Summary

An innovative platform designed to track and analyze the most influential Facebook groups in Romania, using an integrative approach based on open-source data to construct a comprehensive database of relevant Facebook groups and pages is presented by a group of researchers led by CPD members and collaborators at the AAPOR public opinion research conference.
The platform goes beyond mere tracking, offering a deep understanding of Facebook group dynamics. By employing Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms, such as Named Entity Recognition (NER) and topic modeling, content can be categorized and analyzed with precision. Additionally, a clustering algorithm is applied to examine how Facebook accounts are connected through shared links, enabling a rich exploration of group behaviors and interactions.
The study is presented as a research poster at the AAPOR 79th Annual Conference, taking place in Atlanta, GA, in May 15-17, 2024.

TITLE: INNOVATIVE PLATFORM FOR TRACKING AND ANALYZING KEY FACEBOOK GROUPS IN ROMANIAN SOCIETY

AUTHORS: Dan Sultănescu (CPD member); Dana C. Sultănescu (CPD member); Andrei Dăneasă (CPD collaborator); Edward Tsien (University of South Carolina, US); Advisor: Vlad Achimescu

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