wtih. and that's a
determinant of what kind of discussion we're gonna have. Like for example yung sinabi
namin ni lino na pag polarized yung exchanges in the sense na two opposites talaga yung
naguusap, its less likely for you to have a resolution or to have a healthy exchanges,
compared kung nandun ka sa gray areas sa communities na you have overlapping values
and you resort to compromise so parang feeling ko, yung type ng bias na meron yung
isang tao, depending on how exteremely imposing it is on another person, determines the
kind of exchanges you'll have and the possibility of a resoluiton or even like a
compromise.
R1: I think it's wrong to completely demonize biases kasi yung pag form palang ng
biases ng one person, it went through a lot of deliberative processes in choosing biases,
it's not something to be discredited. However, I think that yung biases, siguro
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nakakahinder siya sa pagprogress ng conversation, kasi you're stuck with your bias and
yung world view mo. Pero what's good with twitter, as opposed to other social media
platforms, hindi masyado hindrance yung biases, kasi when you take a look at facebook
for example yung biases mo, yun lang talaga makikita mo sa feed mo - yung echo
chamber is only on your biases. Pero sa twitter, you're also bombarded with things that
may not be aligned with your biases, so you might have like cognitive dissonance. So in
twitter, you're bombarded with things that may not be aligned with your biases, so you
have that cognitive dissonance sometimes pero there are times na you also get to
research taht and also form a new bias based on the information that you're getting. so i
think it's better on twitter rather than on other social media platforms.
R10: When it comes to personal biases, medyo, medyo pag Nakita ka siyempre bias yun
naiirita ka like bakit ganyan. Pero minsan kasi kapag nababasa ko mismo na discussion,
the tweets parang naaalternate ako dun. Parang may point.
R11: Siguro yung mga personal biases diba kapag medyo bias ka dito, dito ka lang talaga
or yun talaga yung gusto mo. And yung sinabi ni Lawrence kanina I must agree na kapag
may healthy discussion alright pero naaano ka, medyo “ahh, tama tong tao na to” medyo
na didivert ka or siguro I should believe this one kasi baka mali yung… merong doubt na
nangyayaru, so yun.
R8: Same din sakin kasi, una may preconceived notions talaga tayo on things pero pagka
Nakita mo yung tao na nagsasalita is credible tapos expounded siya, may point siya and
something, makakapush sayo to rethink things and consider other things as well, pero
maganda nga kasi on Twitter kasi engagement siya ng other perspective so you can
weigh things yourself tapos you can do your research yourself if you’re really into it.
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R7: Personal biases do exist and everytime we come across them, everytime we come
across different opinions like for example we see a marcos apologist, we see a trump
apologist, mga ganyan. The initial thing we do is look at their comments, look at their
statements and see where they’re getting at. If what they’re saying are mostly insults like
for example it’s okay to say I support marcos, I may disagree with you, I may think your
opinion is misinformed pero you’re opinion is still valid as long as you have credible
information to back that up. It’s on my end to try and debunk that, to try and engage you.
Pero if you say, I support Marcos, everyone who doesn’t support Marcos are a bunch of
stupid twats, diyan na tayo magkaka problema. Diyan ko na ififilter yung opinions mo
since of course what you’re saying is demeaning and insulting.
R9: Siguro pag nakakahiling ka ng may bias, try to yung perspective mo lawakan mo,
open minded ka kasi kapag parehas kayo may bias mag clash talaga kayo. Parang walang
mangyayari, bunguan lang.
Topic 3 question 4 (Describe your experience of having an altercation with someone
during a exchanges about issues in
Twitter.[If not, how would you handle it?])
R4: Hindi pa kasi ako nakakaexerpeince nung altercation talaga, as in yung intense na
altercation with someone on twitter, pero if ever magkaroon man, and mag engage siya
sa ad hominem, siguro hindi ko naman maiiwasan na pag nagtrigger yung ego ko
mageengage din ako sa ad hominem. pero as much as possible, I want to maintain a
healthy exchanges with someone.
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R1: I think there is a difference ata dun sa mga people na nageengage sa bashing because
that's their way of arguing, and there's a difference between trolls, kasi sometimes these
trolls are hired to actually derail conversations for example, or promote or add to the
clout of a politician. So I think there's a need to deleniate [sic] them in a way na it's easy
to dismiss trolls kasi they're paid to do it, and it's deliberate, the way they derail the
conversation. Pero dun sa legitimate people na nang babash, I think we should still work
on getting them to engage in a healthier exchanges. Dakulon akong experiences of
altercation in Twitter tapos sometimes its productive sometimes its not but yung
difference is it differs kung ano yung topic ng discussion. If its something that I hold
close to my heart and its something that I can’t compromise mas ano ako aggressive tas
pag petty man lang siya petty man lang responses ko.
R6: I always have altercations on twitter, and I'm going to describe how I handle them.
It differs from one topic to another, kasi there are things that I cannot compromise, like
when it comes to human rights for exmaple. But when it comes to strategies, or topics
that are more flexible, I also compromise sometimes. I don’t know since it’s not that
heavy siguro yung sakin ang gagawin ko ay depends kung gano kalakas yung impact
sakin pag ganun yung pinag uusapan syempre kung ano yung gustoniya ibibigay ko.
R2: Yung pinag lalaban mo kahit naaltercation siya yung its very personal for you and its
like very basta ganun frustrating siya kapag nag pinaglalaban mo ay personal for you.
Yun lang nga its frustrating.
R3: Ako naman sa dinarai rami ng experiences ko dyan ok naman madalas pinabayaan
ko nalang pero kung yung bagay na yun pinag lalaban ko talaga at naniniwala akong
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tama yun at all points yung parang hindi naman kailangan makipag compromise di ako
makikipag compromise kahit na nag aaltercate pa siya sakin.
R5: Ako naman yung experiences ko with altercation very toxic siya in the sense na
nawawala na yung essence ng exchanges kasi um yung kausap mo mas umiiral na yung
emotions niya and um kung baga dapat um present ka ng present ng facts tapos siya
resort nalang siya sa ad hominem so parang walang pinapapuntahan yung usapan niya
sayo.
R9: Wala, kasi hindi ako nag ttweet ng kung ano. Read lang.
R10: Una, nag respond talaga kami. Then parang napansin ko na hindi ko na mababago
yung perspective niya so I let it go.
R11: Personal attack sakin and sa tingin ko walang kwenta naman yun, sarcastic nalang
yung response ko lagi like “ahh okay” may smiley face pa. SO yun nalang gagawin ko,
or wag na.
R8: Sakin walang actualy personal attack na minention ako pero there are tweets I
consider personal attack kahit wala sakin halimbawa, pambababoy sa babae, sa lgbt,
ganyan. Kino”quote” tweet ko siya tapos, una bashing din, kasi binabash ako and its very
personal to me and that’s my take on it tapos usually I say na hindi pahaba na “we can
talk this through if you want, dm mo lang ako” and sometimes people do dm me and
then we have an intellectual discussion sa direct message pero nothing of the sort pa na
tinatag talaga ako ang bashing.
R7: So yeah there was this one time where I had a bit of a fight with someone cause he
was asking my credentials for saying all those stuffs. For in cases similar to that what’s
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best to do is justify what you’re saying how you justify it? The easiest way to justify it is
through hard fact even if you don’t have the credentials to say it as long as its true they
can’t really question it diba parang it’s a question of what is true and what is false nalang
in that types of situation and how you handle it despite who you are or how you present
it could also help sometimes so yeah.
Topic 4 (The significance of twitter to online exchanges)
Question 1 (How does Twitter differ from other social media platforms when it comes to
engagement in exchanges?)
R1: Ah yung Twitter kasi is very public yung platform in the sense na yung algorithm
niya hindi lang siya enclosed sa mga biases mo unlike sa facebook like sa Twitter na
binabase yung mga nakikita mo sa feeds. Sa twitter makikita mo kahit hindi akma sa
baiases mo so I think that its important you are confronted with a lot ay different political
opinions so yun yun yung difference niya saka its also very accessible in the sense na
makikita mo yung trending topics tapos may heat meter sila and also kasi yung brevity in
and pag yung concise bibigay ng political opinions its important lalo na kung maikli
yung attention span mo.
R2: I agree na basta sa algorithm ng ibang sites like facebook di madali yung pag break
nung ecochambers ano ng mga communities so parang stuck ka lang sa narrative that
you believe in tapos na aaffirm lang siya pero sa Twitter na eexpose ka sa iba ibang
narratives like you can hold other people accountable in their sentiments.
R3: Kung ikokompara kasi natin ang twitter sa Facebook, sa Facebook oaring lumalabas
lang yung post mo sa mga friends mo so pag di mo friend usually di talaga siya lalabas
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pero sa Twitter ano mas engaging siya in the sense na compared sa Facebook mag
cocomment comment lang din ng discussion pero mas magulo dun kasi nakabase kung
ano ang top comment anu ang hindi so sa Twitter may format siya may pasunod sunod
ng ano ng response so mas engaging siya sa mga tao at mas madaling kumalat yung ano
yung nasabi yun.
R5: Sakin naman nakatutulong ang public feature ng Twitter um kasi yun nga unike sa
facebook na friends lang nakakakita and isa yung nakatutulong yun um limited
characters sa Twitter kasi brief mo siyang ma eexplain yung side mo and um yung
kausap mo din brief din niya ma eexplain yung side niya and um siguro mas marami
yung naabutan mas marami yung ang engaements sa Twitter kasi nga once na nag Tweet
k aka cotweet or retweet tapos parang ngiging ano lang siya nagiging chain chain lang
siya so mas madali mong ma fofollow up mas madali mong ma ma check kung san ba
yung main point niya.
R6: Sakin naman Oo engaging yung Twitter as compared sa Facebook by experience
kasi makikita mo sa Twitter yung ano organization may organization na organized yung
ano niya based on the views na tig eexpress ng different users so yun makikita mo yung
sides nila unlike Facebook na sobrang sabog siya like halo-halo at minsan mostly
mapapansin mo sa Facebook is nag oout na siya sa discussion so sa twitter yung trend na
makikita mo it organizes the idea the exchanges of a certain issue.
R4: Sa Twitter siguro, yan na itong pinakamagayon na tool para magengage sa
exchanges. Ang difference niya kasi sa ibang social media is for example sa Facebook,
hindi naman yun puro ano. Hindi naman maganda gumawa ng socio-political exchanges
kasi hindi sya appropriate and ‘yung Facebook kasi may halo pa sya noong pag-post ng
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mga pictures and something like that. Sa Twitter talaga mas maganda kasi kapag yung
socipolitical issue ay relevant na ano, masyadong relevant yung engagement nya talaga
ay makikita mo sa relevance niya.
R8: Sa facebook kasi, puro na relatives, I mean, ibang age group siya and ibang content.
It’s about projecting how okay you are, even sa Instagram, they’re all beautiful there.
But sa Twitter it inspires exchanges as well sa iba’t ibang fields actually hindi lang sa
socio-political because its an avenue or it allows us to express our deepest thoughts as
well. So its what’s exclusive in Twitter
R7: Sa Twitter baga, may mga mini Twitter communities yung mga mini Tiwtter verses.
Yung mga lgbt community, yung kpop,yung kpop nga subdivided pa siya. Pero if you
really want to be introduced to a certain topic, Twitter is a really good place for you to
start with kasi a lot of people have their opinions and a lot of people would actively share
that opinion. And all you have to do is read, all you have to do is like the same Tweet
over and over again and you’ll receive the same types of Tweet again. So it’s pretty
convenient.
R9: Kung ikukumpara sa facebook talaga, basta very toxic ang facebook. Aram mo tong
mga gurang baga na iba ang pag type pa ninda, may mga dot dot dot. Tas garo very ano
sinda, very one sided lang ang opinion ninda. Tas may mga aki pa na garo 9 years old,
very free to comment kaya sa facebook na very accessible na halo halo na siya may iba,
mema nalang ang iba mayong kwenta na… Sa Twitter on the other hand garo mas ano
siya, mas informed kumpara sa users garo siya… mas informed ang mga tao.
R10: Kung baga ang Twitter kasi very different siya compared sa ibang social media kasi
given din na, personally ang twitter para sakin diary… Yun nga sabi ni ate, you can say
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kung ano ang gusto mong sabihin, you can freely yung mga anong nangyari sa buhay mo
ngayong araw. And when it comes to information dissemination, very good siya and
sabihin na natin na some of them may be facts, some of them may be opinions, but all in
all yung parang ma fifill ka parin ng knowledge.
R11: Siguro kung ako mag popost sa facebook about issues, chances are may relatives
akong makakaaway kasi diba kasi meron din silang opinion lalo na yung mga generation
Z, mga matatandang one sided lang talaga… So for me talaga, sa twitter mayo man sinda
so I can talagang tweet freely kung ano ang gusto kong sabihin or makipag discuss sa
ibang people. So without relatives na nakakaalam.
Topic 4 question 2 (What are the elements of Twitter that you find helpful when you
engage in online exchanges?)
R1: Firstly sa trending topics kasi makikita mo yung pinag usapan ng mga tao. Secondly
yung thread feature kasi makikita mo yung flow ng discussion. Thirdly yung Tweet and
cotweet kasi yun mas engaging siya and mas nakaka reach siya ng wider audience.
R2: yun yun rin yung thread feature kasi nga pasunod sunod na discussion yung cotweet
kasi mas engaging na ngayon yung Twitter tapos yung see what you missed na feature
nakikita mo yung baka pwede mong engadyan na di mo naabutan na offline ika.
R3: Sakin same lang tapos yung ano pag notify mismo ng Twitter sa account mo kung
yung ano yung na missed yung nag nonotify talaga sa phone.
R5: Actually same din siguro para sakin yung mute words kasi pag may nakaka stress
ng ano tas ayaw mo nalang so ano imumute mo nalang.
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R6: Yeah same din yung retweets since mas madali yung flow ng dissemination ng
information and yung trending na makikita mo yung different issues na hot topics na ano
sa twitter and yung likes na makikita mo and yung makikita mo yung likes ng finollow
mo makikta mo yun and yung privacy rin di mo um its up to you kung usto mo if it will
be public or private.
R4: Siguro ang most feature, mostly sa mga feature kang Twitter is helpful siya sa
pagengage sa exchanges. For example yung trending, mas madali mong malalaman
kung ano yung relevant issue sa moment na iyon. And yung ano naman, yung quote
retweet and retweet, mas madali mong maipapahayag iyong exchanges mo regarding an
issue. And for example ‘yong mga followers mo is mga , nageengage din sila dun. ‘Di ba
mayroon dun yung like, this person like this tweet. So mas, yun yung mga useful na
feature sa twitter. Iyong character limit din, helful din sya kasi mas makikita mo
straightforward yung pino-point out ng user and mas madaling gumawa ng exchanges
dun.
R8: Yung hashtag, kasi if you click on it, lahat ng nag hashtag about the topic lalabas so
makikita mo yung iba’t ibang takes on it. Kung sino sino ang nag ttweet, also parang
may ganyang feature narin sila sa search lang, pagka sinearch mo yung word na yun
lahat ng related sakanya lalabas tas you can filter that din, tao na hinahanap mo or
something like that. So kung maghahanap ka talaga ng certain topic, you can do that by
the hashtag or search keywords.
R7: Ang magandang element is yung Trending . Like whenever something is hot or
when something is still new, a lot of people Tweet about it in a short amount of time.
And when it comes to that certain cap, magigi siyang trending and its really nice since
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people… for people who are just new to twitter kung, if they want to feel or if they want
to be aware of certain social issues mag duman nalang sila sa Trending portion ng
Twitter and all they have to do is look for a topic they’re interested in.
R9: Yan, Trending. Tsaka iyan na itong algorithm, garo arog kaitong sa youtube na may
recommended. Nagruruluwas man itong, pag ang mga friends mo itong mga socio ano
man, tapos mga pig lilike ninda si mga ano tas iyan, click mo yan, tas kumpara kaya sa
facebook pag nasa top comments si tapos garo dakol reacts, garo dai man siya means na
tama. Ang magayon sa Twitter.
R10: Isa sa mga elements yung hashtag talaga, kasi minsan the hashtag yun nga, may
mga hashtag talaga in a certain topic nakakahelp siya. Halimbawa you are interested in
this topic, nahahanap mo agad siya. Hindi yung mag sesearch ka pa, scroll up scroll
down.
R11: Wrap up ko nalang yung elements na namention nila, yung hashtags, pindutin mo
nalang yung hashtag then lalabas na yung mga important na related to that issues, yung
Trending kung ano ba yung trending ngayon, you can actually engage through it and
malaman kung anon a yung trending. Tas yun.
Topic 4 question 3 (Describe the experience of engaging in a exchanges in Twitter.)
R1: Sometimes it’s healthy sometimes it’s not tapos ah ano pabayan ano pa ba
experiences ko? Yun sometimes its educational and that’s the most important exchanges
in Twitter when the exchanges is ah educational.
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R2: I have to agree na yung pinaka bet ko na exchanges na nakikita ko sa Twitter is
academic marami kang natutunan and its easy to absorb pero I see lesser and fewer na
compromises in Twitter pag nag kakaroon ng exchanges.
Mar Amapongan: experience ko naman dyan madalas ay ano toxic at kapag nalilihis
yung discussion pero challenging din siya dahil para dahil pinaglalaban mo talaga yung
kung willing kabang mag compromise or go ka lang until the end.
R5: Ako din um mostly talaga toxic pero I comment those people na nag sisimula ng
discussion na nilalagay na talaga nila yung facts yung research nila ganun kasi its ano
madali siyang maiintindihan ng tao and if ever man nay un na nga mag kainitan sa
exchanges at least may masasagot may isasampal yung isang tao because of that
research.
R6: Mostly unhealthy pero yun um pag nakikita ko na marami nakiki Sali sa exchanges
so parang it is imteresting naman kasi they are sharing they’re sentiments naman
personal beliefs but it should be magkaroon nalang ng respect towards ng ano each other
kasi dun pag wala kasing respect talaga dun na mag stastart yung ad hominem.
R4: Siguro iyong experience ko kasi sa Twitter is parang minimum palang with regards
to engagement in socio-political issues. Ang ginagawa ko lang kasi is I quote retweet
with what I want to express regarding that issue. Ang nakikita ko doon sa mga users na
grabe ang engagement sa socio-political exchanges is mas nagiging ano sila, mas
nagiging, iyong image nila with that engagement parang naiiba kasi yung image nila is
parang, what do you call that, parang naeengage talaga nila mismo iyong mga tao kasi
‘diba yung mas grabe mag-engage sa disourse, mas madali sila magadvocate ng
movement kasi marami magengage sa kanila.
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R9:Mayo, ta dai ngani nag tweet, pero if ever man maano ko, nag ttweet ako pero dai ako
nag rereply sa mga exchanges. Personal Tweets lang, buhay buhay ko lang.
R10: Parang ano lang, it’s okay. Wala naman masyado… nothing special pero its okay
na parang nagkaroon lang kami ng exchange of ideas and information.
R11: Siguro nung nag engage ako sa socio political exchanges, may mga taong nag
agree, meron ding mga taong nag didisagree so as long as… as much as possible parin
rational parin, and yung ending naman medyo okay naman yung nagging end ng
conversation wala naming nangyaring altercation.
R8: I tweet about anything that bothers me, kung ano anong sphere man. Kung at that
moment, if its socio political issues, I tweet about it, I look it up. I engage with people
bothered by the same issue. Okay naman, usually when they do reply nag eexchange
kami ng knowledge about it, and hindi naman ako nag pupush na ako ang tama ehh. If I
do get lectured for example, I say thank you and appreciate the discussion and I
acknowledge them, pero kung may point ako ganun din naman…
R7: As for my use of Twitter mostly personal lang like, what I think of this new video
game or memes, pero when I do Tweet about issues its normally in reply to people who
are already talking about issues to add my thoughts on it. When people become toxic,
I’ll give back that toxicity like a hundred times over, pero when people are being
rational, when people want to engage in intelligent discussion I’d be more than happy to
engage with them kahit pa mag Trump supporter or Marcos supporter pa yan. As long as
you keep my personal business out of your Tweets, as long as you keep my mother out
of it.
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Topic 4 question 4 (What are the pros of engaging in a exchanges in Twitter?)
R1: Um yun na nga accessibility and ah its convenient tapos ano pa ang pros It’s
happening in real time yun makikita mo yung exchange of ideas if iys uh face-to-face
discussion so yan.
R2: Ayun um what are the pros of engagement it helps shape public opinion yun lang.
R3: Mas madali magkaroon ng accountability.
R5: Mas navavalidate mo mas nacoconfirm mo kung ano ba yung mga maling pros yung
mga maling alam mo.
R6: its about expressing your ideas.
R4: Siguro ang pros niya on a personal aspect, siguro mas naggrow ako as a student, as a
member of society and para naman dun mga nakakabasa ng tweets ko para din
maeducate sila regarding certain issue na I made sure na I fact-checked din kasi since sa
Twitter hindi mo malalaman kung sino nakakita ng tweet mo minsan na minsan nakita
nila pero di naman nila nilalike and iyong essence doon is nae-educate sila and para
naman sa whole Twitter community, iyon na nga hindi mo alam iyong napapaabot, kung
saan nakakaabot iyong tweet mo para na rin magkaroon ng socio-political movement as a
whole.
R11: Siguro yung pros of engaging in a exchanges, it serves as an avenue for us to
engage in that issue and also para malaman mo rin yung opinion ng ibang tao. And yun,
basta walang altercation, talagang exchanges lang, alamin mo yung mas Mabuti na yung
nagkakaalaman kayo on both sides diba, may opinion so maganda yun.
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R10: I guess the pros of engaging kasi, personally, hindi baga ako nanunuod ng tv or
something parang engaging with exchanges inside Twitter ang ganda niya kasi
nabibigyan ka ng information. Kumbaga na iintrigue ka pa sa topic na pinaguusapan.
R9: It gives you a wider perspective sa mga bagaybagay. Mas nagiging open ka ta may
kanya kanyang point ang tao sa Twitter. It’s up to you if ano talaga ang tutubodan mo or
susurgan mo, pero with the information na dapat tama man si… Magsearch ka man
girarary dawa dakol ng opinion sa Twitter.
R7: Nagkaroon ako ng epiphany dun sa sinabi kanina ni Dianne, kasi it’s true not all of
the time na you’ll have access to primary sources. It’s not all the time na makakanuod ka
ng news, makakabasa ka ng books so I guess Twitter is a really good way for you to get
introduced to the different cultures no matter the shape or size of it. Most people
nowadays, no longer rely on the traditional way of gaining knowledge, most people
would just go to Twitter and find something out and its pretty that people are
coontinously taking about it. Kasi at the very least you’ll get introduced, and it’s okay to
have little knowledge of something than to have no knowledge of that.
R8: The most important thing for me is that I learned. Because I acknowledge na I don’t
know everything about something so, plus yung twitter kasi is learning through a
convenient means. I can just login and look something up kung gusto ko tapos medyo
witty pa ang pag package ng ibang tao so its also entertaining. That’s why I really like
Twitter kasi yung engagements as well and it’s a plus that I learned along the way.
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Appendix C
Respondents Profile
1. Lawrence Moratalla – He is 20 years old and has been part of Twitter for 5
years with 257 followers and over 8,500 tweets.
2. Roman Giuseppe F. Bueno – He is 21 years of age and has been a user of
Twitter for 4 years with a 658 follower count and over 12.9k tweets.
3. Rey Alfred Imperial – He is 22 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 7
years with over 495 followers and over 12,600 tweets.
4. Diane Guevarra – She is 20 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 5 years
with over 848 followers and over 16,300 tweets
5. John Henrich Sultan – He is 19 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 2
6. Lino Angelo L. Dimaculangan – He is 21 years old and has been a part of
Twitter for 9 years with over 1,120 followers and over 30,000 tweets.
7. Mar Xavier Ampongan – He is 22 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 8
8. Karla Denise Baduria - She is 18 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 8
years with over 1,553 followers and over 34,000 tweets.
9. Jhoanne Villanueva – She is 21 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 9
122
10. Alman Larcena – He is a writer at the Pillars Publication and has been a part of
Twitter for 3 years with over 418 followers and over 3,100 tweets.
11. Lex Candelaria – He is 19 years old and has been a part of Twitter for 5 years
with over 962 followers and over 18,100 tweets.
123
Appendix D
Content Analysis Coding Guide
124
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127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
Appendix E
139

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TONES AND APPROACHES | FLORES, GANGANNA PALLE, GENOVIS

Background of the study

communication; one of these sites is the Twitter.

As a developing wonder, web-based life is media for social association. The

pioneers of the development were empowered by universally open correspondence

innovation, participatory innovation, portable innovation and electronic applications.

culmination of which is client produced content which takes a wide assortment of

characterize online networking as an arrangement of web construct applications work

produced substance to be made and traded. Web 2.0's participatory advancements

long range interpersonal communication destinations, content networks, weblogs, social

media lavishness criteria, which media hypothesis proposes to recognize online

relational trust', indicates 'the craving of individuals to introduce a specific picture of

themselves to others, which is accomplished through the exposure of particular individual

data by Breuer (2011).

Twitter Incorporated introduced a social media platform. More popularly used as

exchange on Twitter? The research is about having an observable explanation on the

the individuals who are using it, but to the society.

and harassment.” by Gacsa (2018).

of regular and new users of Twitter on issues.

Statement of the Problem

2.What actions are being promoted by the #PilipinasDebates2016 tweets?

3.How does Twitter promote online exchange:

4. How significant is Twitter to the online exchange as perceived by selected Atenean

of social media and society.

users on online exchange.

3. To evaluate the discussion and altercation in Twitter on an online exchange.

4. To asses the significance of Twitter to the online exchange.

Scope and Limitation

The study focused on the types of engagement of Filipino Twitter-users in the

trending issue in the Philippines, #PiliPinasDebates2016. The tweet was tweeted by a

Significance of the study

most people follow.

fact generates effects in this group.

This study will be beneficial to the following:

To future researchers – This study can be used as a foundation by future researchers

engagement of its users on online exchanges.

instrument for online exchanges.

with regards to the importance of Twitter to online exchanges.

sensitivity of topics in social media.

regards to online exchange.

Aggressive- Ready and willing to fight or argue. Causes frustration. (Meriam-Webster

typically without proof. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)

Altercation- There is a disagreement that branches onto angry expressions regarding a

response to an issue. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)

Calm – Rational, understanding, respectful in responding. (Meriam-Webster Dictionary)

Character limit- Refers to the 280-character-limit of tweets.

world caused by the online exchange.

Discussion- The exchange of two coherent information on the promotion of exchanges

media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke.

within the confines of The Republic of the Philippines or abroad.

categorize messages. The rallying point that ignites discussions.

Humorous – possessing, indicating or expressive of an ability to be funny or to be

amused by things that are funny or have a sense of humor.

Informative – providing knowledge or information. Formulating strategies and

individual pages, or video links.

with the online exchange in mind.

exchange (i.e. Call to action and Neutral)

add personal comment to add on the online exchange.

Refutative – To deny the main idea being advocated by a statement. (Meriam-Webster