Content analysis methods for estimating the dynamics of Facebook groups

Abstract

The relationship between the content that is generated by the users of social networks and their dynamics has been analyzed by many scholars. However, due to favorable data policies, the majority studies have been carried out by analyzing Twitter data. In addition, such research on Facebook (FB) groups (esp. political) is usually qualitative. The present study analyses the dynamics as well as topic dynamics of radical right political groups on FB by employing a quantitative research methodology. The current paper draws on a large data set that is comprised of posts from FB groups. Overall, there are 79 728 posts which are made up of more than 2 million words and were generated within the timespan ranging from 2010 to 2018. The experimental set up compares the general dynamics and the dynamics of activity on four topics in two radical right FB groups (i.e., pro-Russian and other radical right) in Lithuania. The results show that the year 2014 was important for the radical right FB groups in Lithuania. Newly created proRussian FB groups started growing rapidly, whereas the posting activity in other radical right FB groups started to decrease. The topic word Lithuania is relevant for the whole activity time when it comes to all the radical right FB groups. Such topic words as Russia and land correlate with national and international political crisis.