Skip to main content

Table 2 Classification of Big Social Data types

From: Conceptualizing Big Social Data

Category

Definition

Types of data

Digital self-representation data

Data related to identity depiction and communicative body in digital environment

Profile data (i) Login data (name/nickname/e-mail address and password); (ii) Mandatory data (services and application required data, for example, full name, citizenship, birthday); (iii) Extended data (profile pictures, education, tags of interests)

Self-published content (e.g., personal documents, pictures, videos, interests): (i) Disclosed data (to the public); (ii) Entrusted data (content sharing within trusted digital community)

Data published by the community (e.g., pictures, narrations, videos, posts): Relates to content shared by other users, which contribute to the digital identity creation

Technology-mediated communication data

Data related to two-way communication, knowledge creation and distribution through technology

Private communication data instant 1-to-1 messaging and content sharing;

Public communication data 1-to-many messaging, commenting, information contribution and editing of existing entries;

Collaborative communication data many-to-many participatory content sharing, chats, video-conferences

Digital relationships data

Data that reveal digital social relationships patterns

Explicit data Friendship data–Followee/Follower data;

Implicit data Data, which is revealed through technology-mediated communication data (e.g., tweets could be analyzed to infer connections between people)